Summary
Due to the expansive nature of theOne Piecestory and all the characters that have been shown over the years, there are quite a few theories about who will be the ultimate villain at the end of the series. The answer to this currently seems to be that Imu is set to be the final antagonist, which makes sense considering the thematic importance that they have as the great evil who has ruled the world for centuries.
However, there is a growing contingent of fans who believe that Imu may not be the final villain ofOne Piece, and that this honor wouldgo to none other than Blackbeard. Although Marshall D. Teach has been a longstanding villain from quite early on, he currently doesn’t seem strong enough to be the ultimate villain. However, there is a way where he can gain astronomical power which will make him even more powerful than Joyboy and Nika.
The Mysterious Power Of This Character
First Appearance
One Piece, Chapter 223, “I Promise Never to Fight in This Town”
Story Arc
Jaya
Blackbeard’s true power and importancein the greater scheme of the story have been implied since his very first appearance. Due to this, he has been responsible for some of the most important events in the modern era ofOne Pieceand present for many others, the most notable of which was the Marineford War, which can be traced back to his capture and turning in of Ace to the World Government.
The conclusion of this war showed that although he put up a facade of alliance with the World Government, his true plan was always to use the carnage of the conflict to sneak up on a weakened Whitebeard and steal his Devil Fruit. This was when the truth of his powers became apparent, as he was able to steal the Gura Gura no Mi and lay waste to whatever was left of Marineford despite being a novice user of the fruit. This hints that the power Blackbeard holds has set him up to be the greatest threat to Luffy, and the world, by the end ofOne Piece.
Fate has chosen me to conquer this world!
Blackbeard was exiled from the Whitebeard Pirates because he killed the Fourth Division Commander, Thatch, in order to obtain the Devil Fruit he had in his possession; the Yami Yami no Mi. This is arguablythe most powerful Logia typein all ofOne Piecesince, despite it not providing intangibility like others in the category, it has gravitational properties which attract things towards the user. Its greatest power is the ability to negate others' Devil Fruit abilities with a single touch, which currently makes it the only counter to Luffy’s Nika fruit.
As if this weren’t enough, Blackbeard also acquired the strongest Paramecia type Devil Fruit from Whitebeard’s body, allowing him to create world-ending quakes on any surface. These powers are strong enough on their own, but many fans believe that Blackbeard is set to gain another power-up before his eventual battle against Luffy, which may just make him stronger than even Joyboy or Nika.
Fans have seen a trend with his Devil Fruit powers, in that his first was the strongest in the Logia class and his second was the strongest in the Paramecia class. Following this, many believe that his long-awaited third Devil Fruit will be a Mythical Zoan, since these are typically the strongest Zoan fruits. The identity of which one he will eat remains a topic of debate, with many saying that he will stealLoki’s mysterious Nika fruitat some point, which would make him more than a match for Luffy by the end.
Loki’s Devil Fruit remains the topic of a lot of speculation, since this power is said to be so great that no one on Elbaf was able to stop him. Moreover, this is said to be another Nika fruit, so fans believe that this is probably the Mythical Zoan which transforms Loki into the destroyer version of the Sun God, since this was a reveal made in the Elbaf arc of such a deity existing at some point in the past.
The True Identity Of Blackbeard’s Final Devil Fruit
The Power of the Devil’s Fruit
After the tease of Imu’s powers in Chapter 1150 of the manga, fans are convinced that the most powerful Mythical Zoan type has been revealed, whichseems to transform Imu into a devil. This nicely ties it into the identity of the ‘Devil’s Fruit’, which may just be the first and strongest of these mysterious fruits to ever exist. This is also a fitting power for the ruler of the world who is said to be the strongest in history, so this is precisely why it could work as Blackbeard’s final Devil Fruit.
Many have been debating about who will be the ultimate villain ofOne Piece, with the two camps torn between Imu and Blackbeard. Those identifying with the latter claim that once Imu has finally been defeated by Luffy and his allies, Blackbeard will then make his unexpected entrance onto the battlefield, just like how he did at Marineford. Here, he will take advantage of a downed Imu to steal their Devil Fruit, becoming the greatest villain ofOne Piecewith the power of the strongest Devil Fruits of each category, standing as the heroes' final test.
