The Only Person Capable of Possessing Two Fruit Powers
Blackbeard's ability to use both the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark Fruit) and the Gura Gura no Mi (Earthquake Fruit) powers is the most exceptional event that defies the physical laws of the One Piece universe. Normally, when a person eats a second Devil Fruit, their body cannot handle it and they die instantly. How Blackbeard broke this rule has not been fully explained in the series, but several clues have been left behind. Teach's body is described as having an “unconventional structure.” Marco used this term during the Marineford War, hinting at both physical and mental differences. This suggests not just ordinary durability, but a structural anomaly.
The rumor that Blackbeard never slept as a child is one of the first clues pointing to this unusual body structure. In the One Piece world, sleep is essential for regeneration and mental balance. This deficiency may have caused an unusual energy flow in his body or the presence of multiple personalities.
According to some theories, Blackbeard's “body can house multiple souls.” This idea is supported by the three skulls on Teach's Jolly Roger. While other pirate flags feature a single skull, Blackbeard's flag has three, suggesting he may possess multiple consciousnesses.
The Extraordinary Nature of the Dark Fruit
Unlike other devil fruits, the Yami Yami no Mi has the power to directly “absorb” or “extinguish” the powers of other fruits. It is believed that this fruit grants the user not only darkness but also metaphysical control through the principle of “attraction.” Due to its ability to “cancel out” other fruit powers, this fruit may have technically allowed Blackbeard to integrate a second fruit into his body. In other words, the Dark Fruit may have suppressed the normally fatal effects of a second fruit.
Oda has explicitly stated that the Yami Yami no Mi is the “most dangerous Logia.” In fact, this fruit exacts a price by giving its user a weakness to pain. However, this weakness is seen as a sacrifice worth making when considering the fruit's unique potential.
The Capture of the Gura Gura no Mi
Immediately after Whitebeard's death at Marineford, Blackbeard and his crew performed a ritual by covering his body with a black cloth. This scene was an unprecedented, unusual, and mysterious method never seen before in the series. It is believed that Blackbeard acquired the power of the Gura Gura no Mi through this ritual.
Obtaining fruit power from a corpse had never been observed before in the One Piece world. Normally, Devil Fruit power is transferred to the nearest fruit when the user dies. However, Teach obtained this power from Whitebeard's corpse “without waiting,” suggesting that he possesses deeper knowledge of the Devil Fruit system.
It appears that Blackbeard did not physically eat the fruit during this power transfer. This suggests that he may have managed to access the essence of the power rather than the fruit itself. Obtaining fruit power without eating the fruit has only been observed in Blackbeard to date.
Scientific Theories and Clues
The concept of “spirits within the fruits” mentioned in Vegapunk's explanations about the fruits could be a critical foundation for explaining Teach's success. If every devil fruit contains its own “consciousness,” Blackbeard might be able to carry these powers because he can hold multiple consciousnesses within his body.
At this point, some “Zoan” type fruits—such as Luffy's Nika form—directly merge with a divine or mythological personality. Although Blackbeard uses a Logia fruit, his “consciousness-holding body structure” may enable this Zoan-like compatibility.
Additionally, there is a theory that the cloak Blackbeard uses to transfer his fruit powers is made of a special material. It is suggested that this cloak is part of a special technology that absorbs or directs devil fruit energy. This theory is based on the idea that technological support allows the laws of nature to be overcome.
Historical and Symbolic Connections
Among characters bearing the letter “D,” Blackbeard exhibits the most exceptional behavioral patterns. While most D-bearers symbolize freedom or revolution, Teach is associated with darkness and control. This suggests that there may be a deeper, historical “dark mission” behind his ability to wield two fruit powers.
The real-life Blackbeard pirate (Edward Teach), who inspired Teach's name, was historically known for his triple identity and deceptive personality. Eiichiro Oda's deliberate choice of this name reinforces the idea of multiple personalities or parallel souls in the Blackbeard character. Teach's rise to power is often compared to the classic “Prometheus” myth: like the figure who stole fire from the gods, Blackbeard has seized supernatural power with his own hands and disregarded the rules in the process.
Abnormalities and Information Sharing Among His Crew
Blackbeard's crew consists of exceptional criminals rather than ordinary pirates. The members he kidnapped from Impel Down are extremely dangerous individuals that even the government cannot control. This team has a special structure not only in terms of physical strength but also in terms of knowledge.
Members like Catarina Devon, Shiliew, and Lafitte are both powerful and enigmatic personalities. Their fruit powers and behavior suggest they may have assisted Teach in his experiments beyond the rules. Lafitte's abilities in “hypnosis” and “navigation” could have facilitated a mental or spiritual transition during the devil fruit transfer.
The process of Doc Q and Stronger eating the fruit also reflects Teach's approach: Stronger (a horse) ate the human-to-human fruit and supposedly “became human.” This detail shows that Teach's crew has knowledge far beyond what is known about the use of the fruit. Speculation grows that the fruits are connected to consciousness within the crew and that a “spirit transfer” beyond physical transfer takes place. Blackbeard may have used his crew as a kind of laboratory for these experiments.
Technology, Ritual, and the Possibility of Consciousness Transfer
The cloth used in the scene where Blackbeard obtains the second fruit is not merely a symbol, but may be a technological or mystical device. During the 15-20 seconds that pass under this cloth, power is transferred without physical contact, and this is the only example of power transfer without eating the fruit. In this scene, it is thought that Teach manipulated not his own body, but perhaps his “consciousness.” That is, he may have created a kind of spiritual void with the dark fruit, then drawn Whitebeard's power into it. This could be not just a physical, but a metaphysical process.
In the One Piece world, the separation of spirit and body was explained through the character Brook. Brook survived by having his spirit return to his body. This example demonstrates that spirits can be transported as entities. Blackbeard may be the only one who has put this knowledge into practice. Since the Yami Yami no Mi is based on the principle of “absorbing everything,” this power may not only be used for attack, but also to absorb spirits or fruit essences. In this respect, the dark fruit has much more potential than all other fruits.
His enemies cannot understand him
Even during the Marineford War, no one, including Whitebeard, could have anticipated that Blackbeard would obtain the power of the second fruit. This suggests that Teach had planned everything well in advance and kept it secret from everyone. Even experienced characters like Sengoku were shocked when they saw him use the second fruit. This situation reveals that Blackbeard has surpassed all known scientific and historical knowledge regarding the fruits.
The fact that characters such as Kaido, Big Mom, and even Akainu have not tried or even know of this method shows that Teach has unique knowledge or ability in this area. In other words, this is not a technique that anyone can use, but a feat unique to Teach's character.
The Three Souls Theory and the Jolly Roger Detail
The presence of three separate skulls on Blackbeard's pirate flag is a symbol unique to him in the One Piece world. This is not merely an aesthetic choice but a metaphorical clue directly related to the character's structure. Some theories suggest that Blackbeard harbors three distinct consciousnesses within his body. This makes him open to obtaining a second, and potentially even a third, Devil Fruit. These consciousnesses could be his childhood self, his version merged with the dark fruit, and his new form wielding the Gura Gura power.
According to this theory, Blackbeard's consciousness is gradually splitting, and each power is merging with a new consciousness. Therefore, Teach is not only physically but also mentally fragmented, making him even more unpredictable. The three skulls on his flag have also been associated with the “three-headed hell creatures” or the mythological Cerberus figure. This connection suggests that he may be open to both darkness, destruction, and an unknown third power.
The Possibility of a Third Devil Fruit
It has long been debated by both fans and theorists that Blackbeard may not be limited to two fruits. With no other character having achieved this level of power to date, Teach's breaking of this barrier strengthens the idea that he may possess a third fruit.
Since the mechanism of fruit power transfer in the One Piece world is still not fully explained, it is unclear why someone who can obtain a second fruit cannot obtain a third. If Teach's body can indeed “carry different consciousnesses,” there is a logical opening for the possibility that this structure could accommodate three different Devil Fruits.
There are also hints that Blackbeard has set his sights on a Zoan-type fruit. If such a power were added to his existing Logia (darkness) and Paramecia (earthquake) class fruits, it would mean he controls all three basic types of devil fruits. Thus, he would be the first and only person to unite the three pillars of the devil fruit system.
This possibility would be a step that would elevate him to the pinnacle not only physically but also in terms of the metaphysics of the One Piece universe. This is because the devil fruit classes directly represent the power structure of the universe, and bringing the three together would mean absolutely subjugating the laws of nature.
The Contrast Between Roger and Teach
The fundamental difference between Gol D. Roger and Marshall D. Teach lies in the direction of their quest for freedom and power. While Roger sought to become “the freest man in the world,” Teach aims to control all systems. This contrast also leads to two different interpretations of the meaning of the “D.” letter at the heart of the story. It is implied that Teach already stood out even during Roger's era. In Whitebeard's past narratives, it is implied that a young Teach waited patiently for years to set sail, never sleeping and planning as if manipulating time itself.
These details suggest that his journey to power was not random but the result of generations of accumulated knowledge. While other pirates stumbled upon the fruit by chance, Teach is one of the rare characters who acquired power through careful planning. In addition, Roger's crew speaks particularly cautiously about Blackbeard. Shanks clearly stated before Marineford that Teach was “not like Roger, but had a much more dangerous side.” This proves that Blackbeard is not only the antagonist of the story in a physical sense, but also in an ideological sense.
Shadow Game: The Balance Between Shanks and Blackbeard
Shanks' extreme sensitivity toward Blackbeard is a rare occurrence in the One Piece world. While Shanks avoids open conflict even with the World Government, he openly intervenes against Teach's rise. The fact that the scars on Shanks' face were inflicted by Blackbeard suggests a long-standing feud between the two characters. Moreover, this wound was inflicted before Teach even possessed the Devil Fruit, demonstrating how deadly he was even without it.
The fact that Shanks went to Mariejois to meet with Gorosei also implies that Blackbeard has become a figure who threatens not only the pirate world but also the world order. Such high-level intervention shows that Teach's potential is feared even at the government level.
The idea that Teach's goal is not just to become Pirate King but also to take over the world order gains strength here. For Teach is a figure who exploits the weaknesses of the maritime system, the flaws of the Devil Fruit system, and the dark aspects of mythological knowledge to his advantage.
Connection to the Dark Pages of History
Blackbeard's lack of interest in the Poneglyphs and his failure to directly mention a goal such as Raftel shows that he is not on the path of “solving history” like Luffy, but rather on the path of “seizing power.” However, this does not mean that he is not interested in history.
Some theories suggest that Teach may be the heir to the destruction of the “Great Kingdom” in ancient times. In other words, Teach may be connected to a dark power that disappeared during the Void Century. This connection makes him a dark figure not only of the present but also of history. While some characters bearing the letter “D” act with a historical mission (Luffy, Roger, Saul), Teach is the only one moving in the opposite direction, using history to his own advantage.
Comparison with Other Characters – Blackbeard's Unusual Rise
In the One Piece universe, many characters obtain their powers through hard work, battle, or chance encounters brought about by fate. However, Blackbeard's rise is unlike any of these. He is one of the rare figures who obtained his power through planning, waiting, and betrayal. Characters like Luffy, Shanks, and Ace obtained their Devil Fruit powers through chance or emotional reflexes. In contrast, Teach spent decades searching for the Yami Yami no Mi, ultimately obtaining it by killing his own crewmate. This demonstrates how obsessive and dark his motivation to attain power truly is.
While other characters blend their fruit powers with their personalities, Blackbeard uses his power not as an extension of his personality but as a tool to transform it. This shows that he prefers to forcefully subjugate the fruit rather than merge with it.
Kaido, with his Zoan-type legendary fruit, is a direct symbol of destruction; however, the “desire for death” that comes with his power also reflects his mental fragility. Big Mom gained her power through childhood trauma and hunger. Both of these characters have psychological ties to their fruits. For Blackbeard, however, the fruits are tools; they were chosen not for his personality, but for his plan. The most striking contrast is with Luffy. Luffy's goal is freedom, and he gains his power as a result of this. Teach's goal, on the other hand, is power itself, and freedom may merely be a mask to achieve it.
Blackbeard's Strategic Dominance Over the Seas
After taking over Whitebeard's territory following the events at Marineford, Blackbeard gained not only individual power but also geographical and political power. While the other Yonkou generally preferred to stay in their own territories, Teach pursued an expansionist strategy. His goal was not merely to be powerful but to become a “threat large enough to change the order.” Therefore, he began to seize not only the seas but also sources of information. His discovery and destruction of Baltigo, the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army, revealed that he was not just a pirate but was executing a global strategy.
It is also noted that Teach established a state-like structure on his own territory and “purchased” devil fruit powers there. This makes him not just a pirate but also a “devil fruit trader.” While other characters find the fruit by chance, Teach systematically collects them. This was also the reason behind Burgess' attack on Sabo in Dressrosa: to seize the Mera Mera no Mi and bring it to Teach. This incident shows that each member of Blackbeard's crew is actually being used as a devil fruit hunter.
The Road to the Final Battle: Blackbeard's Role in the Story
Teach's presence does not represent balance in the ultimate narrative of One Piece. On the contrary, he symbolizes the collapse of that balance. As the dark side of the World Government, the rebellion of the Revolutionary Army, and the pirates' quest for freedom, Teach is the only figure capable of harming all of them.
In the final battle, Teach is expected to face Luffy as the embodiment of “absolute power.” The freedom and will that Luffy represents will clash directly with the chaotic control that Teach embodies. This clash will not merely be a battle of forces but a battle of ideologies.
Eiichiro Oda's decision to keep the Blackbeard character in the background for so long suggests that he could be the “wild card” of the story. While the current threats appear to be Im-Sama and the World Government, the person who will likely create the real turning point is Blackbeard.
In conclusion, Teach is not only at the center of the One Piece world with his two fruit powers but also as the darkest, most mysterious, and most calculating entity in the story. And perhaps the real question now is: Is Blackbeard limited to just two fruits, or does he have more plans in store?