While Whitebeard himself is no pushover, his crew can’t be either. Thankfully he has some of the strongest on the seas backing him, and the Whitebeard Pirates are one of the strongest Emperor crews out there. Which of them are the strongest though, and how do they stand against each other?
Warning that this article contains spoilers for One Piece. Catch up with the anime on Crunchyroll or the manga on Viz before continuing!
10. Thatch
The Fourth Division Commander Thatch was one of the strongest on Whitebeard’s crew, in the upper tier of his lieutenants. Unfortunately for Thatch, he was never given any proper screentime. He was killed early on by Marshall D Teach, who stole the Dark-Dark Fruit he just acquired. References say that Teach only killed Thatch because he snuck up on him, but it remains to be seen just how strong the former Commander actually was.
9. Vista
Vista is a swordsman, slashing across enemies with his twin sabers. He’s also the Fifth Division Commander for Whitebeard, and one of his most devoted followers. Vista is fiercely committed to the Emperor. So much he even has to be held back when Teach insults him at the Marineford battle. That’s not the only person he has beef with either. Something happened in the past between Vista and Yasopp that he still holds a major grudge over.
Despite his abilities being below some of the others, Vista is enough of a swordsman to cross blades with Dracule Mihawk. He and Hawkeye fight to a near standstill, with Vista holding him back until the eventual intervention by Shanks. He’s integral in helping Luffy escape Marineford, and probably has more to play in the story overall.
8. Jozu
While Jozu is already a hulking brute of a fighter, he’s even more dangerous thanks to his Devil Fruit ability. The Diamond-Diamond Fruit is just what it sounds like, and allows him to harden his skin to diamonds. Being one of the hardest substances on earth will definitely give your punches a little bit of oomph. Jozu is a strong warrior, and called a monster of a man by even Crocodile, who isn’t very easily swayed.
Even more telling, Jozu is able to stand up to the insane Conqueror Haki Shanks lets loose on Marineford. He’s totally unphased by it, taking the entire brunt and standing tall. He’s one of the strongest of Whitebeard’s crew when it comes to lesser-known members. Jozu just deserves some more time to shine like the diamond he is.
7. Izou
The former Vassal of Kozuki Oden who stayed a member of the Whitebeard Pirates instead of returning to Wano. Izou is also the twin brother of Okiku, and the two make a fearsome duo of swordsmen when they get together in a battle. Although Izou prefers to stick with pistols instead of a blade in modern days, he’s still incredibly proficient with them when he uses one.
Unfortunately, he’s killed during the Raid on Onigashima, where he takes multiple wounds from Cipher Pol 0. Drake doesn’t get there in time to help him, but Izou does give him enough time for Luffy to wear down Kaido some more before Guernica interferes with their battle. Izou is now enshrined in Wano as a legendary hero, and remembered fondly by his former Whitebeard Pirate crewmates.
6. Cat Viper/Dogstrom
Where one goes, the other follows, even if they don’t get along most of the time. Cat Viper and Dogstrom are both vassals of Kozuki Oden who stay with him during his time with the Whitebeard Pirates, only leaving when they all return to Wano. Both are incredible fighters, and with the added strength of being Minks, next to nothing can stand in their way. At the raid on Onigashima, they take on Jack and manage to dispose of him.
Of course, it takes going into their Sulong form and receiving quite a few injuries in the process. The two might not be the young swordsman they were while serving under Oden, but they still hold up as some of the strongest. After they withstood the onslaught of Jack on Zou, there’s no way Whitebeard wasn’t damn proud of them, wherever he was.
5. Marco
The First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates is also Edward Newgate’s first mate. Marco is also one of the strongest on the crew, as well as the doctor for everyone. Fitting, since his Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Model: Phoenix is known for the healing flames it possesses. He’s able to heal minor wounds with the flames from his transformation, and it makes him essential in both Marineford and Onigashima to keep everyone alive.
When it comes to combat abilities, Marco isn’t a slouch by any means. He’s able to fly in both full and hybrid Zoan forms. The flames he emits, while able to heal allies, will also burn enemies if he wants them to. It’s terrifying to be on a battlefield one moment and in the air, engulfed in blue flame the next. Marco might look like a pineapple, but he’s a damn strong pineapple.
4. Marshall D Teach
Okay, so this one is a former Whitebeard Pirate, but Marshall D Teach is one of the strongest as well. He holds Conqueror Haki, and makes use of it to stun others once he harnesses it. Not to mention when he first steals the Dark-Dark Fruit from Thatch, it only takes him a few days to get good enough with it to take out Ace. However, there’s also the argument that Ace was careless and got caught unaware of how the Fruit would affect his Flame-Flame Fruit powers.
Still, there’s no arguing that once Teach takes the Tremor-Tremor Fruit from Whitebeard, he becomes a menace. He’s incredibly strong now, with mastery of two Devil Fruits in addition to his insane Haki abilities. Not to mention that Blackbeard is just an absolute madman, and there’s no telling what he could be planning for the future.
3. Kozuki Oden
One of the few non-Emperors strong enough to stand up to Kaido, and he also had Conquerors Haki. Kozuki Oden is all around just one of the strongest characters to ever live in One Piece. It’s proof when he clashes with nearly every major pirate in the New World. Oden doesn’t only have every form of Haki, but he’s perfected the Oden Two Sword Style. This style, which imbues his swords with Advanced Conqueror Haki, later inspires Zoro. The man is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to fighting, and the samurai in him LOVES to fight.
Oden is strong enough that he fights Gold Roger, King of the Pirates, to a draw after three days. When Gold Roger tells someone they’re strong, it’s a pretty safe bet he’s right. The only thing that gets Oden killed in the end is his sense of honor. To defend others, he bows to Kaido’s terms in an effort to avoid violence. It’s still a testament to his strength that Oden survives an entire hour boiling in a pot of oil. All before he’s finally offed by a gunshot to the head.
2. Portgaz D Ace
There’s no doubt that if Ace was still alive in the One Piece universe he would have become Emperor by now. Hell, he probably would have immediately taken over Whitebeard’s spot instead of Teach, if he made it out of Marineford of course. Unfortunately for Ace, his incredible Flame-Flame Fruit was just too outmatched by numbers and other Devil Fruits. That isn’t to say he wasn’t strong though, because it’s quite the opposite.
Ace is able to take on everyone that comes at him, and even faces down Whitebeard before joining his crew. Not only is he strong enough to take others down with ease, but his Logia abilities mean he’s able to traverse as a being of pure flame. It’s only by Akainu’s magma that Ace is undone, and even then arguably only because he was worn down after everything.
1. Edward ‘Whitebeard’ Newgate
Would it really be a list of the strongest Whitebeard Pirates if Whitebeard himself wasn’t here? Of course he’s the strongest of the crew, and his Tremor-Tremor Fruit is only part of his incredible power. There’s a reason the Marines call him ‘The Man Who Shakes Heaven and Earth’, because he can literally crack the sky and turn the world upside down. His Conqueror Haki is some of the strongest seen, and was only second to someone like Shanks when he was in his later years.
During his prime though, Whitebeard could fight for days against someone like Gold Roger in his prime. They would go at it for a week before partying just as long, and Whitebeard was even a former Rocks Pirate. As one of the strongest members of Rocks D Xebec’s crew, Whitebeard almost immediately became an Emperor after Rocks’ defeat.
The Whitebeard Pirates are gone now, but they live on through their memory and will pass on to others. Marco still helps out the Straw Hats when they’re in need, and Ace’s will guides every step Luffy takes. Though Whitebeard himself may be gone, he forever stands as a monument to the Golden Age of Piracy. Standing tall, even at their end, the Whitebeard Pirates put up one hell of a fight before going their separate ways.
