Every One Piece character who must have known Blackbeard's true origin

Hidden facts, lineages, and legacies are all commonplace in the One Piece universe. The mysteries surrounding important individuals are being solved more quickly than ever before as the epic series approaches its final arc. The visual and conceptual similarities between Rocks D. Xebec and Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard) are among the most fascinating developments.

Fans were unable to ignore the striking similarity when Rocks' face and demeanor were revealed in previous chapters. This has reignited discussion over who in-universe knew about Teach’s real origin— and who might have been oblivious. Here, we break down characters who must have known, and those who possibly didn’t.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.

One Piece characters who must have known

1) Whitebeard

Whitebeard sailed under Rocks and spent years with Blackbeard. From the eyes to the distinctive smile, the likeness is now unmistakable. Whitebeard's keen intuition with individuals like Ace and Oden would be at odds if he didn't at least assume Teach was Rocks' son or some sort of heir.

More importantly, Whitebeard’s character never cared about lineage, as seen with Ace. So even if he knew, it’s likely he chose not to act on it, making his acceptance of Blackbeard even more meaningful.

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2) Monkey D. Garp

Monkey D. Garp (Image via Toei Animation)

Garp was the Marine hero of the God Valley Incident. He fought alongside Roger to take down the Rocks Pirates, meaning he would have seen Rocks firsthand. If anyone would recognize the resemblance, it’s him.

Considering how wary Garp was of Blackbeard’s rise, it’s fair to assume he knew exactly who he was dealing with. He just never said it aloud— likely because he’s used to dealing with the legacies of dangerous men like Ace and Luffy.

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3) Sengoku

As a fellow Marine leader to Garp, Sengoku would have been briefed on the Rocks Pirates and their captain. Sengoku played a major role in the information distribution regarding the most dangerous pirates in history, introducing Rocks as the most dangerous pirate of his time.

His wits and classified Marine intelligence would have made it impossible for him to overlook the Blackbeard-Xebec connection, especially considering the two shared the same D. initial and physical appearance.

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4) Silvers Rayleigh

Silvers Rayleigh (Image via Toei Animation)

The Dark King was Roger’s right-hand man. He had faced off against Rocks or, at the very least, known about him from Roger’s perspective. Rayleigh’s seasoned observation and wisdom make it hard to believe he wouldn’t catch on to Blackbeard’s eerie similarities to Rocks. While he doesn’t get involved directly, he likely harbors quiet awareness of the threat Teach poses.

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One Piece characters who could have known

1) Kaido

Kaido, a former member of the Rocks Pirates, was a young trainee under Xebec's leadership. Kaido would be intimately familiar with the look and demeanor of his former captain, having survived the God Valley event and seen firsthand Xebec's leadership.

The later ascent to prominence of the Beast Pirates' commander and his fixation on fighting resemble some of Xebec's own goals, indicating that he gained important knowledge during his time serving under Rocks' leadership.

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2) Charlotte Linlin

Charlotte Linlin (Image via Toei Animation)

Big Mom would have seen Xebec quite a lot and would be more familiar with his look, because she was another one of the more famous of the Rocks Pirates. She would likely have noticed that Blackbeard looks the same as their former captain due to her long memory, her attention to detail, and her continuous relevance to the current pirate generation.

This relationship would be especially relevant to her, given her understanding of the importance of the D. clan and her own aspirations for dominance.

3) Akainu

As Fleet Admiral, Akainu must be briefed on key threats, but whether he personally connects Blackbeard to Rocks is questionable. He focuses more on ideology than lineage, labeling pirates as threats regardless of ancestry. Still, in hindsight, he might piece it together— especially given Teach’s rise and strategic cunning.

4) Shanks

Shanks as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

While it remains unclear how old Shanks is and what his life is like in his early years, his broad information about the pirate world and his acquaintance with Roger and Whitebeard could lead one to believe that he may have had an encounter with a hearsay of Xebec.

However, because it would only be limited to legends and descriptions of his appearance if he had never met him, it is excusable if he didn't get it at first.

Final thoughts

By emphasizing commonalities like as their D. ancestry, ambition, and malevolent positions, the theory that connects Blackbeard to Rocks D. Xebec gives One Piece more depth. If accurate, it might account for Blackbeard's unique skills, his command of Devil Fruit mechanics, and his desire for dominance. Characters who are aware of this connection probably belong to one of two categories.

Those who had firsthand experience with Xebec or those who had access to historical information that had been hidden. These inherited wills and secret relationships are set to influence the final conflict between the unresolved legacies of the past and the burgeoning pirate generation as the story draws to a close.