Latest One Piece chapter foreshadows Blackbeard's fight against Imu to carry on Rocks D. Xebec's legacy

One Piece chapter 1155 stunned fans by unveiling Rocks D. Xebec’s audacious challenge to Imu-sama, the supreme leader of the World Government. Before forming his infamous crew, Xebec single-handedly assaulted Mary Geoise during the Levely. He kidnapped five of the monarchs attending the council, and brutally defeated a Marine Admiral who dared to go against him.

However, Xebec’s true target was far grander: he entered the Pangaea Castle’s Room of Flowers, where he confronted Imu. Neither surprised nor intimidated by the presence of Imu— a shadowy ruler unknown to most— Xebec boldly declared his intent for a future showdown before making a daring escape.

Xebec was the first pirate to violate Mary Geoise enough to penetrate the Room of Flowers, a defiant action that explains why the World Government was so bent on erasing every mention of his deeds from history. What’s truly interesting, however, is that Xebec’s past challenge on Imu may lay the groundwork for a forthcoming confrontation between Imu and Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard.”

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1155.

Rocks D. Xebec's challenge to Imu in One Piece chapter 1155 teases Blackbeard's final villain role

The most dangerous father-and-son duo

Rocks D. Xebec and Marshall D. Teach, father and son (Image via Shueisha)

Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard” is a long-standing antagonist in the series.

His heinous actions include betraying the Whitebeard Pirates to steal the Dark-Dark Fruit, devastating the Drum Kingdom, and playing a decisive role in Portgas D. Ace and Edward Newgate’s deaths, as well as kidnapping Charlotte Pudding, ruthlessly massacring Trafalgar Law’s Heart Pirates, and capturing Koby during the attempted seizure of Boa Hancock’s Love-Love Fruit.

The only One Piece character known to wield two Devil Fruits simultaneously, Teach has recently been revealed to be the son of Rocks D. Xebec, proving true the many fan theories that had speculated on this for years. In light of this, Teach can be considered the metaphorical and factual second coming of Xebec.

Even though the World Government erased all records of Xebec from history, Teach “Blackbeard” seems to know quite a bit about his infamous father. In fact, Teach named his ship “Saber of Xebec” and is using the island of Hachinosu as his base, just like Xebec did when he was the captain of the Rocks Pirates. So, it’s safe to say that Blackbeard is truly determined to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Blackbeard inherited Xebec's uncanny ambition (Image via Shueisha)

On the other hand, it’s entirely possible that Xebec left his son a note about Imu. Although the reason it’s still unknown, Xebec knew about Imu and was fiercely resolved to attack and, if possible, crush the mysterious leader of the World Government. Upon meeting Imu, Xebec openly challenged him, and vowed to return for a future, greater challenge.

Xebec died a few years later the encounter with Imu, during the God Valley Incident, which took place 38 years before the present narration. Yet, his son Blackbeard is alive, and more dangerous than ever, as a Yonko with the uncanny ability to wield the sinister Dark-Dark Fruit and the all-powerful Tremor-Tremor Fruit at once.

Just as Xebec aimed to become the “King of the World,” an ambition that could never be fulfilled without getting rid of Imu and the World Government’s subtle yet oppressive tyranny, Blackbeard pursues power in ways different than most other pirates, seeing as he wants the island of Hachinosu to be officially accepted as his personal domain.

That said, neither Xebec nor Blackbeard wants to liberate the world. Rather, they want to claim it for themselves.

Xebec's words to Imu serve as a Chekhov's gun

A confrontation between Imu and Blackbeard has to happen (Image via Shueisha)

In One Piece chapter 1155, Xebec’s defiant words to Imu sounded like an evident setup for a future confrontation between Blackbeard vs Imu. Like a typical Chekhov’s gun, Xebec’s claim that “he will come back” implies that he is either still alive— somehow— or that his return will be metaphorical, yet no less formidable, through his son.

Blackbeard has clearly inherited Xebec’s will, and can’t fulfill his legacy without facing the World Government like Xebec did. Father and son share the rare Will of D. trait, but in stark contrast to the other D. carriers, who are mostly good-hearted individuals, they distinguish themselves by their malicious lust for power.

Xebec has broken too many of the One Piece world’s taboos, as he destroyed Enies Lobby’s Gates of Justice, dared to steal the money intended for the Celestial Dragons, attacked the Levely, and not only killed an Admiral but even saw and openly challenged Imu. He did all of this before actually becoming a pirate and establishing his crew, which is only more astonishing.

Blackbeard could steal Imu's powers like he did with Whitebeard (Image via Toei Animation)

Teach has kept a lower profile, but his potential threat is probably the same as his father’s. Considering that Teach was among the people that Imu wanted to be eliminated— the others being Monkey D. Luffy and the Ryugu Kingdom’s Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi— it’s likely that Imu and Teach are aware of each other’s dangerousness, and are waiting for a day of reckoning.

Imu is depicted as an ominous and almost untouchable foe, but Blackbeard embodies the concept of the evil, unpredictable pirate par excellence. In a pirate-themed series such as Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, it’s not impossible that he will somehow kill Imu, or at least steal the latter’s powers after the shadowy villain is weakened from fighting Luffy.

By doing so, Blackbeard would effectively surpass his father, by accomplishing what he could not. This would elevate Blackbeard to legendary status as the final villain of One Piece, and the man destined to confront Luffy in an ultimate showdown between two opposing views of what it means to be a pirate.