The Blackbeard Pirates

Date: 6/1/10

By: Gee

Crew members: Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach), Van Auger, Jesus Burgess, Doc Q, Lafitte: Unknown.
First appearances- Chapter 222 (Van Auger, Jesus Burgess), Chapter 223 (Doc Q, Marshall), Chapter 234 (Lafitte)

Despite having a mere 5 members, the Blackbeard Pirates are definitely one of the most formidable crews revealed in the story so far. The crewmembers are individually revealed in small intervals throughout the events in Jaya following the Alabasta arc. Luffy first encounters Blackbeard in a Tavern in Mocktown where the two are immediately hostile toward each other concerning the taverns food and drink. This cherry pie tastes so good Im gonna die! This cherry pie tastes so bad Im gonna die! After being humiliated by Bellamy and his crew, Blackbeard commends Luffy for refusing to fight and living by his dreams, but Luffy merely stares inscrutably at him before returning to his ship. Blackbeard, along with his crewmates all seem to have a shared affinity with ideas of not only dreams, but fate and destiny. They display their affinity sadistically, however: Van Auger, a master sharpshooter, is shown in Jaya shooting seagulls down far out at sea claiming That is just fate, its a result of your daily good and bad deeds. Jesus Burgess, a hulking wrestler of sorts, is seen trouncing random pirates in the streets simply to see if theyre strong enough to defeat him. Doc Q (ironically a very weak and sickly person) offers exploding apples to random passers-by to see who dies and who doesnt. Their twisted actions motivated by fate are menacing, and their large physiques and statures are intimidating. Blackbeard only becomes interested in Luffy when he learns of his newly-acquired 100 Million bounty. As it appears, Blackbeard and his crew have been slowly gaining power for bigger schemes. Blackbeard used to be a member of Whitebeards crew, but committed the worst crime- killing a crewmember. As a result, Flaming-Fist Ace of Whitebeards second division was dispatched to hunt Blackbeard down. Lafitte, the 5th member of Blackbeards crew, was a former policeman in West Blue, but was exiled for his violent ways. He infiltrates a conference with the Five Elder Stars and some of the Shichibukai, to discuss Crocodiles demotion and the events of Alabasta. Lafitte nominates his captain as a candidate for the available Shichibukai position. It seems that Blackbeard and his crew are determined to become all-powerful, to overthrow Whitebeard and claim the title of Pirate King for his own. Once Red-haired Shanks and Whitebeard eventually meet, Shanks warns Whitebeard that sending Ace to hunt him down was a mistake, and that Blackbeard is a force to be reckoned with, as it is he who gave Shanks the 3 scars over his left eye. Whitebeard dismisses these claims and the two draw swords. In the most recent chapters of the story, news reaches the Blackbeard pirates of the commotion at Enies Lobby, and after hearing of Luffys presence in Water7- and his now enormous 300 Million bounty- they decide to continue their hunt for him only to finally be confronted with Ace.