Marshall D. Teach is a massive anomaly. You know it, I know it, and every One Piece fan who has been paying attention since Jaya knows it. He’s the only person in the history of Eiichiro Oda’s world to wield two Devil Fruits simultaneously: the Yami Yami no Mi (Darkness) and the Gura Gura no Mi (Quake). But if you’ve been hanging out in the theories section of the fandom lately, you’ll notice a singular obsession that won't go away. Everyone is waiting for the Blackbeard third devil fruit to finally reveal itself.
It isn't just a random guess. It's basically a mathematical certainty at this point because of how Oda loves the number three. Look at his Jolly Roger. It’s got three skulls. Look at his pistols. He carries three. Even his beard is often tied into three distinct braids. This guy is obsessed with triplets, and in a shonen manga where symbolism is basically law, that points to a third power.
The "Atypical" Body of Marshall D. Teach
Remember what Marco said during the Marineford War? He mentioned that Teach has a "structured" body that is "atypical." That’s a weird way to describe a guy, right? Most people assumed he meant Blackbeard was just built different, but in the context of Devil Fruits, it implies he has the physical capacity to house more than one soul or "devil."
Then you’ve got that chilling line from Luffy and Zoro back in Mock Town. Nami referred to Blackbeard as "that guy," and they both corrected her. "It's not 'he'," they said. "It's 'they'." This wasn't just them sensing his crew nearby. They were sensing multiple presences within a single person. If Blackbeard is actually three people in one—or has three souls—then the Blackbeard third devil fruit isn't just a possibility; it’s the final piece of his puzzle.
People love the Cerberus theory. The idea is that Teach already ate a Mythical Zoan: Model Cerberus before we even met him. This would explain why he can have two more fruits (one for each dog head). It also explains the Jolly Roger. But honestly? It feels a bit too simple for Oda.
The Logia, Paramecia, Zoan Trinity
The most compelling argument for a third fruit is the "Set" theory. Right now, Blackbeard has the strongest Logia (Yami Yami no Mi) and the strongest Paramecia (Gura Gura no Mi). To complete the trifecta, he needs the strongest Zoan.
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What's the strongest Zoan? For a long time, people thought it was Kaido’s Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon. Others looked at Sengoku’s Buddha fruit. But after the Wano reveal regarding the Gomu Gomu no Mi's true identity as the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, the power scaling shifted. If Blackbeard is the "dark" mirror to Luffy, his third fruit has to be something that counters or parallels a God-type Zoan.
Some fans are banking on the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix, but that’s Marco’s thing. Others think he’s going after Saturn’s or the other Gorosei’s demonic powers. But let's be real—Blackbeard is a hunter. He waits for the perfect moment. He waited decades on Whitebeard's ship just for the Yami Yami no Mi. He isn't going to settle for a mid-tier Zoan. He wants something that makes him a god.
Why He Never Sleeps
Buggy told us during the Oden flashback that Teach has never slept a day in his life. Think about that. If you don't sleep, your "day" never ends. Your life is effectively doubled or tripled. This ties back into the multiple souls theory. If one soul is always awake while the others "rest," he bypasses the human need for sleep.
This lack of sleep might be the side effect of his original nature or perhaps his first, hidden Devil Fruit. If he already has a Zoan that prevents sleep or grants multiple lives, it changes the entire landscape of his final fight with Luffy. Imagine fighting a guy who doesn't just have two powers, but three distinct personalities or "lives" you have to snuff out.
The Darkness Fruit is the Key
We can't talk about the Blackbeard third devil fruit without looking at the Yami Yami no Mi again. Teach himself said darkness is gravity—it swallows everything. It even sucks in the power of other Fruit users.
There is a dark theory that he didn't actually eat the Gura Gura no Mi in the traditional sense. Under that black cloth at Marineford, he might have used the Yami Yami no Mi to "store" the fruit's essence within his darkness rather than his stomach. If his darkness is an infinite void, how many powers can he actually hold? Is three just a symbolic limit, or is he planning to become a walking encyclopedia of every broken ability in the Grand Line?
Honestly, the sheer greed of the character suggests he won't stop at two. He's the ultimate opportunist. When he sees an opening, he takes it.
What Could the Third Fruit Actually Be?
If we assume the "Trinity" theory is correct, he needs a Zoan. Here are the front-runners that actually make sense based on the lore we have in 2026:
- The Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Typhon: In Greek mythology, Typhon was the father of monsters (including Cerberus) and the greatest enemy of the Olympian gods. If Luffy is Nika (a god), Blackbeard being Typhon (the god-killer) fits the narrative perfectly.
- The Kraken: We’ve seen a Kraken in One Piece, but a Mythical Zoan version would be insane. Three hearts? Check. Multiple limbs? Check. It fits the "atypical body" description.
- The Orochi Fruit: Wait, didn't Orochi have this? Yes, but he's dead. The Yamata no Orochi fruit grants multiple lives. If Teach scavenged this, he’d be nearly impossible to kill.
- Something completely new: Oda loves subverting expectations. It could be a fruit we've never heard of, tied to the Void Century or Imu.
The Narrative Stakes
The hunt for the Blackbeard third devil fruit isn't just about power levels. It's about what it represents for the end of the series. One Piece has always been about "Inherited Will." If Blackbeard is carrying the wills of three different people—perhaps Rocks D. Xebec is one of them—he is the literal embodiment of the wrong way to carry a legacy.
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While Luffy carries the dreams of his friends and the freedom of the sun, Blackbeard carries the weight of history and the crushing gravity of darkness. Adding a third fruit, likely a Mythical Zoan that transforms him into a literal monster, sets the stage for a final battle that is more about ideology than just punching hard.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Theorists
If you're trying to track where the story is going regarding Teach's final power-up, keep your eyes on these specific markers in the upcoming chapters:
- Watch the Gorosei interactions: If Blackbeard shows interest in the "demonic" forms of the Five Elders, he might be looking to steal a Zoan that isn't tied to a traditional fruit.
- Analyze the Jolly Roger: Any change or focus on the three skulls usually precedes a major character reveal for Teach.
- Pay attention to the "Vortex": The Yami Yami no Mi has a "Black Hole" technique. If he starts using this to pull "souls" rather than just objects, the third fruit is imminent.
- Look for the number 3: Oda hides hints in plain sight. If Teach starts wearing three hats or gains a third weapon, the transformation has likely already begun off-screen.
Blackbeard is the endgame. Whether he gets a third fruit or reveals he's had one all along, the "atypical" pirate is going to break the world one more time before the curtains close on the Grand Line.