The Past And Present Goals Of Every One Piece Emperor

Key Takeaways

One Piece Emperors are powerful pirate captains, nearly impossible to defeat in one-on-one combat.
They control vast territories, and resources, seeking ambitious goals, such as becoming Pirate King.
Emperors like Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido, and Shanks have unique backgrounds and motivations, with varying success in achieving their objectives.

As a seasoned One Piece enthusiast and connoisseur of pirate lore, I must say that these characters are as diverse as the Grand Line itself!

Captains for the four most dangerous ship crews recognized by the World Government are akin to pirate emperors. These leaders are usually formidable figures themselves, often proving extremely challenging to defeat in individual battles.

Although they are surrounded by influential pirates, it’s worth noting that this doesn’t hinder their control over various territories, resources, and a relatively luxurious lifestyle for pirates. However, it’s important to remember that no pirate achieves such prominence without some significant drive, and these emperors all possess ambitious objectives.

7 Edward “Whitebeard” Newgate

Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates

The Past And Present Goals Of Every One Piece Emperor

Debut: Chapter 159 (Manga), Episode 95 (Anime)
Status: Deceased, No Longer Emperor
Devil Fruit: Gura Gura no Mi (Formerly)

Edward Newgate, who passed away, grew up as an orphan on the impoverished island of Sphinx. Since this territory couldn’t afford protection from the World Government, crime and corruption flourished in the region. This challenging upbringing might have contributed to Newgate turning towards piracy. Whitebeard was once a part of the Rocks Pirates, a notorious group of influential individuals who he stated were insubordinate. After the crew disbanded, he established his own powerful group, known as the Whitebeard Pirates.

As a gamer, I’d put it like this: My crew was renowned for its colossal size, requiring no less than 16 separate divisions, each with its own leader. Plus, there were several other crews that pledged allegiance to Whitebeard, serving as his loyal subordinates. Newgate even bestowed his flag on numerous territories, essentially taking up the role of their guardian. Most of his riches were shared with Sphinx, probably as a form of aid for those in need.

Whitebeard showed little interest in the One Piece, unlike other emperors, and even declined to learn about its location. Instead, he appeared to prioritize his crew, viewing them as his family. Since Whitebeard didn’t have many relatives during his upbringing, maintaining a sense of family was a significant aspiration for him.

6 Charlotte “Big Mom” Linlin

Captain of the Big Mom Pirates

Debut: Chapter 651 (Manga), Episode 571 (Anime)
Status: Unclear, No Longer Emperor
Devil Fruit: Soru Soru no Mi

Charlotte Linlin grew up as an orphan in the city of Elbaf, as her parents were unfortunately unable to care for her. The orphanage where she resided was run by Mother Carmel, who secretly intended to sell her to the World Government. As a child, Charlotte was already massive in size, nearly invincible, and had an insatiable appetite that continued even into her younger years. Due to Elbaf’s traditions requiring fasting, it is possible that she may have accidentally consumed Carmel and other orphaned children during these times when food was not allowed.

One of Linlin’s primary objectives was to safeguard Totto Land and its neighboring isles, which she considered her domain. In return for this protection, she collects a tribute from her island inhabitants – a month from their lifespans (which she takes from their souls using her Devil Fruit power). Moreover, it has been reported that two of her daughters asserted that she does not tolerate anyone willingly leaving her jurisdiction.

Linlin also wished to become King of the Pirates and had a goal of obtaining the One Piece. Linlin seemed largely successful in her goal of integrating various races, with the majority being seen in her territory, or otherwise collected by her. However, there were a few races, she had yet to integrate. The most infamous stumbling block is the giants, who despised Linlin as a race after her actions in Elbaf. She attempted to smooth things over with an arranged marriage, but her daughter, Lola, left her husband-to-be, Loki, at the altar. After failing to pass Lola’s twin, Chiffon, off as her sister, the giants hated Linlin even more for her deception. Another race that is unseen on her islands is the Lunarians, who are thought to be largely extinct. Linlin asked the sole survivor of the race, King, to accompany her, but he refused. Linlin also has 85 children, the result of several marriages to husbands of a variety of races.

Linlin’s pursuit of the One Piece has not been as fruitful compared to her other endeavors so far. She intends to capitalize on her daughter, Pudding’s three-eyed abilities for an advantage, though Pudding doubts if this strategy will pan out. With Linlin’s loss at Onigashima and presumed (yet unverified) demise, her crew has significantly weakened from its former strength.

5 Kaido

Captain of the Beasts Pirates

Debut: Chapter 795 (Manga), Episode 736 (Anime)
Status: Unclear, No Longer Emperor
Devil Fruit: Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu

Kaido was consistently admired for his immense physical power, yet he was appreciated for little else. His past betrayals and the torturous experiments on Punk Hazard fueled a fierce rage within him towards the world. Alongside fellow test subject, Alber (later known as “King”), he established their crew, which eventually became recognized as the Beasts Pirates.

Kaido’s ambitions encompassed confronting the World Government, establishing a pirate crew made up entirely of Zoans, and ultimately claiming the title of Pirate King. It appears that Kaido frequently attempted suicide due to despair over the absence of a formidable adversary. Unfortunately, Kaido has not succeeded in any of his objectives so far. Despite being held captive by the World Government, he has yet to deliver a decisive blow against them. It remains uncertain how he would fare against a combined onslaught from their strongest warriors. Kaido’s attempts at building an all-Zoan crew were boosted by the SMILE program, which granted many of his followers imperfect artificial Zoans. However, when production of these smiles was halted, several lower-ranking members and those who consumed failed smiles lost their Zoan abilities.

Despite the fact that he had once aspired to become the King of Pirates, Kaido appears to be significantly distant from achieving this goal, given that his second-in-command, King, initially vowed not to concede defeat until that point but eventually broke his promise following Zoro’s victory. Moreover, numerous attempts by Kaido to end his own life have proven unsuccessful, raising uncertainty among the populace as to whether he perished in the volcano at Onigashima or survived.

4 Shanks

Captain of the Red Hair Pirates

Debut: Chapter 1 (Manga), Episode 4 (Anime)
Status: Alive, Current Emperor
Devil Fruit: None, as of now

Shanks seems to be a bit of a mystery when it comes to his long-term aspirations, much like many other emperors. It’s apparent that he, too, is in search of the One Piece, but beyond that, there’s not much information available about his grand plan. His connections with the Five Elders and supposed influence over the World Government (which might stem from his World Noble lineage) make it difficult to fully understand his objectives.

He is notably fond of Luffy, protecting him multiple times and wishing for him to become a great pirate, but he acknowledges that the two are now technically enemies, a fact not helped by Yasopp gunning down one of Luffy’s subordinate crews.

Much like Whitebeard, it appears he’s drawn to humanitarian causes, particularly the defense of Elbaf and other regions. Moreover, he seems to confront weaker crews under unclear intentions. Yet, the specific goals driving him remain a mystery, as his infrequent appearances spark curiosity and speculation among the masses.

3 Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard”

Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates

Debut: Chapter 223 (Manga), Episode 146 (Anime)
Status: Alive, Current Emperor
Devil Fruit: Yami Yami no Mi and Gura Gura no Mi

Blackbeard is steadfast in pursuing his objectives, investing numerous years to see them through. His initial objective, the quest for the Yami Yami no Mi, was one he spent several years working alongside the Whitebeard Pirates to achieve. However, it appeared he held no qualms about betraying them following the completion of this task. He also rose to the position of a warlord without a bounty, using this title as a cover to seek out and recruit the most ruthless criminals for his crew. Currently, he wields immense power as an Emperor, with the majority of Whitebeard’s territories under his control, and few successful challenges against him at present. Moreover, he has managed to acquire Devil Fruit powers for his highest-ranking members, many of whom obtained these abilities by killing and stealing them from their previous holders.

With all his previous objectives accomplished, it’s uncertain what Blackbeard’s current aims are, as they appear veiled in enigma. He appears fascinated by the concept of a pirate nation and has dabbled with the idea, even hinting at one that could be sanctioned by the World Government. Additionally, he shows interest in the One Piece, but like others, his progress towards obtaining it remains ambiguous. Presently, he’s using Pudding as a means to advance this objective.

2 Monkey D. Luffy

Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates

Debut: Chapter 1 (Manga), Episode 1 (Anime)
Status: Alive, Current Emperor
Devil Fruit: Gomu Gomu no Mi (Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika)

Luffy’s main ambition lies in achieving the title of Pirate King. His other objectives, however, aren’t as clearly defined. He appears to yearn for the greatest degree of autonomy, and his selfless and selfish desires often overlap at this juncture. Some theories propose that his ultimate aim could be to bestow freedom upon all.

Unlike many other captains, he appears exceptionally skilled in locating the One Piece, aided by his crewmate Nico Robin, one of the few who can decipher ancient poneglyphs. Luffy, too, possesses the Voice of All Things, an ability that may aid him on this quest. However, becoming the Pirate King is no easy task for him; obstacles include understanding poneglyphs, finding the location of Raftel, and overcoming those who seek to thwart his progress.

1 Buggy

Figurehead of Cross Guild

Debut: Chapter 9 (Manga), Episode 4 (Anime)
Status: Alive, Current Emperor
Devil Fruit: Bara Bara no Mi

Buggy is a recent contender in the race to find the One Piece. Like his former crewmate and fellow emperor, Shanks, Buggy was a Roger Pirate. However, he missed discovering the One Piece with his crew the first time, due to a sickness he had that Shanks stayed behind to help him recover from. Unlike other emperors, Buggy is actually quite weak as a pirate. That said, an ability to find strong allies, and a greatly exaggerated reputation, have led him to continually fall up into higher echelons of piracy.

Buggy was forcibly integrated into Crocodile and Dracule Mihawk’s new marine-hunting mercenary organization, Cross Guild. This was due to an unpaid debt Crocodile wanted to collect. However, in attempting to repay him through exposure, Buggy was inadvertently made the leader, a mistake the two co-leaders ran with to make him a scapegoat.

At a recent gathering, Cross Guild was motivated by him to pursue the One Piece. While they were excited about the objective, Mihawk and Crocodile appeared less enthusiastic. Mihawk found the task more challenging than his pursuit of being the World’s Strongest Swordsman, and for Crocodile, the dream of becoming the Pirate King faded after Whitebeard defeated him severely. Still, it is expected that they may join in the endeavor to maintain appearances, if not for any other reason.

2024-09-29 19:35