Summary:
Blackbeard and his pirates arrive at Marineford when Whitebeard takes them off the execution platform. To avenge his two sons (Ace and Thatch), Whitebeard fights Blackbeard. Even though Blackbeard has the ability to cancel the devil fruit’s abilities, Whitebeard lands a critical hit with his bison and then pins Blackbeard, grabs him by the neck and uses his devil fruit to crush him and throw him back. Still surviving, Teach and his crew cowardly attack Whitebeard with pistols and blades. In his final moments, Whitebeard remembers his last meeting with Roger and his journey as a pirate to have his family. Whitebeard dies standing up, right after telling Blackbeard that he is not the one Roger is waiting for, he said that the will of people like Ace will not die and there will be someone who will challenge the world in the future, and then he told the world that One Piece exists, much to Sengoku’s chagrin.
Blackbeard emerges from among the ruins of Marineford, accompanied by his crew and several level 6 refugees from Impel Down. He begins fighting with Whitebeard, who confronts him for his betrayal of the Whitebeard Pirates by murdering Thatch and his involvement in Ace’s death. Whitebeard and Blackbeard clash several times until Whitebeard critically hits Blackbeard and then continues to pin him down and try to crush his throat. Blackbeard survives and his crew then cowardly attack Whitebeard using pistols and blades, dealing the finishing blows to his already battered body while his crew looks on in horror and heartbreak.
In his final moments, Whitebeard reflects on his last encounter with Gol D. Roger and learns about the history behind the middle initial “D”. Gol D. Roger also told Whitebeard how to get to the Laugh Tale, even though Whitebeard never plans to go there. As Whitebeard dies, he mentions how the Pirate King is waiting for someone with the initial “D”, but tells Teach that he is not the one Gol D. Roger is waiting for. He also says that there will be others who pick up Ace’s will and that those flames will never go out. Whitebeard then addresses Sengoku and the World Government, admitting that they fear that one day a world-consuming battle will break out and the world will be engulfed in war. Whitebeard admits that he doesn’t care about the fate of the world, but as long as someone finds Roger’s treasure, the world will be turned upside down, saying that someone will find it sooner or later. He smirks at Sengoku, who looks at him in horror.
Whitebeard leans back, takes a breath, gathers his last breath and bellows at the top of his lungs, “ONE PIECE… ONE PIECE IS REAL” His words echo throughout Marineford and are heard through the Visual Den Mushi and broadcast directly to the viewing public on the Sabaody Archipelago. Knowing the impact his final revelation will have, Sengoku curses Whitebeard.
As Whitebeard succumbs to his injuries, he thanks his sons and that he was happy to sail with them all for so long. Whitebeard finally departs, all of his crew sobbing profusely over the loss of their captain and mourning him non-stop. Several marines on the battlefield stare at him in disbelief as the great pirate Edward Newgate died standing. Even after death, his body refused to collapse. He had so many injuries but continued to fight as he was inflicted with 267 sword wounds, 152 gun wounds and was also shot 46 times by cannons. However, as his captain’s jacket is released from his lifeless body, it is clear that of all these wounds, not a single one is on his proud back – in his entire life, Newgate has never suffered a running scar.