Essential Insights
- Kozuki Oden departed from the Whitebeard Pirates to join Roger’s crew, despite the challenges he faced to be a part of Whitebeard’s team originally.
- Arlong exited the Sun Pirates due to leadership changes, subsequently establishing the Arlong Pirates.
- Blackbeard abandoned Whitebeard after murdering Thatch, acquiring the Yami Yami no Mi to transform into a formidable pirate emperor.
There are numerous factors that can lead a pirate to feel disenchanted with their chosen crew, which can ultimately lead to their departure. This phenomenon can be attributed to a variety of circumstances, some tied to the individual pirate and others reflecting on the crew itself. Sometimes this decision comes as an abrupt choice; other times, it unfolds gradually, influenced by external factors. To be included in this overview, a pirate must have left a crew that continued to remain operational in some capacity after their exit. Below are a few notable pirates who departed from active crews.
5 Kozuki Oden
Admired Roger’s Aspirations
The free-spirited Daimyo of Kuri, Kozuki Oden, was a magnetic leader capable of forging battle-ready followers from Wano’s diverse population. His adventurous spirit could not be contained within Wano’s borders. Upon the arrival of a pirate ship, Oden bravely sought to join the Whitebeard Pirates. Although Whitebeard hesitated due to Oden’s lack of experience as a crew member, Oden proved his commitment by hanging onto the ship with a chain for nearly three days. He paused this ordeal to save a woman named Hiyori, who had time-traveled from the past and was captured by human traffickers.
After rescuing Hiyori, who eventually became his wife, Oden and several of his retainers set sail with the crew. He notably contributed for a couple of years and was involved when the crew split into divisions due to its size, eventually becoming the second of five division commanders. Oden’s two children were born at sea during his tenure with the crew. His adventure continued until he met the Roger Pirates amid a prolonged conflict with the Whitebeard Pirates, becoming enamored with Roger’s ambition to find the legendary last island, Laugh Tale. With Whitebeard’s hesitant consent, Oden left with his family and two of his retainers stowing away.
While most of his companions had to return to Wano because of an illness Hiyori developed, Oden continued with Roger’s crew until they reached Laugh Tale before disbanding shortly afterward. He later returned to Wano aiming to become the country’s shogun, intending to open its borders. Despite Oden’s departure from the Whitebeard Pirates, his retainer Izou stayed on for many years, eventually returning to Wano to help reclaim control for Oden’s family.
4 Arlong
Disagreed with New Leadership
Arlong, a fish-man pirate notorious for his contempt toward humans, led the Arlong Pirates, which expressed anti-human sentiments on Fish-Man Island. Following the formation of the Sun Pirates, his crew was essentially absorbed into a larger group, partly due to Arlong’s respect for captain Fisher Tiger. Tiger was a tortured individual, having endured the horrors of slavery, but he still hoped to prevent hatred from being instilled in fish-man children.
Tragically, Tiger met his demise while attempting to return a human slave home after her parents turned to the marines for leniency regarding an escaped slave. Ultimately, he refused a life-saving human blood transfusion due to his hatred for humans. Following his death, Jimbei ascended as captain and aimed to foster better relations between fish-men and humans.
This change led to divides within the crew, with Arlong and some members departing to create the Arlong Pirates. Ironically, Jimbei’s position as a Warlord was what secured Arlong a pardon post-capture by marines. While Arlong held a degree of respect for Tiger, he dismissed Tiger’s wish for fish-men to avoid fostering animosity towards humans. Other crew members, such as Macro, also departed to form their own crew, profiting from slavery.
Ultimately, Jimbei left the Sun Pirates after being inspired by Monkey D. Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, but worked to ensure the safety of his former crew before his exit.
3 Blackbeard
Departed After Violating “The One Rule”for His Ambition
Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, is a notorious pirate with one of the highest bounties, recognized as a significant threat to the World Government and now holds the title of “Emperor.”Within the ranks of the Blackbeard Pirates, he has assumed the role of “Admiral,”with each major crewmember functioning as a “Captain”for various sections of the crew. Despite this, he began his journey as a relative unknown with an extensive background in piracy.
Young Teach aspired to acquire the Yami Yami no Mi, a Devil Fruit capable of negating other Devil Fruit powers. He petitioned Edward Newgate, famously known as Whitebeard, for a place on his ship, which Whitebeard agreed to. This was deceptively strategic, aimed at increasing his chances of eventually locating the coveted fruit. After nearly 20 years aboard, Teach was qualified for a Division Commander role, which he was denied. However, Thatch, another commander, discovered the sought-after fruit during their voyage. In pursuit of the fruit, Teach murdered Thatch and claimed it.
Following this betrayal, he departed from the crew, having broken their cardinal rule against killing fellow members. With newfound powers, he began to gather his crew, adopting the name “Blackbeard.”The Blackbeard Pirates eventually replaced the Whitebeard Pirates, with Teach not only seizing his former captain’s Devil Fruit abilities but also leveraging his intimate knowledge of their territories. The climax of this takeover was evident during the Payback War, where the Blackbeard Pirates triumphed over the remnants of Whitebeard’s crew.
2 Charlotte Chiffon
Defector Through Matrimony
At times, a pirate feels trapped within their crew due to a lack of alternatives. This was the case with Charlotte Chiffon, one of Big Mom’s numerous daughters. When her twin sister Lola was supposed to partake in a diplomatic marriage with Prince Loki of Elbaf to mend long-standing tensions with the giants, Lola ultimately chose independence and sailed away as a pirate instead. Chiffon was thrust into her sister’s role, but the giants quickly realized the deception, leading to worsened relations and causing Chiffon significant mistreatment by her mother.
Aware that her mother would react violently if she attempted to leave, Chiffon’s salvation came through a genuine political marriage to Capone Bege, a member of the Worst Generation who sought not to confront the Big Mom Pirates directly. The pair had a son named Pez and seemed to have developed a sincere bond. Bege’s crew, the Fire Tank Pirates, chose to remain in a subordinate role, quietly waiting for the right moment to execute their assassination plan. Supporting this initiative meant Chiffon prioritized her new family over everything else.
After a failed assassination attempt, thwarted when Big Mom’s screams destroyed the weapons, Chiffon firmly severed ties with her mother and left with Bege and his crew. Eventually, she reunited with her sister and their long-lost father, partaking in Lola’s wedding to Bege’s subordinate, Gotti.
1 Speed
Defection Induced by Kibi Dango
Speed, previously a member of the Beasts Pirates, played a significant role in solidifying Shogun Kurozumi Orochi’s grip over Wano. She possessed the strength to consume a SMILE (Artificial Zoan Devil Fruit), transforming into a centaur-like form, and initially appeared committed to the Beasts Pirates, serving as one of its officers.
However, her bond with the crew was forever altered by an enigmatic Devil Fruit consumed by an 8-year-old girl. The Kibi Kibi no Mi, which Tama possessed, enabled her to tame animals by offering them millet dumplings (Kibi Dango) drawn from her cheeks. Given the half-animal aspect of SMILE users, they could also become obedient. The moment Speed was fed a dumpling, she instantly defected, prioritizing Tama’s safety above all else, even when danger loomed.
As the dumplings circulated, many SMILE users followed suit in their departures, yet none seemed to establish the same deep connection as Speed did with Tama. Unfortunately, the effects of the dumpling’s influence are temporary, requiring the recipients to choose their path independently after some time. Tama requested Speed to stay by her side as a mother figure even after the dumpling’s impact faded. Speed appeared to agree, but as of the most recent updates, her fate remains unexplored in the ongoing Wano-related cover stories.
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