The New Three Great Powers
Before the Summit War, the Three Great Powers that maintained the world’s balance were the “Old Four Emperors,” the “Navy Headquarters,” and the “Seven Warlords of the Sea.”
Though they were called the Three Great Powers, the Warlords were on the Navy’s side —
so it was roughly: one Emperor + all of their subordinate pirates VS Navy Headquarters + Warlords — a rough balance.
Indeed, in the Summit War, the full force of the Whitebeard Pirates against Navy Headquarters + Warlords was nearly even.
Then Luffy’s Impel Down group as reinforcements for Whitebeard, and the Pacifista army for the Navy side evened it out again.
Then Blackbeard’s crew crashed in and made a mess, and the Red Hair Pirates crashed in to end the war.
Two years later, the world’s power map is even more scrambled.
The Broken World Balance
Doflamingo’s defeat was the trigger for the Warlord system itself to be abolished.
The current Three Great Powers are “Pirates,” “Navy,” and “Revolutionary Army.”
- The Revolutionary Army and Navy are enemies
- Pirates are also basically enemies with each other
- Pirates and the Navy are fugitives and pursuers
- The Revolutionary Army and pirates aren’t enemies, but aren’t allies either
That’s the structure — with only the Navy facing hostility from all directions.
Not a triangle, but more like a triangular relationship.
The problem is the military strength each side possesses.
Navy Military Strength
The Navy Headquarters’ military strength includes:
- Fleet Admiral Akainu
- 3 Admirals
- Vice Admirals and a large number of officers below
- Warships
- Pacifista, Mark II
- Seraphim
- Mother Flame (?)
…clearly more powerful than during the Summit War.
Revolutionary Army
The Revolutionary Army’s known military strength so far:
- Supreme Commander Dragon, Chief of Staff Sabo
- Grand Line Army Commander Ivankov
- 4 ocean army commanders and their lieutenants
The Revolutionary Army’s threat is that citizens from nations not affiliated with the World Government, and citizens dissatisfied with the Celestial Dragons, could keep joining in growing numbers.
The power of “numbers” becomes a true threat.
The Conditions for the New “Emperors”
Buggy happened to make it into the Four Emperors through a Navy misunderstanding, but what the Navy cited as the greatest threat was
his ability to command two former Warlords.
In reality, he’s not commanding them at all — but if we assume that “commanding former Warlords” is the condition for the new “Emperors,” then Moria’s current situation starts to make sense.
Commanding Former Warlords
Luffy, who has over 5,600 pirates under him, has defeated three Warlords, additionally commands one former Warlord, and toppled Emperor Kaido — he’s undeniably Emperor material.
Buggy, on the other hand:
- Former crewmate of Pirate King Gold Roger
- Sworn brother of current Emperor Shanks
- Mastermind of the Impel Down raid
- Even Admiral Fujitora couldn’t finish him off
- Helped the central figure (Luffy) escape in the Summit War
- Escaped the battlefield safely himself afterwards
- A captain who commands many high-bounty escaped convicts
- Obtained the Warlord title
- Commands two former Warlords and cuts through the Navy’s encirclement
This resume is what made him a threat and got him promoted to new “Emperor.”
Which means Teach should be expected to match the two new “Emperors” and fulfill the same conditions.
Teach Who Can’t Win Over Former Warlords
Where the original Seven Warlords ended up:
- Jinbe → Straw Hat Pirates
- Mihawk → Cross Guild
- Crocodile → Cross Guild
- Doflamingo → imprisoned in Impel Down
- Kuma → lost his self, now a slave
- Moria → whereabouts unknown after Hachinosu attack
- Hancock → hates Teach
The four who became Warlords midway:
- Teach → promoted to Emperor
- Buggy → promoted to Emperor
- Law → fell short of Emperor status, defeated by Teach
- Weevil → captured by Ryokugyu, imprisoned in Impel Down (?)
So — rejected by Hancock, Law crushed too — Teach just can’t seem to bring former Warlords under his command.
The only remaining chance is Moria.
If he misses Moria too, his only option is to go woo Doflamingo or Weevil in Impel Down.
But there are mutual benefits to Teach and Moria teaming up.
Teach’s Benefit
Beyond “commanding a former Warlord,” the benefit of bringing Moria in is the ship that Oars can ride.
Currently, Wolf’s mobility probably relies on a few ships towing him. Being a Devil Fruit user — unable to swim, unable to float, unable to exert strength when submerged — towing Wolf must be back-breaking labor.
So Teach risked danger to negotiate with the Navy for a warship for Wolf — but negotiations broke down with Akainu’s appearance.
Wolf’s ship problem remains unsolved. Such a powerful force, but with nowhere to take him — he’s only useful as a guard dog at Hachinosu.
And then Moria arrives on a pirate ship many times the size of a warship.
This meeting of fate is nothing short of miraculous.
Teach, who wants a ship for Wolf, would welcome Moria with open arms.
But would Moria, whose crewmate was killed, just go along with it?
Moria’s Benefit
Moria came to save Absalom, only to find him already killed and his ability stolen.
But Moria’s reaction here is surprisingly calm.
Because during the fight with Luffy, he had said this: ↓
So wouldn’t he readily forgive — if they return Absalom’s body?
And Moria has long been called out for lacking sufficient strength himself: ↓
He probably has the self-awareness that teaming up with someone is getting dangerous on his own.
In that case, an invitation from Emperor Teach would actually be welcome, wouldn’t it?
And that’s all for this week. See you next time!