For most of my Blackbeard theories, I've assumed he will use the Abyss via the Yami Awakening to travel to Fish-Man Island, Impel Down, Marijoa (via Laffitte making a Magical Circle, since he is the "Demon Sheriff" and is outside Marijoa), then Wano. Possibly stopping at Elbaph somewhere along the way.
While I still believe Teach will learn to use the Abyss from the Yami's Awakening, and travel to Davy Jones' Locker, as well as give his crewmates "Seals" like Imu and the God's Knights, this theory hinging on Teach both Awakening and being able to use the Abyss through his Awakening is a bit too many assumptions.
So, let's step back, and look at Teach's gameplan without using the Abyss:
Two days ago, Caribou arrived in Hachinosu, wishing to tell Blackbeard of Poseidon and Pluton's locations.
Two days later, Teach has no doubt mobilized. When Boa Hancock's Fruit became "available" Teach immediately set sights on it, refusing to let anyone else get that power.
Once Teach knows Poseidon and Pluton are within his reach, he will make it his goal to gain them as soon as possible. But, order of operation matters. So, here's where we are:
1. Teach raids Fish-Man Island after crossing into Paradise. Between Sanjuan Wolf, and Teach's Gura Fruit, no Sea King is going to want the beef. There's a reason Newgate's pledge to protect Fish-Man Island was so important/meaningful: since seaquakes disrupt marine life, Newgate could easily go to Fish-Man Island as he pleased, one of the few able to travel their without risk.
Here, Teach kidnaps Shirahoshi, destroys Fish-Man Island, and, recruits Hody Jones' former Fish-Man army to serve under him.
2. Teach raids Impel Down. Once they reach Impel Down, they used Shiryu, Catarina, Van Augur, and Caribou to enter the prison. Using Shirahoshi, they attack the prison with Sea Beasts. Shiryu takes out Hannyabal with Invis, then Van Augur teleports to his location. Catarina becomes Hannyabal, and pretends to escort Caribou directly to Level 6 as a prisoner, with everyone else inside of Caribou.
Shiryu unlocks the cells, and Blackbeard recruits more famous criminals. Caribou lets the Blackbeard Pirates out of him. This time, though, they take as many prisoners as possible, before sinking the prison with the Gura.
3. Everybody back inside Caribou, we're teleporting up the Red Line to Marijoa. Kuzan could also in theory make an ice elevator, and Pizarro could also take over the Red Line potentially to lift them up. They have options.
Catarina transforms into Saturn (touched him in Egghead), and claims Caribou is a new slave. Saturina Devon takes Caribou into Marijoa (Saturn's death hasn't been publicly announced yet, IMO), and then lets the Blackbeard Pirates out, along with an army of Fish-Men and Impel Down prisoners. Darkly mirroring Fisher Tiger, Fish-Men sack Marijoa.
Teach steals York, the Straw Hat, and Xebec's Saber from the Flower Room. Blackbeard Pirates leave behind Impel Down prisoners to die, and escapes. Bonus points if he escapes leaping off the Red Line with Sanjuan Wolf (Harald and Rocks reference)
4. Now, Teach has Shirahoshi, and can use her to manipulate sea currents/air currents through the Grand Line through controlling Sea Kings. This allows Teach to book it to Wano with Shirahoshi/Poseidon, York, and having left Impel Down and Marijoa in ruins (and possibly gaining Celestial Dragon hostages). Since Sea Kings can both dissuade other ships/alter the sea currents themselves, Teach will be able to use Shirahoshi to sail wherever he wants in any Sea without any resistance from the Navy or other Pirate Crews.
Blackbeard and his crew arrive in Wano, ready to take over the country.
It's much easier to take Poseidon and use Poseidon to get back to Pluton and then use Sea Kings to destroy Wano's borders and claim the weapon, than drag Pluton all the way to Fish-Man Island.
While Wano's natural defenses are impressive, they cannot stop Sea Kings from attacking their walls. Perhaps by using Beast Pirate armaments, they could do some damage, but, it's an army of Sea Kings: the only thing that can really feasibly stop them is Shirahoshi.
This could potentially lead to a Sea Kings vs Zunesha scenario, which is interesting.
The issue is that Caribou only knows that Pluton is in Wano, he did not learn that the country's borders must be destroyed in order for the weapon to be activated. So, it's likely Teach will try to control the country, until he realizes he cannot have Wano's Borders AND Pluton, he has to destroy the borders, destroying Wano's natural defenses, in order to activate Pluton. At this point, Teach will use the Sea Kings to destroy the borders of Wano (after beating the shit out of Caribou for his half-assed information, LOL).
...
Final Thoughts:
I've historically stated Teach will use the Abyss here, and that Shirahoshi would not get kidnapped, but escape an attempted kidnapping, so I wanted to make a thread from the complete alternate angle, with Teach not having the Abyss and successfully kidnapping Shirahoshi-san.
I fully except Teach to make the most out of Caribou's Devil Fruit, since it is super useful for storage and hiding armies for ambushes. Caribou really is a compact Trojan Horse. And since he can turn into Swamp/Mud himself, he can easily fit in a container, like a vase, or a treasure chest, or a jug of Sake, in order to be smuggled into areas. Blackbeard will take full advantage of this Fruit's tactical capabilities.
While I still believe Teach will learn to use the Abyss from the Yami's Awakening, and travel to Davy Jones' Locker, as well as give his crewmates "Seals" like Imu and the God's Knights, this theory hinging on Teach both Awakening and being able to use the Abyss through his Awakening is a bit too many assumptions.
So, let's step back, and look at Teach's gameplan without using the Abyss:
Two days ago, Caribou arrived in Hachinosu, wishing to tell Blackbeard of Poseidon and Pluton's locations.
Two days later, Teach has no doubt mobilized. When Boa Hancock's Fruit became "available" Teach immediately set sights on it, refusing to let anyone else get that power.
Once Teach knows Poseidon and Pluton are within his reach, he will make it his goal to gain them as soon as possible. But, order of operation matters. So, here's where we are:
1. Teach raids Fish-Man Island after crossing into Paradise. Between Sanjuan Wolf, and Teach's Gura Fruit, no Sea King is going to want the beef. There's a reason Newgate's pledge to protect Fish-Man Island was so important/meaningful: since seaquakes disrupt marine life, Newgate could easily go to Fish-Man Island as he pleased, one of the few able to travel their without risk.
Here, Teach kidnaps Shirahoshi, destroys Fish-Man Island, and, recruits Hody Jones' former Fish-Man army to serve under him.
2. Teach raids Impel Down. Once they reach Impel Down, they used Shiryu, Catarina, Van Augur, and Caribou to enter the prison. Using Shirahoshi, they attack the prison with Sea Beasts. Shiryu takes out Hannyabal with Invis, then Van Augur teleports to his location. Catarina becomes Hannyabal, and pretends to escort Caribou directly to Level 6 as a prisoner, with everyone else inside of Caribou.
Shiryu unlocks the cells, and Blackbeard recruits more famous criminals. Caribou lets the Blackbeard Pirates out of him. This time, though, they take as many prisoners as possible, before sinking the prison with the Gura.
3. Everybody back inside Caribou, we're teleporting up the Red Line to Marijoa. Kuzan could also in theory make an ice elevator, and Pizarro could also take over the Red Line potentially to lift them up. They have options.
Catarina transforms into Saturn (touched him in Egghead), and claims Caribou is a new slave. Saturina Devon takes Caribou into Marijoa (Saturn's death hasn't been publicly announced yet, IMO), and then lets the Blackbeard Pirates out, along with an army of Fish-Men and Impel Down prisoners. Darkly mirroring Fisher Tiger, Fish-Men sack Marijoa.
Teach steals York, the Straw Hat, and Xebec's Saber from the Flower Room. Blackbeard Pirates leave behind Impel Down prisoners to die, and escapes. Bonus points if he escapes leaping off the Red Line with Sanjuan Wolf (Harald and Rocks reference)
4. Now, Teach has Shirahoshi, and can use her to manipulate sea currents/air currents through the Grand Line through controlling Sea Kings. This allows Teach to book it to Wano with Shirahoshi/Poseidon, York, and having left Impel Down and Marijoa in ruins (and possibly gaining Celestial Dragon hostages). Since Sea Kings can both dissuade other ships/alter the sea currents themselves, Teach will be able to use Shirahoshi to sail wherever he wants in any Sea without any resistance from the Navy or other Pirate Crews.
Blackbeard and his crew arrive in Wano, ready to take over the country.
It's much easier to take Poseidon and use Poseidon to get back to Pluton and then use Sea Kings to destroy Wano's borders and claim the weapon, than drag Pluton all the way to Fish-Man Island.
While Wano's natural defenses are impressive, they cannot stop Sea Kings from attacking their walls. Perhaps by using Beast Pirate armaments, they could do some damage, but, it's an army of Sea Kings: the only thing that can really feasibly stop them is Shirahoshi.
This could potentially lead to a Sea Kings vs Zunesha scenario, which is interesting.
The issue is that Caribou only knows that Pluton is in Wano, he did not learn that the country's borders must be destroyed in order for the weapon to be activated. So, it's likely Teach will try to control the country, until he realizes he cannot have Wano's Borders AND Pluton, he has to destroy the borders, destroying Wano's natural defenses, in order to activate Pluton. At this point, Teach will use the Sea Kings to destroy the borders of Wano (after beating the shit out of Caribou for his half-assed information, LOL).
...
Final Thoughts:
I've historically stated Teach will use the Abyss here, and that Shirahoshi would not get kidnapped, but escape an attempted kidnapping, so I wanted to make a thread from the complete alternate angle, with Teach not having the Abyss and successfully kidnapping Shirahoshi-san.
I fully except Teach to make the most out of Caribou's Devil Fruit, since it is super useful for storage and hiding armies for ambushes. Caribou really is a compact Trojan Horse. And since he can turn into Swamp/Mud himself, he can easily fit in a container, like a vase, or a treasure chest, or a jug of Sake, in order to be smuggled into areas. Blackbeard will take full advantage of this Fruit's tactical capabilities.
