One Piece fans might want Garp and Blackbeard to throwdown, but that probably won’t happen anytime soon.

From the very first page to the very last, One Piece Chapter 1071 was full of surprises. At the beginning of One Piece 1071, fans finally saw where Bartholomew Kuma had sent himself. The focus quickly changed to Egghead Island, where CP0 members were still trying to enter the Frontier Dome. Normally, it would have been impossible for them to enter, but for some reason it went offline, giving them the opportunity to pursue Vegapunk and the Straw Hats.

There was a brief action sequence where Kaku used Rankyaku to attack the Thousand Sunny. Luckily for the Straw Hats, Zoro woke up in the nick of time and stopped it from making contact with the ship. Away from all the chaos on Egghead Island, Marine Vice-Admiral Garp had found his way to the G-14 base, where he got in contact with Doll. After hearing Garp’s request, Doll was left shocked. So, what did the Vice-Admiral say to her?

Rescuing Koby

Garp asked Doll for backup because he wanted to go to Hachinosu to rescue Koby from possibly being killed. Doll couldn’t authorize such a request as the Marines at the G-14 base were supposed to leave for Egghead Island to provide support to Admiral Kizaru and CP0. However, Garp did not leave empty-handed, as he was seen calling out to Helmeppo, who is Koby’s best friend. While he was talking to Garp about Koby, tears were rolling down Helmeppo’s face.

Helmeppo wasn’t the only one who was worried; Hibari could also be seen crying. Unless Doll somehow changes her mind, it seems that Garp will only be accompanied by Helmeppo and Hibari. Lots of questions have been asked about whether Garp has enough manpower to fight against an Emperor, especially in his own territory. The short answer is no. A head-on attack against an Emperor is not a good idea at all, especially when Garp does not have enough help. However, there is a chance that Garp won’t have to face Blackbeard at all.

Why Blackbeard and Garp Won’t Fight

Garp, Helmeppo, and Hibari might be heading toward Hachinosu, but it is very likely that they won’t find Blackbeard there. The last time Blackbeard appeared in the series was in the early chapters of the Egghead Island arc. Blackbeard and his crew were seen chasing after the Heart Pirates. Many fans predicted an easy win for the Blackbeard Pirates, but Law’s crew wasn’t ready to go down without a proper fight.

With the help of his Ope Ope no Mi, Law not only nullified Blackbeard’s attacks, but he even managed to injure him. The conclusion of the fight remains unknown, although it seems likely that Blackbeard will come out on top. Depending on how long the fight between Law and Blackbeard lasts, Hachinosu may or may not be without its ruler.

From his fight against Law, it is evident that Blackbeard is only accompanied by a few members of his crew. The crew members who were involved in the battle at Winner Island are: Jesus Burgess, Van Ogre, Doc Q, and Stronger. There are other strong members of the Blackbeard Pirates, but none of them compare to Garp. If Law manages to stall Blackbeard for an extended period, Garp and co. could easily infiltrate Hachinosu and free Koby from the clutches of the Blackbeard Pirates.

The only person who could actually pose a threat might be Aokiji, who left the Marines to join the Blackbeard Pirates. Aokiji’s role after the time skip has been limited, and he has only appeared a few times in the story since. Aokiji was able to fight Akainu despite having a disadvantage, so he should at least be able to fight Garp. However, chances are that Aokiji might help the Vice-Admiral achieve his objective.

More Help?

Garp and Aokiji were quite close when the latter served in the Marines. Considering Aokiji’s personality, it was bizarre to see him join the Blackbeard Pirates. Fans have speculated that there might have been some reason behind Aokiji’s decision to join Blackbeard’s crew. It is possible that the former Admiral is the leader of SWORD, and he was sent on an undercover mission to find information about the plans of the Emperor. Aokiji was last seen on Whole Cake Island with Van Augur, but since then, his whereabouts have remained a mystery. It would be plausible to assume that he has gone back to Hachinosu.

Considering Garp is on his way to the island, now would be the perfect opportunity for Aokiji to betray Blackbeard and wipe out members of his crew. Garp and Aokiji would form a fearsome duo, and they can easily take down anyone who is not Blackbeard. If everything works out in favor of the Marines, they will be able to deal a critical blow to the aspirations of the Blackbeard Pirates and free Captain Koby from their grasp. This would also indirectly help Luffy, as Blackbeard is his only true rival. So, Garp would not only be saving his pupil, but he would also be doing his grandson a major favor.

Src: gamerant.com