Whitebeard
| Whitebeard | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrayed by | Kurando Mitsutake |
| First appearance | How to Stop an Exploding Man |
| In-story stats | |
| Known ability | None |
| Gender | |
| Home | Japan |
| Occupation | Warlord |
In 1671, Whitebeard faces Takezo Kensei in Otsu, Japan.
Character History
Godsend
Whitebeard's war apparel is housed in a display case next to Kensei's display case at the Museum of Natural History.
How to Stop an Exploding Man
As Hiro teleports to a field outside Kyoto, Japan in 1671, Whitebeard leads a small group of Japanese warriors. Just as Whitebeard is about to begin battling with Takezo Kensei, he and his men are distracted by both an ominous eclipse and a traveler from the future.
Four Months Later...
After the eclipse overshadows Otsu, Japan, Whitebeard orders his archers to fire at Takezo Kensei and Hiro. Hiro sees the arrows being fired and stops time around him, stopping the arrows, and freezing Takezo, Whitebeard and his men. He teleports away from the battle, leaving Whitebeard and his men in disarray.
Lizards
Whitebeard and eleven of his men taunt and fight with Yaeko as she claims they dishonor the title of samurai. Suddenly, Hiro, disguised as Takezo Kensei, arrives. He stops time and takes the twelve swords from the men. Whitebeard orders his men to take up their bows and arrows, but Hiro proceeds to disarm them again. They run away from "Kensei".
Later, Whitebeard and his men appear to take revenge on Kensei. Whitebeard orders his men to fire arrows at Kensei, hitting him twice in the chest and once in the heart. They retreat after Kensei falls to the ground.
The Line
Hiro, Yaeko, Kensei, and the swordsmith run away from Whitebeard's camp, with Kensei killing many men in their way. Guards sound the alarm and Whitebeard fires a rifle towards the invading party. The bullet nearly hits Hiro or Yaeko, but Hiro teleports the two to safety. Later on Whitebeard appears on the cliff after Kensei knocked out Hiro, revealing that he and Kensei have made an alliance and that Yaeko and the swordsmith have been captured. Whitebeard promises Kensei anything he wants in return for his help.
Out of Time
Hiro escapes from Whitebeard's camp and destroys the guns the swordsmith had crafted for him.
Heroes Evolutions
On August 27, 2007, yamagatofellowship.org released the documentary Sword Saint. Chapter One of the documentary, The Battle of 12 Swords, chronicles the defeat of Whitebeard under the hand of Takezo Kensei. In 1671, during Japan's isolationist Edo period, Whitebeard took advantage of the country's policies of keeping out foreigners and banning external trade. He began to take over Japan from the south, moving his estimated 70,000 troops northward towards the city of Otsu, and destroying all in his path. His plan was to take Otsu, a farming town near Kyoto, and take over the whole of Japan. Expecting certain victory in Otsu, Whitebeard personally led a small portion of his troops into the peaceful town, only to be met by Kensei. In what became known as the Battle of Twelve Swords, Kensei singlehandedly defeated Whitebeard and his entire battalion. His first defeat, Whitebeard escaped, keeping the location of his "Hidden Fortress" secret.
Chapter Two of Sword Saint delves into the lengths Whitebeard went to protect his secrets. Legend has it that Whitebeard conferred with oni to put a ring of fire around a scroll containing his most valuable secrets. Whitebeard also organized an army of at least 90 cannibalistic ronin to protect the Fire Scroll. Unfortunately for Whitebeard, Kensei was able to defeat even these barbaric warriors.
Chapter Three of the documentary explains obstacles Whitebeard set in the way of his Hidden Fortress, and the warrior's epic battle with Kensei. Though much about their fight is unknown, Kensei was able to defeat Whitebeard at last.
Trivia
- Whitebeard may be named for Whitebeard, a pirate who led a mysterious fleet in the Japanese manga, One Piece.
- Whitebeard seems very similar, and may have been influenced by, Nobunaga Oda, who once conquered much of Japan, used firearms, and was alleged to have made pacts with oni.
Gallery
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At the Museum of Natural History, visitors can see Whitebeard's attire. -
Whitebeard leads a small battalion... -
...through the village of Otsu. -
Whitebeard barely escapes the Battle of 12 Swords with his life. -
He is not so lucky when he faces Kensei one-on-one.
Fan Theories
Please refer to Theory:Whitebeard for fan-created theories and other speculation.