‘ONE PIECE’ is famous for its many foreshadowing elements, and there are some that were depicted early in the story and are still being discussed today.
One such topic is the remark made by Zoro and the others in Mock Town about “those guys.”
Since this statement was directed at Blackbeard (Marshall D. Teach), who is heavily associated with the Cerberus theory, it has led to ongoing speculation in the ONE PIECE community that Zoro might have sensed the “multiple personalities” hidden within Blackbeard.
This time, I would like to re-examine the true meaning behind the “those guys” remark. Who exactly were Zoro and the others referring to?
The answer is the Blackbeard Pirates
To get straight to the point, “It’s “them”” referred to by Zoro were the Blackbeard Pirates.
Given that the timing was before they encountered God Enel, neither Zoro nor Luffy had mastered Kenbunshoku Haki at that point. Even if Blackbeard did have “multiple personalities or organs” within him, they would not have had the ability to detect such things.
In fact, right after Zoro made the “those guys” remark, Nami clearly reacted by asking, “Did that guy have [crewmates]?”
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Considering that Jesus Burgess, Doc Q, and Van Augur appeared around this scene, it’s evident that “them” referred to Blackbeard‘s companions. And who were Blackbeard‘s crewmates? They were, indeed, the Blackbeard Pirates.
Thus, there is a very low possibility that Zoro’s “them” remark in Mock Town was a significant piece of foreshadowing connecting to the secret of Blackbeard‘s abilities or a major plot point in the later story.
Nami’s Reaction to the “them” Remark
When Luffy and Zoro first encountered Blackbeard, he was [alone]. He had no weapons, and his shabby appearance made him look like a “vagabond.” While Luffy and the others might have seen him differently, Nami might have simply seen him as a “solitary vagabond.”
In fact, Blackbeard made the famous remark, “Skypiea does exist. Let them laugh. When you aim for the top, you’ll find fights where you can’t see the opponent’s fist,” and then left the scene. Nami then immediately asked Luffy, “Who is that guy?”
ONE PIECE Eiichiro Oda / VIZ Media LLC
Reflecting on the scene where Nami first visited the port of Mock Town and saw the numerous pirate ships lined up, she remarked to Usopp, “There’s no way pirate ships would line up so openly, right?” Taking this scene into account, it’s doubtful whether Nami recognized Blackbeard as a pirate.
It’s likely that she didn’t recognize that Blackbeard had crewmates.
Therefore, even though this coincides with the time when the cover of the manga was hinting at the new Four Emperors, it is now clear that Zoro’s “them” remark was simply a response to Nami’s “that guy” remark, nothing more and nothing less.
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