The Three Great Powers are the three greatest military forces on the oceans, consisting of the Marines (typically represented by the Admirals), the Shichibukai, and the Yonko. The balance between them is what maintained world peace.
Overview[]
The Three Great Powers consist of the Marines (海軍 Kaigun?), or more specifically Marine Headquarters (海軍本部 Kaigun Honbu?), where the most combat capable Marines in the world, such as the Admirals, are stationed; the Shichibukai (王下七武海 Ōka Shichibukai?, literally meaning "Seven Warlords of the Sea"), seven incredibly powerful pirate captains that agreed to become allies of the World Government in exchange for a pardon for past and future crimes; and the Yonko (四皇 Yonkō?, literally meaning "Four Emperors"), the four most powerful pirate captains in the entire world and their respective crews. With the Shichibukai working together with the Marines, the government was able to maintain a balance of power with the Yonko.
The Gorosei fear that if this balance gets disrupted, the world itself might descend into anarchy. Furthermore, the balance of power was incredibly delicate; if even one party from either of these groups is lost, it may cause the balance to fall apart entirely. The loss of even one of these positions is seen as tipping the power from one side to the other. As such, the Marines losing a Shichibukai leaves them with diminished force to counter the menace of the Yonko and allows the general populace to question their power and authority.
Another concern is that the Marines are the sole organization completely under the supremacy of the World Government. The Shichibukai often only followed orders on a whim, if at all, whereas the Yonko are outside of the World Government's control entirely. However, Yonko all act under their own interest, rarely allying with one another. However, when two or more ally, the represent a threat capable of toppling the World Government.
The Yonko and Marines seem to be on the opposite ends of the spectrum, with the Marines being more orderly compared to the Yonko who are very chaotic, with the Shichibukai acting as somewhere in between. Considering that these organizations are stated to be a balance, it is likely these groups are approximately equal in strength. According to many, the presence of the Three Great Powers over the Grand Line is what makes it the "Pirates Graveyard".
As the delicate balance of the Three Great Powers is what stabilizes the world, the existence and actions of other powerful groups, such as the Revolutionary Army and the Underworld]], is a significant threat to that balance.
While the Shichibukai were disbanded for a time, the Marines reinstated them sometime become the War of Empires.
Members[]
| Three Great Powers | |||||
| Marines | |||||
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| Kyojin * | Zhuque Ehuang * | Kirimoto Aphrodite * |
Vacant | ||
| Shichibukai | |||||
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| Caelum Liutas | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | ||
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| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | |||
| Yonko | |||||
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| Gladius Caesar | Heidrun Thrymr | Vacant | Vacant | ||
| Former Great Powers | |||||
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| Yukyu Riko † | Lorenzo Rafael † | Perzsike Silas † | Eris * | ||
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| Charlotte Milk † | Dalma Tia * | Raionsan * | |||
| Related Organizations | |||||
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| Marines | Gorgoneia * | Full Moon Pirates * |
Gryphon Pirates * | ||
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| Animal Kingdom * | Fairy Tale Pirates * |
Legion Pirates * | Ragnarok Pirates * | ||