Edward Newgate, more commonly known as "Whitebeard", was the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, was the previous wielder of the power of the Gura Gura no Mi, and was widely known for his disputed title "Strongest Man in the World" and also known as the "Man Closest to One Piece" after Gol D. Roger's death.

In his prime, Whitebeard was a rival to Gol D. Roger, and following Roger's death, was widely recognized as the strongest man in the world, a fact complimented by having the highest active bounty whilst alive, and the second highest bounty of any pirate in history.

He is an ally of Monkey D. Luffy and a central figure overall during the Marineford Arc.