TV Special
Description
Jesus Burgess, also known by his epithet "Champion," is a prominent member of the Blackbeard Pirates and serves as the helmsman of their crew. Following the two-year time skip, his position elevates to that of the captain of the First Ship of the Blackbeard Pirates, making him one of the Ten Titanic Captains who directly guard the Emperor, Marshall D. Teach.
Physically, Burgess is an imposing figure, characterized by his unusually large, broad, and muscular frame, which contrasts with his comparatively thinner lower body. He has tanned skin and curly, shoulder-length violet hair. One of his most distinctive features is the dark luchador-style mask he almost always wears, which covers the upper part of his face but leaves his eyes and nose visible; the mask is often decorated with orange accents, and his true face remains largely unseen. He typically sports a championship belt around his waist, signifying his wrestler-inspired persona. After the time skip, he has grown a beard and become even more muscular. Following his defeat at the hands of Sabo, he sustained grievous injuries, including a scarred face, which he later partially conceals with a golden metal mask.
Burgess's personality is as bold and boisterous as his appearance suggests. He is loud, overbearing, and exudes an immense love for combat, often proclaiming himself a champion and challenging random people to prove his strength. His unique and booming laugh, "Wee ha ha ha," is a testament to his loud and confident nature. Despite his brutish and ogre-like demeanor, he is a seasoned pirate who has shown a more serious side, once scolding his captain for laughing after a failure. He is fiercely loyal to Blackbeard and his crew's ambitions, supporting their endeavors without question. However, this loyalty is paired with a pragmatic and distrustful nature, particularly towards outsiders; he has openly expressed suspicion regarding the former Marine Admiral Kuzan joining their crew. He is also an opportunist who does not shy away from underhanded tactics, such as attempting to kill a weakened Monkey D. Luffy to steal his Devil Fruit power.
Burgess's primary motivation is a straightforward pursuit of power and strength. As a fighter who revels in victory, he seeks to prove his superiority in combat. This desire becomes intertwined with the Blackbeard Pirates' overall goal of hunting Devil Fruit abilities. He personally attempted to secure the Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit) at the Corrida Colosseum, and his actions in Dressrosa show he is well-versed in the crew's method of extracting powers from a deceased user, as he immediately moved to kill Luffy when he was vulnerable. His deep-seated grudge against Sabo, who not only ate the fruit he wanted but also defeated him, fuels his personal vendetta and demonstrates his inability to accept loss gracefully.
In the "Episode of Sabo," which covers the events of the Dressrosa arc, Burgess plays a pivotal role as an antagonist. He first appears under the alias "Mr. Store," wearing a crude paper bag mask, to compete in the tournament for the Mera Mera no Mi. He demonstrates his overwhelming power by instantly winning the A Block of the competition, revealing his true identity as a captain of the Blackbeard Pirates to the shock of the audience. As the finals progress, he confronts Lucy, who is actually Sabo in disguise. After Sabo accidentally destroys the arena and consumes the Devil Fruit, a furious Burgess emerges, determined to take the power for himself. He later resurfaces during the climax of the battle between Luffy and Doflamingo. As Luffy is left defenseless after using Gear Fourth, Burgess lunges to kill him and claim his Gomu Gomu no Mi. His attack is intercepted by Sabo, leading to a direct confrontation. Despite Burgess's immense physical attacks, including the powerful "Galleon Lariat" that can split buildings, he is completely outmatched by Sabo's new fire-based powers and advanced Haki. Their battle culminates with Burgess being brutally defeated by Sabo's "Flame Dragon King" attack and, later, a point-blank Fire Fist after he attempts a final, treacherous stab.
As a founding member of the Blackbeard Pirates, Burgess's most significant relationship is with his captain, Marshall D. Teach. He has been with Teach since the beginning, having participated in the crew's earliest exploits, such as the destruction of Drum Island, long before the main storyline. As the helmsman and a Titanic Captain, he holds a position of high trust and authority within the crew. He has also been present for all of the crew's major milestones, from the battle with Portgas D. Ace and the Impel Down breakout to the final assault on Whitebeard at Marineford. Outside of his crew, his key relationship in the "Episode of Sabo" is with Sabo, who becomes his nemesis. Sabo not only humiliates him in combat but also steals the object of his desire, creating a powerful grudge that leads Burgess on a reckless mission to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters.
While Burgess does not undergo a significant personal transformation within the "Episode of Sabo," his role in the story illustrates his development as a persistent and formidable threat. He evolves from a boastful, confident champion who believes victory is assured to a desperate, vengeful opportunist who is willing to strike a weakened foe. His character shows a dogged determination; even after a crushing defeat, he refuses to give up. He later stows away on the Revolutionary Army's ship, hiding in the hull until they reach their secret base of Baltigo. Despite being severely injured, he contacts his crew and leads them directly to the revolutionaries, resulting in the total destruction of their headquarters. This act reveals that his drive for revenge is strong enough to endure immense physical pain for the sake of his mission.
In terms of abilities, Jesus Burgess is a powerhouse of raw, physical strength. He is strong enough to rip a building from its foundation and throw it across a great distance, and his physical blows generate massive shockwaves capable of leveling structures. Among his known techniques are the "Hado Elbow" (Wave Elbow), an elbow strike that creates a devastating shockwave, and the "Galleon Lariat," a lariat that can cut buildings in half. He is a brawler who relies on his immense physique and wrestling-inspired moves. He also possesses a high degree of durability and endurance, having survived attacks from the powerful Gura Gura no Mi from both Edward Newgate and Sengoku. He has demonstrated the usage of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), using it to harden his elbow armor in battle, though his proficiency was not sufficient to withstand Sabo's advanced Haki techniques. Sometime after the Dressrosa arc, Burgess consumed the Riki Riki no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit also known as the "Strong-Strong Fruit" or "Buff-Buff Fruit," which grants him superhuman strength of an even greater magnitude, allowing him to lift and hurl an entire mountain with ease.
Physically, Burgess is an imposing figure, characterized by his unusually large, broad, and muscular frame, which contrasts with his comparatively thinner lower body. He has tanned skin and curly, shoulder-length violet hair. One of his most distinctive features is the dark luchador-style mask he almost always wears, which covers the upper part of his face but leaves his eyes and nose visible; the mask is often decorated with orange accents, and his true face remains largely unseen. He typically sports a championship belt around his waist, signifying his wrestler-inspired persona. After the time skip, he has grown a beard and become even more muscular. Following his defeat at the hands of Sabo, he sustained grievous injuries, including a scarred face, which he later partially conceals with a golden metal mask.
Burgess's personality is as bold and boisterous as his appearance suggests. He is loud, overbearing, and exudes an immense love for combat, often proclaiming himself a champion and challenging random people to prove his strength. His unique and booming laugh, "Wee ha ha ha," is a testament to his loud and confident nature. Despite his brutish and ogre-like demeanor, he is a seasoned pirate who has shown a more serious side, once scolding his captain for laughing after a failure. He is fiercely loyal to Blackbeard and his crew's ambitions, supporting their endeavors without question. However, this loyalty is paired with a pragmatic and distrustful nature, particularly towards outsiders; he has openly expressed suspicion regarding the former Marine Admiral Kuzan joining their crew. He is also an opportunist who does not shy away from underhanded tactics, such as attempting to kill a weakened Monkey D. Luffy to steal his Devil Fruit power.
Burgess's primary motivation is a straightforward pursuit of power and strength. As a fighter who revels in victory, he seeks to prove his superiority in combat. This desire becomes intertwined with the Blackbeard Pirates' overall goal of hunting Devil Fruit abilities. He personally attempted to secure the Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit) at the Corrida Colosseum, and his actions in Dressrosa show he is well-versed in the crew's method of extracting powers from a deceased user, as he immediately moved to kill Luffy when he was vulnerable. His deep-seated grudge against Sabo, who not only ate the fruit he wanted but also defeated him, fuels his personal vendetta and demonstrates his inability to accept loss gracefully.
In the "Episode of Sabo," which covers the events of the Dressrosa arc, Burgess plays a pivotal role as an antagonist. He first appears under the alias "Mr. Store," wearing a crude paper bag mask, to compete in the tournament for the Mera Mera no Mi. He demonstrates his overwhelming power by instantly winning the A Block of the competition, revealing his true identity as a captain of the Blackbeard Pirates to the shock of the audience. As the finals progress, he confronts Lucy, who is actually Sabo in disguise. After Sabo accidentally destroys the arena and consumes the Devil Fruit, a furious Burgess emerges, determined to take the power for himself. He later resurfaces during the climax of the battle between Luffy and Doflamingo. As Luffy is left defenseless after using Gear Fourth, Burgess lunges to kill him and claim his Gomu Gomu no Mi. His attack is intercepted by Sabo, leading to a direct confrontation. Despite Burgess's immense physical attacks, including the powerful "Galleon Lariat" that can split buildings, he is completely outmatched by Sabo's new fire-based powers and advanced Haki. Their battle culminates with Burgess being brutally defeated by Sabo's "Flame Dragon King" attack and, later, a point-blank Fire Fist after he attempts a final, treacherous stab.
As a founding member of the Blackbeard Pirates, Burgess's most significant relationship is with his captain, Marshall D. Teach. He has been with Teach since the beginning, having participated in the crew's earliest exploits, such as the destruction of Drum Island, long before the main storyline. As the helmsman and a Titanic Captain, he holds a position of high trust and authority within the crew. He has also been present for all of the crew's major milestones, from the battle with Portgas D. Ace and the Impel Down breakout to the final assault on Whitebeard at Marineford. Outside of his crew, his key relationship in the "Episode of Sabo" is with Sabo, who becomes his nemesis. Sabo not only humiliates him in combat but also steals the object of his desire, creating a powerful grudge that leads Burgess on a reckless mission to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters.
While Burgess does not undergo a significant personal transformation within the "Episode of Sabo," his role in the story illustrates his development as a persistent and formidable threat. He evolves from a boastful, confident champion who believes victory is assured to a desperate, vengeful opportunist who is willing to strike a weakened foe. His character shows a dogged determination; even after a crushing defeat, he refuses to give up. He later stows away on the Revolutionary Army's ship, hiding in the hull until they reach their secret base of Baltigo. Despite being severely injured, he contacts his crew and leads them directly to the revolutionaries, resulting in the total destruction of their headquarters. This act reveals that his drive for revenge is strong enough to endure immense physical pain for the sake of his mission.
In terms of abilities, Jesus Burgess is a powerhouse of raw, physical strength. He is strong enough to rip a building from its foundation and throw it across a great distance, and his physical blows generate massive shockwaves capable of leveling structures. Among his known techniques are the "Hado Elbow" (Wave Elbow), an elbow strike that creates a devastating shockwave, and the "Galleon Lariat," a lariat that can cut buildings in half. He is a brawler who relies on his immense physique and wrestling-inspired moves. He also possesses a high degree of durability and endurance, having survived attacks from the powerful Gura Gura no Mi from both Edward Newgate and Sengoku. He has demonstrated the usage of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), using it to harden his elbow armor in battle, though his proficiency was not sufficient to withstand Sabo's advanced Haki techniques. Sometime after the Dressrosa arc, Burgess consumed the Riki Riki no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit also known as the "Strong-Strong Fruit" or "Buff-Buff Fruit," which grants him superhuman strength of an even greater magnitude, allowing him to lift and hurl an entire mountain with ease.