The Whitebeard Pirates were formerly one of the strongest pirate crews in the world, as their captain, Whitebeard, was the only pirate to have ever been a match for the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, in a fight. Whitebeard's crew is segmented into divisions, instead of all under their captain's direct command. The crew has multiple subordinate crews operating in the New World. Following the deaths of Whitebeard and Ace, the remaining members of the crew engaged the Blackbeard Pirates in the Payback War, which ended with the Blackbeard Pirates brutally defeating them, followed by conquering their former territories, with their captain usurping Whitebeard's position in the Yonko. As a result, the crew has lost most of its power and influence.