I'll just be up front and say that, yes, I have seen Sabaody Arc (with my siblings) before, obviously. The only reason I have to watch it again was in order to get reacquainted with some supernovas from so call worst of all the generation. So I didn't really NEED to document it all beyond some dialogue and cues for the fic. I certainly had no reason to take about 75 screenshots of Zoro.
But, you know what? I did.
(And you don't hear me complaining about all that extra work! Possibly because now I have around 75 more screencaps of Zoro...)
And since like four of my last posts weren't Zoro related, it feels like I've earned this.
Sabaody, Three Vice Captain Style
One Vice Captain Style: Demon Blade Zoro
[Zoro never actually remembers calling for a Gum Gum Uber. They just sort of happen to him.]
Reminder as to how it is Zoro manages to arrive to the auction house fight in time (cause God knows it wasn't on his own).
Follow up reminder that just like a week ago, Thriller Bark happened.
("Well, thank you guys for letting me think Zoro lived through Thriller Bark.")
It is a good thing Zoro is too fucking stubborn to die before he beats Mihawk and makes Luffy pirate king. Because, damn, being that boy's first mate hurts.
Believe it or not, this is actually Zoro being super sweet. Notice how he DIDN'T slice a guy in half and - bonus! - he shouted out for both his captain and that stupid cook to duck before launching an absolutely devastating attack their way.
That's the kind of thoughtful guy Zoro is, ya'll.
To be honest, I just really enjoy whenever Zoro acts like an "official" first mate. Usually, for Zoro, this involves either backing up Luffy's crazy/stupid/crazy-stupid plan (not hard as in a lot of cases Zoro is just Luffy but less words more swords) or handling some mob/bad guy giving Luffy the freedom to go off to kick whoever's ass he wants to kick, goddamnit.
But every now and then he'll play a bit more like a vice-captain in Luffy's absence (though, honestly, most the time the most Luffy-esque thing he can do is not act like a Captain at all. So way to go, Zoro, always on the job!) And here there was something particularly nice about it, because Silvers Rayleigh is there and it's like the only time they kinda get to interact, really.
Which breaks my heart. I need Rayleigh to sit down with Zoro and share some real first mate to first mate advice.
Silvers Rayleigh: The best thing I can tell you is just go along with their crazy.
Zoro: Yeah, as if Luffy gives anyone a choice!
Silvers Rayleigh: Sounds like you're doing amazing. *gives Zoro a gold star in Vice Captaincy*
Rayleigh, he needs you. Mihawk doesn't even HAVE a crew. How is he suppose to teach Zoro these things?
This boy has no one else except his captain, his crew, Perona, allied pirates, the citizens and royalty of both Fishmen Island as well as Dressrosa, Johnny, Yosaku, and the various other friends and acquaintances they've met on their adventures and no one else. How could you just abandon him like this Mihawk!?
Oh, and Rayleigh. I guess technically I should have been yelling at Rayleigh that time.
My bad, Mihawk. As you were.
[Zoro, pictured here WITH BOTH HIS FUCKING EYES, MIHAWK!]
I feel like it's been a while since we've seen Zoro talk with a goddamn katana in his mouth and I miss it.
After leaving the auction house every first mate / crew gets a moment noting the damages done by the captains; then both Killer and Bepo have scenes of jumping into the fight protecting their asses (not that either man need it: Kid is simply busy deciding Luffy is his new #Rival 4 Life while Law calls on Bepo... Uh... Just to show off his polar bear, I guess? Law is here to live his best life and give no fucks, people) leaving Zoro out of their game of "keep my idiot captain safe at direct risk to my own life".
That's one of my favorite games to watch Zoro play!
Instead, what we get is Zoro protecting the crew, making sure all of them - injured octopus, rescued mermaids, and bad ass old men included - are able to make a quick escape. There isn't actually any attention brought to it, and he doesn't get another fun triple play with the rest of the first mates, but it warms my heart whenever he goes all Protective Big Brother Zoro.
[Depicted: One of the few times Zoro Chill outlasts Robin Chill.]
Here's that one weirdly staged scene in the bar with Luffy in the middle, all the rest of the crew to one side, and Zoro sitting completely by himself on the other. You guys know which one I'm talking about, right? Where the staging is just weird.
The only reasons I can think as to creating such a visible gap is how many fucks Zoro just could not bother giving while everyone else - even the super chill Robin and no cares Luffy - give at least one fuck to this conversation. Well, too bad. The only fucks Zoro had on him we're sake based and the boy does not share his sake. So none given.
Not over Silvers Rayleigh sailing with Gol D Rogers. Not about Luffy all but inheriting this mantle of Future Pirate King. Not about yonko or lost civilizations or buried treasure. Not even about the truth of the One Piece.
Then again, it's not like that shit has ever mattered to Zoro. Why should he start caring now?
Rayleigh might as well have said, well, actually, there's nothing special about Luffy: he's fuck all like Rogers, Shanks hates the kid after losing his arm, the hat is actually cursed so he'll never get to Raftel and even if it wasn't it doesn't matter because they made up the One Piece as a joke to begin with.
None of that effects Zoro in the least.
See, he's already sworn that he'll make Luffy the Pirate King. He knows without a doubt his friend can and will get there and if when they do the One Piece turns out to be be some lie made up by a bunch of stupid old men, so what? Luffy will just make his own One Piece and become Pirate King, anyway, that's all.
And, sure, he could at least try to look even a little bit impressed with who Silver Rayleigh is or interested in some of his stories especially seeing as they will be, you know, kinda following in his footsteps and all, but why? It doesn't matter one way or another to Zoro. Why get all worked up over shit that has nothing to do with him?
[Above: Zoro dealing with more than enough shit of his own, thank you very much.]
Back to the core topic here: Zoro.
No, wait, sorry: Vice Captain Roronoa Zoro.
If you had to prove that Zoro was one if the best vice captains sailing the Grand Line, I think we could all point to one big piece of bear shaped evidence. And - yay for him! - he gets to meet up with that proof again here in Sabaody.
Everyone (save Luffy) looks properly terrified from the moment Kuma appears - because you would be wouldn't you? - but especially Zoro. Zoro looks more honestly scared here than I can recall him being at any other time.
And it kinda makes him look like a little boy! I just want to wrap him up in his green blankie and tell him everything will be alright, ahhhh....
It also kinda makes up for him missing out getting in on the "Protect Your Captain" fun earlier since, sure, he didn't fend off a few dozen marines or anything this time round, but then in fairness he is still recovering from taking all of Luffy's pain unto his ownself.
Looks like you gotta up your game, Killer/Bepo.
