One Piece: 5 times Zoro saved the day (& 5 times he needed saving)
One man inside the One Piece universe longs to be the best swordsman alive. We obviously could not be talking about anyone else but the influential and iconic Roronoa Zoro.
Not only has Zoro been a member of Luffy’s crew since the beginning of One Piece, but he is also one of the most vital members of the Strawhat Pirates. Whenever one of his friends requires assistance, you can count on Zoro to help them with all his power.
In contrast, when this skilled swordsman is in danger, he knows one of his comrades will appear to get him out of trouble. To better illustrate this, we will present five moments in One Piece where Zoro saved everyone and five where he was the one who needed help.
Disclaimer: This list reflects the author’s opinion and will contain spoilers.
5 times Zoro was the savior in One Piece
1) Sacrificing himself for his crew (Thriller Bark)
Just after the defeat of Gecko Moira in One Piece's Thriller Bark Arc, the Strawhat crew had to face the cyborg warrior, Kuma. None of the Pirates were in a condition to keep fighting, so Kuma took advantage of the situation to try and kill Luffy.
As the loyal friend he is, Zoro offered his life in exchange for his captain’s. Kuma agreed to let the Mugiwara Pirates live if Zoro entered a sphere that would make him all the pain Luffy suffered. Zoro could barely live through that experience, but he did everything to save his friends.
2) Zoro saved Rika and her mom (Romance Dawn)
One of the most defining moments for Zoro’s character was his sacrifice for a girl he knew nothing about at the beginning of One Piece. Helmeppo was horrible and enjoyed tormenting people because his father influenced Shells Town.
During a late stroll around town with his wild dog, he entered the restaurant Rika and her mom worked. The little girl tried to stop the dog from attacking customers and had to be saved from the beast by Zoro.
Helmeppo, in a desperate attempt to not die, threatened Rika and her mother with execution but told Zoro he could take their place. Instead, a deal the green-haired man took without hesitation.
3) Saving Robin, Rebecca, and Bartolomeo (Dressrosa)
One of the most potent enemies our heroes faced during the events of One Piece's Dressrosa Arc was the formidable Pica. This gigantic opponent was not only a skilled swordsman but also able to control any stone he came in contact with. One of his signature moves was to create a ginormous that would destroy anything in its wake.
During the fight, Robin, Rebecca and Bartolomeo were seconds away from being smashed by the monster's giant fist. With an awesome display of power and superior skill, Zoro saved his friends by cutting the Golem in half and gravely hurting Pica.
4) Vs Mr. One (Alabasta)
Before Zoro could use Haki to make his swords harder and sturdier, he had to learn how to fight more resilient opponents without this ability. The best example is his fight against the powerful Mr. One, an enemy whose entire body was made of steel and whom none of the other Strawhats could defeat.
During most of the fight, Zoro was overwhelmed by this imposing opponent’s power and durable body.
But through it all, he learned how to focus on his strengths to destroy Mr. One's resistant body, saving everyone else from having to face him again.
5) Stopped Kaido and Big Mom’s attack (Land of Wano)
The Emperors of the Sea, or Yonko, are the most powerful beings inside the One Piece universe. This title is not only for show, as proven by Kaido and Big Mom when they combined their attacks to erase the Worst Generation from existence.
When everything seemed lost, Zoro used all the strength he had left after the arduous fight to stop the attack for a few moments. These precious seconds were enough for his comrades to avoid the energy beam and live to continue the fight.
5 times Zoro needed a helping hand in One Piece
1) Rayleigh saved Zoro (Sabaody Archipelago)
After a one-sided fight against Admiral Kizaru, Zoro was in danger of dying at the hands of this powerful enemy. Although Usopp and Brook tried to protect their friend, they could not even hurt the Marine.
Just as Kizaru was about to kill Zoro, Rayleigh arrived to save the day and distract the Admiral long enough for the young pirates to run away. Rayleigh had no problems dealing with Kizaru for a few moments, just enough for Usopp and Brook to save Zoro’s life.
2) Bonney saved him (Sabaody Archipelago)
Every One Piece fan in existence hates the Celestial Dragon Saint Charlos. This despicable individual clearly represents everything wrong inside the One Piece universe. Zoro, just like the fans, could not waste the opportunity he had to end this man’s life.
Fortunately for him, Jewelry Bonney was near enough to prevent Zoro from hurting the Celestial Dragon and fake his death. She would later explain that Charlos' death would have only brought more problems for the pirates, so preventing Zoro from landing the attack was for the best.
3) Luffy saved him from Ax-Hand Morgan (Romance Dawn)
After saving Rikka and her mother, Zoro was left tied up, waiting for his execution at the hands of Ax-Hand Morgan. Luffy and Kobby devised a plan to save the swordsman after learning that he was not a bad person from the girl he saved.
Before Luffy and Kobby could liberate Zoro from his restraints, the Marines discovered them and tried to kill Zoro and Kobby. Luffy jumped in front of the bullets fired by the marines, unaffected by his Devil Fruit, effectively saving Zoro’s life.
4) Nami saved him from drowning (Arlong Park)
In front of Arlong, Nami’s behavior changed completely because of the fear she and her town felt when confronted with the Fishman. After Zoro got captured by Arlong, he realized Nami’s heartless persona was all an act and jumped into a pool for her to rescue him.
After doubting for a few moments, Nami jumped into the pool to try and save the green-haired man. When Zoro finally can breathe again, he teases Nami about her terrible acting and kind heart, promoting the girl to punch him in the stomach.
5) Mihawk saved him from Fujitora (Stampede)
Zoro has been a central part of many One Piece movies, and Stampede was no exception. One of the best scenes in this film featuring Zoro was his encounter with the mighty Admiral Fujitora.
For most of the fight, Zoro could deflect most of the Marine’s attacks and give his opponent a good fight. Sadly, Fujitora wanted to end the fight quickly and summoned one of his meteorites to smash the Strawhat Pirate. Zoro tried to cut the giant rock in half with his weapons, but he was not powerful enough to accomplish this.
Just in the nick of time, Mihawk made his presence known by destroying the rock and saving Zoro’s life.
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