6 times Zoro saved Luffy in One Piece

One Piece began with Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro embarking on a shared adventure to become the Pirate King and the World’s Strongest Swordsman, respectively. Since then, Luffy and Zoro have formed an iconic duo, standing out as the new generation’s equivalent of Gol D. Roger and Silvers Rayleigh, and two fighters poised to surpass Shanks and Dracule Mihawk, and even the legendary Joy Boy and “Sword God” Ryuma.

Luffy, the main protagonist of One Piece, is the founder and captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. Zoro serves as Luffy’s loyal second-in-command and right-hand man, as well as the Straw Hat crew’s unofficial but factual first mate. Eiichiro Oda confirmed that Zoro’s character was conceived to be the second lead of the story, cementing his role as the closest thing One Piece has to a deuteragonist.

As the only Straw Hats belonging to the Worst Generation and capable of using the all-powerful Conqueror’s Haki, Luffy and Zoro are the crew’s top two fighters. Their spontaneous brotherhood never ceases to amaze as they rise to the top of the pirate world. Luffy trusts Zoro with his life. Deeply respecting Luffy, Zoro never steps out of his position unless his captain is in mortal danger, at which point he risks his own life to protect him.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1158.

Six major moments where Zoro saved Luffy, listed in chronological order as of One Piece chapter 1158

1) One against all in Whisky Peak

Zoro's Whisky Peak masterclass in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

When the citizens of Whisky Peak offered them a feast, the Straw Hats ate and drank themselves to sleep, unaware that the islanders were Baroque Works agents and assassins who had arranged the whole thing to kill them. Suspicious from the start, however, Zoro had only faked fainting.

Four Baroque Works agents and a hundred professional bounty hunters gathered against Zoro, but the green-haired swordsman single-handedly fought all of them to protect his sleeping crewmates. One by one, Zoro defeated all the enemies with ease, leading the agents to mistakenly assume he was the Straw Hat crew’s true captain.

After waking up, Luffy didn’t thank Zoro but instead attacked him, accusing him of killing innocent people. Zoro tried to explain the situation, but Luffy refused to listen. He insisted that no enemy would feed them, and vowed to kill Zoro for his actions. As Luffy attacked him, Zoro was forced to fight back.

The ensuing battle ignited Luffy and Zoro’s competitive spirit. The two challenged each other to prove who was stronger, shaking the surrounding area with their clash. see who was the strongest between them, shaking up the surrounding area. Mr 5 and Miss Valentine tried to interfere with the showdown, but Luffy and Zoro effortlessly dispatched them. However, neither dared to defy Nami when she stepped in to interrupt their fierce duel.

2) "Nothing Happened" in Thriller Bark

Zoro's Nothing Happened in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

After the events at Enies Lobby, the World Government sent Bartholomew Kuma to Thriller Bark to eliminate Luffy. With Luffy unable to move and the other Straw Hats powerless before Kuma, Zoro fought bravely to defend his captain. That said, he could only inflict a superficial wound on Kuma’s body.

In a desperate act, Zoro offered his life in exchange for Luffy’s. So, Kuma used his Devil Fruit ability to extract all the damage Luffy had suffered during the previous battles, materializing it in the form of a huge energy bubble. He then asked Zoro to take that pain as part of their deal to save Luffy’s life. Without hesitation, Zoro accepted the insane test.

The swordsman took on all the pain that Luffy suffered from overusing the Gears and forcing his body to absorb a hundred shadows, fatigue so severe it caused Luffy to collapse. Kuma himself admitted that he would have passed out out if he tried to go through such an ordeal. The horrific challenge left Zoro badly injured, but showcased his exceptional endurance and selflessness.

Despite bearing the pain that had rendered Luffy unconscious on top of his own injuries, Zoro remained conscious and standing. Impressed by what Zoro had done, Kuma remarked that Monkey D. Dragon’s son, i.e., Luffy, had found some worthy comrades. Zoro’s sacrifice was all the more heroic as he insisted Luffy never learn of his actions for him.

3) Dragon Twister vs Dragon Twister

Zoro attacking Kaido in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

During the epic clash between Emperors and Supernovas on Onigashima's rooftop, Luffy unleashed his Gear 4 transformation and Haki to strike Kaido with Gum-Gum Kong Gatling. Yet, Kaido managed to endure the attack. As Kid and Killer joined the assault, Kaido used a move called Dragon Twister Demolition Breath to blow everyone away.

The Emperor twisted his Azure Dragon body into a coil to generate devastating tornadoes all around, akin to a natural disaster. Kid and Killer were swept aside immediately. Luffy, his energies drained from Gear 4, was unable to defend himself. So, he was hurled into the air, landing into Kaido’s Azure Dragon jaws.

Seeing Luffy in peril, Zoro performed Black Rope Dragon Twister to save the captain from getting eaten by Kaido. Zoro's technique consisted of a dragon-shaped tornado that not only overpowered Kaido's own move, but also cut through the Emperor's hard scaly skin, injuring him significantly.

Big Mom and Killer watched the scene in awe, amazed at how Zoro pierced through Kaido's body. The green-haired swordsman inflicted enough damage on Kaido to force the Emperor to release Luffy, spitting blood from his mouth in the process.

4) Blocking Hakai to save everyone

Zoro stopping Hakai in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Aiming to eradicate Luffy, Zoro, Law, Kid, and Killer in one fell swoop, Kaido and Big Mom combined their forces to unleash Hakai, a colossal and insanely powerful shockwave directed at the five Supernovas. As panic gripped everyone else, Zoro moved at blazing speed to intercept the incoming blow before it could engulf Luffy and the others.

Zoro’s swift intervention proved absolutely pivotal. The swordsman was able to block Hakai, halting its advancement long enough for Trafalgar Law to gain the time needed to set up his Shambles technique and teleport everyone to safety. The part of Hakai that Zoro deflected went on to obliterate a vast section of Onigashima, with the resulting explosion dwarfing the island itself.

Fueled by the combined might of two Emperors, Hakai ranks among the most potent attacks ever seen in One Piece. Therefore, Zoro’s extraordinary feat of stopping it, even if only temporarily, emphasizes both his prodigious power and his disarming, selfless bravery.

Even the boastful and cocky Eustass Kid couldn’t help but praise Zoro’s feat, and thank him for their survival. While Zoro managed to protect everyone, his heroism came at a cost, as he got severely injured in the process of blocking Hakai. Dozens of Zoro’s bones broke under the sheer force of Kaido and Big Mom’s combined strength.

5) Nine Sword Style: Asura to scar Kaido

Zoro vs Kaido in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

The fierce battle against Kaido and Big Mom highlighted Zoro’s role as Luffy’s irreplaceable right-hand man. During the fight, Zoro showcased both his outstanding power and his unwavering loyalty, protecting Luffy multiple times at great personal risk.

After single-handedly stopping Kaido and Big Mom's combined attack, albeit at the cost of grievous injuries, Zoro mustered his remaining strength to confront Kaido again. With Luffy knocked out and Kaido preparing to finish him off, Zoro intervened. He activated his Nine Sword Style and challenged Kaido directly.

Despite his injured state, Zoro dominated the ensuing confrontation, as he deflected Kaido’s weapon before moving past the Emperor in a flash to cut through his body. Zoro’s attack packed enough power to reopen Kaido’s old scar, and even leave a new, permanent one. As Kaido clutched his bleeding chest, Trafalgar Law couldn’t help but watch the scene in amazement.

However, Zoro soon collapsed, while Kaido shrugged off the damage. Fortunately, a recovered Luffy stopped Kaido from beating Law and the exhausted Zoro. While Zoro couldn’t beat Kaido, he was able to inflict significant harm on the Emperor. This feat demonstrated the power of Zoro’s Nine Sword Style and set the stage for the swordsman to unleash his dormant Conqueror’s Haki.

6) Passing Scopper Gaban's test

Zoro stops Gaban in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

In Elbaph, the homeland of the Giants, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami encountered Scopper Gaban, the former number three of the Roger Pirates. Now an old man living quietly in Elbaph, Gaban warned Luffy and Zoro about the dangers of freeing Loki, Elbaph’s “Accursed Prince”, but they dismissed his warnings.

Gaban didn’t reveal his identity but decided to test Luffy’s readiness to confront Loki. He challenged Luffy to take the key needed to free Loki from him. Luffy lunged for the key multiple times, but Gaban effortlessly dodged his attempts, toying with him. Suddenly, Gaban drew a pair of axes. As he gathered his energy, Zoro sensed the incoming threat and yelled at Luffy to watch out.

A moment later, Gaban performed a technique named Yasotakeru, a barrage of flying slashes generated with his axes. Seeing Luffy in danger, Zoro stepped in to protect him. He moved with lightning-fast quickness, using his swords to block Gaban’s ferocious attack, a feat that earned the Gaban’s praise. The deflected slashes ended up destroying one of Aurust Castle’s giant-sized towers, a structure larger than a mountain.

The devastating attack served as a wake-up call, making Luffy regret his casual approach. He and Zoro decided to retaliate, with Luffy activating Gear 5 while Zoro radiated Conqueror’s Haki all around. Just as they prepared to strike, however, Gaban yielded. He then calmly left the scene, satisfied with what he had witnessed.