Introduction
Many people think that Zoro is done after his defeat of King in 1035. That he has no important role (at least not a combat one) to play for the remainder of the arc.
I think the opinion is misguided. Zoro still has two very important plotlines that have yet to receive any sort of resolution in this arc.
Oden and Enma
Kaido repeatedly drew a connection between Zoro, Enma and Oden:
That connection has yet to have any payoff to date. If Zoro is done for after the King defeat, then pray tell, what was the purpose of these scenes?
Even at the end of the King fight, Zoro still had not yet reached Oden's mastery of Enma. He says that fighting with Enma fully unleashed would kill him:
Meanwhile, Oden could wield Enma as if it were as light as a feather:
However, Zoro has been setup to surpass Oden's mastery of Enma. To accomplish that which Oden could not do:
This still has no payoff yet.
Finally, Kaido's declaration that there shall never be a "monster samurai" of the likes of Kozuki Oden has still not been proven wrong:
Kaido needs to eat those words and acknowledge that such a samurai has been born.
This leads me to expect a second confrontation between Zoro and Kaido.
Here's a much more thorough explanation of the Oden argument.
Ryuma
Zoro has a storyline involving Ryuma and the people have Wano that has still not yet met its conclusion.
When Zoro first came to Wano, he was scorned as a murderer and grave robber:
Someone who stole Wano's national treasure and caused misfortune to befall the country as they incurred the wrath of the Sword God:
Even the person most sympathetic to Zoro (Hiyori) insisted that he return their treasure:
Stressing that it's revered as a relic:
Yet, Zoro is going to visit Ryuma's grave after the end of the war:
Before that visit, he needs to be acknowledged as a hero to the people of Wano. He must be vindicated. Ryuma's soul and Shusui itself personally chose Zoro after all:
Saving Wano in its most dire moment and coincidentally replicating Ryuma's legend vindicates Zoro.
Defeating King does not. None of the people in the Flower Capital cares about King. King is not the source of their torment and oppression. He was never a threat to them. Kaido is.
ZKK isn't necessary to get a Ryuma parallel. It doesn't need to happen for the fanservice of Zoro cutting a dragon. It's actually important for Zoro's character that he's vindicated in this way to the people of Wanokuni.
This is what I mean when I tell the detractors: "you don't even understand ZKK". Their complaints don't actually engage with the theory. They just refute and debunk a caricature of the theory, not the actual theory.
Here's a much more detailed explanation of the Ryuma argument.
The Ryuma argument was never solely about Zoro paralleling Ryuma by slaying a dragon.
Conclusions
To leave these plot lines unresolved would be a massive disservice to Zoro's character. Furthermore, these two plotlines cannot be addressed anywhere else but in Wano itself. There is no realistic way to address them outside the Wanokuni arc. The context that makes the accomplishments meaningful are all tier to Wano.
If these plotlines are not resolved in Wano, they will simply never be resolved at all (at least not in any manner that can be considered satisfactory).
Many people think that Zoro is done after his defeat of King in 1035. That he has no important role (at least not a combat one) to play for the remainder of the arc.
I think the opinion is misguided. Zoro still has two very important plotlines that have yet to receive any sort of resolution in this arc.
Oden and Enma
Kaido repeatedly drew a connection between Zoro, Enma and Oden:
That connection has yet to have any payoff to date. If Zoro is done for after the King defeat, then pray tell, what was the purpose of these scenes?
Even at the end of the King fight, Zoro still had not yet reached Oden's mastery of Enma. He says that fighting with Enma fully unleashed would kill him:
Meanwhile, Oden could wield Enma as if it were as light as a feather:
However, Zoro has been setup to surpass Oden's mastery of Enma. To accomplish that which Oden could not do:
This still has no payoff yet.
Finally, Kaido's declaration that there shall never be a "monster samurai" of the likes of Kozuki Oden has still not been proven wrong:
Kaido needs to eat those words and acknowledge that such a samurai has been born.
This leads me to expect a second confrontation between Zoro and Kaido.
Here's a much more thorough explanation of the Oden argument.
Ryuma
Zoro has a storyline involving Ryuma and the people have Wano that has still not yet met its conclusion.
When Zoro first came to Wano, he was scorned as a murderer and grave robber:
Someone who stole Wano's national treasure and caused misfortune to befall the country as they incurred the wrath of the Sword God:
Even the person most sympathetic to Zoro (Hiyori) insisted that he return their treasure:
Stressing that it's revered as a relic:
Yet, Zoro is going to visit Ryuma's grave after the end of the war:
Before that visit, he needs to be acknowledged as a hero to the people of Wano. He must be vindicated. Ryuma's soul and Shusui itself personally chose Zoro after all:
Saving Wano in its most dire moment and coincidentally replicating Ryuma's legend vindicates Zoro.
Defeating King does not. None of the people in the Flower Capital cares about King. King is not the source of their torment and oppression. He was never a threat to them. Kaido is.
ZKK isn't necessary to get a Ryuma parallel. It doesn't need to happen for the fanservice of Zoro cutting a dragon. It's actually important for Zoro's character that he's vindicated in this way to the people of Wanokuni.
This is what I mean when I tell the detractors: "you don't even understand ZKK". Their complaints don't actually engage with the theory. They just refute and debunk a caricature of the theory, not the actual theory.
Here's a much more detailed explanation of the Ryuma argument.
The Ryuma argument was never solely about Zoro paralleling Ryuma by slaying a dragon.
- It's a conclusion to Zoro's plot threads with Shusui, Ryuma and Enma.
- Plot threads that began long ago in Thriller Bark.
- It's a vindication of Zoro's character.
- He'll transform from a grave robber and murderer to a National Hero.
- And it's an important step in the forging of Zoro's own legend.
- He will be recognised as the "Second Ryuma":
Oda already laid the groundwork for this by highlighting Zoro's connection to Ryuma at the start of his battle with King:
- He will be recognised as the "Second Ryuma":
Conclusions
To leave these plot lines unresolved would be a massive disservice to Zoro's character. Furthermore, these two plotlines cannot be addressed anywhere else but in Wano itself. There is no realistic way to address them outside the Wanokuni arc. The context that makes the accomplishments meaningful are all tier to Wano.
- Matching or surpassing Oden's calibre as a swordsman has no meaning outside of Wano.
- Oden was Wano's heir apparent and the rightful Shogun.
- He was their greatest samurai in recent history.
- His dream was to open Wano's borders.
- Enma is a sword that hails from Wano.
- It is Kaido who declared that a monster samurai of Oden's calibre shall never be seen again.
- Becoming the Second Ryuma has no meaning outside of Wano.
- He slew a dragon over the Wano Flower Capital.
- Ryuma is regarded as the "God of the Blade" to the people of Wano.
- Shusui is considered a holy relic.
- He's Wano's national hero and saviour.
- His myth and legend do not exist outside the land of Wano.
If these plotlines are not resolved in Wano, they will simply never be resolved at all (at least not in any manner that can be considered satisfactory).
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@Bittersteel
@Bogard
@Chocolatemuppet
@Buggy D Clown
@Bullet
@Camie
@Celestial D. Dragon
@Chaves
@Cinera
@comrade
@Constantine
@Crooc
@Cross_Marian
@Cyrus the Cactus
@Dark Hound
@Dark Knight Sanji
@DarkWitch
@Den_Den_Mushi
@Dr. Spook
@dynamight
@Elcadar
@Emperor
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@Fenaker
@Finalbeta
@Fleet Admiral Lee Hung
@Flower
@Fn Lucci
@Foxy Bunny
@Fukki
@Garp the Fist
@Garps tekkai
@Gauntlet
@Gensui Sazid
@Geo
@Gol D. Roger
@Gonโs Missing Arm
@Greenbeard
@Grumpy Zoro
@Guan Yu
@Guymieux
@h_zorothegoat
@HA001
@HAJIKATA
@Hanzo hattori
@haoshoku
@HeroesNZ
@Herrera95
@Himura
@I'mTired
@Ice devil slayer
@IceWitch
@Im_not_Osama_bin_laden
@Jack
@Jackteo
@Jew D. Boy
@JioFreed
@K!NG HARA$H!MA
@KageyamaShoyo
@Kejon
@KenshiraSonata
@KINGKONGGUN15
@KiriNigiri
@Kiwipom
@Kuro Ashi
@kurwa
@Lucas
@Luffy bin Dragon
@Luffy is the mc
@LuffyMazino
@Luslec
@LuthonTheDragDown
@Marco
@Marimo_420
@marimoheado
@MarineHQ62
@MasterD
@matt245
@Midnight Delight
@Mikail
@Monet
@Monkey D Theories
@Monster trio
@MonsterZoro
@Mr. Anderson
@Murilo
@Nidai_Kitetsu
@nik87
@Oblivion
@OmegaPsyche
@Orojackson Refugee
@Parker
@Patryipe
@pedxi
@PerfectHie
@PizzaBread
@playa4321
@princeley
@Punpun
@queen
@RayanOO
@Reborn
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@ReggieZoldyck21
@rerere
@Rivaille
@Robin swan
@Roronoa-sama
@Rosella.Fiamingo
@Rukusho
@RyumaZoro
@RZ.119
@Sade
@SaintBellkin
@Sakazuki-Singh
@Sakura no Hiluluk
@Salah WG
@Sanji D Cook
@Sentinel
@Seth
@Shadowlord123
@ShadowStyle369
@ShadyOjiro
@SHIHI
@ShinmenTakezo
@Shiroyru
@ShishioIsBack
@silverfire
@SinOfGreed
@Skiddo
@SmokedOut
@Soleus
@solis
@spawn
@Starbound Beast D. Draig
@stormylife
@style
@Sunita
@Sword God Ryuma
@T.D.A
@Tamerani
@Tenshi No Konan
@ten yaksha blother
@Thabeast
@TheKnightOfTheSea
@Tobi
@Topi Jerami
@Trafalgar_D_Law
@Usopp Haoshoku Haki
@Van
@Veljko
@Vonal
@WillOfMyD
@Winsmoke Sanji
@worst pirate
@Xione
@Xlaw
@yj
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@yorosenpai
@Yukihime
@yunzabit heights
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@Zoro
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