How to make Carrot special
Zou- actually make her important.
The flashback of Jack’s attack should be from her perspective. The flashback shows her idyllic life before hand. Her relationship with Pedro is expanded upon. We are given reasons to care about her going out to sea (does she feel trapped in Zou? Does she have family members thst left? Did she try to go but Inu/Neko told her she was too young?)
Show her trying to connect with Zunisha. Maybe make ordinary Minks laugh at her for trying to talk to the elephant- while having the more informed ones, Inu, Neko, Pedro, look thoughtfully at her attempts.
When Jack invades, she actually tries to fight him but is wrecked. She’s the one who meets the Strawhats, tries to fight them and begs for help, not Wanda.
In the present day, she spends most of Zou bonding with Luffy and hearing about the Strawhat tales in the sea. And by bonding I mean meaningful conversations, not just “garchu” crap and “the sea is a wonderland!” The bonding should complement the flashback so we have reason to actually care about her coming along. She’s really interested by the fact that Zunisha is talking to Momo and Luffy can hear it.
She first asks permission to come on the Sanji trip but is refused.
WCI- her deciding to come with the crew is not just some dumbass cheerful “oh I want to see the world tee hee how cute and spunky am I?” She’s snuck in because she wants to help the Strawhats, she wants to know about Zou and thinks they’ll tell her and she wants an adventure.
Her and Pedro actually talk to each other throughout the arc so we have any reason to care when he blows herself up. First chunk of WCI up until then can broadly stay the same, have her be a fun presence that bonds with the crew and lightens the load of all the melodrama surrounding Sanji. This is fine, because all the groundwork has been laid on Zou.
Escape part comes, actually have her do some amazing lookout stuff that complements Jinbei‘s helmanships. Stuff that people actually comment on and care about. Have Luffy actually talk to her at some point.
Wano- first half, actually give her a role. She’s went back to the Minks because her duty has determined that’s what she should do, especially wih Pedro dead. She ruminates on Pedro’s last words throughout the arc, wondering what is so special about Wano and why the Minks and the Kozuki are linked. Maybe even actually ask Inu what the Dawn is?
Meanwhile, Inu and Neko and Wanda and such have seen that Carrot has grown and she was right to leave Zou despite what they said. Have them ask her little leading questions “what do you want to do? Have you thought about the future?” Carrot is not so sure.
Onigashima comes. She actually sticks around with the Strawhats and is treated like one. Joins them in the welcoming party. Shows Usopp how she has even better eyesight than him instead of being shunted to the back.Talks to Luffy. The fight with Perospero is actually important and something Oda bothers to spend time on. She actually plays a role in beating him. Pda actually spends time on her instead of a random panel every seventeen chapters. Because of the groundwork from her role in Zou we all actually care about what she‘s going to do when Zunisha comes to Wano.
That’s how a Strawhat is actually set up.