Speculations Is Wano Really Zoro’s Arc? The Difference Between a Broken Promise and an Unfulfilled Expectation.

[Gran D. Master]

Since we're already balls-deep into Wano, here's something I want to address just before we hit the climax of this arc. Has Oda ever actually promised that Wano will be Zoro's arc? The sole arguments used by the fans are that Zoro is a swordsman and Wano is a country of swordsmen, plus the fact that Zoro has previously showed interest in Wano on multiple occasions, which again does not serve as any sort of evidence for Wano being his arc; it's nothing more than personal speculation. Oda never promised us anything. Whatever happens with Zoro, you can only be disappointed with your own headcanon.

 

[Chrono]

I feel when Oda hyped WCI as Sanji's arc. He meant it as we know more about Sanji and his past. It had nothing to do with shining the most or being the most impressive.....as he was outshined by people like Brook and Nami. It was just that he would be the most developed.

Zoro has no promises but this is an arc of swordsman. This is his last chance to show how much of a fighter he is. If he flops, its over for him as a character.

 

[ImmaIvanoM]

Since we're already balls-deep into Wano, here's something I want to address just before we hit the climax of this arc. Has Oda ever actually promised that Wano will be Zoro's arc? The sole arguments used by the fans are that Zoro is a swordsman and Wano is a country of swordsmen, plus the fact that Zoro has previously showed interest in Wano on multiple occasions, which again does not serve as any sort of evidence for Wano being his arc; it's nothing more than personal speculation. Oda never promised us anything. Whatever happens with Zoro, you can only be disappointed with your own headcanon.

Well Wano isn't "Zoro's arc" like how Oda said WCI was Sanji's but we're 66 chapters into the arc and zoro is involved in as many plot points as Luffy and has the most screen time outside luffy.

I mean yourself begin the post by saying "we're ball deep".

Well let me ask, who outside of Luffy has the most shit going on? Is it not Zoro?

 

[ImmaIvanoM]

. If he flops, its over for him as a character.

You mean Mihawk and his dream die in Wano for some reason?

 

[Albino 👑]

It was never outwardly promised but out of all the arcs youd expect wano to be "Zoros arc". And tbh he has been the most highlighted strawhat outside of luffy.

Along with having the most wano county centered plots. Like with yasu, hiyori, the bridge fox, orochi hatred, clashing with a samurai and some sword lore

I still want and expect more tho
Like for example things i would love to see

• Zoro to defeat orochi and get the credit
• His connection to his likely heritage from wano to be fleshed out. With him likely being related to ryuma
• Get niidai and learn more sword stuff
• Maybe maybe maybe blacken wado
• Tashigi to show up
• To fight a strong samurai hopefully female

 

[Gran D. Master]

Well let me ask, who outside of Luffy has the most shit going on? Is it not Zoro?

He's the second most relevant strawhat yes. Does that equate to him being the star of this arc? I mean the recent chapter would have been a good place to give Zoro a major panel if Oda intended for Zoro to have some significance in taking down Kaido and all that...

 

[Finalbeta]

Calling it Zoro's arc means he will solo Kaido.

No but he will still have the best highlights overall.

The Enma plot is definitely not casual, on top of that Oden flashback. Oda clearly wants to give merit to the swordsmanship side in this arc with the Grandmaster being the pennant.

 

[HA001]

He's the second most relevant strawhat yes. Does that equate to him being the star of this arc? I mean the recent chapter would have been a good place to give Zoro a major panel if Oda intended for Zoro to have some significance in taking down Kaido and all that...

No it wouldnt. They attacked a ship. The 3 pirate captains. Thats it. Zoro is not captain.

 

[Luffy is the mc]

It's not his arc. But wano being a samurai country, he'll leave being the strongest swordsman and after impressing the samurais.
He'll definitively be the center of the attention after Luffy imo.

 

[ImmaIvanoM]

He's the second most relevant strawhat yes. Does that equate to him being the star of this arc?

Well I didn't mean that he is the star of anything. I mean luffy was still the star of WCI even though it was "Sanji's arc" right? In fact Luffy is the star of every single arc of every strawhats since the beginning, except maybe Zoro's since he didn't really have an arc

Zoro doesnt have to be the star of an arc for you to know he's still a central figure in it, same as every other strawhat

 

[Gran D. Master]

No it wouldnt. They attacked a ship. The 3 pirate captains. Thats it. Zoro is not captain.

So Oda wasted that panel just to show those "2 captains who will get destroyed by Kaido very quickly and be irrelevant afterwards" according to Zoro fans of course. So why did Oda bother showing them? Was he REALLY hyping them up just for them to destroy the ship fodder next chapter?

 

[HA001]

So Oda wasted that panel just to show those "2 captains who will get destroyed by Kaido very quickly and be irrelevant afterwards" according to Zoro fans of course. So why did Oda bother showing them? Was he REALLY hyping them up just for them to destroy the ship fodder next chapter?

So did you think the same when the act ended with luffy and zoro both training with a means to hurt kaido ?
Meme is there too.
Maybe they fight her.
Kidd has nothing to hurt kaido.

 

[Gran D. Master]

Well I didn't mean that he is the star of anything. I mean luffy was still the star of WCI even though it was "Sanji's arc" right? In fact Luffy is the star of every single arc of every strawhats since the beginning, except maybe Zoro's since he didn't really have an arc

Zoro doesnt have to be the star of an arc for you to know he's still a central figure in it, same as every other strawhat

Even with Luffy out of the eqation, how many times was Kid shown talking about Kaido compared to Zoro? And you can't pretend what he says doesn't matter because he is irrelevant; he was shown in the most recent chapter alongside Luffy

 

[HA001]

Even with Luffy out of the eqation, how many times was Kid shown talking about Kaido compared to Zoro? And you can't pretend what he says doesn't matter is irrelevant; he was shown in the very recent chapter alongside Luffy

How many times did rebecca say she wanted to kill doffy ?

 

[Gran D. Master]

zoro both training with a means to hurt kaido ?

Only Luffy was training to hurt Kaido. Zoro is your wishful thinking. Do not use that as an an argument

Kidd has nothing to hurt kaido

Baseless assumption

 

[Sadistic Senpai]

You stole this topic from "Drizzt" stream.. am I right? LOOOL

But anyway...
It's not really a broken promise...
it's simply that fans have high expectations... and Oda did not meet them in the same way....

This is not te first time.... One Piece has MANY missed opportunity where things were not highlighted in those arcs just because Oda didn't feel like drawing those scenes in that arc... so either he will dismiss them.. or he will delay them until a moment where fans don't care about it anymore...

Did anyone remember the "Sanji has to get a proper fight in WCI" which never happened although Sanji legitimately had MORE REASON to get a proper main fight in WCI than his own captain.. Luffy!

This is mainly due to the "Sanji getting bullied for being weak in his childhood". However, Oda tried to resolve it in a different manner than showings of his strength...
So... sure Sanji can in Wano showcase his strength against Queen for example.... but EVEN IF that happened... it still wouldn't negate the fact that it was a "missed opportunity" on Oda's part to not give Sanji a proper fight in WCI infront of his family which insulted his strength...

But then again... Oda didn't break a promise here... he simply didn't meet the high expectations from fans... Because the Year of Sanji comment was followed by comments that "we will explore more about his origins" so basically his promise was NOT FIGHT related.. it was story related... which happened...

With Zoro.. there was no promise that this will be his ARC... it was just fans expectations since he's a swordsman in land of samurai... However... a BROKEN PROMISE was actually Zoro saying "I'll round up the samurai of Wano for you by the time you return Luffy"

That was BULLSHIT and was a lie, broken promise... instead Zoro was fighting a three sword tiger... and napping and sleeping with Hiyori... and did not gather A SINGLE ALLY.

Which was POORLY WRITTEN.... Because just like Kyoshiro with his strength recruited his Yakuza... Oda could have done the same with Zoro recruiting many people who he defeated... by making those samurai go after his Shusui... and explore more about the sword...

But nah...

So with Zoro
There are parts which is "broken promise"
and there are other parts which are "missed opportunity"

 

[Gran D. Master]

How many times did rebecca say she wanted to kill doffy ?

Comparing an arc princess to Kid...

 

[Jo_Ndule]

It's not his arc, fanboys wanted Wano to focus on Zoro, they wanted Oda to state Wano is Zoro arc.



Let's see, it has been 66 chapters and yet:
who did Zoro impress? The top 4 retainers arent impressed by him yet.
Did he round up samurai before or during luffy presence? Nope
Did he get back his sword as he wanted? Nope but rather got gifted Enma.
Is Kaido or BM even worried/thinking about him? Nah
Is his plot linked to Orochi? Yes
Will he participate vs Kaido/BM? Ah you mean like brook doing a small cut on Prometheus ? Or like Sanji with luffy locking BM? Maybe lol

Zoro will beat Orochi for Hiyori & Yasu sake.

 

[Gran D. Master]

With Zoro.. there was no promise that this will be his ARC... it was just fans expectations since he's a swordsman in land of samurai... However... a BROKEN PROMISE was actually Zoro saying "I'll round up the samurai of Wano for you by the time you return Luffy

Maybe that was just to highlight Zoro's incompetence

 

[Jo_Ndule]

You stole this topic from "Drizzt" stream.. am I right? LOOOL

But anyway...
It's not really a broken promise...
it's simply that fans have high expectations... and Oda did not meet them in the same way....

This is not te first time.... One Piece has MANY missed opportunity where things were not highlighted in those arcs just because Oda didn't feel like drawing those scenes in that arc... so either he will dismiss them.. or he will delay them until a moment where fans don't care about it anymore...

Did anyone remember the "Sanji has to get a proper fight in WCI" which never happened although Sanji legitimately had MORE REASON to get a proper main fight in WCI than his own captain.. Luffy!

This is mainly due to the "Sanji getting bullied for being weak in his childhood". However, Oda tried to resolve it in a different manner than showings of his strength...
So... sure Sanji can in Wano showcase his strength against Queen for example.... but EVEN IF that happened... it still wouldn't negate the fact that it was a "missed opportunity" on Oda's part to not give Sanji a proper fight in WCI infront of his family which insulted his strength...

But then again... Oda didn't break a promise here... he simply didn't meet the high expectations from fans... Because the Year of Sanji comment was followed by comments that "we will explore more about his origins" so basically his promise was NOT FIGHT related.. it was story related... which happened...

With Zoro.. there was no promise that this will be his ARC... it was just fans expectations since he's a swordsman in land of samurai... However... a BROKEN PROMISE was actually Zoro saying "I'll round up the samurai of Wano for you by the time you return Luffy"

That was BULLSHIT and was a lie, broken promise... instead Zoro was fighting a three sword tiger... and napping and sleeping with Hiyori... and did not gather A SINGLE ALLY.

Which was POORLY WRITTEN.... Because just like Kyoshiro with his strength recruited his Yakuza... Oda could have done the same with Zoro recruiting many people who he defeated... by making those samurai go after his Shusui... and explore more about the sword...

But nah...

So with Zoro
There are parts which is "broken promise"
and there are other parts which are "missed opportunity"

They will make up excuses on how Zoro didn't break his promise

They bash Sanji but Zoro didn't even do what he boasted to Luffy.
He didn't even try recruiting samurais while strawhats and retainers in alliance were recruiting people.

The fact Zoro didn't even move a muscle to recruit or round up allies, it's such a disappointment when even Nami or wano fodders did the job to get allies