To this date you think Zoro follows Luffy only cuz strength ?( Your idea of Zoro in baroque works says that) ..few wasted years as a reader.
"Zoro is being portrayed as "vice captain" often because he is the first mate, has been with Luffy the longest, and they act as equals. They understand each other on a higher level.
No,he's portrayed as a VC cuz he has qualities to place him there .
The author confirming it is just another positive point for me, author you know Oda sees Zoro fit for the role above anyone else in the crew .
Whatever he's hiding with Zoro must be decisive I think.
Unless you believe author doesn't know the meaning , requirements , characteristics of a proper VC.
Here is when you make a decision from yourself my man to give strength to your argument"
"When you shove aside his pervert mind..."
One can't simply say let's take away X ( that makes a huge part of his character ) and later say now he will work as a better leader.
Factors matter for this decision and this unfortunately can be ignored .
Zoro as a whole is a better leader I'm not adding or taking away characteristics of the manga.
( Already gave you him making plans and strategy)
Not getting in trouble matters little.
Plans can be offensive or defensive there's no a unique path.
I never said that Zoro follows Luffy out of strength, did I? I don't know why you're trying to spin around my words, honestly. I never even said why Zoro follows Luffy. I didn't even mention it. What did I explicitly say? Let's see:
Zoro of course says he wants to be the boss of Baroque Works because he considers himself strong and doesn't want to run around being a random member.
If you want to expand it to Luffy, sure. Let's do it. In my opinion, and you might see it differently, Zoro follows Luffy because he was impressed of him back in Shellstown and he had the impression that, if he followed Luffy to the Grandline, be it as a pirate or not, he had great chances of coming far in life. He was convinced that Luffy as a captain, who didn't fear shit, who just did things as he liked, would be suited as his captain. And that is because they feel equal to each other. On the same wavelength.
Furthermore, Oda didn't confirm anything. He added Barto as fan character, and said what the fans think. That is what he did. Zoro doesn't have any specific role in the Strawhats Crew besides being a fighter/being first mate. There's no vice captain and there probably won't be one anytime soon either, since there is no need.
It is true that it is wrong to just cut out a characteristic of a character, I admit it. But let me mention the following: What kind of leader does one want? What or who does the leader lead? And lead towards which goal?
These are all aspects that all come into account when considering a leader. It was never said it would be a captain, or the leader of an underground organization such as Baroque Works. What if a leader is meant like the fleet admiral of the marines? All of these come with different requirements.
So let me put it like this:
I think if the group/organization that is supposed to be led, aims at professionalism, tactics and strategy, such as marines for example, Sanji would definitely be better.
If the group was a rather free one, not restricted to rules or strategy, who do what they want, then Zoro would be a better leader.
That is my opinion. Take it as you like.