Character Discussion 3 Things that would Elevate Zoro’s Character
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Only one option is valid (Zoro fighting opponents with Grade Swords - Venus fight is incoming), the other two represent shallow reading and understanding of the manga.
Every swordsman who likes dueling automatically wants to be the greatest swordsman (the difference in strength of desire is present), you dont wish for and try to compete against the best without wanting to be the best. Why was Shanks dueling Mihawk? Why Vista wanted to fight Mihawk? Why Oden proclaimed his style to be the strongest?
Zoro is seeking strong opponents (not only swordsmen) anywhere and everywhere he goes, if you cant remember the colosseum and then end of DR wanting to fight Fuji or wanting to cut Kaido etc. then thats just sad.
Oda does shitty things or things that fans want but Oda doesnt want. Having Zoro fight Law would be bad for Oda since he wont let Zoro lose (he already showed who is the fighter and who is the cheerleader on RT) and making Law lose to Zoro would hit the fanbase as a fan favorite would be losing and will not seem as impressive any more. Laws rivalry thing with Luffy would be completely screwed (I mean it already is after RT and in Egghead) but this happened after the focus on Law and Kid (they will return but wont be as relevant).
Finishing plot points of Zoro in Wano would have done wonders but then the deuteragonist would become the MC.
Every swordsman who likes dueling automatically wants to be the greatest swordsman (the difference in strength of desire is present), you dont wish for and try to compete against the best without wanting to be the best. Why was Shanks dueling Mihawk? Why Vista wanted to fight Mihawk? Why Oden proclaimed his style to be the strongest?
Zoro is seeking strong opponents (not only swordsmen) anywhere and everywhere he goes, if you cant remember the colosseum and then end of DR wanting to fight Fuji or wanting to cut Kaido etc. then thats just sad.
Oda does shitty things or things that fans want but Oda doesnt want. Having Zoro fight Law would be bad for Oda since he wont let Zoro lose (he already showed who is the fighter and who is the cheerleader on RT) and making Law lose to Zoro would hit the fanbase as a fan favorite would be losing and will not seem as impressive any more. Laws rivalry thing with Luffy would be completely screwed (I mean it already is after RT and in Egghead) but this happened after the focus on Law and Kid (they will return but wont be as relevant).
Finishing plot points of Zoro in Wano would have done wonders but then the deuteragonist would become the MC.
1.Worthy Opponents & Rivals
Zoro needs opponents on his level, rivals that seek what he seeks. Oda has a habit of making Zoro fight people below his level(Hyouzou, Monet, Pica, etc). He needs legitimate challenges. He's too close to the end game to continue to coast in his fights & it'd be perfect if he meets a rival that is actually on his level. A perfect opponent for Zoro would be against a considerably strong swordsman who lost to Mihawk.
2. Sword Lore - Deep dive into the intricacies of swordsmanship, sword abilities, ryuma, etc. Add more lore about famous swordsmen & feats outside of Mihawk.
3. Solo Journey/Whiskey Peak Gauntlet 2.0
Zoro needs a gauntlet to refine his skills. Elbalf would be the perfect place for that.
Zoro needs opponents on his level, rivals that seek what he seeks. Oda has a habit of making Zoro fight people below his level(Hyouzou, Monet, Pica, etc). He needs legitimate challenges. He's too close to the end game to continue to coast in his fights & it'd be perfect if he meets a rival that is actually on his level. A perfect opponent for Zoro would be against a considerably strong swordsman who lost to Mihawk.
2. Sword Lore - Deep dive into the intricacies of swordsmanship, sword abilities, ryuma, etc. Add more lore about famous swordsmen & feats outside of Mihawk.
3. Solo Journey/Whiskey Peak Gauntlet 2.0
Zoro needs a gauntlet to refine his skills. Elbalf would be the perfect place for that.
To be fair, if we met more competitors for the SHs' individual dreams, I think the worldbuilding would only benefit from it. Because it is a shame to have such a large world, yet no one else but Nami wants to chart it properly on a map. And, sure, the All Blue may be mythical and all, which I can excuse as not many people have heard of it, but considering the various unexplained supernatural shit (from haki to DFs to summoning circles), are Chopper and Hiluluk really the only physicians interested in finding a cure to all diseases?
The fact that, aside from their mentors, the SHs are the only characters to have that specific dream, and no one else in the entire world, to me is a point of detriment toward this series.
Laboon is specific to Brook. Ohara had other archeologists, and BB is a historian himself, so Robin's dream is not that unique.
But Franky's? Jimbei's? A world filled with seas, yet no interesting pirate carpenters? No shipbuilding captain, to foil Luffy's want for adventure for adventure's sake?
And, lastly, Zoro's case is even more egregious, considering the whole "might makes right" philosophy the OP world is based on. You have entire nations of people training to be strong. You have a known, publicly-recognized world's best swordsman. Is it that weird to expect at least half a dozen swordsmen, at various stages of swordsmanship prowess, vying for the title? I'm not saying make an arc out of it. But at least show a few in passing; hint at off-paneled struggles on their way to Mihawk. Pages upon pages of fodden repeating dumb stuff, when you could have a couple of them recognize Zoro: "Is that Roronoa?" "I heard he's on his way to the title?" "What, Mihawk's?" "Apparently, he has a unique three-sword style." "Is he better than X?" "X? X is old story. Y defeated him last week." "What?!" "You hadn't heard? They dueled in Z. Two slashes, and it was over for X. Now Y is the poster child of his country's gentle sword style."
The fact that, aside from their mentors, the SHs are the only characters to have that specific dream, and no one else in the entire world, to me is a point of detriment toward this series.
Laboon is specific to Brook. Ohara had other archeologists, and BB is a historian himself, so Robin's dream is not that unique.
But Franky's? Jimbei's? A world filled with seas, yet no interesting pirate carpenters? No shipbuilding captain, to foil Luffy's want for adventure for adventure's sake?
And, lastly, Zoro's case is even more egregious, considering the whole "might makes right" philosophy the OP world is based on. You have entire nations of people training to be strong. You have a known, publicly-recognized world's best swordsman. Is it that weird to expect at least half a dozen swordsmen, at various stages of swordsmanship prowess, vying for the title? I'm not saying make an arc out of it. But at least show a few in passing; hint at off-paneled struggles on their way to Mihawk. Pages upon pages of fodden repeating dumb stuff, when you could have a couple of them recognize Zoro: "Is that Roronoa?" "I heard he's on his way to the title?" "What, Mihawk's?" "Apparently, he has a unique three-sword style." "Is he better than X?" "X? X is old story. Y defeated him last week." "What?!" "You hadn't heard? They dueled in Z. Two slashes, and it was over for X. Now Y is the poster child of his country's gentle sword style."
I agree with you, because this concerns World Building & Writing, which can always be improved, it's just that i don't think Oda really cares about that, it's clear to me that He only cares about drawing what He wants to see or enjoy visualizing, not because it's what his Characters or the World needs (He is still doing a decent job, but for such a massive World, the list of improvements & things that could have been better are endless)
My reply however wasn't about what the World needs or how it's presented to us, it's about "How to Elevate Zoro's Character", so i didn't say that it's bad if Oda made others share Zoro's Dream, i'm saying that it's a Rule He applied to almost all SHs if not all, so it's not a Zoro Character Issue, it's an entire Story Issue, as you just explained nicely
Also i don't think SHs Dreams do not exist in other People's Minds, i actually believe the point is that these Dreams exist in everybody (Similar to Buggy's Speech where He said that everyone wants One Piece, it's just that most made themselves forget that passion), They are Dreams that every single Child dreams of, but as they grow up & experience the world, they gradually start to abandon them, until it gets to a point where saying that it's your Life Purpose makes people Laugh (Just like Brag Men Book or Mock Town or Usopp's Lies ... etc)
Everyone wish to open a Map & see entire World in it, not just their Home,
Everyone wish to open a Book & read entire History as it happened exactly,
Everyone wish to be considered Strongest, to cure all Diseases, to have access to all Food from everywhere ... etc
But the point is that only SHs chose not to abandon such Dreams no matter what,
My reply however wasn't about what the World needs or how it's presented to us, it's about "How to Elevate Zoro's Character", so i didn't say that it's bad if Oda made others share Zoro's Dream, i'm saying that it's a Rule He applied to almost all SHs if not all, so it's not a Zoro Character Issue, it's an entire Story Issue, as you just explained nicely
Also i don't think SHs Dreams do not exist in other People's Minds, i actually believe the point is that these Dreams exist in everybody (Similar to Buggy's Speech where He said that everyone wants One Piece, it's just that most made themselves forget that passion), They are Dreams that every single Child dreams of, but as they grow up & experience the world, they gradually start to abandon them, until it gets to a point where saying that it's your Life Purpose makes people Laugh (Just like Brag Men Book or Mock Town or Usopp's Lies ... etc)
Everyone wish to open a Map & see entire World in it, not just their Home,
Everyone wish to open a Book & read entire History as it happened exactly,
Everyone wish to be considered Strongest, to cure all Diseases, to have access to all Food from everywhere ... etc
But the point is that only SHs chose not to abandon such Dreams no matter what,
Even Zoro's Dream who looks very simple, just go beat that painter is still a Dream that discourages People, not because of Mihawk himself but because you won't even be a Candidate to begin with
Let's say you wanna be Greatest Swordsman & you live in some Kingdom or joined some Army or you're a Marine ... etc
You need to first be Best Swordsman in your Village & then your Kingdom, you need to be better than anyone in your Army, you need to stood out among Marines ... etc so that already disqualifies 99% of People
When Zoro started looking for Mihawk, He didn't do it Day 1, He did after He became Strongest in his Village, He challenged every Dojo & eventually became Demon of East Blue, Zoro was Unofficial Greatest Swordsman in One of Four Blues, that's why He thought He could beat Mihawk
Take another guy like Zoro from each Blue & you only have 4 Swordsmen who think They can take on Mihawk,
Then you enter Grand Line & 99.99% can't even survive couple minutes with any Warlord, so obviously They would never Dream of continuing till Mihawk
And once you become experienced enough to witness Power of Top Tiers, you realize that only ones who are allowed to say "I wanna be Greatest Swordsman" are the Best Swordsmen from Top Factions or those who Dominate in NW, who are very handful anyway, but if you know that much, then you'd obviously abandon your Dream because if those guys didn't object on Mihawk's Throne, then who the hell are you? Brannew was an example of someone who keeps himself informed & He believes Shanks can't take the Title from Mihawk, so no one can, it's as Impossible as making sickness go extinct
The only ones who share Zoro's Dreams are "Frogs in a Small Pond" (The Ignorant) just like Mihawk said it & then Zoro repeated it to Hyouzou, this is why Mihawk said "Know The World" first before thinking of dueling him again
Let's say you wanna be Greatest Swordsman & you live in some Kingdom or joined some Army or you're a Marine ... etc
You need to first be Best Swordsman in your Village & then your Kingdom, you need to be better than anyone in your Army, you need to stood out among Marines ... etc so that already disqualifies 99% of People
When Zoro started looking for Mihawk, He didn't do it Day 1, He did after He became Strongest in his Village, He challenged every Dojo & eventually became Demon of East Blue, Zoro was Unofficial Greatest Swordsman in One of Four Blues, that's why He thought He could beat Mihawk
Take another guy like Zoro from each Blue & you only have 4 Swordsmen who think They can take on Mihawk,
Then you enter Grand Line & 99.99% can't even survive couple minutes with any Warlord, so obviously They would never Dream of continuing till Mihawk
And once you become experienced enough to witness Power of Top Tiers, you realize that only ones who are allowed to say "I wanna be Greatest Swordsman" are the Best Swordsmen from Top Factions or those who Dominate in NW, who are very handful anyway, but if you know that much, then you'd obviously abandon your Dream because if those guys didn't object on Mihawk's Throne, then who the hell are you? Brannew was an example of someone who keeps himself informed & He believes Shanks can't take the Title from Mihawk, so no one can, it's as Impossible as making sickness go extinct
The only ones who share Zoro's Dreams are "Frogs in a Small Pond" (The Ignorant) just like Mihawk said it & then Zoro repeated it to Hyouzou, this is why Mihawk said "Know The World" first before thinking of dueling him again
No, I have already explained why nobody else dreams to be the strongest. It is one of the impossible dreams.
No, his aim is directed only at the strongest. No need to go fight silver medalists.
The strongest people are reserved for end game, from here on out, opponents with at least 3 supreme grades are in Zoro's path.
No, his aim is directed only at the strongest. No need to go fight silver medalists.
The strongest people are reserved for end game, from here on out, opponents with at least 3 supreme grades are in Zoro's path.
