Chapter 1032 gave us what we wanted in actual opposition for Zoro post timeskip. There’s been criticisms throughout the New World era of One Piece that it’s been too easy for Zoro; that he’s lacked growth character and strength wise due to the lack of struggle he has had to endure.
Wano was the hope Oda would alleviate those concerns, and thus far, he has in spades.
Zoro’s subplot has been one of the more compelling elements of the arc, for me, and he has had to overcome hardship after hardship ever since setting foot on Onigashima.
From needing to save the Live Floor after Queen nearly eliminated everyone with his virus, to putting his body on the line against two Emperors, and now in a life or death duel against Kaido’s strongest officer, along with the later penalties he’ll have to endure after consuming the recuperative drug in order to get back into fighting shape. But like all hardships, Roronoa Zoro will overcome them, and Enma ensures he will by snapping him out of his funk, almost as a twofold response to the Shamisen playing and this battle its wielder, Zoro, cannot afford to lose. For himself, his crew, and Wano.
Right now Zoro is struggling against a Yonko’s First Commander, and him acknowledging that is great. How he uses his head to overcome that will be part of what makes the fight great.
The issue comes from the people still hanging onto the rooftop high. ”Zoro did so well on the rooftop, he can’t possibly be struggling against a First Commander now. He’s on a different level” seems to be the root of a few of the powerscaling, and even NARRATIVE discussions I’m seeing now. You have people contesting the idea that Zoro was fully healed by the miracle medicine just to claim that Zoro isn’t at his full potential currently, or those who are now trying to acknowledge King as some sort of near Yonko Level First Commander that even Luffy might not have been able to beat, all just to make King seem stronger for Zoro.
People are reaching into every possible corner for Zoro’s sake just to justify him struggling against King. Is this not what we wanted? Zoro is allowed to struggle. Let him struggle to overcome something and grow afterwards like literally every other Straw Hat is allowed to. Nobody ever expects Luffy to instantly beat his opponents, and even characters he’s soundly stronger than (cough Ulti cough) invoke effort. Sanji gets clowned whenever he shows signs of struggle. But Zoro’s finally being challenged and now everything up to this point has to change to adjust for that?
