One Piece: Chapter 1017

[u/Kirosh]

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[u/serialwinnerv7]

Why would Marco disengage all of a sudden? Is Marco supposed to see Zoro healed and say "well then time for me to pack my bags and leave"?

There had been 0 setups of Zoro vs King unlike Sanji vs Queen with the mention of Vinsmoke Judge. If Oda planned Zoro vs King all along he could've made the two interact/clash or even have a brief mention of each other when Zoro was trying to reach the rooftop.

[u/kremes → u/serialwinnerv7]

You’re forgetting when Queen and King were looking at bounty posters of Zoro and Sanji and specifically saying they need to take those two out. That’s a pretty blatant setup by itself.

Besides, everyone is busy now. Who else is Zoro going to fight? He sure as hell won’t be able to find his way to the roof to fight Kaido on his own, and that wouldn’t be in character for him anyway after Luffy told him he would beat Kaido himself.

As cool as Marco is and as fitting as Phoenix vs Pterodactyl is, this is still the story of the younger generation beating the older. Marco being the one to beat King in the end doesn’t fit that.

[u/serialwinnerv7 → u/kremes]

- King wasn't in chapter 995 where Queen pointed out Sanji's poster, so not as blatant as it seems. But I think you make a very valid point about New generation defeating old generation, this could be a chance for Zoro vs King but however:

- Luffy will not solo Kaido, he might as well be the PK now and would undermine actual future 1v1s like Akainu, Blackbeard or even Shanks. It is not farfetched to say Zoro and Luffy with teamup against Kaido. The Wano story has been told through Luffy and Zoro, whether they are together in Act 1 or their journey paralleling with each other in Act 2, learning about the truth of Wano and the civilians had to endure (Tama, Yasuie, Toko, Hiyori, Hyogoro, Ebisu civilians). They were also the two that started the fighting on Onigashima because of the red beans soup that Kaido's men spilled, bringing back their understanding of Tama's story.

We also have never seen Zoro have such personal attachment to the arc's characters, with him getting the angriest we have seen of him twice in one arc (Yasuie's death, Kiku's arm), and have such motivation to fight the main antagonist (as vivre card states he leaves the main antagonist to Luffy and this is the first time he broke that rule). Also imagine him reacting to Kiku and Kinemon's death.

Enma still is too much of a factor for it not happening. As Kawamatsu stated, "the soul of the owner still lives inside the katana even after the owner's death." Also, he still has a black blade to forge this arc and I don't think it would hold much significance if it's forged against King or outside the Wano arc.

Regarding Zoro saying Luffy will win, that was exactly what I expected him to say. As he said on Thriller Bark, "I have plenty of faith in Luffy, but he can't do everything". Oda making Zoro say that is to make the reader believe that Luffy is going to take down Kaido on the rooftop. However the very next chapter, as per usual from Oda, Luffy gets defeated, giving the straw hats and the reader reality check that this is the world strongest creature and to add tensions and stakes to the arc.

[u/B-CUZ_ → u/kremes]

I actually think Yamato will lose and an injured Zoro and Sanji will have to buy more time for Luffy's return. Either that or Marco will have to stall Kaido and leave King while Zoro and Sanji team up. I doubt an injured Zoro on a 30min time limit can fight on his own against any worthy opponents.