I Don't Know Who I'm More Jealous Of.

zoro was so funny for being like actually not only would I follow my captain to hell but now I’m the king of hell. suck it

🙌 yes yes

zoro and/or luffy being given a norse funeral, sent out to sea on a flimsy dinghy boat. everything ending exactly how it began

i adore how zoro and luffy are oftentimes put on an equal level.

like initially, their main parallels exist in shanks and mihawks. even if you remove their connections to zoro and luffy, both interpersonal and as their heroes/fated rivals/some indescribable in between, and how eventually both of zoro and luffy’s narratives will circle back to them respectively; they are blatant parallels to one another on even a character trait level. mihawk and shanks, who were always equally matched in combat, are zoro and luffy's counterparts.

next is how they are each other's weaknesses. luffy is famously, and terrifyingly, susceptible to cutting attacks. after the strawhats have achieved their goals, in concept, luffy's ultimate weakness would be zoro; the world's greatest swordsman. luffy's first mate is his achilles heel. but of course that will never matter, because what would have been his ultimate threat is his strongest companion, his most devote follower, of whom there is no one he trusts more to eternally stand by his side. zoro is equivalent; he is a power focused fighter, strong and fatal, and luffy is agile and inventive, his natural opposite.

additionally is how their dreams balance. luffy, the captain, and his dream that yearns for unparalleled freedom. zoro, the swordsman, who's dream aches for untouchable power. zoro facilitates and protects luffy's dream of ultimate freedom, using his drive of power to be his dearest soldier. while luffy catalysed zoro's direction and puts him in positions to closer attain ultimate strength every day, whereas he existed in limbo without him. luffy's drive of freedom rid zoro of his aimlessness.

lastly, there are so many small moments where they are intended to be viewed as coequal, something closer to partners. them both dying in onigashima then waking up in the same moment, them both being supernovas, kuma accepting zoro's life instead of luffy; equating them in value in thriller bark, them both having supreme king haki, etc. is there nothing more indicative of being equals than two conquerors, harmonious together?

i think a lot of it stems from how zoro's devotion is an outlier. zoro's devotion, at it's foundations, is something so precious because he doesn't need to be luffy's follower, but he wants to be. every enemy pre-timeskip is confused that zoro is the one taking orders, his sheer power and 'kingly qualities' could make him an infamous captain in his own right, and that's a constant theme in his worship. zoro wants to follow, he loves answering to and trusting luffy to make the decisions that's best for them. if zoro had the gnaw for leadership he would thrive doing so, and that makes his loyalty all the more momentous. they could be equals, and there are so many subtle moments where they are shown to be as such, but zoro doesn't want that. he happily stands on the stair beneath luffy just to have the privilege of being allowed to look up at him.

i adore how zoro and luffy are oftentimes put on an equal level, but zoro chooses to revere and follow regardless.

*enemy attacked*

*Nami and Usopp got scared.*

Zoro's only priority: LUFFY. Save. Luffy.

Also,

The way he doesn't want to let go of Luffy. He just gently place it on Luffy's shoulder...

He's so gentle...

inotan soulmate au, where your soulmate’s scars appear on your body as well

They have come a long way 😢

Easily one of my favorite things about Zoro and Luffy (not necessarily in a shipping context, though *I* enjoy them in a shipping context) is the way they seem so different on a surface level - this whimsical sunshine boy captain and his big, stoic, serious right hand man - but when you actually get to know them, they’re pretty much two halves of the same weird goddamn idiot

Specifically, I love that whenever Luffy is doing / saying something totally absurd, there’s a not insignificant chance that we’re about to cut to Zoro, whether he’s two steps away or halfway across the island, doing the exact same unhinged shit, and it’s so goddamn funny every time???

there isn’t a reality where i can imagine luffy or zoro existing without each other. they’ve found each other, and now they will never lose each other.

and in the same way they slept next to each other and woke up at the same time after wano concluded, in some far future, i can see them falling asleep and not waking back up together too.