Anime Alabasta Really Is THE Arc Where Zoro Comes To Terms With His Feelings For Luffy Huh. The Big Ole

anime alabasta really is THE arc where zoro comes to terms with his feelings for luffy huh. the big ole oh moment. the desert heat, the lack of water and food, the fatigue.... it makes zoro's patience with luffy thinner than ever. he's mad at him & constantly snapping. mad that he's "incompetent", that he gets so lost, that he's not a traditional captain (or is he frustrated with himself? for letting his feelings, something he thought he learned to control years ago, got the best of him?). he's going on a long winded rant to chopper -- about the crew, and how sometimes he wonders if he made the right choice. but then -- then!! -- its as if the desert sands themselves shifted something within zoro, because he's saying "as for why I stay with him.... being by his side all this time's given me another goal to strive for." chopper asks "another goal?" and zoro replies "sorry. I don't know how to explain that." it's something he's barely admitted to himself, let alone out loud. and after zoro has finally come to terms with it, calling luffy an idiot goes right back to being an affectionate term of endearment. he's leaving him to fight crocodile alone, and no matter how worried/borderline scared he is (ie working out because he's so scared of luffy losing.... and by default losing luffy), with a smile on his face. because that's his captain. a teenage enigma who will constantly put his life on the line for others, who shines so bright it hurts, who zoro can't stop looking at even if it blinds him. anyways. much to think about.