ZOROBIN: SKYPIEA ARC - 11 - EAT TOGETHER; SAMURAI-SAN
(Here the first article on Skypiea Arc; here the previous article.)

EAT TOGETHER

Zoro, Robin and Luffy are eating, and this recalls the moment in which they will eat together at Punk Hazard. Zoro and Robin are not only eating together, but they are also chatting on certain topics: as always, eating together at the table discussing and chatting are family situations, very important in the life of a couple. Luffy here has already finished eating and does not participate in the discussion, while Zoro and Robin continue to eat and discuss together. As a moment Zorobin, it is very strong.

Zoro: Wait a moment. We have been to Jaya forest before. And this forest is too different from Jaya's to be the same. Robin: Hmm...it's likely that this is due to the strange substances present in the Sky Island. This type of substance seems to cause an abnormal growth rate of plants and animals. And now that I think about it, this theory could explain why the ruins of civilization were submerged by the forest.

Furthermore, they continue to argue together until Gan Forr arrives. You see that, even at that moment, Zoro is still close to Robin. One could say that this is due to the fact that he doesn't trust her yet: but then why doesn't he have the swords next to him? Because Zoro doesn't see the reason, and therefore the reason why he is close to Robin is another...Usually, Zoro goes for a drink alone, but this time he stays close to Robin, to know her better. When Gan Forr appears, one cannot help but notice that he appears as an intruder between two people who were talking freely: this can be seen in the surprised tone of Robin, who also gives a nod of annoyance ("you can walk" seems to be said almost with regret, as if to say: "it was better if you were still there"). Gan Forr seems to notice it too, when he apologizes for the trouble he's caused: he's referring to what happened earlier, but one gets the impression that he's also apologizing for intervening inappropriately between two people who were talking.

Robin: Ah! You woke up. Can you walk? Gan Forr: Sorry if I caused you trouble. I wanted to help you, but...

Plus, Zoro and Robin welcome Gan Forr almost as if he's...entered in their home! Zoro (the "husband") welcomes him and Robin (the "wife") offers him food. Also, notice that Robin doesn't reach over to the pot to get Gan Forr's food: she still stands there with her arms in her lap. In this way, Robin shows that she doesn't really want to serve Gan Forr, because she still seems upset about his "intrusion". The old man may not really be hungry, but it seems he prefers not to force things too much: he's already intruded enough. This means that the relationship between Zoro and Robin is so evident that even a stranger like Gan Forr has noticed it.

Zoro: What are you saying? You helped us a lot, thank you. Robin: There is still some food. Do you want some? Gan Forr: Thanks, but I'm really not hungry.

PARALLELISM: ZORO AND WIPER, ROBIN AND LAKI, NAMI AND AISHA

Also, Zoro has more faith in Robin's fighting skills than Nami's: for example, in Alabasta Zoro was worried about Nami because she got separated from him during the battle against the Baroque Works.

Zoro: Nami? You idiot! Where did she go? I told her to hide there! That girl is only good at running away and getting in the way!

But, when Robin is separated from him in Skypiea, along with Luffy and the others, Zoro does not show any concern because he does not think in the slightest that Robin could be helpless.

Zoro: Where they went? All right, they'll be fine.

In another scene, Zoro saves Nami from Wiper's attack (chap269): this may suggest that Zoro is more interested in Nami than in Robin. But it is not so: in fact, in the same narrative Skypiea arc there is a parallelism between Zoro and Wiper. Indeed Wiper is the warrior of Skypiea, resistant and strong as Zoro. In addition, Wiper has an interest - reciprocated - in his companion Laki (who has a certain resemblance to Robin) and wants to protect Aisha, a child friend of Laki.

Well, if Laki, whom Wiper sees as his woman, is the equivalent of Robin, Aisha, whom Wiper sees as a little sister to protect, is the equivalent of Nami. In fact, both Wiper and Zoro, when they see Aisha and Nami, both ask: "What are you doing here?": Wiper asks Aisha, Zoro asks Nami. In this parallelism, we understand that Zoro, in essence, sees Nami as a little sister to protect. In fact, Nami joins the crew immediately after Zoro, and they traveled together for a long time: therefore, Zoro knows Nami's effective - and scarce - fighting skills.

Wiper: Aisha! What are doing here? Zoro: Nami! Whayt are you doing here? Nami: Ah! Zoro! Where are the others? Aisha: Wiper!

SAMURAI-SAN

Robin, when she joins the crew, addresses the others with nicknames, not with their real names: saying the name directly in Japan means having a certain intimacy and relationship that Robin does not yet have with Luffy's crew. Nami is called by her "miss navigator" or "navigator" (kokaishi-san); Usopp "mister long nose" or "long-nose" (nagahana-kun) ; Sanji "cook" (cook-san) and so on: he only calls Luffy by name, even if formally, or "captain" (sencho-san). Zoro is called by her "mister swordsman", or "mister samurai", or samurai-san (kenshi-san). And it's surprising that Robin confided in someone she didn't call names yet. Only after her rescue at Enies Lobby will she start calling others by their names: and Zoro was the key element (it should be said) to her rescue, which is very significant. But we'll come back to that when we talk about that story arc.

Zoro: Damn! Robin: Samurai-san...did you fall with the rocks?

MUTUAL RESPECT

Ener tells Robin that he will bring his "friends" down and the first she sees is Zoro, along with Chopper. Robin, while knowing Zoro's strength, here is impressed by his resistance, to have survived after a similar fall, in which she says that "anyone else would have died". Also, Robin quickly gives the information Zoro asks for. Between them there is one very important thing in a couple: respect. Robin respects Zoro as the strongest and as the vice-captain: but it's also a good basic respect for a couple.

Zoro: I WAS ALMOST DEAD! Stupid rock! Robin: But...a normal person would have already died in your place... Zoro: Ah, it's you. Where we are? Robin: This is the Golden City we've been looking for. However, there is no gold here. Zoro: Huh?

ZORO'S EMBARRISE

Zoro believed that Nami was dead, while he pledged to save her life: when she appears, Robin and Zoro ask Nami the same question, but Zoro is more nervous doing it. More than relief to see her alive - there is surely this too - Zoro also shows embarrassment, because in front of Robin he made a fool of himself in believing that Nami is dead. Zoro wants to be "cool" in front of Robin.

Nami: Huh? Zoro! Robin! Zoro: WHY ARE YOU HERE? When did you come out of the snake? Robin: Navigator, what are you doing here?

(Continues here)

HERE ARE ALL THE ZOROBIN LINKS

Edited by joe 7 - 2/6/2023, 14:22