ZOROBIN: SKYPIEA ARC - 12 - ENER SHOCKS ROBIN IN FRONT OF ZORO
(Here the first article on Skypiea Arc; here the previous article.)

Here Robin shows courage. She refuses to abandon her companions and tries to deceive Ener: she is not afraid, nor is trying to take the treasure for herself, and that is important for Zoro. Also note that they are all contrary acts to those typical of Nami, by the way, and that these are things that Zoro despises about Nami. Another of the numerous traces that show that there is nothing between Nami and Zoro. When Ener threatens to kill the girl Laki (we will see it later), Shandia's warrior, Wiper shouts at him not to do anything to her, grabbing the barbed wire with his hands and thus injuring himself. Wiper sees Laki as a woman and is worried about her (even Ener notices it): this can be seen as a parallelism between Zoro and Robin. In fact, the same scene will take place between Zoro and Robin, and in a much more dramatic way: Ener not only threatens Robin, but strikes her right in front of Zoro with a bolt of lightning (cap274-275). He quickly grabs her, preventing her from slamming to the ground, before attacking Ener. Zoro doesn't have time to save Robin, because the event happens at lightning speed: the pre-time skip Zoro doesn't have the ability to beat that speed (not even Luffy would have succeeded). And Zoro doesn't act as a reaction to Nami's voice, but on his initiative, confirmed, among other things, in the numerous traces examined so far.

This scene is just one moment in the story, but it's very significant. In fact, in that period Zoro and Robin still don't know each other well: shortly before, in Jaya, while they were looking for the southern bird, he told her he still didn't trust her. But this scene shows a totally different thing. Zoro cares a lot about Robin, so much so that he goes to save her instantly from the danger of falling and then confronts Ener in person. This is strange: their relationship developed too quickly. In fact, when Nami betrayed the group at her time, Zoro didn't trust her, at least until he learned of her past. Now, Zoro still doesn't know anything about Robin's past, and, despite this, he is already very interested in her, so much so that he is very furious when Ener attacks her. Not only that: Zoro, as the warrior Wiper, tells Ener that "she is a woman", referring to Robin: now, Zoro never really cared about a person's sex in the past.

Zoro: She is a woman... Ener: I noticed.

When, in the past, Kuina, the swordsman girl, tells Zoro that she will become weak when she grows up because she is a woman, Zoro becomes furious and tells her that she remains his rival and will not accept this observation. Furthermore, when Tashigi, the marine passionate about swords, accuses him of not taking her seriously because she is a woman, Zoro replies that her sex has nothing to do with it, but it is because of the fact that she looks like Kuina the cause because of he is holding back. Also, at Whisky Peek Zoro faces off against male and female bounty hunters indiscriminately. Therefore, sex is not an important factor for Zoro: yet, this time he replies to Ener just based on an observation about the person's sex! This suggests that, while he doesn't see other women as "real women," he sees Robin as a real woman instead. Furthermore, Zoro doesn't see women as weak, but he fears that they will die: Kuina had always beaten him, but she died in an instant, and only by a trivial accident. So, Zoro knows Robin is strong, but he fears losing her.

Wiper, the Shandia warrior, who resembles Zoro as character, as we said before, protests with Ener, saying that his girlfriend, Laki, is a woman and asks Ener to spare her for this (chap270). Both Wiper and Zoro do not openly show their feelings, so much so that, before the fact between Ener and Laki, it was not thought at all that Wiper really cared about Laki. And the same with Zoro: only when Robin is in serious danger, Zoro openly shows his feelings.

Wiper: Ener...wait, Ener, don't do it! She's a woman! She has stopped fighting! Ener! Ener: You're more naive than I thought, Wiper. I make no distinction between the Shandia warriors who attack me, female or male.

STANDING OR LYING DOWN, ZORO AND ROBIN STAY TOGETHER

When Robin was electrocuted by Ener, Zoro basically NEVER moves away from her. When Zoro falls too, he stands near Robin. The images relating to these moments are a lot.

Here, Zoro stands before Ener (blue circle) standing between him and Robin, protecting her.

As you can see, even when he falls, Zoro stays next to Robin.

THE WOLF AND THE EAGLE

The symbolism of this sequence is truly curious. We have said that there is a certain parallelism between Wiper and Zoro: well, when they attack Ener, he electrocutes them with particular types of lightning. Zoro is struck by a bolt of lightning that has the image of a wolf. The wolf is not an official symbol of Zoro, but it is still a ferocious and wild animal, that recalls Zoro (see also the cover of the cap268, already analysed). Instead, Wiper was struck by lightning in the shape of a bird (an eagle, I assume). Well, the bird is Robin's symbol. Two attacks, therefore, that recall Robin and Zoro: and it is very difficult to consider them a randomness, given its symbolic meaning.

ROBIN SAVES ZORO

This moment shows Robin's change and her development as a character. Until now, Robin had joined several groups of pirates, and, when they were defeated, Robin left them to join another crew. But this it is different. Luffy, the captain, who had saved her in Alabasta, is not there at that moment and Robin could have a debt only to him. She could have walked away. Instead, she stays with Zoro and Chopper, the only ones who are next to her: and they are both passed out. It's like saying that Zoro and Chopper will have special relationships in the future with Robin. And Robin helps Zoro by carrying him away with the power of her Flower Flower.

Oda is a master in balancing panels: note that, as Zoro was next to Robin when she was hit by Ener, Robin too, although hidden in the scene by Wiper, was near Zoro for all the time when he was passed out and injured (the same will happen during Thriller Bark arc). Also note that Zoro, with difficulty, opened his eyes and saw Robin next to him, as if he needed to know how she was and if she was near her (more about this below). And Zoro seems to be calmer afterwards: he doesn't try to get up immediately, as heroes always do, by making others react with the usual phrase: "Don't force yourself, you're still weak" and other similar bullshit. No, he just stands still: Robin is fine, so why worry?
Let's take a good look at the moments. Usop tells Robin that everyone must be taken away, before Ener destroys Sky Island, and Robin, even if warned, does not leave Zoro: she is always seen behind Wiper, next to Zoro's body.

Zoro begins to recover slightly: and Robin, surprised, notices it and immediately comes out with a "Samurai-san!" or "Mister Swordsman!" forcefully said. It seems that Robin's tension next to Zoro, her concern, is revealed for a moment here.

Zoro is really bad here, almost like in Thriller Bark arc (and Robin will be next to him there too): he just moves his gaze towards Robin (who he evidently heard), as if to make sure he's okay. Remember that Zoro was reduced to this by Ener AFTER he saw Robin electrocuted by the god of Skypiea: so he could not know if Robin survived or not. Once he understands that Robin is fine, he stays calm and doesn't make any move to get up: for now there's no need for him and it's better that he recover his strength for later. It's a hidden clue that shows how much Zoro cares about Robin. and of course the feeling is reciprocated.

Zoro thus relaxes, while Robin, in a certain sense, also relaxes next to Zoro and embraces Chopper (the "son" of the couple), who is still passed out. If it's not a family image, it's close.

(Continues here)

HERE ARE ALL THE ZOROBIN LINKS

Edited by joe 7 - 9/6/2023, 16:58