Episode 42: The Weight of His Swords
“Your sword and my sword carry different weight!” - Zoro
At any other time, Zoro would easily have defeated Hatchan. But at this moment, Zoro is feeling the wounds from his previous battle with Mihawk. Wounds that would have killed most men. Hatchan may not be the most lethal swordsman, but his brute strength and frenzied attack has caught Zoro at one of his weakest moments.
It goes back to the somewhat glaring lack of a battle plan, that they clearly were not discussing on the walk over. Then again, what plan could they have made in that short amount of time? Zoro is down to one sword, his body is nearly in two pieces, and he has not really been prioritizing his recovery. If there had been any sort of plan, he probably wouldn’t be fighting right now. Why risk his dreams and ambitions when he is so vulnerable and their enemy is so formidable?
It could be because his captain told him it was time to fight, or because he has heard what Nami has been through and he wants to use whatever he has in reserve to fight for his friend.
Still, he’s putting his ambitions and even his life on the line when he is perhaps at his most vulnerable. Or, is it because of those ambitions that he is in this fight at all? Zoro tells Hatchi that there is a difference between them. It’s the weight of Zoro’s swords that gives him the confidence that he will not die here, even if he is weakened.
The promises that he has made, to defeat Mihawk, to become the greatest swordsman, allow Zoro to confidently risk his life because he has no fear that this will be his end. That doesn’t mean that Zoro will only wield his blades for his goal of becoming the greatest swordsman. He will lend that power to his friends when they need his help. Even if he has to fight with a ticking clock, Zoro is following Luffy because he trusts his overall judgment, even if sometimes he acts with little to no plan. Almost never a plan.