From the first time he calls Luffy captain to defeating King, Zoro has never failed to hype One Piece fans.

After 25 years of sailing across the Grand Line, One Piece‘s protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is one of the most recognizable characters in anime history. Although his crew, the Straw Pirates, are all similarly well-known, only one of its members comes even close to rivaling the fame of their captain — Roronoa Zoro.

Roronoa Zoro aims to become the World’s Strongest Swordsman, and throughout One Piece‘s many narrative arcs, he slowly inches closer and closer to this goal. Along the way, he is involved in a variety of hype scenes, each of which speaks to a major part of the iconic swordsman’s character.

10. Zoro’s Refusal To Forgive Usopp Is The Ultimate Display Of Accountability

Episode 323 — “Departure from the Water City! The Distinction of a Man, Usopp’s Duel”

Most of Roronoa Zoro’s best scenes heavily involve combat, but during One Piece‘s Water 7 Saga, the gruff swordsman uses his words to prove his status as the Straw Hat Pirates’ de-facto first mate. When the crew is happily discussing Usopp’s return to the fold after he briefly left their ranks, Zoro speaks up and sternly reminds them that they cannot accept the sniper until he formally apologizes.

Although Zoro’s words seem harsh in the moment, they stem from his unyielding respect for his fellow crewmates. This scene is a reminder that the three-sword-style user will allow no one to disrespect the Straw Hat Pirates — even former members of the crew.

9. The Straw Hat Pirates’ Reunion In Sabaody Archipelago Perfectly Utilizes Each Character

Episode 517 — “A New Chapter Begins – The Straw Hat Crew Reunites!”

The Sabaody Archipelago is noteworthy for many reasons, but none are more significant than the Straw Hat Pirates’ forced separation at the hands of Bartholomew Kuma. The former Warlord of the Sea scatters One Piece‘s protagonists around the world in order to save them from the Marines, initiating a two-year period in which neither the crew nor the audience sees their progress.

Because of One Piece‘s multi-year timeskip, the Straw Hat Pirates’ reunion at Sabaody Archipelago carries even more weight than it already would. Seeing each member of the crew’s post-timeskip appearance is exciting, but in particular, Roronoa Zoro’s return to the screen is especially memorable. While there are certainly scenes involving the swordsman that are more hype, the debut of his new design will always hold a special place in fans’ hearts.

8. Zoro Joins The Straw Pirates By Defeating Axe-Hand Morgan

Episode 3 — “Morgan Vs. Luffy! Who’s This Mysterious Beautiful Young Girl?”

When Monkey D. Luffy first asks Roronoa Zoro to join his crew, the bounty hunter is reluctant to accept his offer. Despite being captured by Axe-Hand Morgan and the Marines at Shells Town, the green-haired swordsman’s pride leads him to refuse the Straw Hat Pirate’s offer.

However, after Zoro learns that the Marines at Shells Town have no intention of letting him go after his sentence, he officially becomes the first addition to the Straw Hat Pirates, forever changing the course of One Piece. In a symbolic act of defiance, Zoro cuts down Axe-Hand Morgan and begins his adventures as a sea-faring pirate.

7. Roronoa Zoro Becomes The First Character To Defeat A Fellow Supernova

Episode 934 — “A Big Turnover! The Three-Sword Style Overcomes Danger!”

As the Straw Hat Pirates make their way through the first half of the Grand Line, a sudden influx of other rookie pirates start to do the same. Together, eleven of these up-and-coming outlaws — including Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro — become known as the Supernovas. Interactions between the Straw Hat Pirates and the other Supernovas are fairly rare, but in the Wano Country Arc, Zoro finally gets his chance to test his skills against one of his peers in the group.

Killer, a Supernova and first mate of the Kid Pirates, encounters Zoro while working as an assassin, and eventually, they square off in combat. Despite lacking one of his blades, the Straw Hat Pirates’ first mate uses his Purgatory Onigiri attack to emerge victorious in what is easily one of the most well-animated Zoro scenes in the entire series.

6. Sandai Kitetsu’s Acceptance Of Roronoa Zoro Exemplifies His Do-Or-Die Attitude

Episode 49 — “Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri! Zoro’s New Swords, and the Female Master Chief Petty Officer”

In the world of One Piece, master swordsmen and their blades have a special relationship. The most powerful swords are said to possess their own identity, and in certain cases, they can even choose to reject their owners. This is clearly true for the cursed blade Sandai Kitetsu, which has led to the death of several of its previous owners.

While Roronoa Zoro is searching for a new sword in Loguetown, he stumbles upon the Sandai Kitetsu in an unassuming shop located in the town. When he is informed of the sword’s cursed status, the instinct-driven swordsman coolly unsheathes the blade, tosses it in the air, and holds out his arm as a test of the curse’s strength. Instead of claiming his life like its previous owners, Sandai Kitetsu narrowly misses Zoro’s arm, accepting him as its owner in an incredibly hype sequence.

5. Zoro’s Pledge To Become The World’s Strongest Swordsman Personifies His Character

Episode 24 — “Hawk-Eyes Mihawk! Swordsman Zoro Falls into the Sea!”

Although the East Blue is known as the weakest sea in One Piece, that doesn’t mean the area is only home to low-level pirates. As demonstrated by Roronoa Zoro’s fateful encounter with Dracule Mihawk during the Baratie Arc, some of the most formidable characters in the series frequent the East Blue.

Zoro is nowhere near strong enough to defeat Mihawk when the pair first meet, but in spite of the gap between their abilities, the young swordsman’s resolve impresses his opponent. After the World’s Greatest Swordsman spares Zoro’s life, the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirate tearfully pledges to never lose again, resulting in the best Zoro scene of One Piece‘s opening saga.

4. The Billion-Fold World Trichiliocosm Forcibly Demonstrates Zoro’s Growth Over The Past Two Years

Episode 719 — “A Decisive Battle in Midair – Zoro’s New Special Secret Technique Blasts!”

Following One Piece‘s two-year timeskip, it takes several narrative arcs for Roronoa Zoro to receive a worthy opponent. Thankfully, the Straw Hat Pirates’ run-in with the Donquxiote Pirates finally presents him with a legitimate challenge in the form of Pica, the user of the Stone-Stone Fruit.

Pica’s Devil Fruit powers allow him to create a giant stone avatar that is hundreds of meters tall, but even this ability doesn’t stop Roronoa Zoro’s Billion-Fold World Trichiliocosm attack, which is heavily infused with his Armament Haki. Minus his actions in the Raid on Onigashima, Zoro’s spectacular defeat of Pica is easily his most hype scene following the series’ timeskip.

3. The Defeat Of Daz Bones Is The Quintessential Zoro Scene

Episode 119 — “Essence of a Mighty Sword! The Power to Cut Steel and the Breath of All Things”

Roronoa Zoro’s drive to become the World’s Strongest Swordsman and his loyalty to the Straw Hat Pirates are the two most important parts of his character, and never are they on greater display than the Alabasta Kingdom Arc. His battle against Baroque Works’ Daz Bones is the first scene in One Piece that truly pushes Zoro past his limits, firmly placing him on the path to greatness.

At first, Zoro is unable to cut through Daz Bones’ steel body, but after the Straw Hat Pirates’ first mate is seemingly defeated, he somehow unlocks his latent potential and stands up to finish the fight. Now armed with the ability to slice through even the hardest material, Roronoa Zoro cuts down Baroque Works’ second-strongest member in an iconic moment that is still his most hype scene in the entire series.

2. The King Of Hell Takes Down King The Wildfire

Episode 1062 — “The Three-Sword Style of the Supreme King! Zoro vs. King”

In order for the Straw Hat Pirates to accomplish their goal of conquering the Grand Line, they were always destined to go head-to-head against an Emperor of the Sea and their crew. During the Wano Country Arc, this conflict finally transpires in the form of their battle against Kaido and the Beast Pirates, pitting crewmates like Roronoa Zoro up against notorious pirates such as King the Wildfire.

King the Wildfire’s Haki, Lunarian DNA, and Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit make him the strongest opponent that Roronoa Zoro has faced by a significant margin. However, thanks to the swordsman’s recently-awakened Conqueror’s Haki, Zoro is able to embrace his self-proclaimed title as the King of Hell and overcome his opponent in what is arguably the most well-animated episode in all of One Piece.

1. Zoro’s “Nothing Happened” Moment Shows The Depth Of His Loyalty

Episode 377 — “My Crewmate’s Pain Is My Pain, Zoro Fights Prepared To Die”

Discussions involving both Bartholomew Kuma and the Straw Hat Pirates generally revolve around their encounter during the Sabaody Archipelago Arc, but their story actually begins in the previous arc, Thriller Bark. There, the Warlord of the Sea arrives to capture Monkey D. Luffy and suppress the news of Gecko Moria’s defeat, only to be stopped by none other than the Straw Hat Pirates’ first mate.

In the ultimate display of loyalty to his captain, Roronoa Zoro agrees to accept all of Luffy’s pain and suffering, which Kuma transfers using the powers of the Paw-Paw Fruit. Despite being brought to the brink of death, Zoro survives the ordeal, and when questioned by Sanji about his sacrifice, the swordsman utters his most famous quote in the entire series: “Nothing happened.”