The strongest characters Zoro beat in the One Piece anime may seem like fodder compared to his current opponents but his opponents in the New World could easily breeze through the majority of the first half of the Grand Line without breaking a sweat. Read on to find out the strongest characters Zoro beat in the New World.
- Also Read: All Hito Hito no Mi Devil Fruit Users
5 Strongest Characters Zoro Beat In The New World
Roronoa Zoro lives up to his title as the Pirate Hunter in the New World. His latest fight in the anime even earns him the title of the King of Hell. Let us look at the 5 strongest characters Zoro beat in the New World.
Zoro vs Hody Jones
Zoro clashed with Hody Jones on Fishman Island- the entrance to the New World. They first met when Hody attacked Neptune’s palace aiming to take King Neptune and the royal family hostage. Since Zoro had already unknowingly subdued Neptune on his own, he proceeded to hold off Hody to protect his fellow crew members and the royal family. Hody had flooded the palace so they eventually fought underwater.
Even though Fishmen are vastly superior in strength and speed when they’re underwater, Zoro still held his own against Hody’s attacks. It must also be noted that Hody was a regular drug user which further increased his physical prowess and ferocity. Zoro still managed to leave a fatal scar on Hody while underwater and struggling to breathe. This scar would go on to prove fatal and painful to the point that Hody had to rely excessively on his drug pills to keep going.
Zoro vs Pika
Pika was one of the three elite officers under Doflamingo on Dressarosa Island. He was also hinted to be the biggest threat after Doflamingo on that island. He ate the Ishi Ishi no Mi (or Stone Stone Fruit), a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that allows him to assimilate his body with any and all stone he comes into contact with, as well as manipulate that mass of stone freely.
Pika was a huge hindrance and a threat to everyone who opposed Doflamingo. Zoro had to cut through a giant mountain-sized Pika and then defeat his full-body Armament-clad form to finally defeat him for good. Even though Pika was intimidating, once Zoro got serious he dealt with him promptly and rather easily.
Zoro vs Basil Hawkins
Zoro and Hawkins faced each other as enemies in Wano. Hawkins was one of the Worst Generation Pirates but due to his fear of Kaido and his own weakness, he’d joined Kaido as one of his subordinates. Hawkins had managed to track down Luffy and find Zoro when Luffy was on his way to take Tama to a doctor. It was a precarious situation as she had a high fever and neither Luffy nor Zoro could afford to fight Hawkins head-on at that moment.
As they were fleeing on the back of Komachiyo, Luffy protected Tama while Zoro held off against Hawkins’ strawdoll attacks. Hawkins had eaten the Paramecia-type Wara Wara no Mi (Straw-Straw Fruit) which allowed him to create voodoo dolls of various sizes and have them act, attack, or take damage in his stead. Zoro was able to demolish one of the strongest forms of his strawdolls thus securing their escape from his pursuit.
Zoro vs Scratchman Apoo
Zoro fought against Apoo during the Onigashima Raid against Kaido in Wano. Apoo was another one of the Worst Generation Pirates alongside Luffy and Law but because of his weakness and cowardly nature, he too allied with Kaido and served him as a subordinate. Apoo had been a nuisance to both Luffy and Zoro during their first encounter in Onigashima due to both of them being unaware of what his devil fruit is or how it works.
Apoo has eaten the Paramecia-type Oto Oto no Mi (Tone-Tone Fruit) which not only allows him a range of musical instruments to play from his body itself but he can also use the sounds of his music to attack any target within hearing range. While it may seem a terrifying ability, Killer had a simple solution which he shared with his captain Kidd and his then allies Luffy and Zoro- which is to just use earplugs to block out the sound. With this in hand (or ear in this case), Zoro quickly defeats him not once but again when Apoo’s given the responsibility to hold on to Queen’s antidote to the chemical poison bullets.
Zoro vs King
This was Zoro’s most difficult fight in the New World. King was the right-hand and second-in-command of Kaido, the World’s Strongest Creature. King is a Lunarian which already gives him increased natural defense and an ability to produce flames. Combined with the perks from his racial lineage, he also has the Ancient Zoan Devil Fruit Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon. Like other Ryu Ryu no Mi models, this grants him tough dragon-esque hides and other dinosaur-like abilities.
King could adjust his natural flames to increase his speed or defense exponentially thus making it nigh-impossible to damage him or defend from him. This was a battle not only of strength and skill but also of will, character, and loyalty. Zoro surpassed his limits with this battle and finally emerged victorious with the title of the King of Hell.
Zoro consistently beats some of the strongest characters in each arc of One Piece- at least and especially if they are a faction Luffy is directly opposed to. He follows his Captain’s orders to a T and never lets anyone get in his way. Even so, we must admit that he and his captain Luffy still get clobbered by their navigator Nami when they are out of line, and considering how Zoro’s directionally challenged, he’s often in line for Nami’s fists.
