What One Piece's Zoro Could Have Been If He Avoided Piracy
Roronoa Zoro is one of only a few characters who has been around since the beginning of "One Piece." The second member of Luffy's crew, and the first ever to join the Straw Hat pirates, Zoro has been an essential part of the "One Piece" story for over two decades, and has been one of Luffy's most loyal companions throughout all of their adventures.
During his tenure as a Straw Hat, Zoro has also distinguished himself as one of the greatest swordsmen in the entire series, regularly going toe-to-toe with some of the strongest villains the show has to offer. His entire character is defined by his ambition to become the world's greatest swordsman, as well as his infamous presence on the high seas as one of the most dangerous pirates around — but what if Zoro had never decided to join the Straw Hats in the first place?
According to series creator Eiichiro Oda, Zoro would have had a very different career path had he not joined forces with Luffy all those years ago, and it may shock some fans to learn just how different Zoro's story might have been.
According to Oda, Zoro would have been a police officer
In Volume 76 of the manga's "Question and Answer" column, Eiichiro Oda revealed that if Zoro had not become a pirate, he actually would have become a police officer — taking his penchant for fighting into law enforcement, and perhaps even tracking down some of the very criminals that would go on to become his best friends (via One Piece wiki).
The revelation is as shocking as it is hilarious — imagining the iconic swordsman trading in his life on the open seas for a policeman's badge is about as ridiculous as it gets. Despite this, it actually wouldn't be the biggest leap to imagine Zoro taking an interest in police work, due simply to the nature of his character. Time and time again, Zoro has gone out of his way to protect the weak when they are unable to protect themselves, and if he had gone on to become a police officer, he would have done so attempting to uphold the safety of those around him.
It's certainly interesting to imagine what Zoro might be like as a police officer, especially considering what that might have meant for Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats had they ever met on opposite sides of the law. However, while by the end of "One Piece" he might end up considering other career paths, for now, Zoro is still the same old swordsman we've known for years.