Romance Dawn Trio returns in style in latest One Piece chapter

The three original members of One Piece's Straw Hat Pirates, namely Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, and Nami, are popularly known as the “Romance Dawn Trio” in reference to their encounter during the unforgettable first arc of the series. Luffy is the franchise's main character and the founder and captain of the Straw Hat crew, while Zoro is a master swordsman who has been Luffy’s right-hand man from the beginning.

By the mouth of One Piece author Eiichiro Oda, Zoro is the franchise’s second main character. As for Nami, she is the navigator of the crew and can be considered One Piece’s primary female heroine and third main character. In the pre-time skip narration, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami appeared to be the core Straw Hats.

In the more Luffy-centric second part of the story, Nami’s importance decreased significantly, while Zoro stayed in the spotlight for his fighting prowess and right-hand man role. That said, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are now back in the limelight together, as their future actions are going to change the course of the Elbaph Arc.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1137.

The latest One Piece manga spoilers put Luffy, Zoro, and Nami at the center of the action in Elbaph

The recent developments

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami in One Piece chapter 1136 (Image via Shueisha)

In One Piece chapter 1136, the Straw Hats were happily partying with the Elbaph Giants. During the feast, Zoro asked Luffy to talk to him privately because he had noticed something weird about Luffy’s behavior. Thus, the captain and the second-in-command of the Straw Hat Pirates moved away from the others to have a one-to-one conversation on the outskirts of Elbaph's Western Village.

The reason for Luffy’s strange behavior was revealed when Luffy told Zoro about his previous encounter and deal with Loki, the “Accursed Prince” of Elbaph. As Zoro affirmed that everything Loki had told Luffy was a blatant lie, the captain said he had become interested in Loki as the latter had told him he knew where Shanks was. However, Zoro noted that Loki was likely using Shanks as leverage to trick Luffy.

As Luffy and Zoro decided to meet with Loki and confirm the truth themselves, Nami tagged along to get her hands on the treasures of Aurust Castle. Luffy, Zoro, and Nami then departed from Western Village aboard a “Svarr,” i.e., a special boat that could sail through the air by using island clouds.

The main protagonist, the second main character, and the female heroine

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami's unique chemistry (Image via Shueisha)

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami were on their way to Loki’s place just when two powerful members of the Holy Knights – a Shanks look-alike and a girl named Gunko – arrived to recruit the mighty Giant into the ranks of their organization. Hopefully, this will set the stage for a thrilling encounter and clash between these individuals.

One Piece author Eiichiro Oda explicitly called Luffy, Zoro, and Nami the three main characters of the franchise, even going so far as to describe them as the triggers from which everything in the story begins. In light of the recent developments, Oda’s words again prove true, cementing the primary importance of the three original Straw Hats.

Zoro and Nami are, for different reasons, Luffy’s perfect “partners in crime.” Powerful, honorable, and deeply loyal, Roronoa Zoro is the second strongest member of the Straw Hat Pirates, second only to Luffy in terms of fighting skills and authority within the crew. The two formed a special bond based on mutual trust and respect, as Zoro has been at Luffy’s side since the beginning.

Luffy and Zoro in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

Much like Gol D. Roger and Silvers Rayleigh — or Shanks and Benn Beckman — Luffy and Zoro make a perfect duo. They have a special connection, as Zoro joined Luffy before anyone else. Also, Zoro is the only Straw Hat Luffy didn’t bump into by chance. Luffy knew about Zoro beforehand — being aware of his reputation for strength as the “Pirate Hunter” — which is why he specifically sought to recruit him.

Upon accepting Luffy’s proposal, Zoro made it clear that he would kill the former if he ever stood in the way of his dream of becoming the World’s Strongest Swordsman. Nevertheless, the “Pirate Hunter” soon became so loyal to Luffy and fond of him that he was willing to put his ambition aside for the sake of his beloved captain.

Among the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy and Zoro are the only two members of the Worst Generation and natural-born Conqueror’s Haki users. With his overwhelming strength and grand ambitions, Zoro stands out as the only Straw Hat who is, at least to some extent, comparable in power and potential to Luffy.

Only Nami can keep Luffy and Zoro in check (Image via Shueisha)

That said, Zoro never steps out of his position unless necessary, as he respects Luffy’s role. In fact, he often gives Luffy wise advice or urges the other Straw Hats to be respectful of the captain. Luffy sincerely cherishes Zoro’s selfless devotion to him and repays it with complete faith in Zoro’s capabilities.

Fans have always considered Zoro to be the closest thing One Piece had to a deuteragonist, and this popular belief was recently confirmed by One Piece author Eiichiro Oda himself. The mangaka revealed that he devised Zoro as the second main protagonist of the story, developing him as a prominent character to increase One Piece's popularity.

While Luffy is set to outdo Shanks and Roger to emerge as the new “Sun God” who perhaps transcends even Joy Boy, Zoro is meant to surpass the likes of “Dark King” Rayleigh, Dracule Mihawk, and “Sword God” Ryuma. A glorious future lies ahead for both Luffy and Zoro, highlighting their uniqueness within the Straw Hat crew.

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are the core characters of One Piece (Image via Shueisha)

If Zoro fulfills most of the requirements to be One Piece’s second lead, which fits them more than any other character in Oda’s story, Nami can be considered the female lead of the series. She has consistently been portrayed as One Piece’s main female heroine due to her close relationship with the main character, Monkey D. Luffy, and her key role within the protagonist group, the Straw Hats.

Nami’s active role may have slowly diminished as the story progressed. Still, she never stopped playing a pivotal role in the Straw Hat crew’s adventure, working as the navigator and using her wits to assist Luffy and the others. It’s also worth noting that Nami’s relationship with Luffy is completely different from the one Luffy has had with any other female character in the story.

Luffy and Nami in One Piece (Image via Toei Animation)

Nami developed a sincere attachment to Luffy after he freed her from Arlong’s evil clutches, changing her perspective on pirates. While Nami is often annoyed at Luffy’s antics, she cares for him to the point where several scenes can be interpreted as her developing some romantic feelings.

Luffy is extremely simple-minded, but what’s certain is that he pays unique attention to Nami. He entrusted the “Cat Burglar” with his precious straw hat and allowed her to eat his meat, which he is usually jealous of.

Although Luffy and Nami have never been explicitly shown to be in a love story, their relationship has the potential to develop into a romantic one. Nami was the second person to join Luffy after Zoro and the first woman to do so. Also, she is regularly depicted as a “Pirate Queen,” as if to create a parallel to Luffy being the next Pirate King.

Luffy, Zoro, and Nami as One Piece's first iconic trio

From the original sketch to the full-fledged manga (Image via Shueisha)

It's easy to see how the three pirates featured in Eiichiro Oda’s first concept – a cheerful boy, a boy missing an eye, and a beautiful girl – bear a striking resemblance to Luffy, Zoro, and Nami, emphasizing how they were always in Oda’s mind as the three main characters of One Piece.

After all, the story begins by stating that Gol D. Roger obtained everything the world could offer, including wealth, fame, and power, and each of the three original Straw Hats is directly connected to one of the three achievements that define Roger’s legend in the public eye.

Nami embodies wealth, as she seeks gold and riches and even likes to steal them. Zoro symbolizes power, as his ambition requires him to become strong enough to defeat the most powerful swordsman. As for Luffy, he will become the most famous person in the world once he rises as the new Pirate King.

Nami, Luffy, and Zoro are the embodiment of wealth, fame, and power (Image via Shueisha)

The central role of Luffy, Zoro, and Nami as a trio has been highlighted in some of One Piece’s most iconic moments, such as the unforgettable scene with Bellamy in Jaya’s bar, which led directly to the even more memorable introduction of Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard.” It’s impossible to overlook Luffy, Zoro, and Nami’s first encounter with One Piece’s quintessential villain.

The widely acclaimed Arabasta Arc also revolved around the three original Straw Hats. Luffy and Zoro were fighting each other to determine who was the strongest between them, and Nami interrupted their struggle to speak with Nefertari Vivi. This event eventually triggered the Straw Hat crew’s adventure in Arabasta.

A major moment featuring Luffy, Zoro, and Nami all together (Image via Shueisha)

In the ongoing Elbaph Arc, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami are at the center of events, just as they were in Arabasta. All of the Straw Hats are closely connected, but the chemistry between the first three members of the crew is simply unequaled.

Luffy and Zoro’s unique bond as captain and right-hand man was once again proved. Zoro was the only one capable of noticing Luffy’s strange behavior after the conversation with Loki. Nami completes the trio with her pragmatic yet hilarious demeanor.

In the spirit of their first adventures together, there’s nothing these three can’t accomplish. Nami will lead the way with her shrewd cleverness, while Luffy and Zoro will use their overwhelming power to wipe out any potential obstacle.

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Edited by Shreya Das