Qiuqa highlights 4 key points from One Piece Episode 2.

1. Meeting Zoro

While sailing the open sea, Luffy grew curious about the pirate hunter named Zoro, whom Coby had just mentioned. Eager to see him, they set their course for Shells Town, where Zoro was currently imprisoned at a Marine base.

Upon arriving on the island, Luffy and Coby were baffled by the market vendors, who visibly recoiled in terror at the mere mention of Zoro and Morgan. The two boys scaled the Marine base perimeter wall and peered inside. There, they found Zoro bound by thick ropes, crucified to a wooden post in the courtyard.

Suddenly, a little girl named Rika approached Zoro to offer him rice balls. Before she could feed him, however, Helmeppo and two Marines intercepted her. Helmeppo snatched the food from Rika’s hands and trampled it into the dirt.

As punishment, Helmeppo ordered a Marine named Arul to throw Rika out of the yard. Arul hurled the young girl high into the air, but thankfully, Luffy caught her just in time.

2. Why Zoro Was Imprisoned

Once Helmeppo left, Luffy approached the captive. Zoro asked him to pick up the dirt-covered rice balls from the ground, and Luffy fed them directly into his mouth.

Shortly after, Rika explained to Luffy and Coby why the Marines had imprisoned him. Zoro had stepped in to protect her when Helmeppo’s pet wolf went on a rampage inside the tavern owned by Rika’s mother, Atun.

During the incident, Zoro had beaten up Helmeppo. In retaliation, Helmeppo threatened to execute both Atun and Rika unless Zoro agreed to be tied to the post for a month without food or water in their place. To protect the young girl, Zoro accepted the terms.

3. Luffy Invites Zoro to Become a Pirate

At Atun’s tavern, Nami was quietly enjoying a drink when Helmeppo strutted in, announcing to the patrons that Zoro would be executed the very next day. Enraged by this revelation, Luffy marched up and punched Helmeppo square in the face. Staggering, Helmeppo threatened to report Luffy to his father, Captain Morgan.

Luffy returned to Zoro and asked him to join his pirate crew. Zoro firmly rejected the offer. Undeterred and characteristically stubborn, Luffy established a one-sided condition: Zoro would have to join his crew if Luffy managed to retrieve the swords Helmeppo had confiscated from him.

Up on the roof of the Marine base, Morgan and Helmeppo were watching soldiers hoist a giant statue of Captain Morgan into place. Suddenly, Luffy stretched his arms all the way to the rooftop and launched himself upward. Instead of landing gracefully, he accidentally crashed headlong into Morgan’s statue, shattering it to pieces.

Furious, Morgan ordered his men to capture the intruder. Helmeppo pointed at Luffy, identifying him as the one who had assaulted him earlier. Seeing Helmeppo, Luffy beamed. He grabbed the captain’s son and dragged him away, forcing him to help locate Zoro’s swords.

4. Luffy Saves Coby and Zoro

Meanwhile, Coby scrambled to untie the ropes binding Zoro. Zoro sternly ordered him to stop, insisting he only had ten days left to endure his punishment. Coby then revealed the bitter truth: Helmeppo had no intention of keeping his promise and planned to execute Zoro the very next morning.

Coby added that Luffy had punched Helmeppo for daring to break his word. Right now, Luffy was putting himself in grave danger, infiltrating the Marine base alone to steal back Zoro’s blades. Hearing this, Zoro was moved by Luffy’s genuine concern for his fate.

Having successfully recovered all three of Zoro’s swords from Helmeppo’s room, Luffy looked out the window to a heart-stopping scene. Morgan and his troops had completely surrounded Coby and Zoro, their rifles aimed and ready to fire.

Like a miracle, Luffy vaulted out of Helmeppo’s window and dropped directly into the firing line. His rubber-like body absorbed the entire volley of bullets fired by the Marines, stretching backward before reflecting the rounds away like stones from a slingshot. Thanks to his timely intervention, Zoro and Coby were saved.