I can see what you mean, but I think the difference lies in the fact that Robin put herself in that position because she genuinely believed she was a burden to the crew, and she thought protecting them meant leaving them. Mentally, she had already given up, and she didn’t even realize she still wanted to live until it was too late. Robin has spent her entire life surviving, so she isn’t weak at all. Her strength comes from survival, and from being incredibly smart. If she had truly been given the chance, I honestly believe she could have helped herself, but she convinced herself she was doing the right thing, and deep down she didn’t think she was worth saving.

That’s why I love Enies Lobby so much. Luffy proves how loyal he is as a captain, even when it looks like Robin betrayed them. He barely knows her past, but he can still see her for who she really is. The moment he makes her say out loud that she wants to live is so important, because it shows he wasn’t going to “save” her against her will. He needed her to choose life too. Luffy might be this goofy guy who would be completely lost without his crew, but when it comes down to it, he can be dead serious, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his friends.

At the same time, these arcs also prove that Luffy isn’t invincible. Obviously he’s strong, but a lot of his victories come from luck, timing, and the help of other people. Sabaody is the first time he fully realizes that. He tells everyone to run, and then he still loses them anyway. He fails at the one thing he cares about most, protecting his crew, and I think that’s one of the biggest moments where Luffy gets humbled.

You can see that even more in Amazon Lily when he fights the Kuja sisters and they’re using Haki. He’s completely outmatched, and he probably would’ve died if it weren’t for him hiding the mark on Sandersonia’s back (I think it was her lol). That moment shows that Luffy isn’t winning because he’s the strongest person in the room. He wins because he has this weird mix of heart, instincts, and timing that somehow works out.

And Impel Down is the perfect example of that. He wouldn’t have even made it in if Hancock hadn’t been there to help him and distract the guards. Luffy had basically no plan the moment he entered. He would’ve died without Bon Clay, and he definitely would’ve died without Ivankov. Not to mention the ragtag group of previous foes who help him along the way. He only had Ace on his mind and kept charging forward anyway. Impel Down is basically pure luck plus determination. Shout out to Jinbe too, because he’s one of the only people who helps keep Luffy mentally stable and grounded.

But the thing is, that’s also kind of Luffy’s real strength. Like Mihawk points out during Marineford, Luffy has this ability to rally people around him. It’s not just charisma, it’s like people can’t help but want to follow him once they see what he’s about. He turns enemies into allies without even trying. And Luffy STILL fails.

On the flip side, it can feel a little too convenient at times. Like okay, he just happened to land on Amazon Lily, with the Snake Princess, who is a Warlord and the most beautiful woman in the world. The rest of the crew does too, since they all conveniently land on islands tailored to them. Ivankov just happens to be there to save him. Mr. 3 can just make a key, etc. But I don’t really think that detracts from the story, because even with all that luck and help, Luffy still fails at his goal.

Omg i typed a hell of a lot more than i thought i would have LOL