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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's game in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends often do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' best storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {