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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales often fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not convey the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' best arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {