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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently do not convey the full truth, including the most powerful characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of flags and followers.

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

Myths often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {