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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth 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 Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved narrative of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {