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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths often fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of events, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as completely accurate. The series may offer an explanation later, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {