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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete reality, including the most influential figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths frequently do not convey the full truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them before they turned into icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. 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 individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After facing Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, 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 incident is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {