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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends often fail to capture the complete reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest 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 see them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After facing Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {