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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential characters in this story's intricate history. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and crews.

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

Legends often do not capture the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple 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 government's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The series may offer an reason later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {