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The adage 'History is recorded by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently do not convey the complete truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island 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 Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting 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 ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {