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The saying 'The past is written by the winners' is a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {