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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the full reality, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

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

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with 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 favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {