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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths often do not capture the complete truth, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's records and the stories of those who knew 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 mission and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the notion that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {