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The saying 'History is recorded by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident 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 corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may offer an reason later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {