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The adage 'History is recorded by the winners' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate past. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently do not capture the full reality, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {