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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends often fail to convey the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends often fail to convey the full reality, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted 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 team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {