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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete reality, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

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

Myths often fail to capture the full reality, including the most influential characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {