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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends often do not capture the complete reality, including the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

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

Legends frequently fail to convey the full truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved version of events, the very story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After facing Imu, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The series may offer an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {