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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

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

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the exact story Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The series may offer an reason later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {