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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the complete reality, including the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

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

Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {