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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently do not convey the complete truth, including the most powerful characters in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain 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 crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, including the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent 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 plan to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. After confronting Imu, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The series may provide an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {