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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved version of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable 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 servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {