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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most influential figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before 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, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {