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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most influential figures in this world's intricate past. Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

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

Myths often fail to convey the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {