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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {