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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley story serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {