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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley story acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his family lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. After facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {