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The adage 'History is written by the winners' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to convey the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Oden was no silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends often fail to capture the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons 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 tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of events, the very story 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 principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers 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 everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {