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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's game in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley story acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends often do not convey the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose 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 young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {