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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends often fail to convey the complete reality, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently do not convey the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts 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

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {