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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Myths frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {