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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley story acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Myths often do not capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The series may offer an explanation later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {