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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's game in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand 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 before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing 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 the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {