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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, including the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley story acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

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

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? 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 Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The series may offer an reason later, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {