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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

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

Legends often fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven 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 ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the land where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by the giant, 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, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {