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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends often fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden was no silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to capture the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to now. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand 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

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true 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 lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {