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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not convey the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge 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 domination to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {