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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often do not convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently do not convey the full reality, including the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks actually meet his end? 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 ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently embodies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {