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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex history. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen 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 lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved version of events, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving 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 Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an reason in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {