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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano; 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. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's game in search of emblems and followers.

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

Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most influential figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the exact story the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. After facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {