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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to capture the full truth, including the most influential characters in this story's complex past. Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful figures.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our understanding of individuals 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 turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his undoing. After facing Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {