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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, 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 hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this version as completely truthful. The series may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {