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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Legends often fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The series may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {