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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate past. Oden was no silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

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

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {