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The adage 'History is recorded by the winners' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The series may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {