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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

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

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons 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 promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {