🔗 Share this article

The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends often do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Myths often do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the series' finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his family lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {