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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths frequently do not capture the full reality, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to now. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {