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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the complete truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

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

Myths frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his undoing. After facing Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The series may offer an explanation in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {