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The adage 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

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

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

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the exact story Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this version as completely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {