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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends often fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not 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 chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality 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 the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {