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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they became icons — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his relatives became his undoing. After facing Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {