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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends often fail to convey the full reality, including the most influential characters in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them before they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. 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 narrative of events, the exact story Imu approved 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 principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {