🔗 Share this article

The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often do not convey the complete reality, including the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless 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 pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not capture the full truth, including the most powerful characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His affection for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very story Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {