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The adage 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often do not capture the full truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

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

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, 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 usually refer to his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of events, the exact story Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {