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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as completely accurate. The series may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {