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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often fail to capture the full reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads 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 reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated 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 really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {