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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's sanctioned version of events, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {