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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

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

Myths often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his family lived, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {