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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often do not capture the full truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. 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 Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and 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 told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {