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The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters in this story's intricate history. Oden was no silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not capture the complete truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact story Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {