Alert: This piece includes spoilers for One Piece issue #1164.
The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and crews.
In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley story acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.
Myths often do not capture the full reality, including the most influential characters.
One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.
The Individual Before the Myth
The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.
Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.
The Truth About The Infamous Captain
Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.
In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.
This love for his relatives became his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.
Is He Still Alive Today?
But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.
Garp's Secret Defiance
Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?
The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.
History's Untrustworthy Narrators
Although the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {
