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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact story the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew 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 same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {