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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley story acts as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

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

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even 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 truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved version of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {