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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often fail to convey the full reality, even for the most influential characters in this story's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

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

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of events, the very story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family lived, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident 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

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The series may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {