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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to convey the full truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the exact narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated 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 was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {