🔗 Share this article

The saying 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend 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 theme. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' best storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the daring spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry 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, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell 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 manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {