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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's intricate past. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {