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The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to convey the complete reality, including the most powerful characters in this story's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths often fail to capture the complete reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive 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 still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {