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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not convey the complete truth, including the most influential figures in this world's intricate history. Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths often do not capture the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {