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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends often fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley story serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends often fail to convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {