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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's complex history. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. 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 pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {