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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often do not capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story Imu approved to bury the reality 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 the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government considers genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {