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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 narrative. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

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

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring 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 caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very story Imu approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {