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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends often do not capture the complete truth, including the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {