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The adage 'History is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently do not convey the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {