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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends often do not convey the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's complex history. Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

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

Myths often fail to convey the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Similar questions have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {