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The adage 'The past is written by the winners' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

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

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them before they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. 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 version of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing theory 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 constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an reason later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {