🔗 Share this article

The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends often do not convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends often fail to convey the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, 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.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The series may offer an reason in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {