🔗 Share this article

The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most influential characters in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {