🔗 Share this article

The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

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

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the exact story Imu approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {