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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends often fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential figures in this story's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends often fail to convey the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' finest arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true 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 motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {