🔗 Share this article

The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their power. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {