🔗 Share this article

The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his family lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The series may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {