The Series' God Valley Flashback Reveals Why Myths Aren't to Be Trusted Blindly

The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full reality, including the most influential characters in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete reality, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Now, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {