The Series' God Valley Recollection Reveals Why Myths Shouldn't Be Trusted Blindly

The saying 'The past is written by the winners' is a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales often do not capture the full reality, including the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley story acts as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often do not convey the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's hidden 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 vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives became his downfall. After confronting Imu, he lost his will and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {