One Piece's God Valley Recollection Demonstrates Why Myths Aren't to Be Trusted Blindly

The adage 'The past is written by the winners' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not convey the complete truth, including the most influential characters in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths often fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' finest storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {