One Piece's God Valley Flashback Demonstrates Why Legends Shouldn't Be Believed Blindly

The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

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

Myths frequently do not convey the full truth, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers genocide and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {