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

The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters in this story's intricate past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often do not convey the complete reality, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' best arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {