Alert: This article includes reveals for One Piece chapter #1164.
The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends often fail to convey the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.
In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the characters too hastily.
Legends frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful characters.
The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.
Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame found him.
At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.
Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.
In reality, 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 don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.
This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing 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 story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.
But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.
Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?
The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.
Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {
Film critic and industry analyst with a passion for uncovering cinematic trends and storytelling techniques.
