The God Valley Incident is one of the most mysterious and crucial events in the world of One Piece. The incident involved the downfall of the Rocks Pirates, with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp forming an unusual alliance to defeat Rocks D. Xebec’s infamous pirate group. With the Final Saga unravelling secrets about the Void Century, Joy Boy, and the Celestial Dragons, the truth behind God Valley is more important than ever.
Here’s everything we know about the God Valley Incident from what happened, who was involved, and what it means for the future of One Piece.
Table of Contents
What Was the God Valley Incident?
The God Valley Incident took place 38 years ago on the island of God Valley, located in the West Blue. According to Sengoku, it was a massive battle between the Rocks Pirates and the allied forces of Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp. The two teamed up to stop Rocks D. Xebec, the captain of the Rocks Pirates, aiming to retrieve a treasure from the Celestial Dragons and overthrow them to become the King of the World himself.
Xebec was defeated by Roger and Garp’s combined efforts but his crew disbanded afterwards. The exact details of the all-out battle that took place on God Valley 38 years ago are still shrouded in mystery, with it still being unknown as to exactly how Xebec died.
The battle in God Valley helped Bartholomew Kuma, one of the slaves present on the island, to steal and eat the Nikyu Nikyu no Mi Devil Fruit. With this newfound power, he managed to teleport 500 slaves from the island, which included individuals such as Emporio Invankov and Ginny, who later joined Monkey D. Dragon’s Revolutionary Army.
Who Were the Rock Pirates?
Led by the Rocks D. Xebec, the Rocks Pirates were considered the most dangerous pirate crew in history. Rocks’ ambition was not just to become Pirate King, but to overthrow the World Government and become King of the World. He still holds what is arguably the strongest crew in all of One Piece.
The Rocks Pirates included three future Emperors: Whitebeard (Edward Newgate), Big Mom (Charlotte Linlin), and Kaido. They were later joined by other infamous figures like Captain John, Shiki the Golden Lion, Gloriosa, and Stussy.
To lead them all, Rocks D. Xebec had to be a monster himself, with his ambition and Will of D. making him a big threat to the World Government. It took the combined effort of legendary characters like Roger and Garp to defeat Rocks, proving why his infamy was rightfully warranted.
Why Did Roger and Garp Team Up?
Roger and Garp were enemies. Roger was the most wanted pirate, while Garp was a decorated Marine hero. But both men shared a similar disdain for the Celestial Dragons. The God Valley Incident forced them into an uneasy alliance, as the Rocks Pirates posed a threat not just to the World Government, but possibly to the balance of the world itself.
It’s unknown if Roger and Garp fought to protect the Celestial Dragons or for other reasons. But the World Government later declared Garp a hero for defending the Celestials, even though Garp himself detested them. This contradiction hints that Garp may have fought more to defeat Rocks than to save the nobles.
Who was Present During the God Valley Incident?
The God Valley Incident brought together nearly every major figure from the old era, solidifying it as one of the most pivotal battles in One Piece history. These are the top-tier individuals who were part of it:
- Rocks D. Xebec
- Gol D. Roger
- Monkey D. Garp
- Whitebeard
- Charlotte Linlin
- Kaido
- St. Figarland Garling
- St. Jaygarcia Saturn
- Silvers Rayleigh
- Scopper Gaban
- Shiki the Golden Lion
- Captain John
- Stussy
- Gloriosa
- Shanks
- Bartholomew Kuma
- Emporio Ivankov
- Ginny
This stacked lineup includes pirates, marines, Celestial Dragons, and future Emperors of the New World. There were some wild cards like Gaban, who’s currently shaking up One Piece and going toe-to-toe with the God’s Knights.
What Happened at God Valley?
The exact events of the God Valley incident are still not documented. However, 38 years ago, a battle took place between the infamous Rocks Pirates and the combined forces of the Roger Pirates and Marines led by Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp at the island of God Valley. At the time, there was a Native Hunting Competition happening on the island, which was why some Celestial Dragons and their slaves were present.
Details of this event were leaked by a slave named Ginny to the outside world, with the Rocks Pirates happening to pick up her transmission. Captain Rocks D. Xebec ordered his crew to head for the island of God Valley as he wanted to retrieve a treasure stolen from the island of Hachinosu by the Celestial Dragons. When the Roger Pirates learnt about Xebec making his move towards the island, they set course towards the island to counter him.
Garp was on vacation at the time, but after learning about Roger’s movement towards God Valley, he went there to confront him. However, he temporarily joined forces with Roger to take down Xebec, who posed a greater threat to the world balance at the time. Roger and Garp successfully defeated Rocks, with his defeat paving the way for Roger to rise to the top and eventually become the Pirate King. The incident also made Garp a legend, earning him the title of “Hero of the Marines.”
The Roger Pirates also found a baby Shanks on the island, who was adopted and raised on their ship. However, it’s unclear why Shanks, the son of a powerful God’s Knight like Figarland Garling, was in God Valley. Luckily, he was raised by pirates because he later renounced his birthright as a Celestial Dragon and became one of the Four Emperors of the Sea.
Why Is the God Valley Incident So Important?
The God Valley Incident was one of the most crucial events in One Piece history and completely changed the world’s power balance. It marked the moment Gold D. Roger and Garp rose to legendary status after taking down the Rocks Pirates. Xebec was arguably the most dangerous member of the D. clan ever, bold enough to directly launch an attack on the Celestial Dragons and the Marines.
To stop Xebec, Roger and the strongest Marine, Garp, had to join forces. Even the God’s Knights on the island had to step in to protect their fellow Celestial Dragons. The battle was so damaging to the World Government’s image that the incident was erased from history, with only a few ever learning what really happened on that island.
The same event saw Kuma and Ivankov free themselves and other slaves from the Celestial Dragons and eventually join the Revolutionary Army. The Roger Pirates also found an infant Shanks in God Valley, who would later become one of the Four Emperors and inspire Luffy’s dream of becoming a pirate and cause him to eat the Hito Hito no Mi Devil Fruit.
The importance of this incident can’t be stated enough. Almost every major event that took place in One Piece could be traced back to the God Valley Incident. From Kuma saving Luffy from Kizaru to Kaido’s defeat at the hands of Luffy, all the threads of One Piece have been impacted by what happened on the island of God Valley 38 years ago.
Conclusion
The God Valley Incident isn’t just another major battle. It’s the event that led to the current power dynamics in One Piece. It ended the era of the Rocks Pirates, turned Roger and Garp into legends, setting the stage for Xeec’s crew members like Big Mom, Kaido, and Whitebeard to conquer the New World and create their own legendary crews.
The upcoming episodes of the One Piece anime will likely bring the events of the God Valley to the screen and show fans why it’s probably the single most important event in the history of the series.
