Few storylines in One Piece carry the same weight of anticipation as the God Valley flashback. For years, Eiichiro Oda has teased the legendary battle where Monkey D. Garp and Gol D. Roger fought side by side against the terrifying Rocks Pirates. That clash reshaped history, marked the end of an era, and left more questions than answers. Now, with Chapter 1161 spoilers leaking ahead of its release, fans finally glimpse the shocking twist at the heart of this event: Rocks D. Xebec, one of the most enigmatic figures in the series, was betrayed by his closest allies.
The chapter, titled “The Song of Love that Blew Through the Shower of Arrows”, marks a defining moment not just in the flashback but in the entire mythos of One Piece. Xebec’s betrayal reframes how readers understand the Rocks Pirates, their legacy, and the fragility of alliances built on raw ambition. It adds layers of tragedy to God Valley, turning what was once seen as a titanic clash into a story of hubris, mistrust, and inevitable downfall.
This article will unpack what these spoilers mean, how they align with Oda’s long-term storytelling, the symbolic weight of betrayal, and how this revelation ripples through both the past and the present of the One Piece world.
The Legacy of the Rocks Pirates
Before diving into the betrayal itself, it’s worth revisiting who the Rocks Pirates were and why their dissolution has always stood as one of the great mysteries in One Piece.
The Rocks Pirates, active more than forty years ago, were the most fearsome crew of their time. They were not bound by friendship or shared ideals like the Straw Hats or Whitebeard’s family-like crew. Instead, Rocks D. Xebec brought together a collection of the strongest and most ambitious figures of the era: Kaido in his youth, Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom), Edward Newgate (Whitebeard), and even Shiki the Golden Lion. Each of these individuals would go on to become legends in their own right, shaping the next decades of piracy.
What made the Rocks Pirates so terrifying was also what made them unstable: they were a powder keg of egos. With no unifying dream beyond domination, their internal rivalries and power struggles threatened to tear them apart even before their final battle.
For decades, fans have wondered how such a crew, capable of overwhelming anyone in their path, could have been defeated. The official narrative credited Roger and Garp’s alliance as the decisive factor. But Oda has long hinted that the Rocks Pirates were undone as much by themselves as by their enemies. Chapter 1161 appears to confirm this suspicion.
Chapter 1161 Spoilers: Betrayal in the Midst of Battle
According to early spoilers, Chapter 1161 depicts Rocks D. Xebec facing betrayal during the climactic moments of the God Valley Incident. As arrows rain down in the chaos of battle — a visual tied to the chapter’s poetic title — Xebec finds himself abandoned or even directly turned upon by his own closest allies.
The betrayal reportedly comes not as a sudden twist but as the culmination of growing tensions. Xebec’s vision of world domination, fueled by his infamous “dream to become King of the World,” clashed with the personal ambitions of his crewmates. Kaido sought strength, Big Mom sought power and family ties, and Whitebeard longed for a crew bound by loyalty rather than fear. These diverging paths created fault lines in the crew.
The arrows, then, symbolize not just the external onslaught from Roger and Garp but also the internal daggers aimed at Xebec from those who once followed him. Betrayal is both literal and metaphorical here: a leader undone by the very monsters he brought together.
Why Betrayal Makes Sense
On the surface, the idea of Rocks being betrayed by his crew might sound anticlimactic. Fans might have expected his fall to be the result of a straightforward battle between legends. But in the grand tapestry of One Piece, betrayal fits perfectly.
1. The Nature of the Rocks Pirates
Unlike the Straw Hats, the Whitebeard Pirates, or even Blackbeard’s crew, the Rocks Pirates had no shared ethos beyond ambition. Oda himself has described them as a collection of violent egos. Such a crew is inherently unstable, more a temporary coalition than a family. Betrayal was not only possible but inevitable.
2. Narrative Symmetry
Oda often uses contrasts and parallels to deepen his storytelling. Just as the Straw Hats embody loyalty, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams together, the Rocks Pirates embody the opposite: selfishness, mistrust, and the corrosive nature of unchecked ambition. Showing their collapse through betrayal reinforces this thematic contrast.
3. Foreshadowing Through History
The World Government has always kept the Rocks Pirates shrouded in secrecy, erasing their name from most records. This secrecy suggested not only the threat they posed but also the shame and complexity of their downfall. A betrayal within their ranks would explain why their legacy became something the government preferred to bury.
Symbolism of Betrayal in One Piece
Betrayal has always carried enormous symbolic weight in One Piece.
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Nico Robin’s Childhood: Robin was betrayed by adults again and again, her trust shattered until she found the Straw Hats. Her story highlights how betrayal can define a person’s life until it is healed by loyalty.
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Blackbeard’s Betrayal of Whitebeard’s Crew: Perhaps the clearest precedent for Xebec’s downfall, Blackbeard’s murder of Thatch and eventual betrayal of Whitebeard echoed the dangers of harboring ambition within a family-like crew.
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Wano’s Kurozumi Plotline: The betrayal of Oden by Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido showed how treachery can topple even the most promising visions of peace.
By making betrayal central to the fall of the Rocks Pirates, Oda connects Xebec’s story to this larger tapestry of loyalty versus treachery. It reminds readers that in the world of One Piece, bonds are everything. Where they exist, greatness follows. Where they do not, collapse is inevitable.
The Tragedy of Xebec
What makes the betrayal of Rocks D. Xebec so poignant is that it transforms him from a simple villain into a tragic figure.
Xebec was not a leader beloved by his crew; he was feared and respected for his power. Yet his ambition was nothing short of audacious: to overthrow the World Government and reshape the world in his image. In many ways, he was the ultimate “D” figure, carrying the mysterious Will of D into its darkest manifestation.
His betrayal strips him of dignity. Rather than falling in glorious combat against Roger and Garp, he is undone by those he trusted most. This mirrors Oda’s tendency to humanize even his greatest villains, showing that power alone cannot protect against betrayal or loneliness.
Implications for the God Valley Incident
The God Valley Incident has always been one of the most enigmatic moments in One Piece history. With Chapter 1161, it becomes even more layered.
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Roger and Garp’s Victory: If Xebec was betrayed mid-battle, Roger and Garp’s triumph becomes more complex. They did not simply overpower the Rocks Pirates; they capitalized on their internal collapse. This complicates the legend of “The Hero of the Marines” and shows how even the victors benefited from the Pirates’ disunity.
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The Fate of God Valley: The island itself disappeared from maps, raising theories of Ancient Weapons or forbidden technology. Betrayal within the Rocks crew could be tied to this mystery, with crewmates perhaps seizing power or technology from under Xebec’s control.
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The Seeds of the Future: The betrayal explains why so many of Rocks’s crewmates went on to become emperors in their own right. Freed from Xebec’s rule, they pursued their personal ambitions without restraint.
Repercussions for the Present Story
While Chapter 1161 is set in the past, its revelations resonate in the present.
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Blackbeard’s Parallels: Blackbeard, like Xebec, gathers a crew of powerful yet untrustworthy individuals. His future downfall may mirror Xebec’s, undone by betrayal when his ambition grows too great.
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The Will of D.: Xebec’s betrayal adds nuance to the mysterious Will of D. Those who carry the “D” are often agents of change, but not all bring that change positively. His story contrasts with Luffy’s, showing how the same fire of ambition can either unite or destroy.
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The Straw Hat Legacy: Every revelation about the Rocks Pirates deepens the contrast with the Straw Hats. Where Rocks’s crew collapsed under betrayal, Luffy’s crew thrives on unwavering loyalty. Oda uses this contrast to remind readers of what makes the Straw Hats extraordinary.
Fan Reactions and Theories
Unsurprisingly, the spoilers for Chapter 1161 have ignited a storm of discussion across the One Piece community.
Some fans celebrate the twist, noting that it fits Oda’s long history of subverting expectations. Others worry that betrayal lessens the grandeur of the Rocks Pirates’ downfall. Yet even critics admit that this choice aligns with the established lore: Rocks’s crew was never a family, and their collapse was always destined to be messy.
Theories now swirl about who exactly betrayed Xebec. Was it Kaido, eager to prove himself? Was it Big Mom, whose loyalty has always been conditional? Or was it Whitebeard, who may have finally rejected the toxic environment of the crew? Each possibility carries symbolic weight and will spark debates until the official release.
Conclusion: A Legacy Shattered
With Chapter 1161, Oda adds a devastating new layer to the God Valley Incident. The fall of Rocks D. Xebec is not merely the story of a pirate defeated by greater heroes. It is the story of a man undone by the very empire he built, betrayed in the chaos of battle, and erased from history by those who outlived him.
This revelation redefines the Rocks Pirates, transforming them from a crew of legends to a cautionary tale. It underscores Oda’s consistent message: power without trust is fragile, and ambition without loyalty is doomed to collapse.
As fans await the official release on September 28, 2025, the community buzzes with anticipation. Chapter 1161 promises not only to deliver answers but to deepen the tragedy, myth, and meaning of one of One Piece’s greatest untold stories.
The betrayal of Xebec is more than a plot twist. It is a reminder that in the world of One Piece, the greatest strength is not raw power but the bonds of loyalty and trust. And in that lesson lies the true heart of the series.