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One of the things that we’ve always loved about One Piece isn’t just its heroic main cast; it is its wide array of villains. Unlike later manga like Naruto, Oda has never been afraid to allow his antagonists to be almost cartoonishly evil. From the mad god Enel ruling over Skypiea or Gecko Moria from the Thriller Bark arc. However, the most recent chapter of One Piece has shown how Oda isn’t afraid to give his villains depth.
There will be some spoilers for the most recent arc of One Piece ahead.

One Piece chapter 1159 is still deep in the flashback to the God Valley Incident and shows that there is more to Rocks D. Xebec than we thought. Up until now, he’s been portrayed as a typical One Piece villain. He is cruel and destructive, using his strength and power as a cudgel to get what he wants. It was assumed that he was going to God Valley to fight the Celestial Dragons and the Marines and capture Shakky, but an interaction between Rocks and King Harald of Elbaph reveals his true intention.

Despite being one of the most aggressive characters in One Piece, Rocks is going to God Valley to save his wife and son. In fact, the entire God Valley Incident, which has become one of the most important moments in the history of One Piece, was orchestrated by the World Government to lure Rocks out into the open and into their clutches.

This certainly doesn’t change the fact that Rocks is one of the most violent pirate captains we’ve seen in One Piece. His actions cast a shadow even into the present day through the actions of his son, Blackbeard. However, it does give a hint of nuance to his characterization that hasn’t been there up till now. It shows that Oda isn’t afraid to break up his usual formula, even after more than 1100 chapters of One Piece.

THE ONE PIECE IS REAL...ly important to Popverse! That's why we've put together the key articles to keep your fandom of the manga-turned-anime-turned-live-action-show alive:

• How to watch One Piece One Piece in chronological and release order (All 1,100+ episodes plus the movies!)
• When the next episode of One Piece is coming
• Netflix almost missed casting Superman star Mikaela Hoover as Tony Tony Chopper because the audition materials were too vague
• Netflix enlists a Bridgerton star to show off the first big set piece of One Piece season 2, with a Loguetown that is full of easter eggs from the manga
• Why One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy is the perfect hero for the dark times ahead
• Every difference between the live-action One Piece and the original manga
• One Piece Gear 5 Form: Everything we know about Luffy's latest transformation
• Ranking the One Piece anime's arcs, from best to worst
• Why is One Piece more popular now that the anime is 25 years old? We asked around and found out
• The English cast of One Piece explain what they love about Eiichiro Oda's storytelling - "He's a genius!"