Warning: This article contains spoilers from the One Piece manga! The One Piece manga is currently featuring the highly anticipated Elbaf Arc, which is unraveling the truth behind the God Valley Incident. The incident, which was believed to be instigated by Rocks D. Xebec, was actually a trap set for him by the World Government. Although the manga mentioned Xebec several times in the past, he was properly introduced in the Elbaf Arc, which also reveals that he is Blackbeard’s father. As the truth behind the incident and Xebec’s bloodline slowly comes to light, one of the best characters in the show proved to be quite disappointing. Garp has always been beloved among fans despite his actions in the Summit War being controversial, since he didn’t defend Portgas D. Ace until he died.
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However, as a Marine officer, it was expected of him to pick the side of his sense of justice instead of saving his grandson. He is also one of the most powerful characters in the series, someone who was once considered to be Gol D. Roger’s equal. Despite being a Marine, Garp is nowhere near as brutal as Akainu, which makes him somewhat popular among fans. However, his disappointing actions in God Valley not only question his morality but also whether or not he deserved the title of a Marine Hero in the first place.
Garp May Not Be As Good As One Piece Fans Initially Thought
Monkey D. Garp gained the title of the Marine Hero after the God Valley Incident for defeating Xebec. The World Government hid the fact that Garp allied with Roger to take down the legendary pirate. However, now that the truth has been revealed, the entire incident was actually the World Government’s fault, and Xebec turned out to be a victim in all this. The Government has always played dirty, without caring about the lives of innocent people. This is why they threatened the lives of an entire island, including Xebec’s wife and two-year-old son, just to capture him.
As someone who has seen firsthand what the World Government is capable of, Garp has never been the one to protect the victims like his son, Dragon did. Of course, he doesn’t need to leave the Marines in order to make a difference, but he’s clearly not like Admiral Fujitora either. Garp does have a sense of justice, but we never really understood what that “justice” is. He didn’t even bat an eye when he learned about the horrifying Native Hunting Competition being held in God Valley. However, he jumped at the chance to fight Roger and Xebec and came to the island as soon as possible.
While the pirates were on the island to save Shakky and Xebec’s family, it was the World Nobles who were hunting people for fun. Anyone would at least be horrified by seeing that kind of massacre, but Garp’s eyes were set on the pirates, and he didn’t stop for a second to even think about the victims. This kind of action could be expected from someone like Akainu, who blindly obeys the World Government, but not Garp, someone who is respected as a Hero.
Garp Nurtured the Next Generation of Marines, But Has He Done Enough for the World?
Wanting Garp to go against the Celestial Dragons all on his own would be considered foolish, but it’s been almost four decades since the incident, and Garp hasn’t done anything to change the system. While rejecting the role of an Admiral is admirable, so he doesn’t have to be at the beck and call of the World Nobles, Garp still didn’t do anything remarkable. People like Sengoku, Akainu, and Kizaru want the Government to hold on to that power and want the world to bend according to their will.
Meanwhile, those like Fujitora and Dragon fight to end the terror and tyranny, even though their methods are different. Garp, on the other hand, belongs to neither side since he clearly dislikes the ways of the World Government but doesn’t directly do anything about it. Not wanting to save Ace was a reasonable choice he made because, despite his promise to protect Roger’s child, he turned out to be a pirate. Garp put his personal feelings aside and let Ace die because he, too, believed that as a pirate, this was the fate he deserved.
However, the same cannot be said about the slaves and the natives of God Valley, who clearly committed no such sin. For all the power he possessed, Garp’s most remarkable feat is training young Marines like Koby, who have a bright future ahead of them. He even went to Hachinosu to save Koby, which clearly won the hearts of many. However, it also can’t be denied that someone of Garp’s level could’ve done more for the world. His true goals still remain unknown, and while he does have his charms, the God Valley Incident makes us reconsider his title of a Hero.
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