Rocks D. Xebec, a name that once struck fear across the pirate world, remains one of the biggest mysteries in the One Piece universe. He was the captain of the Rocks Pirates, a crew made up of legendary figures who later became Yonko like Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom. Fans have long wondered: “How could one man recruit and command such proud and powerful individuals?”
Chapter 1155 delivers a surprising and logical answer: Rocks recruited members through the Davy Back Fight. This brutal game pits pirate crews against each other, with the losing side forced to surrender crew members to the winners. This suggests that Rocks may have even challenged and defeated future “superstars” like Whitebeard, cementing his reputation as the strongest pirate ever.
The chapter goes further to reveal Rocks’ insane ambition: he once tried to infiltrate the Flower Room in the Holy Land, a sacred place under Im-sama’s control. His ability to penetrate one of the most secret locations, reportedly killing a Marine admiral and escaping unharmed, only adds to the legend of his unmatched power.
With such terrifying personal strength and a crew full of history’s strongest “monsters,” it seems unimaginable that Rocks could be defeated, even by the combined forces of Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp.
However, the latest chapter cleverly hints at how Rocks was truly brought down.
Rocks’ Deadly Weakness: Betrayal From Within?
When Rocks tried to recruit the Giant King Harald, Harald flatly refused and warned Rocks’ followers: “Following him will only lead to your destruction!”
The reaction of Rocks’ crew speaks volumes: they didn’t follow Rocks out of loyalty or respect, but to benefit from his grand ambitions and overwhelming power. Since most core members were “conquered” through the Davy Back Fight, a game focused solely on winning and possession, it’s no surprise they lacked true loyalty.
As captain of a volatile crew filled with exceptional and powerful individuals but no real unity, Rocks’ greatest strength, his legendary pirate crew, was also his biggest weakness. They simply were not loyal.
This suggests that during the historic confrontation at God Valley, Rocks may have dominated thanks to his crew’s combined strength. Yet, betrayal from within was the key factor that led to his downfall.
Any member of the Rocks Pirates could have turned against him. While Whitebeard is a possible candidate given his immense power and complex relationship with Roger, another member seems to have a more calculated motive.
Pirate Wang Zhi (Ochoku), who later ruled the Pirate Island after the Rocks crew’s collapse, is likely the traitor who betrayed Rocks at the crucial moment, paving the way for the powerful pirate’s defeat.
Without this betrayal, considering the overwhelming strength of the Rocks Pirates, it’s hard to imagine even Roger and Garp, two of the strongest characters in One Piece, could face such a force head-on and win without heavy losses.
This clearly shows that disloyalty and betrayal from one or more core members of the Rocks crew were the real reasons behind Rocks D. Xebec’s ultimate defeat and downfall at God Valley.