The God Valley Incident has become one of the most captivating storylines in One Piece history, and many fans aren’t ready for it to end. Eiichiro Oda’s exploration of this long-mysterious event has brought together legendary figures like Rocks D. Xebec, Gol D. Roger, Monkey D. Garp, and even the enigmatic Imu — creating a flashback that feels more like a grand historical epic than a side story. The arc dives deep into the power struggles that shaped the modern world of One Piece, revealing long-hidden secrets about the Celestial Dragons and the early days of piracy. For many, it’s a rare glimpse into the “true history” of the world, something fans have been waiting for since the manga’s earliest chapters.
As more details of the battle unfold, one question has started echoing throughout the fandom: if God Valley was such a defining moment for the Marines and pirates alike, where was Sengoku — the man often hyped up as Garp’s equal and closest rival?
Fans Don’t Want to Return to the Straw Hats Yet
Surprisingly, many readers say they don’t want to go back to the Straw Hat Pirates just yet. Social media platforms are full of fans expressing that this arc feels like the most thrilling part of One Piece in years — with its dark tone, intense storytelling, and lore-heavy revelations. While Luffy and his crew are the heart of the series, the God Valley storyline offers something entirely different: a look at the legends and events that shaped everything we know. One fan summed it up best on X (formerly Twitter): “If we return to the Straw Hats now, it’ll feel like waking up from a dream.” The sentiment highlights a unique moment in the fandom, where the past has become more captivating than the present adventure.
Within that excitement, the discussion around Sengoku’s absence has turned into its own sub-debate. Fans are posting side-by-side panels of Garp clashing with monsters of the age and images of Sengoku in his later Fleet Admiral glory, asking why a Marine of that caliber wasn’t at one of the most important battles in history. Some are calling it a potential plot hole, while others are convinced Oda is deliberately holding Sengoku back for another flashback.
The Mystery of Sengoku’s Whereabouts
Sengoku has long been portrayed as one of the strongest Marines, a man trusted with the Fleet Admiral position and someone who shared the same era and reputation as Garp. Because of that, his absence at God Valley feels strange to many fans. If Garp was on the front line fighting alongside Roger to stop Rocks, why wasn’t Sengoku there too?
Fandom theories have exploded in response. One popular idea suggests that Sengoku was assigned to another high-level mission at the time — possibly dealing with a separate crisis the World Government doesn’t want revealed. Others think he may have been deliberately kept away from God Valley by the higher-ups, either for political reasons or as part of a deeper conspiracy involving the Celestial Dragons. A more emotional interpretation is that his absence itself is a story point: something that still weighs on Sengoku decades later, fueling his complicated relationship with both Garp and the World Government.
At the same time, some fans are taking a more playful approach, flooding comment sections with jokes like “Garp was solo-queuing ranked while Sengoku was AFK” or “Sengoku heard Rocks, Roger, Whitebeard, Garp, Imu and said: ‘Yeah… I’m good.’” These memes show how the community can turn even a serious lore question into a mix of comedy and speculation.
A Testament to Oda’s Storytelling and Legacy
The enthusiasm surrounding the God Valley flashback underscores Eiichiro Oda’s enduring genius as a storyteller. After more than two decades, he continues to surprise fans by revealing layers of history that connect generations of pirates, marines, and rulers. The fact that one character’s absence can generate this much discussion proves how carefully Oda has built his world and how invested readers are in every detail.
The arc’s pacing, emotion, and scope have reminded readers of One Piece’s golden era — a blend of mystery, world-building, and drama that few series can match. Even as some fans fear that returning to the Straw Hats will slow the story’s momentum, others believe this balance between past and present is what makes One Piece timeless. Whether Oda eventually reveals where Sengoku really was during the God Valley Incident or leaves it as a mystery for a future arc, the question has already become part of the fandom’s ongoing conversation.
