Rocks' enigmatic origins in One Piece might be unraveled using this real-life buccaneer

One Piece has always kept the origin of Rocks D. Xebec secret. This left fans wondering about the man who once shocked the whole world with his power. Even though Rocks made his first appearance in chapter 1154, there is so much we still don't know about him. The idea that Rock's history may stem from a real-life pirate gives a compelling context.

Eiichiro Oda may have taken cues for Xebec's wild ambitions and elusive bloodline using Rocks Brasiliano, a ruthless 17th-century pirate from Buccaneers of America. If this buccaneer connection stands true, One Piece may soon connect Rocks' obscured bloodline with mutiny and forgotten empires.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion. It also includes spoilers from the One Piece anime/manga.

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What could be the real-life inspiration behind Rocks D. Xebec in One Piece?

Rocks' mysterious background in One Piece could be solved through the life of real-life pirate Rocks Brasiliano, and this theory provides a surprisingly credible thread for Eiichiro Oda to follow Xebec's history. When we mention Rocks D. Xebec, we're talking about one of the series' most enigmatic characters—someone whose shadow looms large despite his defeat at God Valley.

Fans are not only interested in his brute strength and frightful crew but in what he stands for: rebellion, chaos, and a dream to dominate the world. But beyond all the legend, the real story behind his heritage and intentions is still a mystery. That's where Rocks Brasiliano, one of the 17th century's most ruthless buccaneers, comes in as a potential historical analogue who may have inspired Oda in creating this character.

Rocks Brasiliano (Image via Alexander Exquemelin/Wikimedia Commons)

Rocks Brasiliano, whose real name appears in Buccaneers of America by Alexandre Exquemelin, was originally presented as a privateer—one commissioned by governments to attack foreign ships.

This is significant as it implies that Rocks may have once worked for a larger authority, just the way privateers were used by colonial powers. In One Piece, this information fits the theory that Rocks or his kingdom was at one time connected to the World Government or served under it before becoming rogue.

If Oda reflected on this element, Xebec could have begun as a loyal servant of the World Government, then discovered their corruption and staged a rebellion, destroying the system he was once a part of. This mirrors Brook’s past as a soldier turned pirate, and it adds more depth to the idea of Rocks as the embodiment of mutiny and upheaval.

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Rocks’ rebellion shows he may have aimed for more than just piracy in One Piece

Monkey D. Garp as seen in anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One detail that fuels this theory further is how Rocks Brasiliano became known for leading a mutiny against his own ranks, seizing control, and carving out a reign of terror in the Caribbean. Likewise, Rocks D. Xebec established the Rocks Pirates—a group of brutal people who required as brutal a leader as to keep them under control.

The notion that Xebec's rebellion or mutiny could have been greater than piracy, even aspiring to overthrow the Celestial Dragons themselves, fits with his desire to be "King of the World." It also explains why Garp and Roger, who were bitter rivals, needed to come together and kill him. There was more on the line than treasure or land—Rocks represented an existential threat to the entire global structure.

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Rocks’ hidden bloodline might reveal a link to the Buccaneer race

Rocks D. Xebec could be from Kuma Buccaneer race (Image via Toei Animation)

Another interesting aspect is the idea that Rocks carry a special race's bloodline. Oda has dropped hints through characters such as Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido that the Rocks Pirates were not human but a convergence of special lines and races.

Scopper Gaban has previously said numerous special races were crossed and that if Rocks were half buccaneer—a word long associated with exotic islander cultures merged with European pirates—this would fit the theme.

It is not impossible to consider that Oda used Rocks Brasiliano's appearance as a savage buccaneer to allude that Rocks has some association with the Buccaneer race, of which Kuma is a part. This is another reason why Rocks could have had such a strong grudge against the World Government, which has taken the habit of exploiting or disposing of rare races in the past.

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Rocks’ disappearance might live on through Blackbeard’s secret inheritance

One Piece chapter 1154 confirms Blackbeard being Rock's son (Image via Toei Animation)

The intrigue is heightened when we think about how Rocks Brasiliano disappeared without leaving a trail. Some accounts in the past claim he was murdered; others suggest that he had escaped, surviving as a ghostly myth among sailors. Oda can just as readily replicate this by positing that Xebec, in the manner of his namesake, endured God Valley's devastation in some capacity, most possibly through Blackbeard, who is his son as revealed in chapter 1154.

Blackbeard's unexplainable knowledge and penchant to turn the world on its head allude to an ideology sown by Rocks centuries before. This link affirms that Xebec's heritage was never really buried.

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The name Xebec quietly connects ancient myth and real pirates

The significance of the name Xebec fits handily into Oda's network of myth and actual history. "Xebec" is a Mediterranean pirate vessel, while "Brasiliano" has Caribbean roots. The "D." initial references the notorious Will of D., symbolizing rebellion against the Celestial Dragons.

And some have even compared Xebec to Egyptian god Sobek, the crocodile god combined with Ra, the sun god, implying that Rocks perhaps saw himself as a god-like figure prophesied to reign. This also fits perfectly into the name of "Sorbet Kingdom," where Kuma was born, implying a Buccaneer lineage passing on through the ages.

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Final thoughts

One Piece may soon reveal that the secret lineage of Rocks D. Xebec parallels the real-life pirate Rocks Brasiliano, which is an exciting way to combine legend, reality, and Oda’s imagination. By linking the rise and violent mutiny of Xebec with an actual pirate figure, Oda may give real reasons to the Revolutionary implications of Rocks’ rebellion while simultaneously opening up the possibility that a legacy lives on through Blackbeard.

This link also allows fans to remember that even the most formidable pirate in One Piece may have drawn strength from real legends, proving Rocks’ mystery is far from solved.

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Related links:

• One Piece chapter 1154 confirms the manga's July 2025 release schedule
• One Piece x Dodgers collaboration has fans convinced "no one is doing it like Luffy"
• Not only Rocks, but this One Piece character also makes their first canon appearance in chapter 1154

Edited by Meenakshi Ajith