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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales often do not convey the full reality, including the most powerful characters in this story's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's approved version of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The series may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {