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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends often do not convey the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's game in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's best storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of events, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {