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The saying 'The past is written by the winners' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family became his undoing. After facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause 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

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {