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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most influential characters in this story's intricate history. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the series' finest storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and retold through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His affection for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved version of events, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {