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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex history. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths often fail to convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. After confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The series may provide an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {