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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends often do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger 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. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {