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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

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

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as completely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {