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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the full truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The series may offer an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {