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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales often fail to capture the full truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew 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 beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's best storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {