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The adage 'The past 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 fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives became his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {