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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most influential characters in this story's intricate past. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they became icons — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved version of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, 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 fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause 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 Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {