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The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends often do not capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

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

Legends frequently do not convey the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize 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 Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks 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 D. Xebec really die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {