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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even 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 identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The series may provide an reason in the future, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {