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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends often do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

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

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame 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 World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {