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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful characters in this story's intricate history. Oden wasn't a silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths often do not capture the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, 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 molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the island where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {