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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends often do not convey the complete truth, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge 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 save them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {