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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends often fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his family lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {