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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Legends often do not convey the complete reality, even for the most influential figures.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them before they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little consciousness is left, 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 is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing theory 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 ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as completely truthful. The series may offer an reason later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {