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The adage 'History is written by the winners' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most powerful characters in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

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

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign 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 overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {