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The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them before they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense 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 biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {