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The adage 'History is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening 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 only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very story the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. 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 Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After facing Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {