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The adage 'History is recorded by the winners' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

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

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as completely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {