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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales often do not convey the full truth, including the most influential figures in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The series may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {