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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths often do not capture the complete reality, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {