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The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

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

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The series may offer an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {