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The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales often do not convey the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends often do not convey the full truth, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring 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 reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event 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 decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {