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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

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

Legends often do not capture the full truth, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' finest storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of figures 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 turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed 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 Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks 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, keeping the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {