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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to capture the complete reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of 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, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with 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 tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident 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 offer an explanation in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {