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The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most influential figures in this story's intricate history. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

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

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true 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 wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as completely truthful. The series may offer an reason in the future, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {