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The saying 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most influential characters in this story's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {