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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters in this story's intricate past. Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, 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 World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The series may provide an reason in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {