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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the full truth, including the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {