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The adage 'History is recorded by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends often fail to capture the complete reality, including the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

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

Myths often fail to convey the full reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' finest arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. After confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The series may provide an reason in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {