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The saying 'The past is written by the winners' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often do not convey the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved version of events, the very narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The series may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {