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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

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

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {