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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently do not capture the complete reality, including the most powerful characters in this story's intricate past. Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

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

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's 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 seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought 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 clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with 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 tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may offer an explanation later, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {