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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most influential figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything occurring 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 world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers 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 team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {