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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident 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 ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have now reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The series may offer an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {