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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales often do not capture the complete reality, even for the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer'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 serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing 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 attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The series may offer an reason later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {