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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths often do not convey the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' finest storylines to now. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. 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 annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {