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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to convey the full reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the land where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the time jump, when he endangered all to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {