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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters in this story's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

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

Legends often do not capture the full truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents 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 symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward the final island. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the very story Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, even it seems, 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 Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {