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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often fail to convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate history. Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

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

Legends often fail to convey the complete truth, including the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — 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 comic presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may offer an explanation in the future, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {