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The adage 'The past is written by the winners' is a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most influential figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's best storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals 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, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era 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 people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the truth 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 guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, 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.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to save Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The series may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {