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The saying 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete reality, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, 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 downfall. Upon facing Imu, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {