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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most influential characters in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

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

Legends often do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this account as completely truthful. The series may offer an reason later, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {