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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to capture the complete reality, including the most influential figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not capture the complete reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is understood 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 hidden past. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {