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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures in this world's complex history. Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

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

Myths often do not convey the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they became icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely accurate. The series may provide an reason later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {