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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the full reality, including the most influential figures in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

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

Legends often do not convey the full reality, including the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the exact narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing 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 the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {