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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Popular tales frequently do not capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, advising readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends often do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe 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 glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their power. Now, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {