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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often do not capture the full reality, including the most powerful figures in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality 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 corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. Upon facing Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {