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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete truth, including the most influential characters in this story's complex past. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this idea. The entire God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Myths frequently fail to convey the full truth, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them before they became symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they usually refer to his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as completely accurate. The series may offer an explanation in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {