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The saying 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant more than a buccaneer's contest in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths often do not capture the complete reality, including the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they became symbols — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden history. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp serve the Navy, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {