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The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate history. Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete truth, including the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandson. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {