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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often do not convey the full truth, including the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends often do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child 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

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very narrative Imu 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 overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives became his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really die? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {