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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this world's intricate past. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's finest storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they became icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the daring spirit that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This attitude is {