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The adage 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward the final island. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted 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 the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved version of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized 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 Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this version as completely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {