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The saying 'History is recorded by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the full truth, including the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the full truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them before they became icons — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men really 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 buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted 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 defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure 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 murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {