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The saying 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Similarly, Davy Jones signified more than a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Myths often do not capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the story's best storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {