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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often do not capture the full truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Legends often fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the daring spirit that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before fame found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very story Imu approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his family lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, including viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely truthful. The series may provide an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {