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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Apart from the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his own grandson. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the idea that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {