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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to convey the full reality, including the most powerful figures in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful figures.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his legend, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame found him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's reflections about everything occurring in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's account, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really die? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's last ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the God Valley incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this account as completely accurate. The series may offer an reason later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {