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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends often do not convey the full reality, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a warning story, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, painted our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret past. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's unseen ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the very story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Garp saw the Elders' grotesque shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently embodies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {