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The adage 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often fail to convey the complete reality, including the most influential figures in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a youth ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at God Valley; he was only echoing the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he lost his determination and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government treats mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The series may offer an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {