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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, including the most powerful characters in this world's complex history. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to convey the full reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's latest look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they became icons — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even 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 Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in constant transit to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {