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The adage 'The past is written by the winners' is a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of flags and crews.

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

Myths often do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact story Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation later, perhaps connected to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {