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The adage 'History is written by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to now. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, painted our perception of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically mean his later journey, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to save Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can treat this account as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {