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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to convey the full reality, including the most influential characters in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they became symbols — when their reputation had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of domination to save them.

This devotion for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's last Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats genocide and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality reveals something distinct. The moment Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The series may offer an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {