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The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' is a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the full reality, even for the most powerful characters in this story's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

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

Legends frequently fail to capture the full reality, including the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's best storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very narrative the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another key figure 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 killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a flashback narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as completely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe linked to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {