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The adage 'The past is written by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not convey the full reality, including the most influential figures in this world's complex past. Oden was no silly showman dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's contest in search of emblems and followers.

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

Myths frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the series' best storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand tales, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not there at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to stop Imu, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {