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The adage 'History is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete reality, including the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this idea. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Myths often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to now. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's most sinister realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' grotesque shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a tool to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a flashback recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The series may offer an reason in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {