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The saying 'The past is recorded by the victors' serves as a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to convey the full truth, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything happening in God Valley, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of events, the very narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority considers genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Although the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering perspectives and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the notion that history is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {