🔗 Share this article

The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' serves as a central motif that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to capture the full truth, including the most influential characters in this world's complex history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently do not convey the complete reality, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they became icons — when their fame had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal 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 aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the living hell he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga shows him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An interesting idea is that he is even now a slave to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government treats genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {