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The saying 'History is written by the winners' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate past. Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to capture the full reality, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. Yet little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's version, both to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved version of events, the very story the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. After facing Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks really die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandson. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was using Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, covering viewpoints and events he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident excellently embodies the notion that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {