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The adage 'History is recorded by the winners' serves as a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The entire God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Legends often fail to convey the full truth, including the most influential figures.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a youth ruled by passion and wanderlust. 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. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only echoing the World Government's approved narrative of events, the exact story Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting theory is that he is still a servant to Imu in the present day, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers genocide and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the victors. This mindset is {