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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales frequently do not capture the complete truth, including the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Oden was no silly performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends often fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful figures.

The series's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the series' finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. However not much is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his family proved to be his downfall. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the manga shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another key figure of the God Valley incident is Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp work for the Marines, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something different. The instant Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, even it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {