🔗 Share this article

The adage 'History is written by the winners' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete truth, including the most influential characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

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

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing legends in their prime, it's compelling to see them before they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by passion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is understood about his first journey, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about everything happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, both to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness in contrast to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still 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 continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked everything to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his biological grandchild. Comparable questions have now reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque shapes, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate all in God Valley, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Unreliable Narrators

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the victors. This attitude is {