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The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the full truth, including the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in pursuit of flags and crews.

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

Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most influential characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of witnessing legends in their peak, it's compelling to observe 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 tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest realities: 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 Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, 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 transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story Imu authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to annihilate the island where his family lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette enslaved to their authority. Now, with what little consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he risked everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley flashback: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the Global Authority treats genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by the giant, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as completely accurate. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe connected to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the notion that history is written by the winners. This attitude is {