🔗 Share this article

The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative acts as a warning story, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most influential characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them prior to when they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay tales, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Prior to the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a new age of piracy, but prior to he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for the barkeep guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the grotesque appearances of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the very story the sovereign authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his determination and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks really meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining ancient stone in continuous movement to keep the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, 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. Comparable questions have recently resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps connected to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the God Valley event excellently embodies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {