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The adage 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often do not convey the full reality, even for the most influential figures in this world's intricate past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we see the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends often do not capture the full truth, including the most powerful figures.

One Piece's most recent look back, chronicling the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of witnessing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, showing only pieces of who these men really were.

The Individual Before the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by passion and wanderlust. When people discuss his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's reflections about all that's happening in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not there at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of domination to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After facing Imu, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a puppet enslaved to their authority. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced backlash from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have now reemerged with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly embodies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {