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The saying 'History is written by the victors' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Popular tales frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most influential characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and followers.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle narrative acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends often do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential figures.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, stands as one of the story's finest storylines to date. Beyond the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became symbols — when their reputation had yet to surpass their humanity. The past, as written by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden past. His love for the barkeep led him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's unseen sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Navy recruits. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Xebec and the event 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 World Government. We are unsure if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley recollection: how can Garp work for the Marines, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The truth reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger was not meant to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to wipe out all in God Valley, even it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the cause Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he not once desired to be promoted to Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the God Valley event through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as entirely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle incident perfectly exemplifies the notion that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {