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The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the story. Popular tales often do not capture the complete reality, including the most influential characters in this story's intricate history. Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was helping them. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

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

One Piece's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. The past, as written by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only pieces of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they typically refer to his second voyage, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However not much is known about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's reflections about all that's occurring in God Valley, but perhaps finding the son of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the audience and to young Navy recruits. 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 join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely echoing the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the exact narrative 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 principled man who sought to overthrow the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the government's plan to annihilate the island where his family lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, becoming a marionette enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in constant transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

A further protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has endured backlash from fans for a long time for standing by as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp serve the Navy, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by Loki, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {