🔗 Share this article

The adage 'The past is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that One Piece author Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex past. Kozuki Oden wasn't a silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a pirate's contest in search of flags and crews.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to judge the individuals too quickly.

Legends often fail to convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, detailing the God Valley incident, represents one of the story's best arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of witnessing icons in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had still not surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the Global Authority and retold through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

The future Pirate King may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret past. His affection for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his place in the globe and pursue the reality he glimpsed 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 came almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, both to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the World Government's approved narrative of events, the very narrative Imu approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his family proved to be his undoing. After confronting Imu, he lost his determination and liberty, turning into a marionette controlled to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the present day, serving as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in constant transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Rebellion

Another key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for a long time for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government considers genocide and slavery as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Garp saw the Gorosei's monstrous shapes, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This incident is likely the cause Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a flashback recounted by the giant, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this version as completely accurate. The manga may offer an reason in the future, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Still, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {