One Piece's Divine Isle Recollection Reveals Why Legends Aren't to Be Trusted Blindly

The saying 'The past is written by the winners' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the story. Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, including the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of honor and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire God Valley narrative acts as a warning story, advising audiences not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, stands as one of the series' best storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's gripping to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the government's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic expedition in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet not much is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His love for Shakky led him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the world's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Rocks D. Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He painted Xebec as a vile, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, the strategist wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact story the sovereign authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's plan to eliminate 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. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and liberty, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little consciousness remains, he pleads with Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story told by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being found.

Garp's Hidden Rebellion

Another key figure of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered everything to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandson. Comparable doubts have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and slavery as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque shapes, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to halt Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp despises the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as completely truthful. The manga may offer an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the notion that the past is written by the winners. This attitude is {