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The adage 'History is written by the winners' is a central theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends often fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden wasn't a foolish showman prancing through the roads of Wano; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma was not a ruthless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, the Davy Jones legend meant more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through hearsay stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who knew them turn out to be untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they usually refer to his second voyage, the epic quest in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to fame discovered him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His love for Shakky led him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and including the existence of the planet's hidden ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but perhaps discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, ambitious man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to overcome him. But as it transpires, the strategist was not present at the Divine Isle; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to topple Imu and dismantle the corrupt World Government. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the government's scheme to eliminate the island where his family lived, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. After confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that dying would be a mercy in contrast to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is even now a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Akainu murdered Ace. That sentiment became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar questions have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp serve the Navy, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Garp saw the Elders' monstrous shapes, he attacked immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an attempt to halt 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 likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Although the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by the giant, including viewpoints and occurrences he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this version as entirely truthful. The series may provide an reason in the future, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event perfectly embodies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {