One Piece's Divine Isle Flashback Reveals Why Myths Shouldn't Be Trusted Blindly

The saying 'History is written by the victors' is a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not capture the full reality, even for the most influential characters in this world's complex past. Oden wasn't a foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing audiences not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths often fail to capture the full reality, even for the most powerful figures.

The series's latest flashback, detailing the Divine Isle event, represents one of the story's finest arcs to now. Beyond the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to observe them before they turned into symbols — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as recorded by the World Government and retold through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Man Before the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the daring attitude that sparked a fresh era of piracy, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by emotion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the epic quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before fame discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden history. His love for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the genocidal "contests," the grotesque forms of the Five Elders, and including the presence of the world's unseen ruler, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the globe and seek the truth he glimpsed from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the audience and to young Marines. He painted Rocks D. Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's approved version of events, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his family, or a desire for fairness, but when he found out the regime's plan to annihilate the island where his family resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his undoing. After facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what little awareness remains, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the living hell he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale told by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks really die? An interesting theory is that he is still a slave to Imu in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the timeskip, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to question why he couldn't do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the God Valley recollection: how could Garp serve the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to eliminate everyone in God Valley, including it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is probably the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he not once desired to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle event through a recollection narrated by the giant, including viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I believe we can treat this version as completely accurate. The series may provide an reason later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly embodies the idea that the past is written by the winners. This mindset is {