🔗 Share this article

The saying 'History is recorded by the winners' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has long integrated into the narrative. Popular tales often fail to capture the full reality, including the most influential figures in this story's intricate past. Oden was no silly showman prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he behaved out of honor and principle. Kuma wasn't a merciless antagonist who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's game in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The entire Divine Isle narrative serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

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

One Piece's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the series' finest arcs to date. Apart from the excitement of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their reputation had still not outgrow their human nature. History, as recorded by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our perception of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the narratives of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these individuals truly were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by mission and the bold attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a youth governed by emotion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they usually refer to his second voyage, the grand quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However not much is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him before glory found him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His love for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he discovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the genocidal "games," the monstrous forms of the Five Elders, and even the existence of the planet's hidden sovereign, the mysterious leader. We haven't seen Roger's reflections about all that's happening in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the reality he caught a glimpse of from Rocks D. Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this recollection, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to young Marines. He painted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist was not there at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's approved version of occurrences, the exact story Imu approved to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the island where his kin resided, he gave up his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his family became his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he lost his will and freedom, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — believing that death 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 told by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

The Hero's Secret Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has faced criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he risked all to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, leading many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his own grandchild. Similar doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Garp serve the Marines, aware the Global Authority considers mass murder and slavery as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The instant Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an attempt to halt the sovereign, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate everyone in the Divine Isle, including it seems, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is probably the reason Monkey D. Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by the giant, covering perspectives and occurrences he clearly was absent for, I believe we can consider this account as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an explanation later, perhaps linked to Loki's still mysterious Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event perfectly exemplifies the idea that history is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {