One Piece's Divine Isle Recollection Demonstrates Why Myths Shouldn't Be Believed Without Question

The adage 'History is recorded by the victors' is a key theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete reality, including the most powerful figures in this story's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no silly performer dancing through the streets of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's game in search of emblems and followers.

In installment #1164 of the manga, we see the culmination of this theme. The whole God Valley story serves as a cautionary tale, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too quickly.

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

The series's latest look back, chronicling the Divine Isle event, represents one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their peak, it's compelling to see them prior to when they turned into icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay tales, shaped our understanding of figures like Roger, Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be unreliable, showing only fragments of who these men truly were.

The Individual Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by mission and the bold spirit that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but prior to he became the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When individuals speak of his legend, they typically mean his second voyage, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory discovered him.

At that time, Gol D. Roger was largely unaware of the globe's hidden past. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "contests," the monstrous appearances of the Five Elders, and even the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, Imu. We haven't seen Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son of a Holy Knight on his vessel will lead him to understand his role in the world and seek the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's situation.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's version, each to the viewers and to new Marines. He depicted Rocks D. Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man determined to achieve world domination, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In truth, Rocks D. Xebec, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to topple Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by ambition, revenge for his family, or a wish for fairness, but when he found out the regime's scheme to annihilate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he forfeited his will and liberty, becoming a marionette controlled to their authority. Currently, with what little awareness is left, he begs with Gol D. Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the manga presents him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in constant movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured backlash from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandson. Comparable questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Navy, knowing the Global Authority treats mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the elite?

The reality uncovers something distinct. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of rebellion, an effort to stop the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, including apparently, even the World Nobles themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the current era and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and occurrences he obviously was absent for, I think we can treat this account as completely accurate. The manga may provide an explanation in the future, maybe linked to the giant's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident perfectly exemplifies the idea that the past is recorded by the winners. This attitude is {