The Series' Divine Isle Flashback Demonstrates Why Myths Aren't to Be Trusted Without Question

The saying 'The past is written by the victors' is a central motif that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends often do not capture the complete truth, even for the most influential figures in this story's intricate history. Oden was no foolish performer prancing through the roads of Wano Country; he acted out of honor and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Similarly, Davy Jones meant beyond just a pirate's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the culmination of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to evaluate the characters too hastily.

Myths often do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley event, represents one of the series' best storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not outgrow their humanity. The past, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, painted our understanding of figures like Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and including Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's accounts and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in search of the guide stones that lead to Laugh Tale. Yet little is understood about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Gol D. Roger knew little of the world's secret history. His love for the barkeep guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's most sinister realities: the genocidal "games," the grotesque appearances of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Gol D. Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the child of a Holy 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 situation.

The Reality About Rocks D. Xebec

Before this flashback, what we were aware of of Xebec came mostly from the former Fleet Admiral's account, each to the audience and to young Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so threatening that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it transpires, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely echoing the World Government's sanctioned narrative of events, the exact narrative the sovereign approved to bury the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a ethical man who sought to topple the ruler and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, revenge for his family, or a desire for justice, but when he found out the government's plan to eliminate the island where his family lived, he gave up his ambitions of domination to save them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he forfeited his determination and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — believing that death would be a mercy in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the God Valley events.

Could He Be Living Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, acting as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to prevent the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further key figure of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu murdered Ace. That feeling became even stronger after the time jump, when he risked everything to save Koby at Hachinosu, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandson. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The reality reveals something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp saw the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Gol D. Roger was not meant to vanquish some villainous Rocks D. Xebec, but a courageous act of defiance, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, including apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event 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, answering directly to them.

History's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle event through a flashback narrated by the giant, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this version as completely truthful. The series may provide an reason in the future, maybe linked to Loki's still mysterious paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the God Valley incident excellently exemplifies the idea that history is written by the winners. This mindset is {