One Piece's Divine Isle Recollection Reveals Why Myths Shouldn't Be Believed Blindly

The adage 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a central motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful characters in this world's complex history. Oden wasn't a foolish showman dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified more than a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of the manga, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole God Valley narrative serves as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the individuals too hastily.

Myths frequently fail to convey the complete truth, including the most influential figures.

The series's most recent flashback, chronicling the God Valley incident, stands as one of the series' finest storylines to date. Beyond the thrill of seeing icons in their peak, it's compelling to observe them before they turned into icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their humanity. History, as written by the Global Authority and retold through hearsay tales, painted our perception of individuals like Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But each of the government's records and the narratives of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these individuals really were.

The Individual Prior to the Legend

The future Pirate King may have been driven by purpose and the daring spirit that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but before he was known as the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people discuss his legend, they typically refer to his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that lead to the final island. However little is known about his initial travels, the one that shaped him prior to glory discovered him.

Back then, Roger knew little of the globe's hidden past. His love for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the World Government's darkest truths: the genocidal "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe finding the son of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his role in the world and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec came almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to young Marines. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, power-hungry man bent on global control, someone so dangerous that Gol D. Roger and 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 World Government's approved narrative of occurrences, the very story the sovereign approved to conceal the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In truth, The captain, whose real name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent Global Authority. We are unsure if he was guided by lust for power, revenge for his clan, or a desire for fairness, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he abandoned his dreams of conquest to save them.

This devotion for his relatives became his undoing. Upon facing the sovereign, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their authority. Currently, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — believing that death would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus far from the story narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a favorable manner during the Divine Isle incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But was Rocks D. Xebec really meet his end? An interesting idea is that he is still a slave to Imu in the present day, acting as the scarred individual, maintaining the World Government's last Poneglyph in continuous transit to keep the One Piece from being discovered.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling only grew stronger after the time jump, when he endangered all to rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to wonder why he was unable to do the identical for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have recently reemerged with the God Valley flashback: how could Garp serve the Navy, aware the World Government treats mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something distinct. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he attacked immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to halt the sovereign, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in God Valley, even apparently, including the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never wanted to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Storytellers

Even though the audience are seeing the Divine Isle event through a recollection recounted by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this account as entirely accurate. The series may provide an explanation in the future, maybe connected to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event excellently exemplifies the idea that the past is written by the victors. This mindset is {