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The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has for some time woven into the narrative. Legends frequently do not convey the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no silly performer prancing through the streets of Wano Country; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Bartholomew Kuma wasn't a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hats, either; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones meant beyond just a buccaneer's game in search of flags and followers.

In installment #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The entire Divine Isle story acts as a warning story, advising readers not to evaluate the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently do not convey the complete reality, including the most powerful figures.

The series's latest look back, detailing the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the story's best arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of witnessing icons in their peak, it's gripping to see them before they became icons — when their fame had yet to surpass their humanity. History, as written by the World Government and recounted through hearsay stories, shaped our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and including Garp. But each of the government's records and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he was known as the Pirate King, he was a youth governed by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his legend, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand expedition in pursuit of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward the final island. Yet not much is understood about his first journey, the one that shaped him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the globe's secret history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he discovered the Global Authority's most sinister truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the existence of the world's hidden sovereign, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe finding the son 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 predicament.

The Truth About Rocks D. Xebec

Prior to this recollection, what we were aware of of Xebec was derived almost entirely from the former Fleet Admiral's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man determined to achieve global control, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, Sengoku was not present at the Divine Isle; he was merely repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of events, the very story the sovereign authorized to bury the reality about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a wish for fairness, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he gave up his dreams of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. Upon confronting Imu, he forfeited his will and freedom, turning into a puppet enslaved to their power. Currently, with what limited awareness is left, he pleads with Roger and Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness compared to the torment he suffers. The reality of Rocks D. Xebec is thus very different from the tale narrated by Sengoku, and the comic shows him in a favorable light during the Divine Isle events.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec really die? An interesting idea is that he is still a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, maintaining the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the One Piece from being discovered.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further key figure of the Divine Isle incident is Garp, who has faced backlash from fans 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 rescue the young Marine at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the identical for his own grandchild. Comparable doubts have recently resurfaced with the Divine Isle recollection: how could Monkey D. Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers genocide and enslavement as sport for the elite?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Garp saw the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His alliance with Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was using Rocks D. Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in the Divine Isle, even it seems, including the World Nobles themselves. This event is probably the reason Garp despises the World Nobles in the current era and why he never desired to be elevated to Admiral, answering straight to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are seeing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, covering viewpoints and occurrences he clearly wasn't present for, I believe we can consider this account as completely accurate. The series may offer an reason in the future, perhaps linked to the giant's yet unknown paramecia ability. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle event excellently exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {