One Piece's Divine Isle Recollection Reveals Why Myths Aren't to Be Trusted Blindly

The saying 'The past is recorded by the winners' serves as a key theme that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Legends frequently fail to convey the full truth, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex past. Oden was no foolish showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of honor and principle. Kuma was not a merciless villain who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, the Davy Jones legend signified beyond just a pirate's contest in pursuit of emblems and followers.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we see the peak of this theme. The whole Divine Isle story acts as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the individuals too hastily.

Legends frequently do not capture the complete truth, even for the most powerful characters.

One Piece's most recent flashback, chronicling the Divine Isle event, stands as one of the series' best arcs to date. Apart from the thrill of seeing legends in their prime, it's gripping to see them before they became symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand tales, shaped our perception of figures like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Garp. But both the regime's accounts and the stories of those who knew them prove untrustworthy, showing only pieces of who these men truly were.

The Man Prior to the Legend

Gol D. Roger may have been guided by purpose and the bold attitude that sparked a new age of buccaneering, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man ruled by passion and the desire to explore. When people speak of his myth, they typically mean his later journey, the epic quest in pursuit of the guide stones that lead to the final island. Yet little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him before fame found him.

At that time, Roger was largely unaware of the world's hidden history. His affection for Shakky guided him to God Valley, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest truths: the extermination "games," the grotesque forms of the Gorosei, and even the presence of the world's hidden ruler, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about everything occurring in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will lead him to understand his role in the globe and pursue the reality he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to 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 new Marines. He depicted Xebec as a vile, ambitious 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 there at God Valley; he was only repeating the World Government's sanctioned version of occurrences, the very narrative Imu approved to bury the truth about Rocks D. Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, The captain, 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 guided by ambition, revenge for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the regime's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin lived, he abandoned his ambitions of domination to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his downfall. After facing Imu, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited awareness remains, he begs with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a kindness compared to the torment he endures. The reality of Rocks is thus very different from the story narrated by Sengoku, and the comic presents him in a positive light during the God Valley incidents.

Is He Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks actually die? An intriguing idea is that he is still a servant to Imu in the current timeline, acting as the scarred individual, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining ancient stone in constant movement to prevent the One Piece from being found.

The Hero's Hidden Rebellion

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Monkey D. Garp, who has endured criticism from followers for years for doing nothing as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That feeling became even more intense after the timeskip, when he endangered all to rescue Koby at Hachinosu, leading many to question why he was unable to do the same for his own grandchild. Similar questions have now reemerged with the Divine Isle recollection: how can Garp serve the Marines, knowing the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as sport for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The moment Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Gorosei's grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to vanquish some villainous Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out all in God Valley, including it seems, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the reason Garp detests the Celestial Dragons in the present day and why he never wanted to be elevated to Fleet Admiral, reporting directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the audience are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he clearly wasn't present for, I think we can consider this version as entirely truthful. The series may offer an reason later, perhaps connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the Divine Isle incident excellently embodies the notion that history is recorded by the winners. This mindset is {