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

The saying 'History is written by the winners' serves as a central theme that Eiichiro Oda's epic author Eiichiro Oda has long woven into the story. Popular tales often fail to convey the full truth, including the most powerful characters in this world's intricate history. Kozuki Oden was no foolish performer dancing through the roads of Wano; he behaved out of duty and conviction. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who separated the Straw Hats, as well; he was doing them a favor. Likewise, Davy Jones signified more than a buccaneer's game in pursuit of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the peak of this idea. The whole Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, advising audiences not to judge the characters too quickly.

Legends frequently fail to capture the complete reality, even for the most powerful characters.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the God Valley event, stands as one of the story's finest arcs to now. Apart from the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they became icons — when their reputation had yet to outgrow their human nature. The past, as written by the World Government and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our perception of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Xebec, and even Monkey D. Garp. But both the government's accounts and the stories of those who were acquainted with them turn out to be untrustworthy, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Individual Prior to the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the bold spirit that sparked a new age of piracy, but before he became the Pirate King, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When people discuss his myth, they usually mean his second voyage, the grand quest in search of the guide stones that lead to the final island. However little is understood about his initial travels, the one that molded him before glory discovered him.

At that time, Roger knew little of the globe's secret past. His affection for Shakky guided him to the Divine Isle, where he uncovered the Global Authority's darkest realities: the extermination "games," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the existence of the world's hidden ruler, Imu. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's happening in God Valley, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his ship will make him realize his place in the world and seek the reality he glimpsed from Xebec's predicament.

The Truth About The Infamous Captain

Prior to this flashback, what we knew of Rocks D. Xebec was derived almost entirely from Sengoku's account, each to the audience and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a vile, power-hungry man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Monkey D. Garp had to join forces to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even present at God Valley; he was only repeating the Global Authority's sanctioned narrative of occurrences, the exact narrative the sovereign authorized to conceal the truth about Xebec and the incident itself.

In reality, Rocks D. Xebec, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who sought to overthrow Imu and dismantle the decadent World Government. We are unsure if he was guided by ambition, retribution for his clan, or a desire for justice, but when he discovered the government's scheme to eliminate the land where his kin resided, he gave up his dreams of conquest to rescue them.

This devotion for his family became his undoing. Upon confronting the sovereign, he lost his determination and liberty, becoming a puppet controlled to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness is left, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to kill him — thinking that dying would be a kindness in contrast to the torment he suffers. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the manga presents him in a positive manner during the God Valley events.

Is He Living Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually meet his end? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a servant to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the World Government's last ancient stone in continuous transit to prevent the ultimate treasure from being discovered.

Garp's Hidden Defiance

A further protagonist of the God Valley event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for years for standing by as Admiral Akainu killed Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment only grew more intense after the time jump, when he risked all to rescue Koby at Pirate Island, leading many to question why he couldn't do the same for his biological grandchild. Similar questions have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how could Garp work for the Marines, knowing the Global Authority treats genocide and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth uncovers something different. The moment Garp witnessed the Elders' grotesque forms, he struck without hesitation. His partnership with Gol D. Roger was not meant to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of defiance, an effort to stop Imu, who was manipulating Rocks D. Xebec as a tool to eliminate all in God Valley, even apparently, even the Celestial Dragons themselves. This event is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the current era and why he not once wanted to be elevated to Admiral, reporting straight to them.

The Past's Untrustworthy Narrators

Even though the audience are seeing the God Valley incident through a flashback recounted by Loki, covering viewpoints and events he obviously was absent for, I think we can consider this account as completely accurate. The series may provide an explanation later, maybe connected to Loki's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Still, the Divine Isle event excellently embodies the idea that history is written by the victors. This attitude is {