One Piece's Divine Isle Recollection Demonstrates Why Myths Shouldn't Be Trusted Blindly

The adage 'The past is written by the winners' is a key motif that Eiichiro Oda's epic creator Eiichiro Oda has for some time integrated into the narrative. Legends frequently fail to convey the complete reality, even for the most powerful figures in this story's complex history. Oden wasn't a silly showman prancing through the streets of Wano; he acted out of duty and principle. Kuma was not a ruthless antagonist who tore apart the Straw Hat Pirates, as well; he was helping them. Likewise, Davy Jones signified beyond just a buccaneer's contest in search of flags and crews.

In chapter #1164 of One Piece, we witness the culmination of this idea. The entire Divine Isle story serves as a cautionary tale, instructing readers not to judge the characters too hastily.

Legends frequently fail to capture the full truth, even for the most influential figures.

The series's most recent look back, detailing the Divine Isle incident, represents one of the story's best storylines to now. Beyond the excitement of seeing icons in their prime, it's compelling to observe them prior to when they turned into symbols — when their fame had still not surpass their humanity. History, as recorded by the Global Authority and recounted through secondhand stories, painted our understanding of individuals like Gol D. Roger, Rocks D. Xebec, and even Garp. But each of the government's records and the stories of those who were acquainted with them prove unreliable, revealing only fragments of who these men really were.

The Man Before the Myth

Gol D. Roger may have been driven by purpose and the daring attitude that ignited a fresh era of buccaneering, but before he became the King of the Pirates, he was a young man governed by emotion and wanderlust. When individuals speak of his myth, they usually mean his later journey, the grand quest in search of the Road Poneglyphs that point toward Laugh Tale. However little is known about his first journey, the one that molded him prior to glory found him.

Back then, Roger was largely unaware of the world's secret history. His affection for the barkeep led him to God Valley, where he discovered the World Government's most sinister truths: the extermination "contests," the monstrous forms of the Gorosei, and including the presence of the planet's unseen sovereign, the mysterious leader. We are yet to witness Roger's thoughts about all that's occurring in the Divine Isle, but maybe discovering the child of a God's Knight on his vessel will make him realize his place in the globe and pursue the truth he caught a glimpse of from Xebec's predicament.

The Reality About The Infamous Captain

Before this recollection, what we knew of Xebec was derived mostly from Sengoku's version, both to the viewers and to new Navy recruits. He depicted Xebec as a despicable, ambitious man bent on world domination, someone so dangerous that Roger and Garp had to team up to defeat him. But as it turns out, the strategist wasn't even there at God Valley; he was merely repeating the Global Authority's approved narrative of events, the very narrative Imu authorized to conceal the reality about Rocks D. Xebec and the event itself.

In reality, The captain, whose true name was Davy D. Xebec, was a principled man who aimed to overthrow Imu and dismantle the corrupt Global Authority. We don't know if he was motivated by lust for power, retribution for his family, or a wish for justice, but when he discovered the regime's plan to eliminate the land where his family resided, he abandoned his ambitions of conquest to rescue them.

This love for his relatives proved to be his downfall. Upon facing Imu, he lost his will and freedom, turning into a marionette enslaved to their power. Now, with what limited consciousness remains, he pleads with Roger and Monkey D. Garp to end his life — thinking that death would be a mercy compared to the living hell he endures. The truth of Rocks D. Xebec is thus far from the tale narrated by the former Fleet Admiral, and the comic presents him in a favorable manner during the God Valley incidents.

Could He Be Still Alive Today?

But did Rocks D. Xebec actually die? An intriguing theory is that he is even now a slave to the ruler in the current timeline, serving as The Man Marked By Flames, keeping the Global Authority's only remaining Poneglyph in continuous movement to keep the ultimate treasure from being found.

Garp's Secret Defiance

Another protagonist of the Divine Isle event is Garp, who has endured criticism from fans for a long time for doing nothing as Akainu murdered Portgas D. Ace. That sentiment became even stronger after the time jump, when he endangered everything to save the young Marine at Pirate Island, causing many to wonder why he couldn't do the identical for his biological grandchild. Comparable doubts have now resurfaced with the Divine Isle flashback: how can Monkey D. Garp work for the Marines, aware the World Government considers mass murder and enslavement as entertainment for the upper class?

The truth reveals something different. The instant Monkey D. Garp witnessed the Elders' monstrous forms, he struck immediately. His partnership with Gol D. Roger wasn't to defeat some evil Xebec, but a bold act of rebellion, an attempt to halt Imu, who was manipulating Xebec as a pawn to wipe out everyone in the Divine Isle, even apparently, including the World Nobles themselves. This incident is likely the cause Monkey D. Garp detests the World Nobles in the present day and why he never desired to be promoted to Fleet Admiral, answering directly to them.

History's Unreliable Storytellers

Even though the readers are viewing the Divine Isle incident through a recollection narrated by Loki, including perspectives and events he obviously wasn't present for, I think we can treat this account as entirely truthful. The manga may provide an reason later, maybe linked to the giant's yet unknown Devil Fruit. Nevertheless, the God Valley event perfectly exemplifies the notion that history is written by the victors. This mindset is {