He's not a fraud, the community just wanked him to god level status
And this flashback has humanised him
People treated him like the God Emperor of Mankind from Warhammer 40k
When in reality he was destined to be PK, it's a matter of fate
PK is not just about individual strength, of course Garp and Xebec and WB all have the strength to become PK
But it was never just about that, and that's what the story has always been telling us in flasbacks and in present day with luffy and the dynamics of his crew.
This is why Mihawk says it's more difficult, because you have to trust your life/dream to other people than yourself, and we now know that Mihawk was betrayed in the past, which echoes this sentiment even more
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It's also funny you say he's this generations Ace
Because that is very true, Shanks literally said Ace acts exactly like Roger
And what Garp said about his behaviour matches up, he'd always be in the frontlines, and he would always go after anyone who insulted his crew.
The rash manner in which Ace charged at Akainu for insulting WB, is exactly what Roger would have done in that situation.
The only difference is Roger was fated to not die against any opponent whereas Ace was.
I personally believe Ace's death is to also show that Roger would have died if he came up in the "Greatest Pirate Era"
That's what makes characters like Akainu and Mihawk so impressive from this standpoint. Being WSS in the greatest pirate era, and being fleet admiral in the most dangerous of times.