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"What is this?"
"Your Majesty. Caught him up in a fishing net. A fishing net."
"Sire, he's been telling stories. Stories that he—"
"We believe he's found—"
"...Ponce de León.
"
King Ferdinand, Captain and Fisherman, and the Castaway[src]

This man was a Spanish sailor who sailed on the Santiago under the famous Conquistador Juan Ponce de León in the 1500s.

Biography[]

Ponce de León[]

"Says he found Ponce de León's ship."
"Or sailed on it.
"
Captain, and Fisherman to King Ferdinand[src]

In the 16th century, the Santiago was sent to discover marvels of the New World. The sailor followed his captain, Juan Ponce de León, in the voyage. During a storm, the Santiago was stranded in uncharted island, hanging on the edge of the cliff. But Ponce de León and his men were able to explore through the wonders of the island, and eventually discovered the Fountain of Youth.[2]

Once at the Fountain, the sailor used the Chalices of Cartagena, along with the knowledge of the Profane Ritual, to absorb lives of several men, thus prolonging his life for more than 200 years. Through unknown circumstances, the Chalices were brought back on the wreck of the Santiago, with the corpse of Ponce de León. The sailor escaped from the island, taking the ship's log of the Santiago with him, and tried to return to civilization. However, he had no luck.[2]

Journey to Cádiz[]

"No, I told you! Ponce de León died two hundred years ago..."
"Aye, but he died searching for something, didn't he?"
"...The Fountain of Youth.
"
Captain, Fisherman and King Ferdinand[src]
CadizPalaceCastawaygivesLogbook

The castaway giving King Ferdinand the logbook.

By 1750, almost at the end of his long life, the ancient Spanish sailor was lost at sea for nearly two centuries.[4] Off the coast of Spain, the castaway was pulled from the ocean by a net from a fishing boat, and was brought on board. Though the ship's captain and the fisherman believed him to be dead, the castaway opened his eyes as the captain clutched the ship's log.[2]

The ancient sailor told the fishermen his story, which he insisted that needed to be heard. They agreed and sailed straight for the royal city of Cádiz, and took the old man to the royal palace of King Ferdinand. Because the sailor was too weak to walk, they had to carry him in a worn canvas sail. Arriving to the interior of the palace, the fishermen informed the King of the sailor's stories. In his dying breath, the castaway gave the logbook to Ferdinand as he revealed who he sailed with—"Ponce de León". By the time Ferdinand realized that the Fountain of Youth was real, the sailor eased into a death that long awaited him. Ferdinand then decided to send The Spaniard on an expedition to find and destroy the Fountain.[2] What happened to the ancient sailor's body is unknown.

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes & references[]

  1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides takes place in 1750. In the beginning of On Stranger Tides, the castaway claimed to have sailed with Ponce de León 200 years prior, where he was most likely an older man when discovering the Fountain of Youth.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
  3. This individual was called "Ancient Sailor" in the original Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides screenplay as well as LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game.
  4. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (junior novelization), pg. 8
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