The Island of Fortune is a comic short story published in the Disney Adventures comics, set in the Pirates of the Caribbean during the Age of Piracy. It was published under the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End title.
Synopsis[]
The Black Pearl is sailing across the Arabian Sea, following the ship with red sails. Bootstrap Bill is steering the Pearl. A few days earlier, in Mocha Bay, on the coast of the Red Sea, Jack is having a conversation with Rajeev Kemar, the oldest pirate in the world. Jack offers him a bottle of a mysterious blue liquid called the Breath of the North Star, which he recently stole from the Caliph of Dhafar. In exchange, Kemar gives him a map of the Island of Fortune. Jack intends to find a special treasure, the secret of fortune, so he could avoid bad luck for the rest of his life. As Jack leaves, Kemar says that success and failure are the two sides of the same coin. Suddenly, the Caliph of Dhafar and his men appear, taking Kemar prisoner and reclaiming the Breath of the North Star.
Later, the Black Pearl is anchored of the coast and Jack and Bill go ashore. As they walk Jack lists stealing, old maps, and treasure hunting, and asks Bill if he would like to change his way of life for another, to which Bill replies negatively. They find an Oriental-looking tent and Jack asks Bill if he knows what he likes the most in their life, revealing it's the surprises that life puts in their way. They enter the tent, finding an Arabian woman who introduces herself as Ranjha. When she asks what are they looking for Jack says he wants the secret of fortune, and he is ready to face misfortune to get it. Ranjha agrees to tattoo the three magical symbols on Jack's back that will bring him fortune, but just as she begins the Caliph of Dhafar and his men burst into the tent, capturing Ranjha. The Caliph reveals he intends to make Ranjha his slave, because she is the real treasure of the Island of Fortune―she is the fortune bringer, while the tattoo brings bad luck.
Later, the Black Pearl is chasing the Caliph's ship, but the Pearl is surrounded by stormy weather, while the other vessel has calm seas ahead. As the wind and lightnings surround the Pearl, Bill says they're being followed by bad luck, and it would be better to give up their pursuit. Jack refuses, and grabs a rope that holds one side of the yardarm, while cutting the rope that holds the other side. The height of the falling yardarm and sail launches Jack into the air and he falls on the Caliph's ship.
Jack pulls out his pistol but it's empty. The Caliph's men attack him and he uses the pistol as a club to defend himself. The Caliph taunts Jack, asking him if he's so angry because he stole Jack's treasure, or because Jack had the treasure in his hands and never even knew it. Jack takes a sword from one of his opponents and throws it at the Caliph, narrowly missing him and replying that no treasure is worth more than freedom. The Caliph laughs at Jack because he missed him, but Jack reveals he didn't. The sword had damaged the bottle with the Breath of the North Star, and the glass starts to crack. The liquid flows onto deck, magically covering the whole ship in ice and freezing the crew. Jack and Ranjha escape back to the Pearl which is now sailing on calm seas, while the Caliph's ship has turned into an iceberg.
Back on the Island of Fortune, Ranhja finishes Jack's tattoo, declaring that it will bring him neither good nor bad luck, he will be neither lucky nor unlucky, and he will simply be Captain Jack Sparrow. Satisfied, Jack states that he can now face the bad luck... and win. As Jack leaves the tent Ranhja bids him farewell.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Jack Sparrow
- William Turner Sr.
- Rajeev Kemar (First appearance)
- Caliph of Dhafar (First appearance)
- Ranjha (First appearance)
Locations[]
- Red Sea (First appearance)
- Arabian Sea (First appearance)
- Island of Fortune (First appearance)
Objects and weapons[]
Organizations and titles[]
Ships[]
- Black Pearl
- Caliph's ship (First appearance)
Miscellanea[]
Trivia[]
- Though the story is published under the At World's End title, it is chronologically set before the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl.