What shows the mirror of Sir Francis Drake?

[Kaylee]

Some history reading recently led to some wandering about another possible "magical pirate setting" artifact that might come up...

As mentioned here --

http://www.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/catalog/dra...rake-intro.html

and here -

http://whom.co.uk/squelch/discover_coast.htm

The Spaniards had an almost superstitious fear of Drake because of his ability to locate their treasure ships. They called him El Draco - meaning 'The Dragon' - claiming that he had a magic mirror in his cabin to aid his navigation.

Apparently he was entirely too good at finding their treasure ships and suchlike for them to think it was simply mortal skill. Now wouldn't that be a fine thing for a pirate to go trying to find, eh? Imagine, mate... one look and you know just where the best prize on the sea is... who needs a waggly-faced compass?

Such musings then led to this little bit of speculation. Ignore if you please.. if you happen to know what *really* is gonna happen, please don't let me know. I just thought ya lads and lassies might could use a bit of musings in the long wait till next year. :)

**************

*BLACK SCREEN*

We hear the last stages of a fight. Scuffling, growls, things being kicked across a floor. We hear a grunt filled with effort, and the sounds of a man being strangled. We hear him gsap, struggle to breathe, kick at the floor.. and grow quiet...

*LIGHT SLOWLY COMES UP, red gel*

*FLOOR LEVEL Mouse-eye view*

We see the shattered mess of a captain's cabin on a ship. Things are strewn everywhere. In the background, we see a man's feet as he desperately claws amongst the wreckage of a cabin. In the foreground we see the dead man's hand, partially blocking our view of his killer as it lies limp on the floor.

The searcher sounds frantic, insane... he is desperately looking for something. He tosses something aside with a crash that obscures our view.

Finally we hear his gibbering grow ecstatic.. this is it! this is it!

We hear him laughing, gibbering softly to himself. This is it, this must be it.. what else can it be?

*OVER THE SHOULDER VIEW*

We see gnarled, scarred hands pull out an ebony box from beneath a pile of papers on a cluttered desk. It is deep black, battered about at the edges a bit but still intact. It is about a foot square, and 2 inches or so high. There is an ornate clasp at the front, and a DRAGON EYE motif in gold on the face of the box.

*DESK LEVEL "MOUSE-EYE VIEW"*

The killer's breath comes faster now.. he pulls the case towards him, and with trembling fingers unlocks the case.

The top is all gathered burgandy silk. A little knatty now, it was once obviously gorgeous. Lying in the bottom of the case is a SCRYING MIRROR. It is the size of a dinner plate, and glistens with a black light. We can see the flickering taper of a candle reflected in it. The gnarled scarred hands pick it out of the bottom of the case, trembling as they do so.

The killer places the mirror against the back of the case, and the camera pans across the base of the box.

(SFX- sub-level Dragon's Growl, quiet eerie voodoo-type music)

In the case, we see a wooden disc, about the same size as the mirror. It is a MAP OF THE WORLD.. crudely carved and inked on an ancient slab of wood. It is carved and inked scrimshaw style -- an early-early representation of a flat earth. We see the major continents, distorted though as early 16th. century maps are. Around the rim of the wood disc is a border filled with strange-looking "voodoo sybols." Maybe little shells and feathers and stones surround the disc, along with cast brass representations of the FOUR WINDS in each corner of the box.

The man's excited sounds continue. We see his fingers drop a familiar-looking short string of beads on the center of the wooden disc.

Finally, the killer speaks. We hear his old, strained voice almost growling..

"Show.. me.. Jack Sparrow"

Camera pans to the MIRROR..

we see it fog a little, then in false-color dim light we see a SHIP, from far overhead.

*CAMERA ZOOMS IN, TRANSITION TO EXTERIOR AIR SHOT OF THE BLACK PEARL*

The camera zooms in from the aft of the ship.. coming in from behind and above, circling around under the prow for a beauty shot before zooming in on the MAIN DECK.

Here we see a YOUNG GIRL (about 12) at the wheel. She is the spitting image of ELIZABETH SWAN as a child. Clad in a nice period gown, she looks a little out of place on this pirate ship. She certainly looks nervous behind the wheel, which towers above her. She jerks it a little here and there.

Behind her we see JACK SPARROW. He's older, a little grey in his hair, but still the same old Jack. He stands behind the GIRL, gesturing with a panicked, concerned look on his face, frantically trying to will the wheel into the correct position. She of course doesn't see him. Another jerk at the wheel, and we hear a SNAP offscreen.

JACK then DUCKS, his attention on the child and her steering as a rope and pulley fly narrowly over his head (he never even looks, just knows that it's coming).

Offscreen, we hear an IMPACT, and a man grunt and collapse.

Jack then reaches out in his characteristic manic style, grasping the wheel over the girl's hand.

In the background, the pulley falls slowly back to center behind them as Jack steps up.

"Let's just... set it.. this way, shall we?"

*Camera PANS and ZOOMS, to frame their faces and look at them as they stand face to face. Her smiling, him looking at her adoringly*

The GIRL turns around and is face to face with him.. seeming not to mind that goat's hiney breath in the last. She smiles and kisses JACK's cheek.

"I love you Daddy"

Offscreen - We hear a MAN'S SCREAM OF RAGE

The camera backs out swiftly, spins around.

*MIRROR EYE VIEW*

We see WILL TURNER. He too is aged, and not well. His hair is stringy about his face, his eyes mad, and a deep ugly scar crosses his face from ear to chin. He stands in the dimly lit captain's cabin we saw before, and howls with rage.

We hear a CRASH as the screen QUICKLY FADES TO BLACK

*BEGIN OPEN CREDIT ANIMATION*

[John_Flint]

that would be absolutely incredible...

[Janette Morgan]

Well, somebody doesn't care much for Will...

Seriously, though, it was awesome until it got to the Jack-and-Elizabeth's-child bit. Nothing against your right to support that particular ship, but I found it to be a wee bit irritating, especially in comparison to your marvelous advertisement of the mirror. Sort of the way Bootstrap Bill ended up drowning in the mass of extra stuff that was POTC2, but not quite so badly.

I must admit, you have me drooling over that mirror, though. That's even cooler than the compass.

*Janette does not want Jack and Elizabeth to have a child. Janette wants Elizabeth to get on her knees and beg for Will's forgiveness. Janette's version of the story would leave many fans pining for Verbinski.*

[Kaylee]

Well, somebody doesn't care much for Will...

Quite the contrary actually. As a human being, he's much the better man. Heck, I'd argue that were all these characters real, I'd posit that the grace and kindness Norrington showed when he lost Miss Swan made him the best of the three. (Prior to his fall, of course.)

As a character however Mr. Turner falls a little flat to me, though. Sure he deserves Ms. Swan... but since when do we get what we deserve? As another pyratical great has observed "life isn't fair."

Really though the scene just popped in my head one morning. Seeing PotC on DVD again, it actually seems distinctly possible to me.. Elizabeth has far too much pirate in her even from childhood to really settle in as a noble good lass like Will. "Peas in a pod" as Jack observed.

Anyhow, I guess we'll find out. I for one can't wait.

"Like powder through the flask, these are the days... "

Anyhow, glad you like the mirror. I've a mind to make one now actually, just to actually see it in real life. Just don't think I can bring myself to draw real veves on the thing..

[John_Young]

Well of course Drake would be tied to Dragons. Decendants of Dracula were said to have Anglized their names to Drake in England... so... think about that!

[Janette Morgan]

Problem with Jack, though, is that he's not really a one-woman man; I s'pect Elizabeth would get proper tired of competing in a short while.

(So glad someone ELSE feels that way about Norrington! I thought I might have been alone in that.)

It's also my personal opinion that real-life factors, to an extent, should be kept from the realms of fictional material. After all, it be reality that I'm watching the movie to get away from.

Mmm, dragons. "Geez! First krakens, now dragons? What's next, a singing dancing mouse with his own amusement park?" Seriously, though, with a name like Drake, how could there not be dragons involved? The name Drake, more or less translated, means "dragon". As you said, it was angelicized.

[Hester]

I'd posit that the grace and kindness Norrington showed when he lost Miss Swan made him the best of the three. (Prior to his fall, of course.)

and Janette wrote:

(So glad someone ELSE feels that way about Norrington! I thought I might have been alone in that.)

I didn't really take much notice of Norrington in PotC1. Too stiff and proper, and hidden under that hideous poodle wig.

But when he turned bad boy in PotC2 -- woo-hoo, did he ever get sexy!

Maybe he will wind up with Elizabeth. After all, Jack's still rooting for him.

But then, what could be done with Will in the storyline? He's too true-hearted to find love elsewhere. [Although Tia Dalma wouldn't mind consoling him, I'm sure.] Still, Will's faithful broken heart would mean he'd have to die a noble death -- possibly rescuing his father from Davey Jones' thrall.

Hey, let me see that mirror!

Cheers, Hester

[Hester]

I didn't really take much notice of Norrington in PotC1.  Too stiff and proper, and hidden under that hideous poodle wig.

But when he turned bad boy in PotC2 -- woo-hoo, did he ever get sexy!

I feel I need to illustrate my point:

Norrington in PotC1:

Far too stuffy to be sexy.

Norrington in PotC2:

Very sexy -- although he could perhaps do with a bath.

Cheers, Hester

[Kaylee]

"Geez! First krakens, now dragons? What's next, a singing dancing mouse with his own amusement park?"

Touche.

  Problem with Jack, though, is that he's not really a one-woman man; I s'pect Elizabeth would get proper tired of competing in a short while.

Kinda assume Miss Swan is a one-man woman, don't it?

I'm not quite so certain anymore. And I rather suspect she'd find ways of..um... keeping his attention. Possibly at knife point. Anyhow, I guess we'll see. Whatever they do, it looks to be a fun ride. :)

As to Norrington.. what can I say? I love a nice man in uniform. Especially southern-bred marines, all sweet and mannerly in mixed company.. all.. well. Never mind. :)

The mirror.. for now all I have is a guesstimate 3D model. I'll try a better render this weekend. I'm afraid I've projects aplenty before I get to making a real life one. Yeesh!

[Rumba Rue]

I just love an English accent....

[Hester]

Norrington in PotC2:

Very sexy -- although he could perhaps do with a bath.

Yes, in fact, I've just sent him over to Merrydeath's hot tub for a bath!

[John_Young]

   Problem with Jack, though, is that he's not really a one-woman man; I s'pect Elizabeth would get proper tired of competing in a short while.

Kinda assume Miss Swan is a one-man woman, don't it?

Phht. You get that Liz is a horny ho by a small scene in Potc2? Bad mistake.