There are many inspirations and references which can be seen as the characters say most of them out loud but others are more subtle.

 

We will enclose the first season mostly as they are all intertwined. We have spotted movies, history, books, locations and myths references and facts.

 

It’s at the opening of the first season, that we are guided to the Royal Merchant’s treasure, some may call it the Seas’ Eldorado, with on it’s board Denmark Tanny. The facts about the treasure are not necessary true but they lay on evidences and journal found, as well as Denmark Tanny’s part. The authors still took liberty to create their treasure hunting world. Moreover in the last season, the treasure that the Pogues mainly seek is Eldorado the golden city, the authors might have been hinting us from the very beginning see : LE POINT SUR LES ÎLES 3/4 : L'île aux pirates, b. Des îles et des trésors)

 

The relationship between the Heywards and the Limbreys, as said in the series, is going way back, as Denmark Tanny was hanged, the Limbreys stole him. History repeats itself, as Pope founds the cross and Carla Limbrey took possession of it. Either people never change, or it’s blood nature, or just the author trying to make us aware by using a foreshadowing telling us history will repeat itself.

 

In the first season, we encounter the two separated worlds, almost Shakespearean, with Romeo (John B) and Juliet (Sarah) as the one that will eventually die together in the storm as the love suicide, they both committed to stay together, running away from their problems in both cases (see : LES AMANTS ÉTERNELS 3/3 : Âmes sœurs et pères ennemis)

 

Throughout the first season, JJ introduces the movie C.H.U.D. as him and his friend are in an old lady’s basement to find the Royal Merchant’s lost gold. C.H.U.D is similar to the lives of the characters in the way that they evoke inequality in society, with the Pogues living in the cut, and the Kooks, living at Figure Eight. He then again approach the idea that their lives are similar in the second opus, when the Limbrey family captured Pope, thinking they would eat him.

 

We can also depict the geographical references, all the places named, do exist, however the writers decided to reshape them to make it better for the story. Figure Eight is an island as well as Outer Banks but they are originally separated. Yet, another way to show the distance and wall between the two places, represented by the rich (Kooks) and the poor (Pogues).

 

L.L.