20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Around the world rumors begin to fly of a mysterious monster lurking in the depths of the ocean. This monster is incredibly large and incredibly strong and has begun to attack hapless ships. 

The steamship Scotia was the latest victim in these strange attacks with the monster intentionally ramming the ship, leaving a 2 yard (1.8m) gash in the side of the steel hull. Pierre Aronnax, expert of the sea has been sent on a mission to find this beast and hunt it down.

The ship Abraham Lincoln is ready to find this monster and end its reign of ocean terror. Not only is it armed with cannons and guns it has a special secret weapon - the renowned Canadian harpooner Ned Land.

The beast is spotted late one night. Glowing brightly, Aronnax is convinced that the ‘beast’ cannot be a beast at all but something made by man. The chase begins.

The mysterious beast leads the Abraham Lincoln on a frustrating chase, easily outpacing the fastest ship in the American navy. Then, without warning, the monster heads straight for the ship.

Ned Land hurls his harpoon at the monster. It strikes a hard surface and at once the glowing ceases. Suddenly the Abraham Lincoln is struck and Pierre Aronnax is hurled into the boiling ocean.

Three men fell into the ocean - Ned Land, Pierre Aronnax and Conseil, Aronnax right hand man. After treading water for hours they suddenly find themselves on a floating island, the giant narwhal itself. Ned discovers that the beast is covered in steel plating.

After banging on the steel for hours a hatch opens and the men are pulled inside. The beast is of course not a beast at all but a submarine captained by the mysterious Captain Nemo. 

The three men discover they are on the submarine Nautilus after meeting Captain Nemo (nemo means ‘no one’ in Latin, so it’s probably not his real name). Nemo has declared that he has broken ties with humanity and will spend his life exploring the sea instead.

Captain Nemo declares the men are to join Nemo in his journey, never joining society again. Aronnax is secretly a little excited about the prospect of learning more about the sea.

Aronnax is taken on a tour of the remarkable submarine. Each room is filled with priceless artifacts, making Aronnax very curious about who exactly Nemo is and how he came to build and fund such a device.

Nemo explains to Aronnax that everything is provided by the sea; the food, the ink, clothes even the bedding and cigar tobacco. The whole ocean is Nemo’s farmland for him to use as he pleases. 

After settling in and exploring their new surroundings the three men are invited by Captain Nemo to go on a hunt. This is especially exciting for Ned as he loves to hunt different animals.

However once Ned realises that the hunt would be conducted on the seabed he backs out in fear. So Conseil, Aronnax, Nemo and one of Nemo’s crew suit up and go hunting on the ocean floor. 

Aronnax feels some of Ned’s fear as he suits up in the diving apparatus. Lead lined boots make it impossible for Aronnax to walk on board the Nautilus so he, and the others, are lifted into the ocean hatch by members of Nemo’s crew.

Aronnax is astounded by the beauty of his surroundings on the ocean floor. The sunlight is hitting the water at just the right angle as to light up everything in a rainbow light. 

The men walk through a beautiful kelp forest. All around them different types of fish can be seen as well as countless types of molluscs. 

Travelling on board the Nautilus the men see many wonderful things and go on exciting adventures. Together with Captain Nemo they discover shipwrecks full of treasure, giant pearls and hunt many different types of animals.

Ned Land however is continually thinking of escape, while Aronnax keeps finding excuses to stay a little longer and learn more about the ocean. Captain Nemo invites Aronnax on a nighttime walk, he wants to show Aronnax something special...

After walking for hours the men reach the top of a hill. Below them is a fantastical scene; an active underwater volcano. Lava spills out, forming rivers in what looks like man made rocks.

Aronnax realises with surprise that the volcano is in fact, flowing through the ruins of a city. Frustratingly he can’t ask Nemo any questions while wearing his diving suit but Nemo scrawls on a rock the word ‘Atlantis’.

Aronnax realises that Nemo must be correct, this is the lost fabled city of Atlantis. He is awed by the fact that he is one of only two humans to set eyes on the city since its destruction thousands of years ago.

Near the ruins of the city the men run into a colony of giant crabs forage. Lucky for Nemo and Aronnax they pay no attention to the men.

The Nautilus is fresh from its most recent (and possibly its most dangerous) adventure to the South Pole. The submarine got trapped in a tunnel of ice and everyone on board comes very close to running out of air.

They make a lucky escape but this latest mishap, and the increasingly erratic behaviour of Captain Nemo has Aronnax thinking it might be a good idea to think about escape.

By now the three men have travelled on the Nautilus for 17,000 leagues. Aronnax spends most of his days watching out the giant windows, or studying. It is one such day when a giant squid blocks out most of the view.

While Aronnax starts drawing this fascinating animal (they have never been seen by humans before) seven more of the giant squid come into view and start attacking the submarine. One entangles the propeller, making it impossible for the Nautilus to move. 

Captain Nemo bursts in and announces that electric shocks are having no effect on the beasts and hand to hand combat is needed. He raises the Nautilus to the surface. However once the hatch is open a crew man is immediately grabbed by a squid.

Valiantly the men chop at the arms of the giant squid, trying to free the crew member. After a long battle the squid disappears, taking the poor crew man with him to a watery grave. 

After the death of one of his crewmen Nemo’s behaviour becomes even more unpredictable. When the Nautilus comes upon a warship of some kind Nemo becomes angry and is set on attacking the ship. Not only does the submarine attack the ship but sinks it like a stone in a great explosion.

Aronnax is horrified and terrified of the murderous Nemo. Escape is their only option.

After delving into a deep depression after the ship attack Ned wakes Aronnax in the middle of the night and convinces him it's time to escape. 

Aronnax agrees but wants to take one last look at Captain Nemo. Nemo sees Aronnax but appears to have lost his senses completely. Aronnax, unnerved, runs up to the waiting boat.

As Aronnax, Conseil and Ned try to set themselves free of the rope that holds the boat to the Nautilus they hear footsteps. They have been discovered! The men get ready to fight.

Aronnax, Conseil and Ned realise that the crew has no interest in them at all - they have more important things to worry about. Dead ahead, dragging the Nautilus in is a giant whirlpool…