Fountain of Youth

## The Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth as represented by the Mao Kun map in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

### Appearances

Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar (mentioned)
Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (mentioned)
Skipper Canteen (mentioned)

### Other names

Aqua de Vida

**The Fountain of Youth** is a location in the Disney Parks mythos.

## History

### Legend

The Fountain of Youth is a legendary water-feature in Florida supposedly capable of giving everlasting life and eternal youth to whoever drinks from its waters. It was first notably documented by Spanish explorer Ponce de Léon in the 15th century.

### Indiana Jones

According to archaeologist Indiana Jones, the Fountain of Youth is a, "Universal myth" with multiple potential Fountains of Youth located in destinations such as Florida, India, Peru and the Bahamas. In 1931, Jones and his affiliate Paco searched for the Fountain of Youth in the *Lost River Delta* of Cusco, Peru using an incomplete map. The archaeologist had to rely on teaming up with the League of Adventurers for the other half of the map to discover the temple.

Together, the forces were able to track down the lost *Temple of the Crystal Skull* in the Delta. However, the League was chased out of the region by the Crystal Skull spirit that guarded the temple. Jones himself was later lost within the temple leaving Paco to run operations in the temple. Eventually a tour-group happened upon the lost Jones and managed to escape the temple with him.

In 1935, Indiana Jones found another fountain in the Lost Delta of India within the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. The temple's patron deity Mara was said to have created the **Fountain of Eternal Youth** as one of their three gifts. In 1936, several tourists came to the Lost Delta in pursuit of Mara's gifts only to disrespect Mara by looking into their eyes. These tourists were saved from almost certain death by Indiana Jones.

In 1938, Jones sought after the Fountain of Youth in Central Florida, the location of the youth pursued by Ponce de Léon. Jones scoured Florida with his laissez-faire aviator Jock Lindsey who kept making pit-stops which hindered Jones' mission. Amongst these stops were the Fountain of Youth tourist-trap in St. Augustine and the sleepy town of Disney Springs which Jock fell in-love with. Ultimately the two were unable to discover the fountain.

### Pirates of the Caribbean

In Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, the Fountain of Youth was one of many paranormal locations documented on the Mao Kun map as documented by a Chinese navigator by the name of Wu Ling. At the end of this film, Jack Sparrow set out to obtain the fountain after having stolen the map and charting a course to Florida.

In the later instalments of the Pirates of the Caribbean film-series, the Fountain of Youth was a natural spring of water found on an unnamed Caribbean island. While giving extended youth and life, it also involved a convoluted ceremony in-which you needed two specific silver chalices, the tears of a mermaid and two people drinking from the chalices to work. It would be sought after by the British government, Spanish government and Blackbeard although ultimately it would be destroyed in a battle.

## Appearances and allusions

### Castaway Cay

In the backstory for Castaway Cay, explorer "Doc" E'Lan Vital travelled to the island in search for the Fountain of Youth before abandoning his mission.

### Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull

In this attraction, Indiana Jones traveled to a South American temple in the Lost Delta region of Cusco, Peru in 1931 on a mission to try and discover the Fountain of Youth only to be trapped in the temple by its spirit, the crystal skull.

### Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye

One of Mara's three gifts was eternal youth which they bestowed in the chamber of promise via the Fountain of Eternal Youth. In the queue, Mara is shown in a mural, pouring this fountain from a vase.

### Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar

In the story of this bar, Jock Lindsey and Indiana Jones were searching Florida for the Fountain of Youth in 1938 which lead to their stay in Disney Springs where Jock built his hangar bar.

### Skipper Canteen

One of the books in the library of the *Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen* is a book called, "The Fountain of Youth" by an author named, "Diego". The implication here is that the author is Diego Colón, the son of the colonist Cristóbal Colón and a rival of Ponce de Léon during his search for the fountain.

## Connections

### Camp Discovery

It is revealed in Camp Discovery that the League of Adventurers assisted in the discovery but were chased out by the spirit. On the ride itself, the fountain is seen within the first chamber as the waters run down from the Fountain of Youth's altar.

### Fortress Explorations

Diego Colon is a figure affiliated with the Fountain of Youth and is alluded to have a connection with it in the Skipper Canteen. Diego's father Cristóbal is featured in Fortress Explorations as having been an, "Honorary Member" of the *Society of Explorers and Adventurers*. Cristóbal has also been featured in the defunct EPCOT attraction *World of Motion*, which has also been introduced into the S.E.A. mythos via the Skipper Canteen.

### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

There are many allusions to Trader Sam being connected to entities connecting to the Fountain of Youth in this bar. Among them is a spyglass which he traded from Blackbeard and Angelica Teach in the bar along with references to Sam's friendship to Jack Sparrow. Sam is also revealed to be an affiliate of Indiana Jones and friend of his family with there also being a photograph of Sam in-front of the Temple of the Crystal Skull.

## Trivia

* In *Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides*, Ponce de Léon's appearance is an adaptation of the skeleton pirate-captain of the Wicked Wench from the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.
* The Rivers of the Far West are referred to as Thunder Mesa's, "Fountain of Youth" in an edition of the Thunder Mesa Daily Messenger newspaper.

## References

1. ↑ https://touringplans.com/blog/2017/04/15/s6\_skippercanteen/