Ever since its publication in 1883, Treasure Island, by Scottish author Robert Lewis Stevenson, pirates have captured the hearts and imagination of every generation with a sense of wonder and thirst for adventure. Not only that, the novel completely reshaped our ‘modern’ view of the wicked Pirates.
No longer cut-throats, rapists, scoundrels and all, we see them now as a cunning band of brothers, who have peg-legs, talking parrots and their own code. Their only flaw is the insatiable thirst for gold, which is conveniently buried on an idyllic tropical island, under the X-mark.
One of those spellbound boys, now grown man who still cares for Pirates, is Captain Filibbooo who returns to us with his version of the Treasure Island, and quite possibly the best version available which would impress even Stevenson himself.
An epic shot which encapsulates the essence of adventure with a hint of intrigue
Filibbooo writes:
Finally, I finished it! It took me nearly 3 weeks to create it from scratch. I used about 6,000 parts. Some days I got stuck a little bit, because I had no plan how to continue. Additionally I ran out of parts, so that I immediately ordered new ones.
The rock-work was really challenging. Especially the rock arch on the beach. The hanging bridge also was an adventure to build.
The island is divided into 2 modular bases (48×48). It can be connected to my LEGO IDEAS “Imperial Outpost”
Unfortunately I haven’t created instructions for this island yet. But to be able to rebuild it again, I should. Hope you’ll like it!
Do we like it? We love it! But, this is not the first Treasure Island that we know of. In 2015, riding on the success of the POTC theme, LEGO tried to bring back the Pirates theme with 6 sets, one of which was the 70411 Treasure Island.
Was this in any way inspiration for Filibbooo, we don’t know, and we don’t care, but as you’ll see throughout the post, the similarities between the two are striking (once you pare back the 5000 bricks and plates which stand in the way.)
Treasure Island MOC and the original set… remarkably similar, except the missing skull carved in the stone
Grand Tour Around the Island
The island’s west side features a gorgeous sandy beach, where, among arrays of activities, pirates wanna-bees can go tanning or crab hunting, all at their pleasure in the island’s all-inclusive offer
The west side is also the most accessible side with a well maintained pier where Redbeard’s daughter, Princess Argenta, cheerfully winks at the new visitors
First Mate Rummy responsibly drinks patrols the trail from the beach up and down, while keeping his only eye on the long deceased prisoner named Number Six
To ensure playability, and give easier access to Patrick McGoohan the skeleton prisoner, one section of the mountain top can be easily removed
Further along the breathtaking topside of the island, a totally secured and reassuring bridge connects two sides of the deep chasm
The island has its own spring of clean water, flowing down from the mountain top in the form of the most spectacular waterfall
However, the task of resupplying the reserves of fresh water can be hazardous for pirates’ health. Better stick to rum for a time being
Aerial image of Treasure Island, taken with one of those cheap drones well trained parrots. Hey look, sea turtles hatching
While thinking about the wildlife, Filibbooo had a clear image of a turtle nest, something he has never seen on any other MOC, which is strange, because they fit perfectly in the scenery, as do sharks, parrots and the monkey. And, speaking about the devil, where is Spinoza?
The far east side of the island marks the X spot, the treacherous cave filled with the hidden treasure and deadly traps… where only the brave enter and a lucky few escape
Long John Silver (one leg missing) guards for eternity the legendary treasure of Treasure Island
While this may look like something seen only in a James Bond movie, it’s actually a clever way to gain easy access to the treasure cave without losing any structural integrity of the cliff. Nice
Nietzsche remarked there are no beautiful surfaces without terrible depths, and he is right, as the adverse cliffs of the north side remind us that even a paradise island has its dark side
The Imperial Outpost
Sometime during the pandemic of 2020, Captain Filibboo vowed to fulfil his days with meaning, and thus chose to build LEGO Pirates sets. A year later he made a noticeable splash with his LEGO Ideas submission “Imperial Outpost“, which sparked an idea of a much bigger dream, a dream of a Pirate modular set! Ambitious idea, which many had but few, if any, accomplished.
Imperial Outpost combined with Treasure Island in a Pirate modular set, Filibboo’s dream shared by many in the community
If we had any reservations toward his modular dream, those doubts are now gone and we can only guess what comes next from this talented builder; a Redbeard galleon, an Admiral Woodhouse Imperial Flagship, or maybe something completely different, like the Indigo Islander template? We shall wait and see…
About the Builder…
Captain Filibbooo is one of those rare builders who does not need about the builder section, as his amazing work speaks volumes for itself. But, seeing that we are already here, let’s share some more info about him.
He hails from Germany, the fatherland of several outstanding contemporary Pirate builders (must be something in the rum over there), and when he is not building remote outposts and islands, he enjoys flying in his own a rented plane. While not a licensed captain, once inside the cockpit, he does not mind to be addressed as such.
He also likes to share his latest creations and projects on Instagram and Flickr. For his more audacious quest to bring back the pirates, go and support his submissions on LEGO Ideas.
If you are brave enough, come down to our Pirate forum and meet the man for yourself. If you feel intimidated by his lavish use of bricks, simply leave him a praise or question inside the comments regarding this creation.
