The trolley pulls up and a young woman tells the Trolleyman that she's going to the Hotel Denouement. He tells her that it burned down years ago, and she says that she's looking for someone. As the girl gets aboard, she says that she's Miss Baudelaire.
In a nearby diner, Lemony sees someone following him and leaves. The man follows him, and Lemony says that he's been on the run for many years and he's exhausted. Now the organization he was a member of is gone. The case of the Baudelaire orphans has dried up since they sailed away from the burning Hotel Denouement many years ago.
In the past, the Baudelaires row as Olaf says that he's triumphed at last. Klaus and Violet say that the wind has died and they're too tired to row any further. Olaf threatens to release the Mycelium and the Baudelaires point on that it will kill him as well. He boasts that he has a plan: he's going to change the boat from Carmelita II to Olaf. Sunny suggests that they push Olaf over, and Klaus warns that it's a terrible thing to do. Klaus and Violet move toward Olaf, and he sees them and turns around. A storm comes up and a wave sweeps over the boat.
In his apartment, Lemony crosses off a list of his leads to the Baudelaires and figures that they're at the bottom of the sea.
The Carmelita II washes up on a deserted island. The Baudelaires wake up and see Olaf laying nearby. They go over and discover that he's alive. A girl, Friday Caliban, is nearby. The Baudelaires go over and Friday says that she lives on the island. Olaf tells her to bow before him, but she politely declines and explains that their colony isn't a monarchy. He says that the Baudelaires are his subjects and Friday says that she'll take them to the colony's facility. The elder, Ishmael, decides what they should keep and throw away.
At the colony, the colonists show Ishmael the things that they found washed up on the island. Friday brings the group in and Klaus says that Olaf is a threat to everyone on the island. Olaf wields the harpoon gun and says that he's claiming the island in his name. Ishmael finally remembers that he saw a review of Olaf as a nincompoop in a theatrical review that washed up. The colonists move in and trip Olaf as he tries to run, and they lock Olaf up in a bird cage. They take Olaf to the seawall and gag him as he tells the Baudelaires that he knows secrets about their past.
The Baudelaires asks if there's a way off the island, and Ishmael says that once a year on Decision Day the tide rises so that there's a passage through the seawall. They have an outrigger canoe but no one ever wants to leave. A group of sheep go by with amber-hued wool, and Ishmael explains that the diet of speech gives the sheep and the clothing made from the wool its unique amber hue. Friday's mother Miranda offers to get the Baudelaires fresh clothing. One of the colonists, Alonso, offers to make raw fish for supper. Ishmael says that fire is dangerous, and the Baudelaires agree. Miranda explains they all washed up in accidents, and Ishmael says that their motto is "Forget your troubles". He gives them a cordial made of fermented coconut, and warns that they don't have fresh water. The Baudelaires wonder if Olaf is safely secured, and Ishmael says that they placed his cage by the seawall and when it floods, he'll drown. Klaus wonders if it's cruel, and Ishmael says that it depends on how you look at it.
As the Baudelaires change their clothing, Klaus says that he isn't comfortable leaving Olaf to die. Violet figures that they could make a fresh start once Olaf is dead.
That night, everyone eats and Violet suggests that they make a water filtration system so they have fresh water and salt for their food. Ishmael interrupts to offer a toast to the Baudelaires, and everyone drinks their cordials. Afterward, Ishmael suggests that they all retire but asks Violet to stay. Once the others leave, Ishmael worries that the colonists' stomachs might not tolerate fresh water. He says that people had lives before they arrived, and ideas lead to more islands that lead to arguments that lead to schisms. Ishmael tells her to remember what got her stranded there in the first place and to not rock the boat.
Later, Violet tells Klaus that Ishmael is trouble and they have to leave. They agree that the memories of their parents are fading, and Klaus wonders if it's their fault their lives are bad. The orphans figure that Ishmael knows their parents, and go to Olaf in his bird cage. They ungag him and he says that he recognizes Ishmael and Ishmael recognized him, and had Olaf locked away so that he wouldn't spill his secrets. Olaf says that if they let him out then he'll outwit Ishmael and make the orphans his henchfolk. Violet isn't interested and walks away with her siblings.
The Baudelaires go to Ishmael's hut and discover that he's left. They follow his footprints to the beach and come to a cliff face. There's a vine-concealed door, and the orphans go through and find a rocky passageway to the other side of the island. They go through and find all the salvage gathered together. Sunny runs to a large tree and the trio go inside. There's a water filtration system, fritters, and Ishmael's journal. The journal has writing by Ishmael saying that he recognizes Olaf and is worried that the Baudelaires will rock the boat because Baudelaires always do.
There's a description of a Faraday Disc in the Baudelaires' mother's handwriting. Ishmael comes in and says that their parents lived on the island. He says that he used to be the principal of Prufrock, and activates the Faraday Disc to provide lights and music from a record player. Ishmael explains that the Snickets, the Quagmires, the Baudelaires, and Olaf all went there and when he met them, he recruited them into VFD to make the world a better place. Then it all went up in smoke because of the schism, and Ishmael abandoned his creation and lived on the island in exile. The Baudelaire parents came there to raise a family, and built all of the inventions in the tree house. One day an issue of the Daily Punctillo washed up with an article about the Baudelaire fire, and he knew the terrible things had come to pass. Ishmael says that he couldn't protect the Baudelaire parents but he can protect their children, and they have a decision to make on Decision Day.
Miss Baudelaire travels through the tunnels beneath the city, looking for someone.
The next day, the colonists gather on the beach and Ishmael asks if anyone wants to leave the island. The Baudelaires step forward and say that they want to leave, and Klaus warns that the cordial is an opiate. Ishmael strongly suggests that they drink some cordial. A castaway washes up and Ishmael realizes that it's Kit on a raft made of books. Olaf steps forward, badly disguised as Kit, and everyone knows who he is. Violet and Sunny run to the seawall to confirm that Kit is breathing.
Ishmael steps forward and tells Olaf to take off the disguise. Olaf tells him to do so first, and reminds him that he took a schoolboy and made him think that books and learning would keep him safe. He says that it's the end, and Ishmael says that he's going to Olaf back in the cage. Olaf says that he has the diving helmet filled with Mycelium and threatens to unleash it on the island unless the colonists hand over the Baudelaires and the canoe. Ishmael refuses, insisting that the Baudelaires are under his protection. He takes out the harpoon gun and prepares to shoot Olaf.
Kit wakes up and says that she saw the diving helmet wash up. Violet realizes where the diving helmet is and runs over. Ishmael shoots Olaf and also hits the diving helmet that he's using to look pregnant, releasing the Mycelium. The Baudelaires say that they need horseradish, and the colonists say that they have no spices on the island. Olaf stats to choke on the spores as well, and Ishmael suggests that they sail to Lousy Lane and the horseradish factory there. Klaus warns that they'll never get there in time, but Ishmael tells them that he has to do the best as leader even though they might spread the Mycelium.
The boat heads for the seawall, and Olaf staggers forward and says that life is just waiting for people who have wounded them to die. Kit moans in pain as she goes into labor, and Violet and Klaus go over to her. Kit asks if they have the sugar bowl, and Violet admits that they don't. The older woman says that sugar is in the sugar bowl... from a botanical hybrid VFD developed to immunize them against the Mycelium. Kit explains that she went to find Isadora and Duncan and didn't come to the Hotel. Violet says that they burned down the Hotel, and tells Kit that Dewey is dead.
Kit tells the Baudelaires to stay together, and the orphans go to the tree house to find horseradish or another culinary substitute. They go through their parents' spices but find nothing, and skim the journal to see if their parents came up with another antidote. Klaus finally locates a reference to the botanical hybrid in the tuberous canopy. Sunny says that it refers to apples in the tree house's canopy. The Baudelaires collapse before they can reach the apples.
The Incredibly Deadly Viper from Monty's arboretum slithers in and gives Sunny an apple. She eats it and then gives it to her siblings, and they recover from the Mycelium. They go to the seawall and offer the apple to Kit, but she says that it would harm the baby that is coming soon. The water is rising and Kit can't move, and will soon be washed to sea. The Baudelaires say that her baby needs them, and they're too weak from the poison to get her to shore. They have no choice but to ask the dying Olaf for his help. The Baudelaires offer him the antidote but he says that he's lost too much to go on. They ask him to do one good thing in his life and tell him that Kit is dying.
Shocked, Olaf takes the antidote, gets up, and goes to the book raft. He carries the unconscious Kit to shore and sets her on the sand, and then kisses Kit. Kit wakes up and tells Olaf that he's a wicked man, and says that one kind act won't make her forgive his failings. Olaf strokes her cheek and asks to see her eyes, and together they recite their favorite poem. He says that he never forgot her, and he hurt people after they hurt him. Olaf lies next to Kit and says that it's all over, and dies
Kit cries in grief, and Violet closes Olaf's eyes. The orphans then gather around Kit as she goes into labor.
That night, the group gathers in a hut and Kit names her new daughter after her mother Beatrice. Kit realizes that it's too late and the antidote won't work, and makes the Baudelaires promise that Beatrice won't be alone. She gives Beatrice to them and dies. The next day, the Baudelaires take the baby to the tree house after burying Kit and Olaf. Violet says that they will bring up Beatrice using the book their parents left them: An Incomplete History. They sit down and read to the baby from the book.
Chapter Fourteen
On Decision Day, Bertrand and Beatrice prepare to leave the island in time for their first child to be born.
Violet and Klaus continue reading the book, and realize that their parents never told them a lot of things. Sunny makes a cake for baby Beatrice on her one-year birthday and they blow out the candle for her. Violet says that it's been one year and a new Decision Day is coming, and they can't protect Beatrice forever.
Quigley is reunited with his siblings.
Fiona and Fernald have dinner while searching for their father, and he contacts them.
The acting troupe perform for a grateful audience.
The Incredibly Deadly Venom takes an apple to Ishmael's outrigger.
The Baudelaires prepare to leave the island with Beatrice, and discover that the boat's original name is Beatrice. They take Beatrice with them and sail home
------
Lemony packs and prepares to move on. A piece of mail arrives under his door addressed to him, and Lemony realizes that it's an invitation from his niece Beatrice inviting him to share a story and a root beer float. Lemony goes to a diner and Beatrice calls to him. She introduces herself and when he sits down with her, she tells him the story of the Baudelaires. Lemony says that he knows parts of the story, but not the part about Finnish lady pirates. Beatrice is glad to tell him.
Written by Gadfly on Feb 10, 2019