The Sanctuary Island

[TyrannosaurTJ]

One of my bigger needs right now is to get some more information established about Sanctuary Island from JWFK. The Mantah Corp island is essentially second in this list, but we have a thread discussing that already here.

So one thing I have wondered is if it wasn't a real island and Lockwood was led to believe that it was and ergo started throwing money towards moving the dinosaurs to it from Nublar. Where was the location allegedly? How did Mills conceal the reality of the situation here by it not being real and no one, like Maisie or Iris, pointing this out to Lockwood? As I said, I have a lot of questions that I want to find answers to, but I have accepted them as unknowns for now until if any information can be found or shared.

[Jason Preston]

Lockwood trusted Mills with his estate, so I assume he followed whatever Mills said about the island without verifying it for himself. That's if the island was never real, which I don't think there's confirmation one way or the other to this day.

[Troodon_formosus]

The island is real as per Jurassic World Evolution, so while "the island is made up" is a popular fan theory there's no actual evidence to back it up, while there is soft-canon evidence suggesting it does exist. It seems more likely, to me, that Lockwood had previously owned the island (like, as a bird sanctuary or something) than Mills being able to pretend that they just very conveniently came into ownership of a Nublar-sized private island at exactly the time when one was needed.

[Jason Preston]

Jurassic World Evolution isn't really canon, though, so I don't think we should be obligated to follow its designation. Not that I necessarily disagree with it (I personally want to believe it's real), but to me, it's basically back to square one.

[TyrannosaurTJ]

Elements of JWE have been stated to be "soft-canon" so it's kinda a pain because we have a lack of official confirmation one way or another. I think this is Trevorrow and Uni's way of not playing sides in the canon debate that exists about what is exactly canonical to the series, while also allowing and insisting that the films have access to these various pieces of media for them to implement in the films in the future as story elements. I can't really fault them for the idea of doing this primarily to retain creative freedom without writing themselves completely and totally into a hole.

It's frustrating for the fans that want answers, but this goes to point out just about how much the "unknown" is a valid answer to questions too.

[Troodon_formosus]

The JWE games aren't hard canon, but it still leaves us with "the island exists in a game that tries to keep decently close to canon" versus "the island is made up according to a fan theory." Neither of them are *true* canon, but one has more merit than the other.

[TyrannosaurTJ]

Yeah, exactly. I guess the subject is of interest because there are some things I'd like to know about the island. Take the location of it and even its history of it and maybe its native name. Stuff that hasn't been put out there mind you.

[Dinos4Ever]

Jurassic World Evolution isn't really canon, though, so I don't think we should be obligated to follow its designation. Not that I necessarily disagree with it (I personally want to believe it's real), but to me, it's basically back to square one.

I'm inclined to agree with this. I consider all park builders to be noncanon events.

[TyrannosaurTJ]

I can definitely agree they are more non-canon than not. I just wish the cherry-picking "soft-canon" comment was more defined to let us know what exactly was picked and how much of it applies I guess, but then I get Uni (and Trevorrow's) decision in their approach as they wish not to alienate people who loved a particular thing.

The theory from Troodon makes sense to me at least that it was a privately owned island held by Lockwood that he acquired a long time ago as a bird sanctuary. I'd love to see some additional backstory about it and even the Mantah Corp island, but I doubt we're going to get anything like that ever. If we do, I'd be surprised. Oh well - to the realm of fan fiction with this where we can pretend we have a backstory until there is a real one.

If anyone wants to turn this post into a picture dump for that island, please be my guest.

[Troodon_formosus]

Also of interest is the matter of who owns Sanctuary Island, and Lockwood's other properties for that matter. The movie implied that he was going to leave everything to Mills in the hopes that he would provide for Maisie, but since Mills died, those properties would instead go to Lockwood's next of kin. As of the end of Dominion, Maisie's existence is formally known by the government, as is her identity as Benjamin Lockwood's descendant (and thereby his next of kin), so depending on how the court rules, this weirdass course of events could culminate with Maisie inheriting a fucking private island, gigantic cargo ship, and a mansion on the mainland, plus Lockwood's personal fortune.