The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!

In 1837 London, Admiral Collingwood informs Queen Victoria that the Royal Navy has defeated major powers, but pirates remain a threat on the oceans. Victoria hates pirates and commands them killed, setting the stage for a clash between imperial order and adventurous rogues. The scene establishes the political backdrop that will shape every decision the pirates make.

The Pirate Captain leads a rag-tag group of amateurs who want to make a name for themselves on the high seas. To achieve notoriety, he enters the Pirate of the Year competition, hoping to plunder more than rivals. Their lack of experience contrasts with the seasoned captains who mock them.

After several failed plundering attempts, the crew boards the Beagle and captures Charles Darwin. Darwin realizes Polly the last surviving dodo is aboard and pleads for Polly to be entered into the Scientist of the Year prize. The Captain agrees, thinking the prize is money.

Darwin convinces the Captain to submit Polly to the Scientist of the Year competition in London to gain fame. The Captain hopes for a cash prize, but learns the prize is something else entirely. The crew heads toward London with Polly in tow.

Allowing the crew to stay at Darwin's house, Darwin schemes with his chimpanzee Mr. Bobo to kidnap Polly. The Captain's deception and Polly's safety become a bargaining chip that strains loyalties. The Pirate with a Scarf witnesses the failed kidnapping attempt.

Polly is displayed and wins the top prize, earning an audience with Queen Victoria instead of money. The Captain's true identity is revealed to the Queen during the ceremony. Victoria pardons him and commands Charles with locating Polly by any means.

Charles and Mr. Bobo attempt to kidnap Polly again at a tavern while the Captain is intoxicated. Polly is hidden in the Captain's beard, but Darwin and Mr. Bobo eventually capture Polly and chase them to the Tower of London where the Queen awaits. The pursuit tightens the royal-grudge dynamic.

The Queen offers a treasure to the Pirate Captain in exchange for Polly, who remains hidden in his beard. He accepts and reunites with his crew, though they doubt his tale. This bargain marks a turning point toward restoring his status on the seas.

With Polly presumably safe, the Captain rallies his crew and wealth to enter the Pirate of the Year ceremony. The Pirate with a Scarf remains wary of the Captain's story and motives. They set course toward fresh adventures in hopes of redemption.

During the ceremony, the Captain wins the grand prize only to be betrayed by rival Black Bellamy, who reveals that a pardon renders him no longer a pirate. He loses the prize, plunder, and license, and is exiled from Blood Island. His crew abandons him after he reveals Polly's fate.

Desperate to recover Polly, the Captain tries to knit baby clothes in London, only to learn Polly is not in the petting zoo. He discovers the Queen is part of a secret dining society aboard the QV1, where Polly is to be served. Darwin supports the Captain as the plot thickens.

The Captain and Darwin steal an airship to reach the QV1 and rescue Polly. Mr. Bobo searches for the crew as the Queen closes in. In the climactic battle, the pirates disrupt the banquet and prevail, ending with the ship torn apart by an accidental baking powder and vinegar explosion.

Polly is rescued and the Queen is defeated, but the Pirates' reputation is restored due to the bounty on the Captain. He and his crew set sail again, now joined by Mr. Bobo, seeking new thrills across the seas. Darwin remains on the Galapagos, finding a new romance.