The Pretender: Island of the Haunted

Jarod [Michael T. Weiss] working as a professor and determined artifact hunter becomes entangled in a web of secrets after both he and Andrea Parker receive emails showing their mothers side by side, with a mysterious artifact glimpsed behind them. The clue leads Jarod to a small, hidden compartment beneath a curio shop, where a photograph of his mother appears to have been taken. The shopkeeper, who hints at occult echoes and haunted histories tied to the building, explains that the engraving on the wall is a trace of something older and darker. Meanwhile, Andrea Parker visits the same shop, leaving with a small doll, and later returns to The Centre, where she shows the doll to Paul Dillon as he reacts with a mix of fear and fascination. Angelo then paints a perfect image of the engraving and a vision of an ancient monastery, labeling it an “Evil Place” and murmuring the chant, > evil people, evil place.

The monastery lies on the Isle of the Haunted, a place Jarod has ventured to in search of his mother, and Ms. Parker follows him there. A shared urgency drives them to hunt for a set of scrolls said to hold prophecies about The Centre. As they piece together historical threads, Ms. Parker begins to uncover unexpected truths about her own lineage. The Centre’s founder, who used to reside on Carthis, connects deeply to Parker’s ancestry, casting doubt on who her father really is. In a staggering revelation, she discovers that her supposed father, Harve Presnell as Mr. Parker, is actually her uncle, and that she is, in fact, the daughter of Richard Marcus as William Raines. These revelations force Parker to reassess whom she can trust as the journey continues.

Tensions rise on the mainland as Parker surrenders Jarod to Centre authorities, only to later confront her father, Jarod, Raines, and James Denton playing the role of Lyle aboard a plane. When Parker asks Jarod to reveal the text of the scrolls, Mr. Parker is stunned by what he reads and, after grappling with the knowledge, grabs the scrolls and parachutes from the aircraft, seemingly meeting his end. On Raines’ orders, Lyle murders the pilot and co-pilot, but the electronics fail when Parker exits, throwing the plane into peril. Jarod convinces Lyle and Raines to release him so he can attempt a safe landing using his technical know-how, while Parker and Lyle scramble to reconnect the plane’s systems. A precarious crash ensues, Jarod escapes, and Mr. Parker is presumed dead as the chase between Jarod and Ms. Parker reignites.

With Raines in control of The Centre, the pursuit intensifies, and Lyle begins to act on his own to capture Jarod. Raines makes it clear that Parker will face severe consequences if she does not bring Jarod in first, adding personal stakes to every move. Their intermittent phone conversations reveal Parker’s growing sympathy for Jarod’s mission, even as she remains determined to capture him. The story crescendos as the coveted scrolls wash up on a deserted beach, their text hinting at both the birth of The Centre and the appearance of a Chosen One—“a boy named Jarod.” The prophecy leaves a chilling sense of inevitability, weaving together fate, loyalty, and the murky boundaries between protector and captor as the island and the Centre itself continue to shape their destinies.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:50