The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure ending explained

The period adventure film The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure recently debuted on Netflix after a successful run at the Korean box office. And needless to say, the film has become the latest binge-favorite of subscribers who love the combo of honest bandits and pirates as they embark on an adventure to look for a lost royal treasure.

But its tricky puzzles and chaotic conclusion may leave viewers trying to make sense of what happens in the end.

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What's the story of 'The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure'?

The premise of the film is simple. Captain Hae-rang (Han Hyo-joo), her subordinate Han-goong (EXO's Sehun), and her crew of pirates give shelter to the malnourished and on-the-run group of "honorable" bandits led by Woo Moo-chi. The band soon discovers that the vast expanses of the ocean hide the last royal treasure of the Goryeo dynasty stolen by its own generals.

While Moo-chi plans to use the treasure for his own gain, Hae-rang wants to find and use the gold to help the families of the bandits who died in her service. But apparently, they are not the only ones looking for the treasure, as the villainous general Bu Heung-soo also wants to get his hands on the lost wealth.

Based on the map they have, they zero in on Haegildo. It is an underwater cave where they find only silver ornaments and another obscure map directing them to the dangerous island known as Beongaesum. The place is pretty much inaccessible as it's known that storm clouds rain down lightning there 1000 times a day.

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'The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure' ending explained

Despite the difficulties, both the pirate crew and Heung-soo's select group of ruthless soldiers make it to the island, though initially, they are unaware of each other's presence. Here, the pirates discover an intriguing sight: only the mountain's peak on the island is repeatedly getting struck with lightning.

The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure moves forward with Moo-chi volunteering to climb the mountain in search of treasure. He discovers that Heung-soo and his men have already reached the podium, which is being hit with lightning.

Several spikes are driven into the ground, holding the heads of the generals who looted the treasure. He hides and observes as, one by one, Heung-soo's soldiers perish as they try to uproot the spikes because their leader thinks the treasure is hidden under one of them.

Heung-soo ends up correctly guessing the right spike but discovers a box filled with rocks and a goblin mask underneath before finding Moo-chi. They start fighting, and the mask ends up falling in the river below.

In a sudden twist of events in The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure, the cowardly Mak-yi finds it and discovers the actual treasure hidden in a cave shaped like the mask.

Meanwhile, Heung-soo's remaining generals, who are bombarding the pirates' ship, get caught in a volcanic eruption. The latter group is saved when Mak-yi arrives with the vessel containing the treasure.

On the mountain, Moo-chi and Heung-soo engage in a ferocious battle, and the former ends up killing his long-standing enemy despite being wounded.

Moo-chi and Hae-rang reunite, with the agenda to use the gold for a good cause. He accepts her offer to stay on the ship with her forever, kissing to seal the deal while the crew looks on in shock.

The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure is currently streaming on Netflix.