The Mysterious Fate of the Jackdaw: Analyzing What Really Happened to Edward Kenway‘s Iconic Ship

At the start of Assassin‘s Creed IV: Black Flag, the Jackdaw becomes protagonist Edward Kenway‘s key vessel for plundering the Caribbean as a pirate. But by the events of Assassin’s Creed: Rogue over 20 years later, the once formidable brig has vanished into history. So how did this legendary ship meet its end?

Let‘s dive deep into the lore and evidence to unravel the Jackdaw‘s mysterious fate. For AC fans hungry for naval action, understanding why Kenway’s iconic ship sank could reveal insight into the Golden Age of Piracy.

The Known History of the Jackdaw

While the Jackdaw‘s early origins remain shrouded, here’s what experts definitively know about the ship‘s past:

• Purchased by Edward Kenway in 1715 – Records show Kenway bought the Jackdaw to start his pirate career after leaving the British Royal Navy.

• Sailed by Edward Kenway from 1715-1722 – As Kenway‘s flagship, the Jackdaw terrorized trade ships across the Caribbean for nearly a decade.

• Used in the slave trade from 1719-1720 – During this period, Kenway temporarily converted the Jackdaw to transport slaves per a truce with the Templars.

• Upgraded into a elite warship – Originally a modest brig, Kenway renovated the Jackdaw into a heavy warship equipped with a diverse arsenal of weapons.

• Last referenced in Assassin‘s Creed: Rogue (1752) – By the 1750s, the Jackdaw is still recognized by name, but no longer actively sails the seas.

So what happened in the 30 years between Kenway‘s retirement in 1722 and 1752 that caused the Jackdaw to disappear? Let‘s analyze the leading theories behind the ship‘s fate:

Theories Behind the Jackdaw‘s Demise

Sunk Off the Coast of Hispaniola

The most referenced explanation comes from an ambiguous lore entry in the AC wiki:

"It is unknown what happened to the Jackdaw in the intervening years, but at some point prior to 1735, the brig had returned to the West Indies, where she sank off the coast of Hispaniola due to unknown circumstances."

So was the former scourge of the Caribbean randomly sunk through some accident or storm? It‘s possible – but such an mundane end seems anti-climatic given the Jackdaw‘s iconic legacy.

Retired By Kenway‘s Protege

Another theory claims Edward Kenway‘s right-hand man Adéwalé took possession of the ship when Kenway retired in 1722.

As a former slave turned pirate quartermaster, Adéwalé had the nautical expertise to Captain the Jackdaw after Kenway. Could Adéwalé have simply retired the warship before it met a more tragic demise?

Or perhaps Adéwalé sold the ship for resources to fund the Brotherhood of Assassins by the 1730s. Without further details though, the Jackdaw‘s link to Adéwalé raises more questions than answers.

Destroyed During Adéwalé‘s Betrayal

In Assassin’s Creed Rogue, set in the 1750s, protagonist Shay Cormac hunts Adéwalé who has betrayed the Brotherhood of Assassins. This same game also features the “Jackdaw’s sails” as a ship customization.

Some fans speculate Adéwalé‘s betrayal led the Brotherhood to sabotage or purposely destroy the Jackdaw as retribution against its former Captain. But without hard proof, this too remains just conjecture.

Adéwalé’s history certainly intertwines with the Jackdaw. But just how and why remains stubbornly unclear even to hardcore fans…

Ruined as a Symbol Against Piracy

As the Golden Age of Caribbean piracy dwindled in the early 1700s, some posit the Jackdaw was decommissioned by Assassins or Royal Navy forces to symbolize the death of traditional piracy.

Allowing Edward Kenway’s legendary ship to rot away in obscurity could have marked the changing attitudes against swashbuckling buccaneers in the West Indies by the mid-18th Century.

Yet if any faction knowingly sabotaged the Jackdaw for this purpose, why hasn‘t a historical record emerged detailing this symbolic defeat? Once again, the true fate still eludes historians…

Conclusion: The Jackdaw Deserves a Worthy End

While no definitive answers exist (yet) for what doomed the Jackdaw after Edward Kenway‘s retirement, the lack of transparency seems almost criminal given the pivotal role this ship played during the Golden Age piracy within the Assassin Creed‘s universe.

Ubisoft may one day elect to officially close the book on the Jackdaw’s fate. But this mystery now primarily resides in the hands of the AC franchise’s fan communities.

Surely such an icon of pirate glory deserves an extraordinary ending fitting of the legends who sailed it? Whether sunk by nature, betrayed by allies, or defeated militarily, uncovering the Jackdaw’s tragic ruin should make for an epic tale.

For now, keep those sails billowing in our imaginations. But this old salt eagerly awaits whatever fabled end you eventually reveal for us regarding the Jackdaw’s final voyage!