Magellan's quest to reach the Spice Islands remains undaunted. But on September 20,
1519, he realizes his path will not lead east, under the flag of Portugal and King Manuel, but
to the west, under the flag of Spain and King Charles V.
In preparation for the mission, Magellan enlists a young marine named Antonio Pigafetta,
a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in Rhodes, who soon proves himself as a gifted
naturalist, linguist, and fleet historian. The fleet leaves Spain in search of a fabled strait
located at the tip of South America. Throughout the journey Magellan and his crewmen must
endure violent storms, shipwrecks, mutinies, executions, cannibals, giants, starvation, and
disease. Then, 98 days crossing the Pacific without landfall adds more suffering and death to
an already weakened crew.
The Armada faces its' greatest challenge in the Philippines, when Magellan is killed in the
Battle at Mactan, and suffers further losses in the Massacre at Cebu. Depleted in ships and
men, the remaining crew find the will to complete the mission and return to Spain alive. The
three-year odyssey will be remembered as the greatest sea voyage of all time.