National Treasure: Edge Of History - General Discussion

[BetterButter]

[AnimeMania]

National Treasure: Edge of History is a 10 episode TV Series that will stream it's first two episodes on Disney+ on December 14 with the rest of the episodes being released weekly.     

National Treasure: Edge of History explores the timely issues of identity, community, historical authorship and patriotism, told from the point of view of Jess Morales, a twenty-year-old DREAMer who, with her diverse group of friends, sets off on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover her mysterious family history and recover lost treasure.

Jess  Morales/Valenzuela and Billie Pearce are both on the hunt for three mysterious boxes. These boxes hold clues that must be solved in order to find the hidden treasure that Jess’ dad had told her about years before. Jess believes that if she can solve the puzzle, then she can learn more about her family and their past, not to mention a trove of gold. This takes them on a Pan-American journey.

Jess Morales/Valenzuela, will be taking the torch from Benjamin Gates played by Nicolas Cage, in the two National Treasure films.

Justin Bartha returns as Riley Poole, who was in the first National Treasure film in 2004 and the second film: National Treasure: Book of Secrets in the 2007. Riley is a computer whiz. 

Harvey Keitel returns as Peter Sadusky, the FBI agent constantly at odds with Nicolas Cage in the first two movies.

Armando Riesco returns as Agent Hendricks an FBI agent from the second movie.

Lyndon Smith plays FBI Agent Ross. Ross was top of her class at Quantico and was given a top assignment in D.C. But after she made a near career-ending mistake, she was reassigned to the Baton Rouge field office. When Jess and Tasha show up at her office asking for help, it’s Ross’ chance to prove herself by uncovering the truth about Jess and her mysterious connection to the treasure.

Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Billie Pearce, a badass billionaire, black-market antiquities expert, and treasure hunter who lives by her own code. She transformed herself from a penniless orphan to a shrewd, stylish businesswoman and adventurer. Billie’s used to getting what she wants—and she wants the Pan-American treasure. But not just for the money. This treasure has deeper stakes for her.

Breeda Wool plays Kacey, a sarcastic, kick-ass henchwoman and Billie’s second-in-command.

Lisette Olivera as Jess Morales/Valenzuela, a Latina whose brilliant and resourceful mind loves a good mystery, and she has a natural talent for solving puzzles. Over the course of the show, Jess will uncover her own buried history, as well as the truth about her parents and her connection to a long-lost treasure.

(L-R) Jordan Rodrigues, Lisette Olivera, Zuri Reed, and Antonio Cipriano

Zuri Reed as Tasha, who met Jess in high school, and they’ve been each other’s ride-or-die ever since. Tasha is fiercely independent, a social media personality and a tech genius, who uses her platform to fight for privacy and rally against big corporations. But when she joins the treasure hunt, she’s forced to reevaluate her belief system to help her best friend.

Antonio Cipriano plays Oren, a lovable but self-obsessed goofball with an encyclopedic knowledge of conspiracy theories, sneakers and business. He’ll spend the season attempting to win back Tasha’s affections and slowly learn that real love requires personal sacrifice.

Jordan Rodrigues is Ethan. Golden boy Ethan and Jess have been best friends since her mother Manuela tutored them as children, and Ethan’s loved Jess since the day they met. A Type-A rule-follower, Ethan will have to learn to relax his grip if he wants to be helpful on the hunt.

Jake Austin Walker is Liam, a swoon-worthy, struggling musician with a permanent chip on his shoulder who comes from a long line of treasure hunters. When his estranged grandfather passes away and Jess shows up talking about a lost treasure connected to his family, Liam finds himself magnetically drawn to Jess and the promise of fulfilling his late father’s treasure-hunting dreams.

Jacob Vargas plays Rafael, a rugged, treasure-obsessed, adventurous soul with a good sense of humor.

Tommy Savas will play Dr. Zeke Hudson, who works at the city morgue.

Joseph Reitman as Maddox, a mysterious Bearded Man who watches events as they unfold from the safety of his car.

[AnimeMania]

[AnimeMania]

New Video Trailer, if it asks for a Password, it is:      TREASURE

[AnimeMania]

National Treasure: Edge of History     December 14, 2022     Disney+ 

Episodes 1-2      Titles and Descriptions  

Spoiler

S01.E01: I'm a Ghost

22-year-old Jess Valenzuela’s life is turned upside down when she meets a mysterious stranger who holds a clue to an ancient treasure linked to her long- dead father. With the help of her friend Tasha, Jess uses her knack for puzzle-solving to try and crack the clue. But they both soon realize they’re in way over their heads when Billie - a ruthless black-market antiquities dealer - joins the hunt.

After meeting a stranger, Jess learns the father she never knew may have been a treasure hunter.

S01.E02: The Treasure Map

With their friend kidnapped by a rival treasure hunter, Jess and her best friend, Tasha, hatch an elaborate plan to get him back, leading to a ransom exchange on a WWII warship, where Jess realizes this treasure hunt is too dangerous to continue. But will all that change when Liam Sadusky lets her in on one of his own family secrets?

Jess's life begins to unravel as she's plunged into her dad's dangerous world of treasure hunting.

[AnimeMania]

I wish they would have thrown in more ancient history information, I would have loved hearing about how the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas lived. So far, the puzzles don't require any ancient history knowledge to solve.

[rwlevin]

I’m confused. Harvey Keitel wasn’t a treasure hunter in the movie. He was the guy trying to get the Declaration of Independence back and then he was annoyed in the second movie when Nick Cage kidnapped the president. When did he become a treasure Hunter? And who’s this son that died treasure hunting?

[AnimeMania]

S01.E03: Graceland Gambit

An old clue handed down by the Masons sends Jess and her friends on a caper to Graceland.

After Jess discovers her late mother’s involvement in the treasure hunt, Jess becomes even more determined to unravel the secrets her mother never told her about their past. She enlists the help of her friends and Liam. This newly formed team of treasure hunters bonds as they decipher a clue handed down by the Masons and embark on a risky mission that sends them to a mansion once owned by and American icon.

Premiere Date: December 21, 2022       Disney+ 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E04: Charlotte

In a clue-solving slump, Jess and Riley Poole are put to the test when caught in a deadly trap.
For the first time ever, Jess finds herself in a puzzle-solving slump when she can’t crack the clue found in the last episode. Her personal life isn’t any less confusing as she tries to figure out if she and Liam have romantic feelings for each other. At the wake for Liam’s grandpa, Jess and her friends meet famous treasure hunter Riley Poole (from the National Treasure movies) and enlist his help. Jess’s puzzle-solving skills are put to the test when she and Riley get caught in a deadly trap.

Premiere Date: December 28, 2022       Disney+ 

[chitowngirl]

You just know that Liam is not the snitch/mole…WAY too obvious. It’s never the first person suspected!

Edited December 29, 2022 by chitowngirl

[secnarf]

I really enjoyed seeing Riley again. I hope he isn’t a one-episode wonder, but at the same time having him around too much will end up stealing the lead away from Jess. 
I had assumed that there was some sort of bug or hacking going on for Billie et al to get the recording of Elvis. Interesting that they all leapt straight to “mole”.

[KaveDweller]

On 12/16/2022 at 8:38 PM, rwlevin said:

I’m confused. Harvey Keitel wasn’t a treasure hunter in the movie. He was the guy trying to get the Declaration of Independence back and then he was annoyed in the second movie when Nick Cage kidnapped the president. When did he become a treasure Hunter? And who’s this son that died treasure hunting?

He wasn't a treasure hunter, but he was a mason and they hinted he had knowledge of treasure. So he certainly could have been a secret treasure hunter, and we just didn't see enough of it in the movie because he was busy trying to to his job.

But I think they just wanted a connection to the movies. But I find it sad they had to give him dementia and kill him off. 

I watched the first four episodes this week and really enjoyed them. It sucks to have to wait for the rest of the episodes.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E05: Bad Romance

Jess and Tasha hunt for the spy in their midst while plotting a caper at the Governor's Ball.

Trust no one on a treasure hunt. Jess begins to wonder if this is true as she suspects someone close to her might've leaked an important clue to Billie, but she doesn't want to believe it. While Tasha uses her tech skills to ferret out the mole, Jess realizes the key to the next step in the treasure hunt is locked in the Rare Books Room at the Governor's mansion, leading Jess and her friends to plot a caper during the Governor's Ball, where Jess's trust in her friends will be tested.

Premiere Date: January 4, 2023       Disney+ 

[tkc]

So... who bugged Oren's shoe, or is that just a feature of shoes that cost $500? 🤔

[KaveDweller]

Pretty sure one of Billie's minions bugged the shoe. They've been following all of them, it would have been easy. Or maybe they did it while he was kidnapped.

It was dumb to do an attention-grabbing dance at an event where you are about to steal something. It was dumb of Liam to steal the journal where they had a better plan. It was dumb of Jess to run when she was accused of taking the journal. She could have just said "I didn't steal anything, see search me."

I have been impressed with these kids tracking the clues, but this episode they kind of messed up a lot.

[secnarf]

14 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

Pretty sure one of Billie's minions bugged the shoe. They've been following all of them, it would have been easy. Or maybe they did it while he was kidnapped.

It was dumb to do an attention-grabbing dance at an event where you are about to steal something. It was dumb of Liam to steal the journal where they had a better plan. It was dumb of Jess to run when she was accused of taking the journal. She could have just said "I didn't steal anything, see search me."

I have been impressed with these kids tracking the clues, but this episode they kind of messed up a lot.

It felt specifically like they messed up to serve the plot of they somehow wanted Jess to go off with Billy for reasons we will see next episode. Agree it made no sense with what we know about the characters.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E06: Frenemies

When a clue points to a famous historical landmark, Jess partners with Billie to pull off a heist.

Not knowing who's good and who's bad, Jess works with Billie and deciphers a hundreds-year-old clue that points to a famous 18th century landmark, and together they plan an impossible heist during an historic reenactment to retrieve the next piece of the treasure map. But things don't go as planned, and Jess is ultimately faced with the most difficult decision of her life.

Premiere Date: January 11, 2023       Disney+ 

[KaveDweller]

Glad Jess was smart enough to know that Billie was obviously conning her. And that Tasha was smart enough to track her and know she'd need help. They all redeemed themselves after last week's stupidity-fest.

I'm assuming this season/series is going to end with Jess finding the treasure and being granted US Citizenship as a reward, so it doesn't matter if she goes to Mexico.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E07: Point of No Return

Jess sacrifices everything to confront her dad's killer to find the last piece of the map. But that meeting rocks her world as she learns that nothing is what's expected on a treasure hunt, propelling her to make a dangerous decision that could land her in prison for life.

Premiere Date: January 18, 2023       Disney+ 

[nilyank]

I knew that the Salazar in prison would turn out to be her dad. I am wondering if Billie is actually Salazar.

[AnimeMania]

3 hours ago, nilyank said:

I knew that the Salazar in prison would turn out to be her dad. I am wondering if Billie is actually Salazar.

I was thinking the weird guy in the car that is always following them is Salazar. He will probably be a friend and help them fight Billy.

[KaveDweller]

On 1/22/2023 at 8:34 PM, AnimeMania said:

I was thinking the weird guy in the car that is always following them is Salazar. He will probably be a friend and help them fight Billy.

Yes, the guy following them in the car will definitely turn out to be a friend. Whether or not he's Salazar. Salazar will probably be a friend too.

I guess breaking her father out of prison is Jess's, "I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence." Not sure how she thinks she is going to pull it off. It seems like it will be easier to wait until Billie leaves and then visit her dad? I don't think he's going to tell Billie anything and she can't get to him in there.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E08: Prison Break

It's a matter of life and death when Jess and her friends's help with an impossible heist. 

It's a matter of life and death when Jess and her friends embark on their most impossible caper yet. Meanwhile, Liam teams up with his grandpa's home care nurse, Myles, in a desperate attempt to bring down Billie and her secret organization before they harm Jess.

Premiere Date: January 25, 2023       Disney+ 

[AnimeMania]

The Hairy Guy following in the car was a big nothing burger, a red herring. Nobody contacted him so that he would come to the right place at the right time, out in the middle of nowhere and/or nobody saw him following them for hundreds of miles across large open spaces.

I wonder if any of the Sandusky neighbors will report a load of black SUVs blocking the street or the multiple gunshots?

[AnimeMania]

S01.E09: A Meeting with Salazar

After getting captured by Billie, all hope of saving the treasure seems lost for Jess. Tasha, Oren, Ethan, and Liam try to track Jess down using Tasha's tech skills. Meanwhile, Liam finds a hidden cypher left behind by his grandpa, which holds the truth about Billie and the mysterious Salazar.

Premiere Date: February 1, 2023       Disney+ 

The National Treasure: Edge of History Soundtrack can be found here.

[AnimeMania]

FBI lady stupid, you can't handcuff a FBI agent to a pole and not take his handcuff key.

[KaveDweller]

Man, I was just starting to like Agent Ross. And her little romance with the medical examiner was really sweet too. I guess there is no realistic way someone could survive a sword going all the way through them like that?

But yes, very stupid to just leave her boss like that. Did she even check that he really put the cuffs on? She had seemed so logical up until then.

[MrWhyt]

enjoying this show but sometimes  I shake my head. Agent ross not checking to see if her boss, another FBI agent, might have his own set of handcuff keys? dumb. Also: ADS-B info is widely available on a number of websites you don't need to build something to track a plane.

[Artsda]

Wow I didn't expect them to kill her.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E10: Treasure Protectors

(Season Finale)

Jess and her allies try to outwit Billie using Jess's knowledge of puzzles and history to escape and protect the treasure.

Premiere Date: February 8, 2023       Disney+ 

[AnimeMania]

I really liked that last episode, it had more excitement, historical facts and treasure hunting stuff than all the rest of the episodes combined. I wish they would have shown more of the artifacts that were recovered.

[KaveDweller]

I really enjoyed the finale, and the whole series, but I feel the need to point out how incredibly stupid Billie was. 

She spends tons of money and commits multiple crimes trying to find a treasure, not to profit off of it, but to destroy it? Are there actually villains who go around destroying valuable hidden treasures for no other reason than "the truth is dangerous"? At the start of the series, Billie had one of the boxes. All she had to do was destroy the box, and then no one else would have been able to find the treasure. It would have saved herself a lot of trouble and a bunch of lives.

[secnarf]

I definitely thought it ended on a high point. I'm not sad that Agent Ross survived, because I liked her character, but I was a bit disappointed in the show for not following through with it.

[MrWhyt]

i also enjoyed the series, doubt we'll get a second season as I see no-one talking about it.

[snarktini]

I found CZJ's makeup very distracting! It made her look look like she was...decaying? melting? Hard to describe. And did it get worse as the episodes went on, starting with the more polished look you'd expect from Billie or am I imagining that?

[UnknownK]

Well she did go from a nice air-conditioned plane to the hot outdoors and humid swamps.

[WildFlower87]

Cancelled

https://tvline.com/2023/04/21/national-treasure-edge-of-history-cancelled-season-2-disney-plus/

[Artsda]

That's too bad. 

[KaveDweller]

Awe, I liked this show. Oh well.