Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Derek Kolstad, Netflix’s ‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch’ serves as a continuation of the iconic video game series, ‘Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell’, returning to the life of the man, the myth, and the legend, Sam Fisher. Once the most feared agent to walk the earth, Sam leads a peaceful life away from the challenges faced by his Fourth Echelon, a specialized intelligence and counter-terrorism unit dedicated to taking on the missions that no one would touch. With that sheer level of responsibility comes zero scope for failure, but by the time the protagonist finds himself back in business, things are well past the point of going wrong. Equal parts reluctant and eager to help, the veteran of the craft prepares to get his hands dirty again to uncover a global conspiracy. At the heart of this animated action thriller series lies his longtime rivalry with the Shetlands, except this time, the opponent seemingly has a noble cause. As the story unfolds, Diana Shetland’s peerless island, Xanadu, becomes the site of Sam’s investigation.
Xanadu Island is Fictional, But Might Be Informed by Real-Life Engineering Marvels
While Xanadu Island serves as the linchpin to the narrative of ‘Splinter Cell: Deathwatch’, the place itself is a fictional construct created by the creative team of the show, which includes writers such as Derek Kolstad, David Daitch, Katie J. Stone, and Naomi G. Davis. Although no specific place can be pinned as the island’s primary source of inspiration, it is possible that the root idea was taken from the famed artificial islands of the United Arab Emirates. In particular, the Palm Jumeirah resembles the Xanadu island, largely due to its emphasis on a sophisticated geometric shape that can be perceived from a bird’s-eye view. Furthermore, both islands are designed to be advanced living spaces, complete with residential and commercial structures, as well as planned roadways and other means of travel and communication. However, while the Palm Jumeirah is shaped like a tree, Xanadu has a different overall design. Moreover, unlike the real-life island in the Emirates, Xanadu is a privately owned space, crafted under Diana Shetland’s vision.
While Palm Jumeirah is not the primary basis for Xanadu Island, the latter’s identity as a global attraction is undeniably similar to that of the UAE’s landmark constructs. These also include The World Islands, which are famously designed to look like a miniature world map from the sky. Given the narrative importance of Xanadu serving as a microcosm of the world, with all the facilities one would typically need, this comparison gains more layers. However, much like in the case of the Palm Jumeirah, the differences between the real and fictional islands lie in the contexts behind their creations. What makes Xanadu unique is its emphasis on environmental friendliness. To that end, Diana Shetland in the story claims that the entire island is run on sustainable energy resources, with every single element in and around it being eco-friendly. While human-made projects of such magnitude are yet to take shape, the idea of a sustainable artificial island is not without precedent.
The Copenhagen Islands is the name given to the brainchild of Marshall Blecher and Studio Fokstrot, and it entails the initiative to create miniature islands of recycled and sustainable materials. Given that the prototypes of these islands have existed since 2018, it is possible that the show’s Xanadu Islands drew loose inspiration from the concept. The same can be said about the idea of an eco-friendly floating village, which was initiated in the Maldives. Dubbed the Brain Coral, the project vaguely resembles the larger intents of Xanadu Island, making the former a potential reference. However, with the difference in size, scope, and context at hand, it is more likely that Xanadu serves as the result of a creative exercise, where the idea of a constructed island that is entirely eco-friendly had more importance than real-life antecedents. To that end, the name Xanadu itself is likely a play on the traditional, metaphorical meaning of the word, describing an idyllic, utopic existence.
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