The Curse of Oak Island Season 12 Episode 23: Aim Straight for 200 Feet Depth

Hey treasure hunters, welcome back to another deep dive into the curse of Oak Island. And wow, episode 23 titled Family Ties just dropped some absolutely mind-blowing revelations that might reshape everything we thought we knew about the mystery. This isn’t your typical dig in the dirt episode. No, this one reaches across continents and centuries to uncover what could be the most significant breakthrough in years. Buckle in because we’re diving head first into symbolism, lost bloodlines, secret societies, and the very real possibility that the treasure we’ve all been chasing may finally be within reach.

But first, let me ask you something. Have you ever followed a mystery so deep, so layered that every answer only led to more questions? That’s the story of Oak Island. And in this latest episode, Family Ties, it becomes clear that we’re not just chasing gold or jewels. We’re unraveling a tangled web of history, faith, and possibly betrayal tied to ancient orders like the Knights Templar and the Knights of Malta. These aren’t just legends anymore. They’re leaving breadcrumbs that lead straight to Nova Scotia.

Let’s rewind for a second. This episode opens not on Oak Island, but in Gozo, Malta. Yes, we’re 4,000 miles away. Why? Because Rick and the team are tracing a theory that just might blow this case wide open — that a bloodline connection exists between the Knights of Malta and the Oak Island mystery. And we’re not talking vague references. We’re talking family names, symbols, even relics that match artifacts found directly on the island.

Inside Malta’s oldest prison, the team steps into a fortress saturated with symbolism. Graffiti and carvings etched into ancient stone walls feature the four-dot cross, a symbol also found on Oak Island’s infamous HO stone. That cross is rumored to signify the presence of holy relics. Let me repeat that. Holy relics. This isn’t pirate gold. This is potentially biblical-level treasure. The chills are real.

Back on Oak Island, work at the Money Pit is reaching a fever pitch. The team is preparing for the deepest and final dig of the season, hoping to tap into a place they call the “solution channel,” a subterranean cavity where it’s believed treasure may have sunk deeper due to collapsing earth. Think about that. Over 200 feet underground, a chamber may hold secrets untouched for centuries. It’s dangerous. It’s risky. And it’s their last shot before the season ends.

And while that engineering marvel unfolds, archaeologist Laird Niven and archeometallurgist Emma Culligan are examining a newly found ornate button. What they discover is staggering. It dates possibly back to the 1600s, made of zinc and copper — a composition that suggests an early manufacturing process. Here’s the kicker: it resembles the starburst button found earlier. One already linked to Malta. Coincidence? Not a chance.

And viewers, let’s be honest. When you start finding multiple 17th-century buttons with similar designs in a feature also home to a barter token and mysterious round structures, you’re not digging up random colonial debris. You’re peeling back layers of coordinated activity. Someone was here with a purpose — and they were leaving clues. This is no accident. It’s strategy. It’s legacy. It might even be destiny.

But it doesn’t stop there. Rick and the crew are scanning the Citadel in Malta. Once a prison, now possibly a treasure map carved in stone. Symbols matching those on the 90-Foot Stone — one of the island’s earliest and most mysterious artifacts — are now appearing on the opposite side of the globe. One symbol, six petals in a circle, has been seen in connection with the Knights Templar before.

Could these be instructions? Could the ancient carvings in Malta mirror the trap systems and codes designed to protect something sacred on Oak Island? And here’s where it gets truly wild. Rick points out how these symbols — dots and circles, flower patterns, coded messages — have exact matches in Europe, especially in Templar fortresses.

There’s even a symbol eerily reminiscent of what’s believed to represent the infamous booby trap system on Oak Island — the one that flooded the Money Pit in 1804 when the 90-foot stone was removed. At this point, we’re not just watching a treasure hunt. We’re witnessing a historical cross-continental puzzle coming together piece by piece.

And it begs the question: If all this effort went into hiding something, what on earth were they hiding? Was it gold? Was it the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail? Or is the true treasure something even greater — knowledge, relics, sacred truths?

So, let’s take a step back and talk strategy. The Lagina brothers — Rick with his introspective approach, Marty with his analytical mind — are doing more than leading a dig. They’re navigating a spiritual and historical labyrinth. And as we close in on the season finale, the pressure is mounting. Not just to find treasure, but to prove a centuries-old theory that now has more credibility than ever.

Let’s not forget: six men have died in pursuit of this treasure. The legend says a seventh must fall before it’s revealed. With each dig, the risks escalate. But the rewards — they’re no longer just financial. This has become a mission, an inheritance of history, faith, and truth passed down from those who believed in something bigger than themselves.

The Malta investigation is making it crystal clear — Oak Island may not be an isolated mystery. It could be the end point of a sacred trail, one marked by symbols, guarded by secret orders, and hidden in plain sight. The tunnels beneath Malta resemble Oak Island’s flood systems. The carvings mirror those on the 90-foot stone. And the button found on Lot 5? Potentially crafted by the same hands that shaped the fate of medieval Europe.

So where does this leave us? We’re on the edge of revelation. The Curse of Oak Island Season 12 is racing toward a finish that could finally connect centuries of history to a single point on the map. But this episode, Family Ties, proves that the real story isn’t just about what’s buried underground. It’s about legacy, brotherhood, and the relentless pursuit of truth across time and space.

Now, here’s something to really chew on: Why Malta? Why now? Of all the places in the world, why are the Oak Island team spending precious time in an ancient Mediterranean fortress miles away from Nova Scotia? Because they know — just like we’re beginning to realize — that history doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

These orders — the Knights Templar, the Knights of Malta — they were international. Their influence stretched from Jerusalem to Portugal, from France to the Canadian coastline. And if they moved relics, knowledge, or even entire treasuries, it makes sense that Oak Island could be the end point of a long, calculated journey. The clues in Malta aren’t a distraction. They might be the key.

And speaking of keys, let’s talk symbols. Symbols are everything in this mystery. They’re the fingerprints of secret orders, marks left behind intentionally — almost like spiritual GPS coordinates for future generations. When Rick pointed out that the carvings in Malta match the cryptic markings from Oak Island’s 90-foot stone, it wasn’t a maybe. It was a declaration.

These weren’t random decorations. They were messages — encoded in stone — meant to endure. Why? Because whatever lies at the end of this journey wasn’t meant to be found easily. It was meant to be protected until the right people came looking. And friends, the right people are looking.

This team has combined high-tech equipment with ancient manuscripts. They’ve connected boots-on-the-ground archaeology with deep historical analysis. And now, with the discovery of these similar symbols, identical buttons, and matching construction methods, they’re not chasing shadows anymore. They’re following a map. A real map. One written not on paper, but in architecture, artifacts, and legacy.

That’s why the final dig in the Money Pit is more than just a hole in the ground. It’s a confrontation with truth.

But the emotional weight of this journey can’t be ignored. Think about the people involved — Rick, Marty, the entire fellowship. For them, this isn’t about making a quick buck. It’s about solving a mystery passed down over 200 years. It’s about doing justice to the sacrifices of those who died trying. It’s about honoring history, their family, and the belief that some truths deserve to be found.

And as the team pushes the limits of what’s possible this season, we’re not just watching a TV show. We’re watching history try to reveal itself.

As we head into the final episode of the season, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The team is preparing for a potentially history-making dig, plunging deeper into the earth than ever before, targeting the legendary Chapel Vault. Will they hit pay dirt? Will they uncover relics that prove the Templar theory? Or will the island hold on to its secrets just a little longer?

Whatever happens, the evidence is stacking up. This isn’t just a legend. This is a story of faith, secrecy, and resilience etched into stone across continents — and it’s finally being told.

So stay tuned, explorers. We’re not just witnessing the end of a season. We could be witnessing the beginning of the truth. If you believe there’s something beneath the surface, something bigger than gold, then keep watching, keep digging, and most of all — keep believing.