Hantu Island

Hantu Island
	; Even the map is misleading. Scroll down for an edited version.
Settlement in Panau
Type	Island with many mysteries and items of interest
Territory	West Tanah Raya
Coordinates	X:2290; Y:2220
Missions that take place here	Stranded

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Hantu Island is a mysterious island in Just Cause 2.

Description

It's a medium-sized island located in the northwest of Panau. Its name "Hantu" is Malay or Indonesian for "ghost" or "demon", referring to the large myth believed by Panauans that the souls of cannibals may live there.

Hantu island — The "EMP tower", bridges and other towers. The river in the bottom center, does not exist on the map. See the section "Map inconsistencies".

The island is notable because of its electromagnetic pulses that destroy all boats and planes in the area. It is revealed in the "Stranded" mission that the island is inhabited by 100-year-old Japanese soldiers who believe World War II is still being fought. Despite this, they still have normal weapons like Assault Rifles and modern trucks. The island contains no "discoverable locations" that would create a map marker, meaning that you can't get extracted to this island.

According to the map, the island is in the shape of a dollar sign - $. However, the real shape is different, shown in a picture below, under the Flak Cannon. The description that Sri Irawan gives you about it, shows a direct comparison with the Bermuda Triangle. The island is partly based on the American T.V. series, "Lost" and several notable features of the series can be found on the island, including the smoke monster, the word 'SEARCH' written in the sand, and the hatch.

This island may also make a reference to Battlefield Bad Company 2, the first mission of which you have to travel to an island to find out about a so-called "Black Weapon", which hence it's named, might be related to an EMP, a weapon that Hantu Island contains.

History (mostly speculation)

Hantu Island was first inhabited by cannibal tribesmen that soon died off. The only ones who knew of this event were local Ular tribesmen. A long time later Imperialist Japanese took over the island, creating a secret weapons facility that housed an EMP thunder machine. It can fire off electromagnetic pulses under the guise of creating thunderstorms, and making bolts of lightning hit enemy planes or boats. It is for this reason that many have suggested the Panauan Military doesn't venture onto the island. However, if Rico stands on the shore it is possible for a Panauan patrol boat to spawn (has been confirmed). During the end of World War II communications were cut on the island, thus the soldiers are still there, believing that they are still on duty, and that world war two still rages on in Europe and the Pacific.

Later on the mission Stranded you shut down the thunder machine and discover the island's secrets.

Completion

While the island itself isn't a settlement, there are a few resource items to be found on the island:

2 Weapon Parts:
- At the top of the eastern power supply tower.
- At the EMP tower.
3 Vehicle Parts:
- At the top of the western power supply tower.
- At the EMP tower.
- At X:3260; Y:3030.
1 Armor Part at the Ular Boys Bering I-86DP crash site X:2786; Y:2400.
1 Cash Stash at the EMP tower.

The EMP

See also: Japanese Military.

In the game

In addition, the island has strange-looking towers and equipment - a supposed "EMP" weapon that was originally to be "Emperor Hirohito's secret weapon". There are many smaller towers, but only the biggest one actually works. One can see and hear the weapon working while approaching the island. The main (tallest) tower is so large that it can even be seen from as far as Desert Peak. The EMP destroys any aircraft or boat that Rico uses to reach the island; however, planes flying at an altitude of at least 1.5 km and boats at a distance of 2.56 km will remain unaffected, as will any aircraft dropped in by the Black Market. Cars on the island are not affected.

If you tether a piloted plane to yours and fly over the island, the "EMP" will destroy your plane and leave the AI-controlled plane alone, therefore the "EMP" will only attack the plane or helicopter you are physically in. This is another reference to Lost when the planes fall, you can also find another fallen plane. The Japanese Quapaw located toward the top of the island would not be downed by the island's "EMP". The "EMP" doesn't stop the Black Market helicopter either. The "EMP" is destroyed during the mission "Stranded".

In reality

An EMP (Electromagnetic pulse) would not cause any physical damage to anything at all. Instead, it would instantly empty the battery of the vehicle and permanently demagnetize all magnets and digital equipment. That would cause a helicopter to crash, but smaller and older planes could still land like a glider. This would also mean that Rico's PDA would instantly turn into garbage and he would have to get a new one. The effects of an EMP on digital equipment can not be reversed or fixed. All digitally recorded info would be lost and the device could never be reactivated. However, an engine could still be fixed as it would only need a new battery. Modern aircraft also need their computers, so all of those components would also need to be replaced.

Simply put, if Rico went there, all of his electronic devices and equipment would shut down indefinitely, never able to be fixed. He would need to get a new one somehow.

Map inconsistencies

The map is incorrect at several parts of the island.

Hantu Island (map of secrets) — Map with all points of interest. See the full size image for better detail.

The river that starts in the middle of the island and goes west is in reality only half as long and doesn't go that far inland.
There's a river that doesn't show up on the map. It starts in the middle of the island and goes south.
The river that, on the map, starts in the middle of the island and goes east, is actually longer. It goes further inland from its map end. The real end is to the north-west of the map end, near the main tower.
The island extends about 300 to 500m further into the south than the map shows.
The smaller island, in the middle of the western coast, isn't a separate island at all. The small river on its southern side doesn't exist.
There's a lake at about X:2650; Y:1830, that doesn't show up on the map.
The island extends further into the north-north-east, on the map, than it does in reality.

Interesting items and their locations

Item	X	Y
Crashed Bering I-86DP. The aircraft components are scattered. This is a possible Lost reference. There's a sign on the beach, next to this plane - "SEARCH →".	1270	3490
Another crashed Bering I-86DP, next to 2 tower devices.	2760	2430
The "EMP" weapon (highest tower). There's a lot of smaller towers and things around it.	2290	2220
Another tower device. There's a collectible item over 100 m to the west.	3460	3180
More tower devices.	2980	4170
Another tower device. There are 3 small bunkers in the immediate vicinity.	2665	3515
Another tower device.	2480	3275
A large row of tower devices. The coordinates represent the approximate ends of the row.	2790	1465
	3380	1510
The Lost hatch.	1770	4350
"Black smoke monster" from Lost. A weaponless Panauan soldier that will follow you relentlessly, with smoke emitting from him at all times.	2170	1420
An enormous field of red flowers similar to the red Higan flowers that are said to mark the boundaries between the realms of the living and the dead in the Japanese Shinto religion.	1300	2000
	4120	2070

Weather

The island is constantly surrounded by a rain and lightning storm. The storm can't be seen from a distance and will "appear out of nowhere" when you're approaching the island.

The storm will disappear during the mission Stranded. Dark clouds and rain can sometimes still be seen thereafter the mission, but those shouldn't last forever and they won't be as bad as the weather was before the mission.

There's a glitch that can make the storm appear all over Panau if you go to the island before the mission. The only known way to fix the weather is to go to the snowy mountains and wait for about a minute.

See also: Just Cause 2 Bugs and glitches.

About the mission "Stranded"

"Stranded" is an Ular Boys mission that takes place on the island. It's the only mission on Hantu island.

The Japanese vehicles can't be seen before the mission.
The storm ends during the mission.
After the mission, you can go to the island with any aircraft, as the EMP will be gone.
Completing the mission does not affect any Easter Eggs found there.
The Japanese soldiers will still be there after the mission. If you approach the main tower with a helicopter, you might see how some of them use parachutes. They have the same kind of round parachutes as Panauan Paratroopers.

Imperial Japanese military vehicles

Main article: Japanese Military.

Trivia

The "The Lost Tower" Benchmark takes place here.
The "Smoke Monster" that resides here is not completely invincible. He is invincible to gunfire but will be killed if the player double grapples him to an aircraft in an attempt to transport him off the island.
The loud screeching noise that the EMP tower creates sounds very similar to the Smoke Monster's siren from the Lost TV show.
The Japanese somehow have Miniguns, which weren't used until decades after World War 2.
In modern terminology, the island is still technically Japanese territory for roughly 72 to 82 years. However, Sri Irawan refuses to believe this and he still considers this island to be occupied Panauan territory.
There is a Submachine Gun ammo crate at a bridge leading to the main tower. Why this is there is unknown
It is unknown how the Japanese Military got a hold of the Quapaw. One explanation is that it was being stored inside one of the Bering I-86DP(s) that crashed. In order to fit the Quapaw inside the Bering, it would have had to been disassembled. The Japanese, who would have never seen a helicopter before, would have had to figure out how to reassemble it. Another possibility is that the EMP shot it down and the Japanese salvaged it. Again the Japanese would have to have some knowledge about helicopters in order to do this so it is unlikely. Perhaps the Japanese took it from the Panau Military while raiding the mainland? Another possibility is that their EMP tower may have been deactivated for maintenance at some point while the Panau Military invaded.