The Most Pause-Worthy Moment On Curse Of Oak Island

History Channel's "The Curse of Oak Island" tells a story about perseverance and determination. Brothers and treasure hunters Rick and Marty Lagina are bound and determined to figure out if they can dig up any valuables from Nova Scotia's Oak Island. The place has long been a target for pirate lovers and those who hanker for mystery — it's the rumored burial place for Captain Kidd's cache of gold, after all. All sorts of mysterious legends have been attached to the piece of land since, and it continues to draw those excited to discover for themselves if there's anything exciting hiding in its bedrock.

The skeptical Rick and the hopeful Marty have embarked upon years of hunting, digging, and drilling. They haven't managed to find coins in the island's treasure pit or been able to track their way to excitement using Nolan's Cross, but they refuse to give up. Nine seasons into "Curse of Oak Island"'s history, they've got quite a cult following tracing their footfalls through the wilds of Canada. So which moment during the brothers' many adventures is the most pause-worthy?

When Knights Templar researcher Zena Halpern handed the brothers a treasure map during Season 4, fans began to immediately buzz about its validity. Claiming it was from the 14th century, Zena told them she believed it might lead the Laginas to the Ark of the Covenant, hidden for centuries in an unknown place by the Knights Templar.

The fervor the map caused when it was first presented was undeniable. It caused speculation from fans like @GraysonLiberty, who think they've spotted a genuine article in Zena's work and have taken the time to screencap and examine it. It spawned dozens of threads on the show's subreddit over time from those who managed to track the map's history back to its original owners, deepening the mystery of its origins. It's also caught the eye of other Redditors who think that the map is a total phony. All of that speculation resulted in a lot of pausing for a closer look at the map, making its stills among the most iconic visuals of the series and allowing for a very pause-worthy moment.

Here's the bad news — thus far, Zena Halpern's map hasn't led Rick and Marty Lagina to riches — only to hunks of antique wood and coconut fibers. The propensity for finding both were teasingly brought up by their fanbase when "The Curse of Oak Island" was renewed for its fifth season back in 2017 (per Monsters and Critics). 

Lately, it's been more common for Oak Island fans to express their skepticism about the validity of Zena's map, especially because the brothers have never gotten it checked or translated by experts. Yet there are others who think that Marty and Rick are on the right track and might be led to a different, more exciting treasure by using it. Since Zena herself died in 2018 (via Find a Grave), one can only hope that the map will turn out to be the genuine article and bring glory to the "Curse of Oak Island" name.