The second year of the Franklin Expedition, January 1846: The crews of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror are wintering in the Arctic. They set out in the spring of 1845 under the command of Sir John Franklin to be the first to navigate the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. A second death, frostbite, and depression in the darkness and cold wear down the crew. Finally, spring arrives, the ice begins to break, and navigable channels are revealed. However, the largely uncharted waters are fraught with dangers. Ultimately, Sir John makes a fateful decision and steers the ships into the pack ice. A great tragedy destroys all hope.