Rough sketches and What could have been... (Part 4)

From what I remember of this guy VanCleef is he is a hero Pirate who eventually dies. I was supposed to make a scene that would foreshadow his death. I wanted to make something haunting including the Jolly Roger flag. My first sketch I think was nice and creepy but maybe too creepy like he was already dead.

I then went to what eventually would become the final. Here is the pencil thumb to sketch.

Final