#COTBP

[velaryon-jace]

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) dir. gore verbinski

#potcedit #disneyedit #disneynetwork #disneyfilms #dailyflicks #moviegifs #filmedit #disney #potc #cotbp

[sepublic]

Now that I’m older, it’s occurred to me that Jack Sparrow really does play the role of the mentor figure in Curse of the Black Pearl. He’s definitely a very cleverly subversive take on the trope, but he is a take on it nonetheless; The older figure who teaches our young, hotshot hero how to act and passes on wisdom. “I knew your father.” An experienced member of a forbidden group that our protagonist learns to accept he is a part of. Acts as a call to action, and isn’t introduced until past the first few scenes of the film.

By contrast, Elizabeth and Will are established in the movie’s first scene, which further strengthens the actually hot take that they’re the main protagonists of the film and the trilogy as a whole, not Jack. Jack is just less recognizable as a mentor because he breaks a lot of the rules (more guidelines really) of the trope, and is treated as more than just a tool for our main character’s growth; He’s someone with his own life and wants and stake in this, too.

Jack Sparrow is ultimately the Gandalf, the Obi-Wan of Pirates of the Caribbean. And that leads me to my argument that PotC is the Star Wars of its generation, with its own Empire Strikes Back and everything. It’s got a lot of the same tropes and structure, but it’s mixed around and dressed up in such a unique way that most people fail to realize this at first glance. 

Take for example, the dynamic of Davy Jones and Cutler Beckett... This is just Vader and Tarkin in A New Hope; A more iconic, supernatural threat, physically imposing, who is nevertheless subservient to Just Some Guy who is British and represents the Machine that strips the world of its magic and wonder. Vader and Jones are more romantic, they’ve got sad backstories and are humanized to the audience; But Tarkin and Beckett are banal and simple, just ruthless men who don’t care, like in real life.

But while Tarkin dies in the first film to make way for Vader taking the spotlight, as well as his similarly theatrical Emperor, the creators of PotC clearly wanted to explore the dynamic of a supernatural force straining against his imperial collar, and the tension of knowing he is contributing to the decline of his own kind. They took Vader and Tarkin’s relationship and made it front and center, happening at the end of the trilogy and not at its beginning. And it is Beckett and the imperial machine that is emphasized as the true evil, whereas in Star Wars, the Empire takes orders from Palpatine and his Dark Side shenanigans, who are framed as the foundation for the conflict.

The crew reinvented Star Wars for a new audience, rather than just... pulling off of the brand and imagery of Star Wars, or copying it word-for-word. They understood the core foundation of the story and the earnest creativity that comes into making something both familiar yet inarguably new, which subverts the stories that came before it in a meaningful manner.

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #jack sparrow #davy jones #cutler beckett #curse of the black pearl #cotbp #star wars #meta #analysis

[kickingthepirate]

at last... this is my official contribution to will turner wednesday

#will turner wednesday #sparkle on! #will turner #potc #potc meme #pirates of the caribbean #potc1 #cotbp #curse of the black pearl #william turner #my potc meme #my memes #sparkle on! it's wednesday! don't forget to be yourself!

[owenhcrper]

Will Turner Wednesday - 5/?

#potc #will turner wednesday #pirates of the caribbean #will turner #curse of the black pearl #potcedit #filmedit #moviegifs #dailyflicks #dailypiratemedia #filmgifs #films #perioddramaedit #mine #my gifs #cotbp #potc cotbp #he's pretty #esp in cotbp

[cupcakeshakesnake]

“Pearl of the King’s Navy, you are”

#potc #pirates of the caribbean #potc fanart #curse of the black pearl #murtogg and mulroy #jack sparrow #captain jack sparrow #cotbp #furry #anthro #snake's art

[reinbewpastel]

Happy 20th Anniversary to Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl! 🏴‍☠️

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #pirates #curse of the black pearl #cotbp #captain jack sparrow #jack sparrow #pirate invasion long beach

[nequittezpaswrites]

Will Turner is not smart

Okay, so. I like Will. I enjoy him a lot. He’s got a good sense of humor, he’s brave, he’s pretty, he has excellent taste in women—he’s got a lot of good qualities.

Brains are not one of those qualities.

I never realized this when first watching the movies, but, uh. Will makes a lot of… questionable choices. And sure, from a Doylist perspective there are good reasons for Will to do what he does in a lot of cases. But from a Watsonian perspective he can be a little… unhinged.

Let’s look at Curse of the Black Pearl, shall we?

Unhinged Decision #1: Crossing blades with a pirate

This is a bad choice. First of all, I don’t care how many hours a day Will practices swordplay—he’s not going to be able to win in a fight if he’s never faced a real opponent. And since it seems like this is just Will practicing alone in the smithy while his master drunkenly sleeps, we have to assume that this is Baby’s First Sword Fight. Jack literally questions the wisdom of this decision in the movie, and he is right to do so, because it is a bonkers move.

It is an especially bonkers move because there are dozens of Navy officers running through the streets right outside looking for Jack. All Will has to do is shout and they’ll come running. They do come running, in fact, when they hear the commotion of the sword fight! There is no good reason for Will to engage in a sword fight with Jack Sparrow.

It’s great from a movie perspective, don’t get me wrong. This is my favorite sword fight scene literally ever. But in-universe, this is a weird and irrational decision to make. Even if Jack did “threaten Miss Swann”. Unhinged.

Unhinged Decision #2: Springing Jack from jail

This refers both to the decision and the execution of that decision.

So, in the sword fight above, Will makes it very clear that he does not like pirates. So clear, in fact, that he says, “I practice three hours a day so that when I meet a pirate, I can kill it!” Not him, it.

But Elizabeth has been kidnapped and Will is desperate. The Navy doesn’t think Jack knows where the Pearl makes berth, therefore won’t consult him, but Will goes to talk to Jack and finds out that he does know where it makes berth.

A reasonable person might share this information with the Navy. Hey, Norrington, Jack Sparrow here says he’ll lead you there if you promise you won’t hang him. Norrington might resist at first, but he doesn’t exactly have any other leads. He can probably be convinced.

But let’s say that Will does tell Norrington, and Norrington says no, because Jack Sparrow is a dirty liar who lies and will lead them on a wild goose chase, wasting time that could be spent looking for Elizabeth. Okay, Will—it is now a reasonable decision to spring Jack from jail.

Will makes a bargain: he will break Jack out, and Jack will lead him to the Pearl and help him get Elizabeth back. Will fulfills his end of the bargain, and then waits as Jack collects his sword and pistol.

This is how you get murdered, Will! This is a pirate! He literally held you at gunpoint hours ago. What if he lied, like pirates are wont to do? What if you free him and he just murders you and goes on his merry way? What’s stopping him?

None of this occurs to Will. Unhinged.

Semi-unhinged Decision: Stealing the Interceptor

Note that I did not say stealing a boat. If reason fails and the Navy won’t let Jack lead them to Isla de Muerta, then procuring transportation does become necessary. Will and Jack are going to need a boat.

Thing is, Port Royal is… a port. There are lots of boats around. All shapes and sizes. Most of those boats aren’t defended by Navy soldiers, and probably some of them could be reasonably manned by two people. Jack, after all, made it from Tortuga to Port Royal in Anamaria’s little one-mast boat. There are surely similar vessels docked in Port Royal, and I can’t imagine that it would be harder to commandeer one of those than it would be to steal a ship from the Navy. 

Sure, they couldn’t pick up a crew in Tortuga in a smaller vessel, but they wouldn’t need a big crew if they stole a smaller vessel. Jack’s plan seems to be negotiating with Barbossa for the return of the Pearl, so there’s no real reason that he needs a crew for that, either. Yes, he’ll need a crew to sail the Pearl again, but surely if he can negotiate for the ship then he could negotiate some sort of transfer.

This gets a pass on being totally unhinged because time is of the essence. They need to get to Isla de Muerta before Barbossa and his crew spill Elizabeth’s blood, realize she’s the wrong person, and murder her in retaliation. They have to get there quickly, so they need the “fastest ship in the Caribbean.” I don’t know enough about sailing to say whether the detour in Tortuga to pick up a crew undermines the speed of the Interceptor, so… semi-unhinged.

Unhinged Decision #3: Promising the Interceptor to Anamaria

What are you doing, Will? That’s not your boat. That’s the Navy’s boat! Even if you bring Elizabeth back, they’re going to be very upset about you giving their ship to a pirate! You have a much better chance of being pardoned for the capital offense you’ve just committed if you return their ship along with Elizabeth. Unhinged.

Unhinged Decision #4: Knocking Jack out

Why, Will? Why did you trust Jack all this way only to betray him now? It appears, from the movie, that Will overheard that he is “leverage” and believes that Jack is going to trade his life for the Pearl. But he doesn’t realize until later that his blood is needed to break the curse, because he’s still in denial about his father being a pirate.

Will, if the pirates didn’t need your blood, why would they give a shit about you? They certainly wouldn’t trade away an entire ship just to, what, kill you? Just what sort of bargain do you think Jack is trying to strike, here? Unhinged.

Unhinged Decision #5: Rescuing Jack in the most dramatic way possible

We’re skipping to the end here. Will putting a gun to his own head is a good call in context, and him failing to smartly word his bargain with Barbossa is a forgivable mistake. Decent to good decisions the rest of the way through. Jack’s rescue, though…

Will has already demonstrated that he can break Jack out of prison easily. I doubt the Navy has had time to change the structure of the cells—the doors can still be lifted free with leverage. Can’t you just… spring him from jail the same way? Or maybe take whatever Isla de Muerta gold you used to buy your fancy outfit and showy hat, and instead use it to bribe someone else to do it so you have plausible deniability?

There are so many people at the hanging, Will. So many soldiers with guns. So many witnesses to you doing crime. (This will come back to haunt you in future films, Will!)

Will explicitly states “If all I have achieved here is that the hangman earns two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. My conscience will be clear.” Oh yeah? Well I’m pretty sure Jack would prefer that the hangman earned zero pairs of boots, and that you’d planned a better rescue.

Will gets lucky because Elizabeth loves him back and convinces her father not to hang him and to let Jack get away, but Will couldn’t count on any of that and seemed 100% prepared to die. Unhinged.

#potc meta #potc #pirates of the caribbean #will turner #curse of the black pearl #cotbp #potc cotbp

[berubara-4-ham]

I can’t believe that Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl released 20 years ago. I edit my POTC x Wicked parody from last year and put playbill border to make it look like it a playbill

#max draws #pirates of the caribbean #PotC #Jack Sparrow #Captain Jack Sparrow #hector barbossa #barbossa #captain barbossa #wicked #wicked musical #cotbp #curse of the black pearl #playbill #sparbossa

[velaryon-jace]

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) dir. gore verbinski

#potcedit #disneyedit #disneynetwork #disneyfeverdaily #userpastel #paletmblr #filmedit #disney #potc #cotbp

[before-the-black-pearl]

Why is there literally not any hype from Disney about the 20th anniversary of Curse of the Black Pearl?? I swear if they don’t say something by July 9th, I’ve lost all hope for Disney!

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #pirates #curse of the black pearl #cotbp #captain jack sparrow #jack sparrow

[kickingthepirate]

Made this way back when to show why elizabeth is not only a pirate king but fashion and gender king

(please don't take this seriously by the way, it was just for fun hdfghdf)

#potc #pirates of the caribbean #elizabeth swann #futch scale meme #my memes #my potc memes #my meme #my potc meme #pirate king #mmh maybe i should do a drag king elizabeth au #cotbp #dmc #awe #potc 1 #potc 2 #potc 3 #potc cotbp #potc dmc #potc awe #curse of the black pearl #dead man's chest #at world's end #my edits

[gah-dang-chrysis]

i swear im not a norrington hate there was just no space 😭😭

#potc #potc 1 #cotbp #elizabeth swann #hector barbossa #jack sparrow #will turner #james morrington #potc fanart #fanart #art #my art #pirates of the caribbean

[mossiestpiglet]

The fact the CotBP is entirely about a crew of people trying to regain the ability to die because that risk is worth it to experience human life again is just more fuel to my argument that the trilogy is about the strength and beauty of humanity in the face of insurmountable odds.

#potc #pirates of the caribbean #cotbp #curse of the black pearl #potc meta

[theywhoshantbenamed]

CW: mentions and imagery of death, weapons, and violence(no gore)

I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and had sort of an epiphany.

It's well known by anyone who's seen the Pirates of the Caribbean movies that Will Turner was destined to be the captain of the Flying Dutchman

For one short but excellent observation, refer to this post below

So well put, that Will is favored and destined to play his role as the ferryman.

So let's venture further into analysis of his connection to death, the subject for evidence being his sword.

James Norrington's ceremonial sword:

A beautiful sword, a true testament to Will's skill and talent. It is a crying shame that nobody in his previous society - Elizabeth and Jack excluded - would acknowledge his craftsmanship. That aside, the sword shows up again and again throughout the original trilogy.

What is prominent about this sword is the recurring praise and admiration it receives from anyone who comes across it. This list includes some you may know,

James Norrington

Of course, this sword was literally made for him. It should be so that a man of his rank have such a gorgeous blade. In this scene, he holds it up and outward like a statue, and is seen swinging it around in the background as the camera switches to and pans over Elizabeth.

Governor Swann:

He holds it, as it was handed to him by Will, and inspects the blade and handle. Briefly, does he admire it, and commends Will for his master's work. Once again, such a shame.

Cutler Beckett:

I forget the details of this scene a lot, but it's important for this post to note that Beckett does subtly appreciate the sword. He unsheathes it of screen, is seen holding it over his head and brings it down to point to the floor before we see Governor Swann in shackles.

Davy Jones:

Before norrington draws final breath, he uses the sword to run Davy Jones through. A final act of defiance and bravery brushed off by the OG ferryman, who pulls the sword out of his shoulder. His tentacle hand wraps the handle.

"nice sword," he says, and turns to walk off screen, holding it out to admire(and for us to do so as well, going by the placement of the sword in the audience's view).

___

I trust and hope you the reader have figured out by now the attempt I am making. There is a pattern amongst the characters listed. A theme, if you will.

Death is their connecting fate.

Okay forewarning this is where my eloquence flies out the window and I sound like a conspiracy theorist on speed

All of these characters, who have held and/or admired the sword made by one Will Turner, have died.

Granted there is a lot of death in this franchise, and obviously a sword being the cause of someone death is no new thing, but there's something so prominent about the fact that all of these people have had a brush with this specific sword and later died. Not to say that the sword killed them directly, but that it has an influence. I wouldn't go as far as to say cursed, but there is something looming over the blade.

All these guys died, idk how else to say it, and really the scene that sold me most on it was this fucking dude right here

IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE, picks up a sword and just???? LOOKS at it? Like he's literally inspecting this sword with the curiosity and fascination of an archeologist while his fellow men die in battle around him. Now THAT is some crazy shit, for this sword to hold that much power of over someone that he just forgets his surroundings and throws caution to the wind to look at this beautiful beautiful sword.

OH and then he dies too, like right away, stabbed by the sword that he, for whatever reason, had pointed towards him.

Speaking of dying by THAT sword, guess what? There's another person on this list:

Will Turner:

Of course he'd be part of this list. As the blacksmith that made the sword, he is closely tied to it.

Ironic that he should die by his own creation, practically by his own hands.

Of course, he dies only very briefly in At World's End, before becoming the captain of the Flying Dutchman and thus being revived.

Anyways the short summary is that this spooky ass sword might be a little bit cursed but, regardless of it's damnation, adds more to the misfortune that shrouds William Turner.

#potc #pirates of the carribean at worlds end #pirates of the caribbean #will turner #governor swann #cutler beckett #davy jones #james norrington #cursing cw #at world's end #potc: cotbp #cotbp

[leseigneurdufeu]

so I’ve got a question for the PotC fandom:

At the beginning of CBP, we see Gibbs, good ole Gibbs, who’s part of the ship which carries the Swanns, and he’s got those words:

And since it’s all about cursed pirates indeed this movie... we can wonder what he knows about it? Then when it comes to taking the Pearl back, Jack goes to him first. And even tho he isn’t (that we know) cursed himself, it’s kinda weird don’t you think? He knows about the curse, he’s got contacts in all pirateeing ports, he basically lives in Tortuga, he’s got the trust of Jack Sparrow... but years earlier he already knew about the curse (at least secondhand) but worked for the navy?

I don’t even know what my question is. Do we have insight into his life before the movies (or between the timeskip in the ten first minutes of CBP)? What put him in pirating?

#pirates of the caribbean #mr gibbs #potc #cotbp #curse of the black pearl

[boltlightning]

pirates of the caribbean + moonlight

#pirates of the caribbean #potcedit #disneyedit #filmedit #elizabeth swann #bill turner #jack sparrow #hector barbossa #will turner #(sorta) #the curse of the black pearl #dead man's chest #at world's end #unsurprisingly: mostly cotbp #also unsurprisingly: everything in this gifset is cursed (literally) :) #most everything else that happens at night is understandably indoors or otherwise lit the fuck up with lanterns so. torchlight set soon #*userbolt #notes #1k #gif: potc