When many think of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the first thing that might come to mind is Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, the swash-buckling, morally corrupt pirate. But by the time Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End rolled around four years after The Curse of the Black Pearl, it was clear to me that Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner and Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann were the actual heart of the story and the glue that kept the films together. That’s right, I’m saying that Jack Sparrow isn’t the best character in the franchise. Sorry. He is, at best, glorified comedic relief who can’t carry the films on his own. It’s part of the reason why On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales turned out so terrible. Ten years after the release of At World’s End, I’m choosing to focus on Elizabeth and Will’s journey, how they’re the heart of the film, how Jack’s final act to save Will proved him unselfish and cemented their bond, and how the culmination of the couple’s story served as a nice final chapter to a book that should have remained closed.
Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann are two characters who, from the first movie until the end of the third movie, experienced the most growth, both individually and together. At World’s End empowered Elizabeth in several ways. She had always had a point of view, but the third film took it to the next level in allowing her to not just react to all the events happening around her. It put her in a position of power, allowing her to make decisions that effected change. Her journey saw Elizabeth completely against a pirate’s life to becoming one herself. She became a leader that everyone, no matter how reluctant, followed. The transformation, from simply being thought of as only a governor’s daughter and a law-abiding woman, to becoming the pirate king, active outside the law, is powerful.
For Will, his journey becomes that of realizing that he will forever be a pirate no matter what. And instead of trying to reject this side of him, he used it to try and help his father be free of serving his sentence on Davy Jones’ ship. He tells Elizabeth that he has to fight this battle for his father, but it’s also for himself in many ways. The need to have a parent be proud of him, the need to do what feels right, and the need to prove himself so as to no longer be looked down upon for being a simple blacksmith all play a role in his actions. His and Elizabeth’s belief in each other, their ultimate belief that people, even pirates, will make the right choice in the end, make up large aspects of their character traits. Their journey as individuals is what brings them back together as a couple. From some of the (contrived) drama left over from Dead Man’s Chest, Elizabeth and Will realize that they had a lot of the same reasons for why they make certain decisions in that they were both trying to protect their loved ones through their actions.
I’d be remiss to not mention the two Pirates films following At World’s End. Part of the reason why they never worked is because both films were trying to recreate what the previous movies had lost with Will and Elizabeth’s departure. Their absence really proved that they were the glue that held the first three films together, the human factor in the midst of all the questionable characters running rampant. Their connection with each other and to the larger story helped to ground the films and add an emotional layer to the narrative. Their involvement in the narrative helped to level the playing field, adding rationality and sympathy to the story that the other characters quite simply lacked. Otherwise, the films would have been two and a half hours of unsolicited shenanigans going unchecked.
At World’s End also brought Jack’s moral journey to a close as well. For so long, the captain of the Black Pearl was only in it for himself and his actions proved selfish and morally questionable in several instances. Whether it was trying to get back his ship, sending Will to deal with Davy Jones, or allowing his ship (and everyone on it) to be destroyed because of his actions, Jack never stopped to consider what he could do for others. The finale of At World’s End showed us Sparrow’s humanity. His giving up on his dream of being one with the sea and living forever in exchange for Will’s life spoke volumes of his affection for the younger man and the bond they’d built over the course of three films. It was the only selfless moment he had where he expected nothing in return. He wanted to make sure that Will didn’t die and that he did that for him speaks volumes about the depth of their relationship. Without Will and Elizabeth, Jack Sparrow simply can’t carry a movie and his comedic adventures are left empty without the dynamics in which his relationship with the couple provided.
As far as the romance between Will and Elizabeth, I can’t deny that Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley’s chemistry is top notch. They exude so much passion through their expressions alone and their sexual chemistry is just oozing in every one of their interactions. They often interact with several people surrounding them, but the way that they gaze at each other, their eyes full of love and enchantment, makes it feel as if they’re the only two people in the room. Will and Elizabeth are very much like magnets drawn to each other, forced to part for several reasons, but always coming back to one another in the end. Their connection stems from their childhood friendship, the need to fight for each other and their relationship amid the chaos of their lives. At World’s End brings several of these aspects of their relationship to the forefront as they realize several truths about themselves, both together and separately, and choose each other regardless.
The third film allows several characters to flourish, the movie’s world to expand, and for the pirates to engage further with the new law of the land. It still retained plenty of humor, action, and adventure, but it was Will, Elizabeth, and their story that made Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End that much better. Their journey ended in a way that felt satisfying, but hopeful. And ten years after the film’s release, they continue to make up some of the best aspects of the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.
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