#dead man's chest

[elventhespian]

So like... it's a Thing in all fandoms where fans sort of latch onto fanon versions of characters and their dynamics with each other that are actually completely off-base, right? I don't know if this phenomenon has an official name, but I've seen it so many times and it's fascinated me every time. Especially when a character's popular fanon selves don't end up just diluted from their source material, but straight up OPPOSITE their canon portrayal.

So one of my "favorite" variations on this was how the early PotC fandom used to get Will EXTREMELY wrong, especially in comparison to Jack, and it made finding in-character fics SO. DAMN. DIFFICULT.

I've talked about this MULTIPLE times before, as have several other fans. It's a dead horse being beaten. But basically certain prevalent takes on fanon!Will have in the past leaned towards a personality that was very patient and grounded and even demure to contrast against Jack's off-beat personality and Elizabeth's fiery rebelliousness. Because Elizabeth has the drive to push back against social norms, Will became the foil who fell back to his pre-pirate version, reluctant to break rules unless she pulled him into it, even in post-CotBP timelines. Likewise, Jack was the one with the WTF decision making, while Will was more rooted in reasonable decisions.

And by their appearances, archetypes, and certain elements of their world views, you'd THINK that's how it works. When we meet Will in the governor's foyer, Will is so lovestruck and doe-eyed and subservient to the governor, I think that people thought that's just Who He Is. Especially because he often acts as Jack's straight-man foil in the comedic elements. Straight-laced. Rigid. Even boring or timid.

But if you actually pay attention to the movies, it's very much the opposite. In canon, Jack's USUALLY the level-headed one who just happens to have chaos follow him, because of the way he can wield it. He thinks in long run, tries to solve problems with words and as little fighting as possible as often as he can. Ideal situations for Jack are more like a thief--he wants to be in and out of the job as silently and slick as possible. The scenarios he's in are insane, because the way he throws other people around with those scenarios is kind of insane, but he himself remains largely cool and collected.

That's Jack.

THIS is Will:

Canon!Will starts out literally so impulsive and rash, Jack has to physically manhandle him at certain points to keep him from blowing up his plans--and then still gets taken out because he underestimates his listening skills and impatience. Will corners Jack into what is functionally a cage match to the death by sanely locking the door with his sword and very nearly wins. He is constantly at 11, constantly demanding things be done faster, more directly, and at the same time quietly scheming behind Jack's back almost from the get-go. He does flashy jumps and flips off of things because using the stairs is too slow or whatever. He shows up in DMC yelling at Jack to give him his compass at the point of the sword, and insisting he'll get Davy Jones' key by just "cutting down everyone in his path."

Even when Will mellows out significantly in AWE, there are remnants of this contrast still there. Jack's plan for leading Beckett to Shipwreck Cove seems to have been a very reasonable and underhanded effort to deliberately make sure Elizabeth is inside the Cove while Will is on Beckett's ship, in command of the Compass. Meanwhile Will's plan was to leave a breadcrumb trail of vulture-sea gulls feasting on dead soldiers' corpses.

What I'm getting at is, yeah, Jack's a charismatic "rogue" and Will's a "romantic hero" TECHNICALLY. Jack makes quippy jokes, and Will glares and scowls and WTFs back. But not only are they are both more alike than people give them credit for, they are also totally opposite their roles' traditional personalities in ways that the fandom tends to overlook.

TLDR; Jack's crazy, Will's a sweetheart. But Will is also a manic gremlin, and Jack doesn't always know what to do with him about it, so they often end up something like this:

And more fans need to play with this fact, the end.

[nocauseislost]

"Sort of establishing a very important aspect of Elizabeth’s character in this scene, which is… She and Will have been together now for a year. And as far as it seems with the movie, the physicality of their relationship is sword-fight practice. And it’s driving her a little nuts, I think."

"And again, Elizabeth makes the point similar to what she made in the jail cell. She’s bothered."

Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest audio commentary

[alexstewart]

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST 2006 ― Dir. Gore Verbinski

[anxiouscowboy]

[micksmansion]

jack: i am trying to escape confrontation with my biggest enemy while also attempting to kill him

will: i am trying to save my fiancée from getting hanged so i'm chasing a man for his weird ass compass to make a deal with a fancy ass man. i also need to save my father from his curse

elizabeth: the fancy ass man's deal will only save jack and not my fiancé so i need to escape and dress up like a man to get to tortuga and find him

pintel and ragetti subplot:

[pizzat-i]

A Touch Of Destiny redraw! 

the first drawing was made around early August 2023 so happy 10 months to it yipee 

now the reason why this redraw was done in the first place was because I didn’t like how underwhelming the atmosphere turned out last time, so I hope that it’s been properly dramatised now lmao

and a side by side comparison, for funsies

[thelordsoftherings]

There will come a time when you have a chance to do the right thing. I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by.

[boltlightning]

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (2006)

[arkadykoshka]

This nerd waited until we were in matching Pirates of the Caribbean cosplay to surprise me, get down on one knee, and propose with both a ring *and* a sword that he hand forged!

Naturally I said yes.

We then of course when to Lake Michigan to freeze our butts off for a photoshoot. Despite the 25° weather and the bits of ice floating around, it was a shockingly epic stand in for the Caribbean!

[missfisherandjack]

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (2012-2015) ↳ 2x03 Dead Man’s Chest

[norringtonvibes]

*sadly lowering the gaze*

[owenhcrper]

Will Turner Wednesday - 14/?

[nocauseislost]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

[cupcakeshakesnake]

"Five lashes will remind you-" WRONG. WEEVIL TIME 💥💥💥💥💥

As William Turner awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed on deck into a gigantic insect. To the chagrin of the crew on board, his hard chitin shell proved whipping to be rather ineffective, so after a time they resorted to flipping him on his back and watching him struggle.

[lexyvey]

Y’all reference this meme

I reference this scene

We are not the same

[world-of-celebs]

Keira Knightley during "Pirates Of The Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest" London Premiere.