Will Turner

For other people named William Turner, see William Turner (disambiguation).

William "Will" Turner is a fictional character and the second protagonist of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series next to Jack Sparrow. He is played by Orlando Bloom (and by Dylan Smith in a flashback), and is the second main character next to Captain Jack Sparrow in the series. Will is a blacksmith's apprentice working in Port Royal. He is in love with the governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann. Will is a competent swordsman, although he lacks actual combat experience compared to duelists like Jack. Although mild-mannered, Will is extremely brave, as seen when he faces Captain Jack Sparrow, a notorious pirate, in a sword fight, and by his response to Barbossa's attack on Port Royal. He is fiercely loyal to those he cares about and would risk everything to protect them, especially Elizabeth. This trait is seen throughout the films as Will's character develops more by his reaction to unforeseen circumstances rather than his personal ambition or deliberate choices. Most likely he would have continued plying his trade, never presuming to rise above his current station or pursue the woman he believes he can never have. At his best, Will is clever, heroic, and courageous and never shirks responsibility or leaves an obligation unfulfilled. He can also be preoccupied and brooding and, early on, demonstrated rather simplistic and naïve views, although he matures as the films progress.

Appearance

Will's final costume in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is reminiscent of Errol Flynn's swashbuckler movie roles. There is also a nod to Douglas Fairbanks when Turner uses his knife to glide down the ship's sail in Dead Man's Chest, just as Fairbanks did in the 1926 film, The Black Pirate.

Will is about nineteen-years old at the beginning of the trilogy. He has shoulder-length, brown hair, worn loose or tied back in a short ponytail. Throughout the first movie, he wears a puffy-sleeved white shirt, a simple brown jerkin, brown breeches, thick brown stockings and leather shoes with metal buckles. In the second and third movies he wears various outfits including a suit similar to those worn by prominent sailors of the Royal Navy at his "wedding". In the second film he also wore a leather jacket over a white embroidered shirt and, as requested by Orlando Bloom, boots. In both sequels, he is also seen wearing a leather cord necklace with what appear to be charms and other trinkets hanging from it. In the final film, he predominately wears a puffy-sleeved red shirt, a black leather vest, and high-heeled boots. Sometime between the time of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, Will had his left ear pierced and wears a tiny gold hoop earring throughout the third film. Just after Will becomes immortal, he appears in a green bandana and a bit of blue eye make-up. His hair has changed from wet and possibly slightly oily and curly from the first and second movie to wavier and dryer, possibly the effects of sailing. When he returns from the next world ten years later, in the movie's "Easter egg" scene, he is wearing a puffy-sleeved white shirt, the leather necklace, and a green bandana. He also bears a scar on his chest where his heart was carved out.

In one scene in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl when Turner and Jack are fighting in the blacksmith's shop, there is a glimpse of Orlando Bloom's wrist tattoo of the Elvish symbol for "nine." Bloom and most of the other eight actors who comprised the "Fellowship of the Ring" in The Lord of the Rings trilogy have this same tattoo to commemorate their participation in the films.

Biography

Early life

Will is the only known child of the pirate, William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner. According to Jack Sparrow, he strongly resembles his father, both in appearance and ability. However, his father was absent during his youth in England, and Will grew up believing him to be a merchant seaman. After his mother died, Will, aged eleven years, journeyed to the Caribbean to search for his father. His vessel was attacked and sunk by the Black Pearl, then under the command of Captain Hector Barbossa, and ironically, the same ship his father served on, while the Pearl was under the command of Captain Jack Sparrow. The Pearl may have been searching for the medallion that Bill Turner sent to Will, which Barbossa needed to break the Aztec curse.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Main article: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

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Jack and Will outwit the Royal Navy in order to steal the Interceptor

Young Will Turner, the sole survivor of a pirate attack, is rescued by a British naval ship. Aboard is Port Royal's new governor, Weatherby Swann, and his daughter Elizabeth, then aged eleven years. Elizabeth spots Will among the floating debris, and he is placed under her care for the duration of the voyage. Discovering a gold medallion around his neck, she hides it to prevent anyone from mistaking him as a pirate. Over the next eight years, Will and Elizabeth develop a tentative friendship, although Will conceals his true romantic feelings for her.

In Port Royal, Will becomes a blacksmith's apprentice and a craftsman of fine swords, although it is his oft-drunken master who usually receives credit for Will's exquisite workmanship. He is also an exceptional swordsman but lacks practical fighting experience. Will is bested in a sword fight by Captain Jack Sparrow because Will insists on following "the rules of engagement", allowing a more experienced and practical Sparrow to outwit him. When Will later admonishes Jack for "cheating" and says he would have killed him in a fair fight, Jack retorts, "That's not much incentive for me to fight fair then, is it?" He impresses upon the naïve young man that the only rules that matter are, "What a man can do, and what a man can't do." It is a lesson Will is unlikely to forget, taught to him by Jack while he was hanging onto the mast of the Interceptor as it dangled above the unforgiving sea.

In a fateful twist of irony, Will, a peaceful and law-abiding man, learns his father was the pirate William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, who served aboard the Black Pearl when it was commanded by Captain Jack Sparrow. When First Mate Barbossa and the crew mutinied and marooned Sparrow, only Bootstrap defended him. After finding the Chest of Cortez containing Aztec gold, the pirates fell under an ancient curse. To break it, every coin must be returned to the chest. Believing the crew deserved to remain cursed for betraying Jack, Bootstrap sent a gold medallion to his son, Will, in England. In retaliation, Captain Barbossa had Bootstrap tied to a cannon and thrown overboard. The crew learned later they needed to offer their blood (including Bootstrap's) to break the curse. Now, only Will can provide Turner blood.

Even though Will despises pirates, he resorts to piracy by forming an alliance with Jack Sparrow to rescue Elizabeth from Barbossa and helping to commandeer a royal navy ship. After recruiting a crew in Tortuga, Will and Jack sail to Isla de Muerta where Barbossa has gone. Unknown to Will, Jack intends to use Will to bargain back the Black Pearl. When Will learns his role in lifting the curse, he barters himself to Barbossa to free Elizabeth and the crew, although Barbossa tricks him. In the end, Jack and Will lift the curse together; Barbossa is killed by Jack, and the pirate crew is defeated. Jack is also captured and returned to Port Royal for execution. At Jack's hanging, Will declares his love for Elizabeth before attempting to rescue Jack from execution, although they are both caught. Elizabeth steps in to lend her support and declare her love for Will. Will is pardoned while Jack escapes by falling off the rampart and into the bay where the Black Pearl is waiting.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Main article: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Will returns with the other main characters from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. His appearance is more pirate-like, reminiscent of Errol Flynn's swashbuckler movie characters, and reflects Will's evolution from naïve boy to world-wise man. For aiding Jack Sparrow's escape, Will and Elizabeth are charged just prior to their wedding ceremony by Lord Cutler Beckett, a man made wealthy and powerful by profits from the East India Trading Company. Beckett offers them clemency if Will finds Sparrow's compass. He also has a Letter of Marque with which to recruit Jack as a privateer.

While Elizabeth is in jail, Will searches for the Black Pearl. He finds the crew captive on Pelegosto, a cannibal-inhabited island. They escape, and Jack agrees to give Will the compass if he helps him find a key, although he has no idea what it unlocks. Will, Jack, and the crew row upriver to see Tia Dalma, a voodoo priestess, who takes a particular interest in Will, who she says has a, "touch of destiny." Tia tells Jack the key is to the Dead Man's Chest containing the heart of Davy Jones. The crew search for Jones, but Will soon finds himself stranded on a wrecked vessel that Jack deviously claimed was Jones' ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman. When the real Flying Dutchman suddenly arrives, Jack attempts to barter Will to Davy Jones to repay his blood debt, but Jones refuses, saying one soul is unequal to another. Instead, he keeps Will as a "good faith" payment and demands an additional ninety-nine souls. Otherwise Jack must surrender or face the Kraken. Sparrow made a bargain with Davy Jones to raise the Black Pearl from the ocean bottom and make Jack captain for thirteen years. Sparrow would then serve aboard the Dutchman for a century.

Will meets his father, "Bootstrap" Bill Turner, who is now an indentured sailor on Jones' ghost ship. Will challenges Davy Jones to Liar's Dice, betting his soul against the key to the Dead Man's Chest. Bootstrap joins in and purposely loses to free Will, although he is now eternally enslaved. That night, Will steals the key and escapes in a longboat, vowing to one day free his father. A passing ship rescues him, but Jones commands the Kraken to destroy it. Will survives and stows back aboard the Dutchman, now headed for Isla Cruces where the chest containing Jones' heart is buried.

When Will arrives, he finds Jack Sparrow, and is reunited with Elizabeth, who escaped jail. Also there is ex-Commodore James Norrington, now a member of Jack's crew. They find the chest, and key in hand, Will intends to stab the heart to kill Davy Jones. But he finds himself at the point of Jack's sword and caught in a three-way duel between himself, Sparrow, and Norrington, all claiming the heart. Jack makes off with the heart, but Norrington steals it and the Letter of Marque, escaping just as Davy Jones' men attack.

The Black Pearl flees, outrunning the Flying Dutchman, but Davy Jones summons the Kraken. Drawing on his previous experience fighting the monster, Will leads the crew in temporarily in fending it off, gaining enough time to abandon ship. Elizabeth realizes the Kraken is after Sparrow, and distracts him with a passionate kiss while handcuffing him to the mast. Will witnesses this and believes Elizabeth now loves Sparrow. From the longboat, the crew watches as the Kraken drags the Pearl and Sparrow to Davy Jones' Locker.

Will, Elizabeth, and the crew seek refuge in Tia Dalma's hut. As they mourn their captain, Will is particularly despondent, although not only over Elizabeth and Jack. Tia understands his despair—with the Black Pearl Will could defeat Davy Jones and free his father. Gibbs proposes a toast to Jack, to which Will glumly raises his mug. Seeing Elizabeth's tearful face and believing she loves Sparrow, he tries comforting her. "If anything could be done. . ." Tia Dalma interrupts, asking would he be willing, would they all be willing, to travel to World's End to return Jack and the Black Pearl. All agree, including Will. Tia Dalma says they will need a captain who knows those waters. To their astonishment, a resurrected Captain Barbossa descends the stairs.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Main article: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

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Will at the Flying Dutchman's helm as its new captain

Will travels to Singapore with Elizabeth, Barbossa, Tia Dalma, and the Black Pearl crew to bargain with Sao Feng, the Pirate Lord of Singapore. They need a ship and Feng's navigational charts to rescue Jack from Davy Jones's Locker. Will infiltrated the temple of Feng's uncle to steal the charts, but was captured. When Elizabeth and Barbossa arrive to negotiate, Sao Feng suspects Will is their accomplice and threatens to kill him, forcing Elizabeth's admission. A fight breaks out when East India Trading Company soldiers attack the bathhouse. During the meleé, Sao Feng strikes a bargain with Will—Jack Sparrow in exchange for the Black Pearl. Will and the others journey to World's End on Feng's ship. They find Jack, who has been hallucinating and initially believes they are imaginary. After some convincing, he concedes, but refuses to sail with them, saying, "Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past. (Looking at Elizabeth.) One of you succeeded." When Will sees Elizabeth's guilty expression, Jack comments, "She's not told you? You'll have lots to talk about while you're here." As they set sail, Jack and Barbossa dispute who is captain. After escaping the Locker, Will and Elizabeth's relationship remains strained and distant. Will believed Elizabeth loved Jack, while she felt her guilt over causing Sparrow's death was her burden alone. They agree their relationship cannot endure if they lack trust in one another and remain estranged.

Will's agreement with Sao Feng is uncovered, although Will only wanted the Black Pearl to free his father from Davy Jones. But Sao Feng reneges on his bargain with Will in lieu of one with Beckett, although Beckett double-crosses him. Feng then offers Barbossa the Black Pearl in exchange for Elizabeth, whom he believes is the sea goddess, Calypso. Elizabeth, angry over Will's deception, agrees to Sao Feng's terms, telling Will, "If this is what frees us, then done!" Jack throws Will in the brig, but he soon escapes and attempts to lead Lord Beckett to Shipwreck Island, the Brethren Court stronghold, by tossing bodies strapped to barrels overboard. Will is caught by Jack, who pushes him off the ship after giving him his compass, apparently intending for Beckett to find them. Will, clinging to a barrel, helplessly floats towards Beckett's ship, the Endeavour.

Will and Elizabeth are reunited after Will is exchanged for Jack during parley with Beckett and Davy Jones. During the maelstrom battle, Will again proposes to Elizabeth, to which she replies, "I don't think now is the best time!" Will counters that it may be the only time. Agreeing, she calls on Barbossa to immediately marry them, and they exchange vows amid the ensuing chaos.

After a climactic showdown atop the mast of the Flying Dutchman with Jack, Davy Jones overpowers Elizabeth. Will rushes to her aid, only to be trounced by Jones, who, ironically, now wields the same sword Will made for James Norrington. Holding the blade to Will's throat, Jones menacingly asks, "Do you fear death?" Jack calls out to Jones, "Do you?" and reveals he has Jones' heart. Jack threatens to stab it, but not before Jones delivers a final blow into Will's chest, mortally wounding him. An enraged "Bootstrap" Bill attacks Jones. Torn between immortality for himself and saving Will, Jack places his broken sabre in Will's hand and guides his unconscious hand in stabbing the heart, killing Jones. As Will dies, his father carves out his son's heart and places it into the Dead Man's Chest, fullfilling Will's destiny to become the Flying Dutchman's immortal captain. Jack grabs Elizabeth, and they escape as the ship is sucked into the Maelstorm. It quickly resurfaces with Captain Will Turner at the helm. He is now a psychopomp, bound to sail the Netherworld ferrying souls to the other side, but allowed one day on land every ten years. Under Will's pure influence, the Dutchman's crew revert to their human form, free of Davy Jones' cursed corruption of his true mission. The Flying Dutchman joins forces with the Black Pearl and together they destroy the Endeavour, killing Beckett and causing his armada to retreat. Will spends his one day with Elizabeth, and they consummate their marriage on Shipwreck Island. He leaves her the Dead Man's Chest containing his heart for safekeeping, saying, "It has always belonged to you." He leaves telling her: "Keep a weather eye on the horizon".

Later life

Following the end credits, a scene captioned "Ten Years Later" shows Elizabeth and a young boy, her and Will's son, approach a cliff overlooking the sea. As the sun sets, a green flash appears. The fully restored Flying Dutchman heads to shore with Will on the mast. The writers have stated that their intent was that Elizabeth's faithfulness would have broken Will's ties to the Dutchman leaving him free to spend a lifetime with his family. However, scenes relating to this intent did not appear in the final theatrical cut of the film. A booklet accompanying the Special Edition DVD answers the question by stating clearly that Will can step onto land once every ten years but that he is bound to the Dutchman forever. It is worth noting, however, that this FAQ booklet was not written by the writers or director the film. In addition, several answers provided for other questions contradict what is explicitly stated in the film. Therefore, one can question the reliability of this answer.

Furthermore, in the end of the videogame of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Will tells Elizabeth he has taken the place of Davy Jones and must pay his debt with 10 years at sea. He says that after he has paid the debt he will return to her. This implies that after the first 10 years, when Will has paid his debt and is no longer bound to the Dutchman he is free of the curse and can stay with Elizabeth and their son.

Video game appearances

Will Turner appears in the Pirates of the Caribbean world, Port Royal, of Kingdom Hearts II. In the Japanese version of Kingdom Hearts II as well as in the movies he's voiced by Daisuke Hirakawa, who was also the Japanese voice for Legolas, another famous character portrayed by Bloom. Crispin Freeman provided the voice of Will for the U.S. version of the game since Orlando Bloom was unavailable due to the filming of Dead Man's Chest. Freeman was also the voice of Will in the video game Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow and in the video game adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

Will Turner appears in the Pirates of the Caribbean Online game as the character who gives the player their first sword.

External links

• William Turner at the Pirates of the Caribbean wiki