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Fight on Isla de Muerta 17
"It's not a bad look, really. Eh?"
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"You drive a hard bargain, Captain Sparrow. If I win, what do I get?"
"My undying admiration?"
"I already have that, Jack."
"You do. Bloody boshh—bossy—competent woman... Did I tell you that I love bossy competent women?
"
―Esmeralda and Jack Sparrow[src]

Esmeralda Maria Consuela Anna de Sevilla was a female Pirate Lord during the golden age of piracy, most notably in command of the Venganza. A beautiful woman of mixed race and one of the most capable pirate captains of her time, she was dangerous and competent enough to attract the attention of the notorious adventurer Captain Jack Sparrow.

Biography[]

Early life[]

"You have Aztec blood, too?"
"My mother was nearly pure-blood, like my nurse. She and my father were killed when I was five. I don't really remember them. My nurse saved me.
"
Jack Sparrow and Esmeralda[src]

Esmeralda was born on a plantation owned by the Spanish nobleman Don Rafael, somewhere on the Spanish Main. Her father was Don Rafael's son, and her mother was Quiauhxochitl, a native girl of Aztec origin. Her parents gave her two names, one Spanish, Esmeralda, and one Aztec, Quiauhxochitl, after her mother.

Unlike the neighboring dons, Don Rafael treated his native servants well. That earned him hatred from his neighbors. One day, while Don Rafael was absent, the angry dons organized a night raid on Don Rafael's land. Esmeralda's parents were killed during the raid, and she was barely saved by her Aztec nurse. She was five years old at that time.

Spain[]

"He is my hero. We are the only family left to each other. After my parents died, he decided I must become a fine lady, perhaps serve at court, so he put me in a convent school in Barcelona."
―Esmeralda on Don Rafael[src]

Left with nothing but a ship, a granddaughter, and a few loyal servants, Don Rafael sent Esmeralda to a convent school in Barcelona in Spain, so she could become a fine lady. He joined the Caribbean pirates, eventually becoming the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea.

Esmeralda hadn't been in school for a month before she knew that she wasn't destined for the court of His Majesty King of Spain. She applied herself to her lessons, but she went without sweets so she could pay for fencing lessons in secret. When she was fifteen, she escaped from the school and returned to her grandfather. Don Rafael brought her to Shipwreck Island, hoping that the exposure to pirate life would scare her enough to return to Spain. But she liked the pirate life, and stayed with him on his ship, the Venganza, to learn some pirating.

Esmeralda the pirate[]

"How long have you been sailing with Don Rafael, Doña Esmeralda?"
"Since I was fifteen. Eleven years, now.
"
―Esmeralda and Jack Sparrow[src]

Not long after she arrived to Shipwreck Island, Esmeralda met Jack Sparrow, a nine year old boy, son of Captain Edward Teague, Keeper of the Code. On one occasion, Jack teasingly yanked her braids, but she pounced him and gave him a thrashing that left him bruised for days.

Over the next eleven years, Esmeralda was schooled in sword fighting by her grandfather, who made of her a formidable fighter. She also learned everything she needed to know about sailing.

Shipwreck Cove[]

Jack Sparrow[]

"You've certainly learned a lot of things since the last time we met. Who taught you to be charming?"
―Esmeralda to Jack Sparrow[src]

When the Venganza was docked in Tortuga, Don Rafael encountered Hector Barbossa, a pirate captain whose ship, the Cobra, was destroyed by the mysterious rogue pirates. The Venganza sailed to Shipwreck Island, so that Don Rafael and Barbossa could inform Teague about that act of the violation of the Code of the Pirate Brethren.

During the meeting of the Pirate Lords, Esmeralda was reunited with Jack Sparrow, who became quite charming since the last time they met. She also met Jack's friend Christophe-Julien de Rapièr, captain of the brigantine La Vipère. A few days later, Esmeralda and Jack began to go on picnics to a small beach on the outer side of Shipwreck Cove. For two weeks, they enjoyed each other's company, spending their time in fencing, swimming, sharing their food and drinking Don Rafael's wine. Christophe soon joined them on their picnics, and he taught both young pirates fencing. However, Esmeralda didn't like Christophe's company, because he never missed a chance to touch her.

One day, after hearing from them about Marie Seymour, the wife of Steve Seymour, the owner of the Drunken Lady tavern, Esmeralda asked Jack and Christophe to take her there. Jack and Christophe took her to the tavern, and she became a good friend with Marie.

However, a few days later, she found Jack rowing alone in the boat they used to go to their picnics. When she got into the boat, she admitted to Jack that she wanted to move it to some other inlet where Christophe couldn't find it, so they could continue to have their picnics alone. Both Esmeralda and Jack admitted that they like each other, and they shared their first kiss.

The rogue pirate[]

"Esmeralda, that ship...she's a sloop, Bermuda-rigged, just as Hector Barbossa described. And she's got a brass bow chaser, all right. Foreign work, and it looks to be India work to my eyes. But darlin'...I know that ship. That's Koldunya. Borya's sloop."
"What? But—but—Borya...you can't mean the man I met! The Pirate Lord? It can't be!
"
Jack Sparrow and Esmeralda[src]

Despite showing their interest for each other, Jack and Esmeralda decided to search around the Cove for the rogue pirate ship which was sighted by the pirate One Tooth Tommy a few days earlier. Jack had found Tommy's dead body two days earlier and he suspected his death wasn't accidental. They rowed around the Cove, looking at all pirate ships docked there, until they found the sloop which matched the description given by Hector Barbossa. But that sloop was the Koldunya, the ship of Boris "Borya" Palachnik, the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea.

Shocked with such discovery, they returned to Shipwreck City, where Esmeralda vent to the Venganza to inform her grandfather and Captain Teague, while Jack searched around the city for Captain Barbossa. Some time later, they all met at the dock, where Barbossa told Captain Teague that Borya's ship looks identical to the one which sunk the Cobra.

Teague and Don Rafael decided to search the Koldunya, while Esmeralda and Jack stayed on the dock. A few minutes later, Teague and Don Rafael, accompanied by Borya, returned to the city, heading for the Pirate Hall.

Court of inquiry[]

"Yes, Captain Teague, Jack Sparrow reported exactly what happened today. I looked through the spyglass too, and I clearly saw a brass bow chaser on Koldunya’s bow."
―Esmeralda[src]

Captain Teague called for an official court of inquiry, and Esmeralda and Jack joined the Pirate Lords in the Pirate Hall. They were both called as witnesses, and though they brought certain evidence against Borya, it wasn't enough to convict Borya. The Pirate Lords decided to summon Davy Jones, the lord of the sea, who could tell them if Borya was guilty or not.

The Pirate Lords and all the witnesses assembled on the Troubadour, Teague's flagship, where the Brethren Court spoke the magical incantation which brought Jones onboard. Esmeralda was terrified by Jones' monstrous appearance, but the supernatural captain of the Flying Dutchman confirmed Borya's guilt. He also said that another rogue pirate, commander of a brigantine, is also present at the Cove. Borya was immediately sentenced to hang with his whole crew.

A few hours later, Esmeralda and Jack went to the Drunken Lady, where they discovered that Marie was molested by Christophe, who was apparently drunk. They also encountered Barbossa, who told them that Borya revealed Christophe as one of the rogues under his command.

Esmeralda and Jack couldn't believe that Christophe was guilty, and Jack decided to help him escape. Esmeralda and Jack went to the Troubadour, where they sneaked into Teague's cabin to steal the keys to the dungeons of Shipwreck City from the Prison Dog. They were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Teague, and they had to hide in the pantry. Pressed up against each other, Jack and Esmeralda began to kiss and touch, and after Teague departed, they surrendered to their passion. A few moments later, they stole the keys and left the cabin. While Esmeralda returned to her cabin on the Venganza, Jack went to the dungeons to free Christophe.

The next morning, Esmeralda heard that Jack helped both Christophe's and Borya's crew to escape, and that he escaped from the island with them, making himself a traitor in the eyes of the Brethren. Esmeralda couldn't believe that, and, after disguising herself as the cabin boy, she took her sword and pistol and went to the Drunken Lady, hoping that he'll appear in the tavern sooner or later and clear his name. She waited for the whole day, but Jack never came. Feeling betrayed, Esmeralda decided to shoot Jack the next time she sees him.

Doña Pirata[]

A Pirate Lord[]

"Jack, that time we met in Barbados, I didn't know whether I ever wanted to speak to you again. The way you left that night, without saying a word to me. After...after we had been...together."
"But, Esmeralda, I explained it wasn't by choice! I was betrayed, I told you, just as you were. Just as Don Rafael was. It's not like I planned what happened! I couldn't help it. It was go with them or be killed out of hand by those rogues!
"
―Esmeralda and Jack Sparrow[src]

Two years after Jack Sparrow's escape from Shipwreck Island, Don Rafael was killed by Christophe-Julien de Rapièr. Esmeralda wasn't onboard the Venganza when it happened. She was informed by her grandfather's crew about his demise, and that she is the new captain of the Venganza as well as the new Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea. Esmeralda became a successful pirate captain, and soon earned the nickname Doña Pirata.

Approximately a year after Don Rafael's death, Esmeralda was in Barbados, an island controlled by the British in the Eastern Caribbean, impersonating a Spanish noblewoman. She encountered Jack, now a sailor in the employment of the East India Trading Company. They recognized each other, and though Esmeralda was angry at Jack, she gave him the chance to explain what exactly happened that night at Shipwreck Cove. He told her that he was betrayed by Christophe who freed Borya and his men and then forced him onto his ship. In return, Esmeralda told Jack about her grandfather's death and how she became the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean.

Attack on the Fair Wind[]

"Abomination! Leave my ship!"
"Señor, I know not who you are, but you are sadly lacking in manners. That is no way to speak to a lady. Drop your sword, and you and your crew will live.
"
Nathaniel Bainbridge and Esmeralda[src]

Two years after she talked with Jack in Barbados, Esmeralda and her crew attacked the Fair Wind, a brig of the East India Trading Company, in the waters east of Jamaica. When she boarded the Fair Wind, the merchant crew offered no resistance, but she was viciously attacked by the ship's captain, Nathaniel Bainbridge, who couldn't stand the idea of a woman commanding a ship, even a pirate vessel.

To her surprise, she also saw Jack Sparrow among the sailors, who begged her to spare the captain's life, though she could easily kill him. Esmeralda toyed with Bainbridge, easily evading his attacks, until one of Bainbridge's lucky thrusts cut off one expensive feather on her hat. Furious, Esmeralda made a small cut on Bainbridge's right hand, but the captain fell on deck as if he was stabbed in the heart. It was Sparrow who realized that Bainbridge had died from an apoplexy.

Immediately after Bainbridge's death, Esmeralda and Jack parlayed about the fate of the Wind's crew and cargo. Esmeralda agreed to take only one third of the ship's cargo of rum, because her own crew loved alcohol too much. She also invited Jack to a dinner in her cabin on the Venganza. A few hours later, Esmeralda and Jack enjoyed the delicious meal, and after the dinner, they made love for almost an entire night. Before the dawn, Jack returned to the Fair Wind, with a warm goodbye to Esmeralda.

Searching for Borya[]

"You know that I have been looking for de Rapièr ever since he killed my grandfather. Three years, I have searched, and still that perro eludes me."
―Esmeralda to Jack Sparrow[src]

A few months later, the Venganza was sailing through the Bahamas. Esmeralda, still wanting to avenge her grandfather's death, searched for Borya. She figured out that, if she captured him, she could force him to reveal anything he knew about Christophe's whereabouts. When the Venganza docked in Kemps Bay on Andros to sell the captured booty, Esmeralda contacted her informant Giles.

Giles told her that he sold Borya the information about a certain Captain Jack Sparrow and his most probable route. He also told her that he spotted the Koldunya in the Northwest Providence Channel a few days ago. After hearing this news, Esmeralda sailed the Venganza north, searching for Borya's ship. She didn't find the Koldunya, but the Venganza captured a schooner bound for Charleston, loaded with fabric, and a flute loaded with tea and spices. She gave up the search and sailed south. She was sailing near Great Abaco when her crew spotted smoke on the horizon. Thinking that Borya had captured and burned another unfortunate ship, she ordered the crew to change the course, and they sailed toward the smoke. It wasn't until nightfall that the Venganza approached the spot where the smoke was sighted. But instead of the burning ship, the pirates found the damaged EITC merchant ship Wicked Wench, captained by Jack Sparrow himself.

A few pleasant days[]

"At least we can be together for more than a day, this time. Shall I row over tonight, toward the end of the middle watch?"
"I'd be miserable and lonely and wouldn't get a wink of sleep if you didn't, mi corazón.
"
―Esmeralda and Jack Sparrow[src]

Apparently, the Wicked Wench was attacked by the Koldunya, and during the battle, Borya's sloop was destroyed in the explosion. Esmeralda urged her crew to help Jack's sailors repair their ship, and the buccaneers agreed. A day after the battle, Esmeralda invited Jack and his First Mate Robert Greene to a dinner on the Venganza. During the dinner, Jack told her that the Koldunya was destroyed by the magical powers of his passenger, Ayisha, the princess of the previously unknown "Kermalayan tribe" from Africa. Esmeralda was intrigued by the story of the mysterious princess, and she decided to meet her. Jack also revealed that Ayisha wasn't an old, ugly woman, but a beautiful woman who uses magic to hide her real appearance. Esmeralda told Jack to introduce them so she could invite her to a dinner. After the dinner, Esmeralda showed Jack and Robby her ship, of which she was very proud. She proposed to Jack to steal his ship from the EITC and join her as a pirate partner. However, he refused. Though she was a little dissapointed with Jack's decision, she was glad that she could spend more than a few hours with him. When they returned to the Wicked Wench, Esmeralda joined Jack in his cabin to spend the night with him.

A day later, Jack introduced Ayisha to Esmeralda. That night, Ayisha came to the Venganza where she was welcomed by Esmeralda. Knowing that Ayisha was an expert seamstress, Esmeralda took her to the Venganza's cargo hold, where she gave her as much fabric as she wanted. Later, they dined in Esmeralda's cabin, and Ayisha took her magical shawl off, revealing her true appearance. During the dinner, they talked much about Jack Sparrow. Esmeralda told Ayisha how good a lover Jack is, but she then realized that Ayisha hasn't yet slept with a man. She then told her that she would make the right decision or, rather, the decision that was right for her, and that she'll know if—or when—was the right time to make the final step.

A few hours later, they both returned to the Wicked Wench. The next day, Esmeralda and Jack practiced fencing for a while. After they finished, Esmeralda returned to her ship. The Venganza escorted the Wicked Wench for the next two days, until Esmeralda was sure that the temporary repairs on the Wench were holding. After that, Esmeralda sailed into new adventures. Her further fate is unknown.

Personality and traits[]

Being both a pirate and a Spanish noblewoman, Esmeralda has picked the best from the both worlds. She had a strong faith in God due to her childhood in a convent school in Barcelona, and she believed in miracles and the power of prayer, but she also believed in the supernatural, having seen the legendary Davy Jones himself. She knew the legend about the cursed Aztec treasure which was hidden on the Island of the dead, and she had a tattoo with the same symbol that was imprinted on the blood money delivered to Hernán Cortés.

Like almost all Pirate Lords, Esmeralda had a unique pirate flag. Her flag was black with the white skeleton dressed in a skirt holding a cutlass and an hourglass.

Equipment and skills[]

Being schooled in fencing by Don Rafael and the finest sword masters in Barcelona, Doña Esmeralda was one of the best swordsmen on the high seas. Her preferable weapon in battle was the cutlass. When she was 26, she was a far better fencer than Jack Sparrow, though he was raised among pirates. Over the years, her skills improved. When she dueled Captain Nathaniel Bainbridge, she could kill him without a problem, but she didn't want to hurt him, so she just blocked his attacks, until he cut the feather on her hat which angered her enough to attack him. She also used a pistol from time to time.

Esmeralda was highly educated and as such, she was able to speak several languages. Aside from Spanish, which was her native language, she fluently spoke English, Aztec, and French.

Behind the scenes[]

  • A. C. Crispin, the author of The Price of Freedom, stated that Esmeralda's creation was partly because of one of her editors' recommendations. The editor recommended her to include a Spanish noblewoman as a Pirate Queen, recommendation that Crispin followed as seen in the finished version of the novel with Esmeralda.[2]
  • Because of being a young Spanish woman pirate as well as being referred to as a "woman from his [Jack Sparrow's] past", Esmeralda was believed to be Angelica, a character portrayed by Penélope Cruz from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. However, as the background stories on the two characters are different, it is unlikely. Even A. C. Crispin stated that Esmeralda and Angelica have very little in common beyond their native tongue, piracy, and the fact that they're female.[2] When visualizing Esmeralda, A.C. Crispin imagined the character as looking like a younger Salma Hayek.[1] The latter information is particularly interesting due to Hayek and Cruz both starring in the 2006 film Bandidas, directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg.
  • Since Esmeralda is the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean in The Price of Freedom and Jack Sparrow is the Lord of the same sea in Legends of the Brethren Court, which is set a few months after the events of The Price of Freedom, it is assumable that he inherited his title and Piece of Eight from Esmeralda. However, that remains yet to be confirmed. A.C. Crispin had an idea for a story that would explain Esmeralda's fate as well as how and why Jack Sparrow became a Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, but she wanted to leave it for another book.[3] However, The Walt Disney Company never contracted her to write it, and due to Crispin's death in 2013, Esmeralda's fate remains unknown.

Appearances[]

Source[]

Notes and references[]

Members of the Brethren Court

First Court
Pirate Kings
First Pirate King
Pirate Lords
First Pirate Lord of the Atlantic Ocean
Aides: Davy Jones


Second Court
Pirate Lords
Henry MorganBartholomewGrandmama


Third Court
Pirate Lords
Sao Feng's father
Others: Tartaglia


Court of inquiry
Pirate Lords
ChingBoris PalachnikRafaelEdward TeagueEduardo Villanueva
Aides: Davy Jones
Keeper of the Code: Edward Teague
Others: Hector BarbossaJack SparrowRagettiMelindaEsmeralda
Prison Dog


Fourth Court
Pirate Kings
Elizabeth Swann
Pirate Lords
AmmandSumbhajee AngriaHector BarbossaChevalle
ChingJocardJack SparrowEduardo Villanueva
Aides: AskayPusasnRagettiJoshamee Gibbs
Keeper of the Code: Edward Teague
Others: Sao FengPintelPrison DogCarriers of the Code

[edit]
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