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- "Gillette, Mr. Sparrow has a dawn appointment with the gallows. I would hate for him to miss it."
- ―James Norrington to Gillette
Gillette was an officer in the British Royal Navy, holding the rank of Lieutenant. He was first officer to Captain, later Commodore, James Norrington as well as his right hand man while he was stationed at Port Royal. He participated in the capture of notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and the search for the Elizabeth Swann, the daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann, who was kidnapped by the cursed crew of the Black Pearl. After Elizabeth was rescued, Gillette would assist Norrington in chasing Jack Sparrow, who escaped from a hanging at Fort Charles. Several years later, Gillette would continue serving the Royal Navy and participate in the Quest for the Fountain of Youth, serving as third-in-command aboard the HMS Providence, under the command of Hector Barbossa, a privateer in King George II's court.
Biography
Early Life
- "Keep your guns on him, men. Gillette, fetch some irons."
- ―Commodore James Norrington to Gillette
At some point in his life, Gillette became part of the Royal Navy under the command of Lieutenant James Norrington and Governor Weatherby Swann. Later, he became part of the troops located in Port Royal, which were in command of James Norrington when he was promoted Captain.[2]
Jack Sparrow
- "This ship cannot be crewed by two men. You'll never make it out of the bay."
"Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?" - ―Gillette and Jack Sparrow, on crewing the Dauntless
Gillette with Commodore Norrington at Port Royal.
Lieutenant Gillette was present at Commodore James Norrington's promotion ceremony at Fort Charles. When Elizabeth Swann fell off of Fort Charles, the Lieutenant prevented Norrington from jumping to save her, stating that the rocks could lead to his death. Gillette, along with a group of Royal Marines, followed James to the harbor, where they cornered Jack Sparrow, who had saved Elizabeth. At Norrington's orders, Gillette brought a pair of hand cuffs and placed them on Sparrow's hands. The pirate, however, managed to escape. Gillette joined in the search for Jack Sparrow.[2]
After the Black Pearl attacked Port Royal, Gillette and his men were stationed aboard HMS Dauntless, and were forced to concede control of the vessel over to Sparrow and his accomplice, William Turner, during their attempt to reach Tortuga.[2]
Gillette threatened by Jack Sparrow aboard the HMS Dauntless.
- "Sir, they've taken the Dauntless! Commodore! They've taken the ship! Sparrow and Turner—they've taken the Dauntless!"
- ―Gillette to James Norrington
Gillette, who ended up in a longboat, warned Norrington of the situation, but Jack and Will duped them all by commandeering the HMS Interceptor and leaving the HMS Dauntless dead in the water. With the rudder chain disabled, the vessel was unable to turn. In the longboat, Gillette became aware of a large shadow looming over them, which turned out to be the Dauntless' massive bow. Realizing that they were about to collide with the significantly bigger ship, Gillette gave the order to abandon ship before impact, though the longboat was crushed under the Dauntless' hull. The Lieutenant escaped, and returned to Port Royal to assist in the search for Elizabeth Swann, who was kidnapped the night before.[2]
Isla de Muerta
- "Sorry, but it's for your own safety!"
"I don't care what the Commodore ordered! l have to tell him! The pirates! They're cursed! They can't be killed!"
"Don't worry, Miss. He's already informed of that. A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story.[chuckles]" - ―Gillette and Elizabeth Swann about the cursed pirates.
Gillette with Elizabeth Swann aboard the Dauntless.
After Commodore Norrington rescued Elizabeth Swann from Black Sam's Spit, along with Jack Sparrow, the HMS Dauntless made its way to Isla de Muerta to save Will Turner. When they arrived, under the suggestion of Jack Sparrow, Norrington ordered that Elizabeth to be locked in the captain's cabin of the Dauntless for her safety. Elizabeth tried to tell Gillette to warn Norrington about undead pirates, but Gillette dismissed her warning.[2]
Gillette shortly before the battle with the cursed crew.
Later, Hector Barbossa's cursed pirates appeared on deck to kill them off. He participated in the fight against the cursed pirates aboard the Dauntless.
Before the battle, he was alerted by a sailor about a boat containing two strange figures. They turned out to be the cursed pirates mentioned by Elizabeth. Pintel, one of the pirates, attempted to shoot Gillette but missed. Instead, the shot caused the Lieutenant's hat to fly straight into the path of Barbossa's invading crew, ultimately giving away their element of surprise. Gillette quickly drew his pistol and fired at one of the pirates before drawing his sword to join in the heated battle.[2]
The crew of the Dauntless fought valiantly against Barbossa's crewmen, though their numbers were depleting as the immortal pirate crew killed many soldiers. Once Norrington and his soldiers returned to help those aboard the Dauntless, the battle turned in Gillette's favor. At some point during the fight, Gillette attempted to swing a pulley at a cursed Bo'sun but the pirate managed to dodge it.
Gillette fighting aboard the Dauntless.
Instead of hitting it's intended target, the pulley smashed Ragetti at the back of his head, knocking his wooden eye ball out. [2]
Sparrow's hanging
- "Commodore! What about Sparrow?"
"Oh, I think we can afford to give him one day's head start." - ―Lieutenant Gillette and Commodore James Norrington
Gillette asking Norrington about pursuing Jack Sparrow.
Gillette survived the battle, and was present at Jack Sparrow's execution at Port Royal. However, seconds before being hung, Sparrow managed to escape with the aid of Will Turner. As Jack bade his farewell, he fell off of the edge of Fort Charles, which Gillette commented that he had no where to go but back to the noose. He spoke too soon when the Black Pearl arrived, in which Jack swam towards freedom.[2]
After Sparrow's escape, Gillette looked to the Commodore for orders to begin pursuit, but Norrington held off the chase for a day—to give him a head start.[2]
Quest for the Fountain of Youth
Serving on the Providence
- "Are we not King's men?"
- ―Hector Barbossa
Gillette with Hector Barbossa aboard the Providence.
Several years after the battle of the Isla de Muerta, Lieutenant Gillette was transferred to London, where he would work closer with His Majesty King George II. He would be stationed aboard the HMS Providence, the pride of the King's fleet. Gillette would serve under the command of Hector Barbossa, former pirate captain of the Black Pearl who had become a privateer and trusted advisor of King George's Court. After Jack Sparrow escaped from St. James's Palace, the Providence was sent sent to find the legendary Fountain of Youth before the Spanish. Gillette was present when Barbossa interrogated Jack Sparrow's comrade, Joshamee Gibbs. When the pirate refused to cooperate, Gillette and Theodore Groves tied a noose to prepare Gibbs' hanging. Gibbs then revealed to be in possession of a map to the Fountain of Youth. Before any exchange could be made, Gibbs burned the map, ultimately forcing Barbossa to bring him aboard the Providence as Gibbs memorized every route in the map that led to the Fountain. And so Gillette accompanied Barbossa's crew aboard the Providence at dawn.[3]
A few days into the voyage, Gillette stood by Barbossa when he had Gibbs brought to the helm so he could provide a heading. Gibbs told Barbossa that they were going in the right direction, as he saw three Spanish galleons, commanded by The Spaniard. Barbossa, Gillette and Groves ordered the crew to their battle stations. Though the crew of the Providence prepared for battle, the Spanish ships simply passed without opening fire. Knowing that they've fallen behind, Barbossa ordered the crew to make more sail with Gillette stood by at the helm.[3]
Whitecap Bay
- "Your head or my heading, I'll have one or the other, I don't care which."
"All hands, forward!" - ―Hector Barbossa to Joshamee Gibbs and Gillette to the crew
When rumors of their destination struck fear into the crew, Barbossa revealed that they were heading for Whitecap Bay, home to deadly mermaids. After the crew were immediately stroked with fear, Gillette watched as Barbossa was ultimately able to inspire confidence into the crew and ordered full sail to Whitecap Bay.[3]
Gillette with Barbossa at Whitecap Bay.
After the Providence arrived to the Bay, Gillette went to shore with Barbossa, Groves, Gibbs, and a handful of the crew. They found remains of what had happened on the previous night on Whitecap Bay. The mermaids, angered by last night's battle with Blackbeard's crewmen, attacked the Providence. Barbossa, unconcerned for the lives of his crew, asked Gibbs for a heading. Just as he did so, the mermaids killed all who remained aboard the Providence by flipping the ship over. Gillette, along with Groves, watched helplessly and in shock as their ship sunk beneath the waters. With nothing to do about the situation, Gibbs found their next heading. Gillette ordered all crewmen who were brought ashore to push on.[3]
Battle at the Fountain of Youth and Death
- "Get it off me."
- ―Hector Barbossa to Gillette's dead body
The remainders of the crew later met with Jack Sparrow, who helped them to retrieve the Chalices of Cartagena. He had also assisted in leading them to the Fountain of Youth at the precise moment Blackbeard and his crew did. There, the remaining crew of the Providence and the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge engaged in a battle at the Fountain.[3]
Gillette killed in battle by Blackbeard.
Gillette fought valiantly against the pirates, until he went against one of Blackbeard's zombies, Yeoman. The zombie pirate was able to land a strike on Gillette, causing him to unintentionally stumble into the way of Barbossa's fight against Blackbeard. Gillette was killed by the infamous pirate, who impaled the Lieutenant from behind. Gillette's body fell onto Barbossa, who immediately pushed it aside to resume fighting with Blackbeard.[3]
Later in the battle, The Spaniard and his soldiers arrived to the Fountain, revealing their true intentions of destroying the Fountain, not to use it for gaining eternal life for their King. The Spaniard smashed the Chalices and ordered his men to destroy the Fountain. While the Spaniard confronted Blackbeard during the destruction of the Fountain, Gillette's body was carried away by two British marines.[3]
Personality and traits
- "Ever walk on the beach, look back, and see your footsteps in the sand? It's like that, except the footsteps lie before me."
"Footstep, actually." - ―Hector Barbossa and Gillette
Gillette was an upholder of the law and followed orders given to him. While stationed at Port Royal, Gillette served under Commodore James Norrington as his most trusted lieutenant and was in second command of the HMS Dauntless, the pride of the British Royal Navy.[2] Several years later, Lieutenant Gillette was assigned to the HMS Providence, pride of King George II's fleet, and served as second officer under the command of the King's most trustworthy privateer, the former pirate Hector Barbossa.[3]
Gillette had shown loyalty to his commanding officer. He never took any question in his orders and carried them out. Gillette voiced concerns about Jack Sparrow's escape to the Black Pearl, but still went with Norrington's order to give Sparrow a day's head start.[2] As the Providence fell, with most of its crew, to a mermaid attack as well as Barbossa pointing his pistol at Theodore Groves, Gillette watched with visible concern, but didn't go against his captain's orders.[3]
Gillette also seemed to be a man of sensibility. After Jack Sparrow escaped from his execution, by falling off of Fort Charles, Gillette said that Jack had nowhere to go but back to the noose. This was true until the Black Pearl appeared to rescue him. He also mentioned that the Dauntless could not be crewed by two men alone.[2] Another example was when Barbossa mentions a saying that 'footsteps laid forward', Gillette corrected him by saying 'footstep' due to the fact that Hector only had one foot.[3]
Like Mullroy, Gillette didn't believe in supernatural beings and items. When Elizabeth Swann warned him about the undead pirates, he dismissed her warning and was in utter shock when he first saw them.[2]
Equipment and skills
An officer of the Royal Navy, Gillette was skilled with weaponry such as a pistol and a sword. He was able to hold his own against the cursed crew's attack on the Dauntless during the battle of Isla de Muerta long enough for their curse to be lifted.[2] However, during the battle at the Fountain of Youth, Gillette was unable to defeat the zombie pirate, Yeoman, which ultimately led to his death at the hands of Blackbeard.[3]
Gillette also used a spyglass during his time aboard the HMS Dauntless.[2]
Behind the scenes
- Gillette was portrayed by Damian O'Hare in The Curse of the Black Pearl and On Stranger Tides.
- Until the release of On Stranger Tides, due to Gillette's absence in Dead Man's Chest or At World's End, it was assumed amongst fans that he died when the hurricane destroyed the Dauntless. However, with Gillette's presence in On Stranger Tides, it is possible that Gillette resigned from Norrington's crew by that time.
- It was confirmed by director Rob Marshall, in the audio commentary for On Stranger Tides, that Gillette, along with Groves, indeed died.[4]
- In the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Ultimate Sticker Book, Gillette is mistakenly identified as Groves and vice versa. In addition, Gillette's name was incorrectly spelled with one "l".
Appearances
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (First appearance)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Sources
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide
Notes and references
- ↑ Estimation based on Damian O'Hare's age during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and the fact that Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides takes place in 1750, a few years after the events of The Curse of the Black Pearl.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- ↑ Rob Marshall: And that's the end of Groves after four movies. Greg had a dramatic end. And we saw Damian before he gets slashed in the back, we lost Gillette, too.
| v • d • eCrew of the HMS Dauntless |
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| v • d • eCrew of the HMS Providence | |
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