Hector Barbossa
From PotC Wiki
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| Hector Barbossa | |
|---|---|
| Biographical information | |
| Gender |
Male[1] |
| Ethnic group |
English[1] |
| Eye color |
Blue[1] |
| Hair color |
Auburn[1] |
| Height |
5'11"5°/1.82 metres[2] |
| Born | |
| Died |
Isla de Muerta[1] (resurrected later)[4] |
| Title(s) |
Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea |
| Alias |
Captain Blackheart[5] |
| Bounty | |
| Statistics | |
| Weapon(s) owned | |
| Ship(s) captained or crewed | |
| Battles |
Port Royal[1] |
| Affiliation |
Merchant marine (formerly)[10] |
| Behind the scenes | |
| First appearance | |
| Latest appearance | |
| Portrayer |
Geoffrey Rush (actor)[1][4][9] |
- "For too long I've been parched of thirst and unable to quench it. Too long I've been starving to death and haven't died. I feel nothing. Not the wind on my face nor the spray of the sea, nor the warmth of a woman's flesh. You best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner. You're in one!"
- ―Hector Barbossa to Elizabeth Swann[src]
Hector Barbossa was the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea. In his youth he was an honest sailor, who left to make an easier living as a pirate. One day he joined the crew of the Black Pearl, captained by Jack Sparrow. Barbossa lead a mutiny against Jack during their first voyage and marooned him on an uninhabited island and then journeyed to the Isla de Muerta to claim the lost treasure of Cortés. The crew later found out that the legends about the treasure's curse were true. In order to undo the curse, the crew set out to find the coins that they had spent away. At some point he became Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea after the previous Lord passed his Piece of Eight to Barbossa. After ten years the curse was lifted by Will Turner, son of lost crew member "Bootstrap Bill" and Barbossa was shot dead by his old captain Jack Sparrow.
Some time later Barbossa was resurrected by Tia Dalma, secretly the sea goddess Calypso in human form. She demanded that Barbossa free her from her human bonds in return for his resurrection. Barbossa grudgedly accepted, and set out, along with the remainder of Jack Sparrow's crew, to free Jack, who had been killed by a sea-creature called the Kraken, from Davy Jones' Locker.
Barbossa acquired a ship from fellow Pirate Lord Sao Feng, set out along with his former enemies and rescued Jack from the Locker. Once free, Barbossa demanded that Jack go to the conclave of Pirate Lords at Shipwreck Cove, in order to decide what was to be done about the East India Trading Company, which was eradicating pirates around the world. Barbossa secretly wanted to steal the other pieces of eight from the Pirate Lords, which he would be able to use to free Calypso, and settle his debt.
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Barbossa's history prior to serving aboard the Black Pearl remains shrouded in mystery, although his last name indicates possible Portuguese or Spanish origin. It is possible that he grew in extreme poverty and went to sea at the age of 13. He had once been an honest sailor, but corrupted himself upon realizing that he could gain a lot more a lot quicker if he broke the rules, even stooping to murder.[10]
[edit] The mutiny
- "Three days into the venture, the first mate comes up to him and says everything's in equal share. So, Jack gives up the bearings. That night, there was a mutiny…"
- ―Joshamee Gibbs to William Turner concerning the mutiny against Jack Sparrow[src]
Some time before Barbossa became the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea, Barbossa joined the crew of the Black Pearl, captained by Jack Sparrow. Barbossa was made Sparrow's first mate, and the crew set out from Tortuga towards Isla de Muerta to find the lost treasure of Hernán Cortés. The Isla de Muerta was an island that could not be found except by those who already knew where it was, but Captain Sparrow had a map as to the approximate location of the island. Three days into the voyage, Barbossa was able to coax the bearings from Jack. The then-over trusting Jack gave his bearings willingly to his "loyal" first mate, thinking that he could help in finding the island.[1]
That same night Barbossa rallied the rest of the crew and lead a mutiny against Jack. They marooned him on an island, jokingly appointing him it's "governor", and gave him a pistol with one shot, according to the Code. With the Pearl now under Barbossa's control, they then sailed towards Isla de Muerta. Prior to this however, Barbossa attained his precious pet monkey, mockingly named "Jack", after their old captain. Then, with Jack's bearings, the crew found the island and the treasure inside it's caves. Inside a large stone chest were 882 identical pieces of Aztec coins, once belonging to Hernán Cortés, given to him by the Aztec to stop the ambitious Spaniard from slaughtering their people. Cortés continued his conquest despite the tribute. According to legend, the heathen gods of the Aztec placed a curse on the treasure to avenge the fallen people. Supposedly, anyone who took a single piece from the chest would be cursed for eternity. The crew ignored the legends and seized the treasure for themselves. They returned to Tortuga and after a time, they traded the whole gold away on frivolous things.[1]
[edit] The curse
- "The moonlight showes us for what we really are! We are not among the living, so we cannot die, but neither we are dead."
- ―Hector Barbossa to Elizabeth Swann.[src]
Very soon they realized that the legends were true, and they lost the ability to taste, digest, or feel in general. Perhaps worst of all, at night, beneath the moon, they were revealed for what they were: hideous, half-dead skeletons; neither living nor dead, they were unable to die or succumb to bodily harm. Nevertheless, the crew set about immediately to find the lost treasure.[1]
There was only one crewman who had been bitter and guilt-ridden ever since the marooning of Jack Sparrow: "Bootstrap Bill" Turner who sent a piece of the treasure to his child, telling the others that they deserved to be cursed. This angered Barbossa greatly, so he ordered his men to strap "Bootstrap's bootstraps" to a cannon. He then ordered them to push the cannon overboard, taking "Bootstrap" down to the crushing depths, unable to die, yet unable to move. Barbossa was able to figure out a way to reverse the curse: by returning the coins to the chest and offering a tribute in blood, the curse of the heathen gods would be satisfied, and the crew would be free. With this plan in mind, Barbossa and his crew set out to try and recover the treasure by using an ability to sense when a coin was near. Two years later, the Pearl attacked a ship with a coin on board. They were not able to find the coin and left the burning wreckage behind them, narrowly avoiding a confrontation with the HMS Dauntless.[1] Some when during his time as the captain of the Pearl he received a Piece of Eight which was in fact a wooden eyeball from the previous Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea and became the new Lord. He gave the wooden eye to one of his subordinates, Ragetti, who missed an eye and ordered him to keep it safe.[11][9]
[edit] Raid on Port Royal
- "Welcome abord the Black Pearl, Miss Turner!"
- ―Hector Barbossa to Elizabeth Swann[src]
Over the course of the next eight years, the crew raided and pillaged settlements throughout the New World, searching for the lost pieces of the treasure. At last, they returned all but one of the coins to the chest. One day, Barbossa and his crew sensed the last piece. They followed their senses, and finally ended at the British colony of Port Royal. They attacked at night, blending in perfectly with the dark and cloudy night. The Pearl was followed by an eerie fog, a side-effect of the cursed crew's long-term occupation of the ship. Due to the cover, the Pearl was able to attack Port Royal unhindered. Barbossa ordered his cannonneers to fire on Fort Charles. While Pearl occupied the fort's attention, Barbossa sent a raiding party to collect the coin.[1]
- "There be a lot of long words in there, miss. We're naught but humble pirates. What is it that you want?"
"I want you to leave and never come back."
"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request…Means "no"." - ―Hector Barbossa and Elizabeth Swann[src]
Some time later, the boats returned laden with swag. Two of Barbossa's crewmen, Pintel and Ragetti, came aboard with a young female hostage. When his boatswain, Bo'sun, asked them why they had brought a captive, the young woman tried to explain her situation, but was slapped in return. Barbossa took offence to this and reprimanded the boatswain and apologized to the woman. She audaciously demanded that Barbossa cease his attack on Port Royal, or else she would throw the Aztec coin overboard. Barbossa tried to hide the crew's need for the medallion she wore around he neck, but the young woman said that she had seen the Pearl on her crossing of the Atlantic from England eight years prior. Barbossa asked for the girl's name. She responded by saying her name was Elizabeth Turner, and that she was a maid in the governor's household. Barbossa was thrilled by the fact that they had very likely found "Bootstrap's" child, after all these years, and would finally be able to lift the curse. Barbossa agreed to leave Port Royal and ordered his crew to set sail. After giving over the medallion, "Miss Turner" demanded she be taken ashore. Barbossa refused, citing that her return to shore was not part of their agreement. With that, the Pearl set off towards Isla de Muerta, to lift the curse.[1]
[edit] Isla de Muerta
- "Compelled by greed we were, but now we are consumed by it."
- ―Hector Barbossa to Elizabeth Swann[src]
While the Pearl sailed towards Isla de Muerta, Barbossa entertained Elizabeth, and held her as his guest in his cabin. Food was always kept near in case the curse was lifted was now able to be cooked and brought out. Barbossa watched, utterly envious, as Elizabeth ate her food. She, however, was suspicious as to why Barbossa was not eating, but was encouraging her to eat instead. Elizabeth asked if the food was poisoned; Barbossa was amused. He told her that there was no sense in killing her. Elizabeth asked why he was still keeping her. Barbossa saw that Elizabeth did not know about the curse, and so he told her the story of the crew and its curse. He then told her that she was the last blood sacrifice needed to lift the curse. At that, Elizabeth leapt up and attempted to run out of the cabin. Barbossa ran after her, but Elizabeth turned around and stabbed him with a knife from the table; she was shocked to see that Barbossa was unimpressed. Elizabeth then ran out into the moonlit sky, and ran face to face with the half-dead skeleton crew. While drinking wine from a bottle Barbossa explained the curse's effect on the crew, and, startled, Elizabeth ran back into the cabin, where she remained for the duration of the voyage. Barbossa locked the doors behind her and laughed.[1]
Upon reaching Isla de Muerta, the crew of the Pearl unloaded all of their booty into the caverns, while Barbossa prepared the ritual. After a short speech, Barbossa cut Elizabeth's palm with the ritual knife, covered the coin with her blood, and dropped it into the chest. Not feeling any different, Barbossa shot Pintel to see if the curse was lifted. Surprisingly, Pintel did not die. Barbossa confronted Elizabeth, asking her if William Turner was her father. Elizabeth admitted that she was not, but refused to tell Barbossa who William's child was. Frustrated, Barbossa slapped Elizabeth, dropping the coin as well. While the crew at first became angry at Pintel and Ragetti for bringing the wrong person, they soon turned their attention to Barbossa, claiming every decision he had made has led them from bad to worse, the curse itself being the most prominent example. But, when Barbossa brandished his sword, challenging the crew to fight him, no one dared fight against such a skilled swordsmen. The confrontation was interrupted by Jack the monkey, who pointed towards the exit of the caverns, screaming. Barbossa turned towards where Elizabeth had fell, and saw that she was no longer there.[1]
He ordered the crew to find her. Soon the crew called for him, and he went to find, much to his amazement, Jack Sparrow. Barbossa asked him how he got off his island, and Jack said that he had forgotten a very important thing, that he was Captain Jack Sparrow. Barbossa, annoyed with Jack's self-aggrandizing attitude, ordered his crew to kill Sparrow. Sparrow, however, coolly asked if Elizabeth's blood hadn't work. Barbossa, perceiving Jack's motives, ordered his crew to hold fire. Jack then told him that he knew who's blood they did need. Since a compromise couldn't be made on the spot, and the medallion, on the HMS Interceptor (Barbossa learned the name courtesy of Jack) was getting farther and farther out of Barbossa's reach.[1]
[edit] Chasing the Interceptor
- "Haul on the main brace! Make ready the guns!…and run out the sweeps."
- ―Hector Barbossa to his crew and Bo'sun[src]
So the crew and Jack boarded the Pearl and headed out in hot pursuit of the Interceptor. Barbossa and Sparrow, meanwhile, attempted to cut a deal in Barbossa's cabin. Jack was attempting to make Barbossa give him "his" ship, where then he would strand Barbossa on a beach and shout the name of the person who's blood he needed to him, as he sailed away. Barbossa, however, did not feel comfortable with giving away his ship, while he trusted that the name Sparrow gave him was the one he needed. Negotiations were at a standstill when Bo'sun entered the cabin and informed them that the Interceptor was in view.[1]
Barbossa ordered Jack to be put in the brig and headed closely behind the Interceptor. The resourceful crew of the Interceptor, however, attempted to lose the Pearl over an unnamed shoal. The Interceptor, small and light, was easily able to transverse over the shoal. It then began to dump supplies and cargo overboard, to make it go even faster. Barbossa ordered the crew to bring out the oars, as well as the guns, confident that the Pearl would catch up with the Interceptor before she reached the shoals. As the Pearl slowly caught up, the Interceptor attempted one last trick. It lowered its starboard anchor into the shoal, catching one a rock and turning sharply around towards the Pearl. Barbossa quickly ordered the crew to turn the ship around, and ordered a full broadside.[1]
Barbossa gave his crew orders during the ensuing battle, overseeing the boarding of the Interceptor, and giving commands to his cannonneers. During the battle, the main mast of the Interceptor crashed onto the Pearl's deck, and Jack the monkey crept onto the mast and scurried onboard the Interceptor. He soon returned, medallion in hand, with Sparrow (out of his cell) suspiciously in hot pursuit of the monkey. The crew then captured the survivors of the skirmish off the Interceptor, and tied them up, while Barbossa, tipped off by his crew that they had set up an explosion, eagerly waited for the Interceptor's destruction, the medallion in his hand.[1]
After the Interceptor exploded, Barbossa was confronted by a man claiming to be Will Turner, son of "Bootstrap Bill". He intended to shoot himself, and fall into the sea, thus making his blood unattainable for Barbossa's plan to lift the curse. Barbossa asked Turner what his terms were; Turner said he wanted Elizabeth to be set free, a term Turner eagerly made clear previously, and he also wished for the crew of the Interceptor not to be harmed. Barbossa agreed, ordering the crew of the Interceptor to be locked in the brig.[1]
But, instead of just leaving Elizabeth at a port, he decided to cleverly twist his bargain with Turner and "release" Elizabeth by marooning her on an island, the same island that Jack had been marooned on all those years prior. But, she would have company; Sparrow was also to be marooned on the island, in response to his previous escape, and for trying to manipulate Barbossa. With those two dealt with, Barbossa turned the Pearl back toward Isla de Muerta, now finally able to lift the curse. At the request of his crew, Barbossa intended to kill Will and spill all of his blood to lift the curse in order to avoid any mistakes.[1]
[edit] Duel with Sparrow
- "You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters!"
- ―Hector Barbossa to Jack Sparrow[src]
Barbossa's crew made for Isla de Muerta, though the Pearl sailed slower than usual due to damage sustained during the fight. By the time Barbossa began the ritual once more, this time with Will as the sacrifice, Jack Sparrow miraculously appeared yet again, leaving Barbossa in utter disbelief. Jack informed Barbossa and his crew that the HMS Dauntless was sailing just off shore, waiting for them. With the ritual successfully stalled, Jack offered Barbossa a deal: Barbossa would seize the Dauntless for himself, leaving Jack as captain of the Pearl, and would have the makings of his very own fleet, and could take the title of commodore. Enticed, Barbossa agreed to Jack's proposal in return for twenty-five percent of Jack's plunder, and Jack's promise that he would purchase Barbossa a big hat. Barbossa sent his men on a walk on the ocean floor, while he, Will and Jack waited in the caves for the battle to end.[1]
- "I feel…cold"
- ―Barbossa’s last words before dying.[src]
Barbossa was starting to trust Jack again and noted that Jack was a hard man to predict. This trust ended when Jack freed Will, who engaged Barbossa's men, while Jack duelled Barbossa. Ultimately, Barbossa, knowing that Jack could not kill him, threw his weapon aside. Sparrow, taking the opportunity, stabbed Barbossa in the chest. Barbossa sighed to himself, ripped out the sword, and in turn stabbed Jack with it in the gut. Jack staggered backwards, feigning mortal injury, but an accidental step into a shaft of moonlight revealed him to be under the influence of the curse: He had snuck a piece of gold from the Chest of Cortés while talking to Barbossa. The duel continued around the cave, quite pointlessly, until finally, Barbossa pulled a gun on Elizabeth Swann, who had come to help Will and Jack. Before Barbossa could pull the trigger, however, Jack shot him in the heart. Barbossa sneered, claiming that Jack wasted his shot. But upon defeating Barbossa's crewmen, Will had gathered the last two coins, with blood from himself and Jack, and dropped it all into the chest, lifting the curse. Unbuttoning his coat, Barbossa found that the wound from Jack's shot began to spurt blood. Barbossa then stated that he felt cold before falling to the cave floor, dead.[1]
[edit] Deal with Tia Dalma
Barbossa's body remained in the cave at Isla de Muerta for a while.[1] He did not arrive in Davy Jones' Locker, however, and was at some point resurrected from death by Tia Dalma.[4] As one of the nine Pirate Lords, Barbossa was required to free Dalma's true form, Calypso, from her human bonds. [9]
He resided within a grotto at Devil's Anvil following his return to life, [12] but later he relocated to Tia Dalma's shack[4] He was already present at Tia Dalma's house when Jack Sparrow and his crew arrived there seeking information about the Dead Man's Chest, though he did not reveal himself at that point. It was only after Jack's own death, when the remains of Jack’s crew returned to Dalma's house, that Tia Dalma introduced Barbossa as their new captain, much to their surprise, as they expected him to be dead. She proposed the crew set out to save Sparrow from the Locker, meaning a voyage to World's End. Barbossa had prior knowledge of these waters, and wished to return Jack to life to further his attempt to free Calypso. Barbossa and his new crew set out for Singapore.[4]
[edit] Singapore
Barbossa led Jack's former crew to a meeting with Sao Feng in his Singapore bath house, intending to barter Feng's navigational charts to lead them to World's End. Mindful that negotiating with Feng would be difficult, Barbossa dispatched Will Turner to break into the temple of Sao Feng's uncle and steal the charts.[9]
Barbossa himself went to the negotiations together with Elizabeth Swann and he ordered the rest of the crew to prepared a support for them if something would go wrong. During their meeting, Barbossa tried to acquire Feng's navigational charts, and requested a ship and safe passage through the waters of Singapore. Feng ultimately told Barbossa that he thought that it was odd that they would ask for his navigational charts on the same day they were almost stolen by a thief caught while attempting to break into his uncle's temple. Feng then revealed the thief: Will Turner, who was captured by Feng's men and kept in a pool of water, to his guests. Barbossa told Sao Feng that Will was not their ally, but when Feng moved to kill Will in order to prove whether it is true, Elizabeth let out a shriek. Knowing that Barbossa and Elizabeth lied to him, Feng asked why they were going to such lengths to acquire his charts. Barbossa attempted to change the subject by telling that the Song was sung and summoning him, as one of the Pirate Lords to the Brethren Court, in order to decide what was to be done against the forces of East India Trading Company––which was systematically exterminating pirates around the world.[9]
- "There was a time when a pirate was free to make his own way in the world. But our time is comin' to an end. Our enemies have united, and have vowed to destroy us."
- ―Hector Barbossa to Sao Feng.[src]
Feng was hesitant to enter into open war with the East India Trading Company and remarked that pirates were betraying each other instead of holding together. After this, Elizabeth declared him a coward. Feng was impressed by Elizabeth's assertiveness but instead of answering her, he pointed out that Barbossa had still not said why he wanted his charts. Barbossa and Elizabeth both refused to answer, but Will revealed that they needed the charts to rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker. Feng became angry because Sparrow had insulted him once, and declared that the only reason why he not wanted Jack Sparrow to remain dead is that he wanted to kill Jack himself. Barbossa then stated that Sparrow was one of the nine Pirate Lords and could not pass on his Piece of Eight befor being dragged into the Locker, and therefore they could not open the Brethren Court without him.[9]
The meeting became much more tense, when Feng suddenly noticed an unfamilliar man with a fake tattoo among his soldiers—undoubtedly another spy. Assuming that the man belonged to Barbossa’s crew, Feng called on his soldiers, who came out of their hideouts. Barbossa tired to calm his opponent, but without success. Barbossa’s men who were hiding under the floor, realized that this attempt has failed and that Barbossa and Elizabeth needed help, so they threw four swords through slots between the planks forming the floor of the bath house and Barbossa and Elizabeth grabbed two of them each. Feng immediately seized the spy and declared that he would kill him if Barbossa did not drop his weapons. Barbossa, however, encouraged Feng to kill the man, claiming that the spy was not his, but at that moment the beginning confrontation between Feng on one side and Barbossa, Will and Elizabeth on the other side was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a large group East India Trading Company soldiers led by Mercer. Barbossa and Feng briefly united their forces against a common enemy and fought their way through the harbour. During the battle Will Turner made his own deal with Feng without Barbossa's knowledge; he acquired the charts himself, and provided Barbossa with a crew of Chinese pirates led by Tai Huang and a junk ship, the Hai Peng. They took the ship and left for World's End [9]
[edit] At World's End
- "Ah! Hector, it's been too long…hasn't it?"
"Aye. Isla de Muerta, remember? You shot me."
"Heh, no I didn't." - ―Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa[src]
After escaping safely from Singapore, the crew sailed through uncharted, frozen wastes to reach the World's End, although Barbossa was unable to decipher the charts' cryptic instructions for returning from Davy Jones' Locker. Undaunted, Barbossa showed no fear neither when he led the Hai Peng into a giant ice cave, where they got lost, what he claimed to be necessary to find a place that can't be found else ways, nor when he sailed the ship over the world's edge, plunging the junk and its crew into the underworld. The ship was wrecked, though the crew survived and were reunited with Jack Sparrow. Barbossa brought up their last fateful meeting in conversation, though Jack brushed this off and continued to refer to himself as captain of the Black Pearl. Barbossa contested this, knowing that Jack could not leave the Locker without the charts now in Barbossa's possession. Thus, the two rivals were forced to co-operate as the Pearl set sail on the endless seas of the Locker.[9]
When sailing these mysterious waters, Barbossa and Jack were constantly fighting over who had the right to be captain,[9] but finally he and Jack decided that Barbossa was to be captain of the starboard side, and Jack captained the port side. [13] Sparrow ultimately worked out the meaning of the charts, and coerced the crew into tipping the Pearl upside down. Barbossa understood Jack’s plan and ordered the crew to loose the cannons and the freight in order to make capsizing the ship easier and even hacked some ropes securing the barrels himself to accelerate the process. The capsizing happened coinciding with sunset in the Locker that resulted in a green flash and the return of the Pearl to the land of the living.[9]
The moment Barbossa was sure he was back in the real world, he pulled his flintlock on Sparrow, forcing him to agree to meet with the Brethren Court and Shipwreck Cove. Immediately, Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, Joshamee Gibbs and Jack the monkey, also drew their pistols and pointed them at each other, so that a few seconds later numerous barrels pointed at Barbossa who was treating Sparrow with one pistol and Joshamee Gibbs with another. The tense stand-off was diffused when Jack Sparrow attempted to shoot Barbossa and found out the crew's pistols malfunctioned due to wet powder, so they put them away and set about locating a source of water at a nearby island.[9]
However, Barbossa and Sparrow nearly quarrelled once again because they mistrusted each other so much, that none of them could afford the risk of leading the landing party and leaving the other one aboard the Pearl, because he had to fear that the one who stays aboard might commandeer the ship in his absence and sail away leaving him behind on the island. Will Turner solved the situation when he proposed that both Jack and Barbossa should go ashore leaving him as the Pearle's acting captain.[9]
[edit] Betrayals and alliances
- "Still thinkin' of runnin', Jack? Think you can outrun the world? You know, the problem with bein' the last of anythin', is by and by there'll be none left at all."
"Sometimes things come back, mate. We're living proof, you and me."
"Aye, but that's a gamble of long odds, ain't it? There's never a guarantee of comin' back, but passin' on, that's dead certain." - ―Hector Barbossa and Jack Sparrow[src]
After the arrival on the island, Barbossa and Sparrow happened upon the corpse of the Kraken, and Barbossa remarked upon the certainty of death to counter Jack's insistence to the contrary. However, Barbossa, like Sparrow, would contemplate his own mortality in the time to come. For now, more pressing matters were at hand.[9]
After this short philosophical conversation between the two captains, the landing party continued exploring the island. The group could discover a spring but the death body of Steng, the East India Trading Company spy who was killed with a fid, was lying in it. Barbossa tasted the water and found out that it was poisoned by the decaying corpse. After seeing Sao Feng's flagship, the Empress, arriving at the island and coming closer to the Black Pearl, Tai Huang and his men suddenly drew their weapons and turned on Barbossa's crew. Jack Sparrow immediately denied his captaincy and claimed that Barbossa is the captain. They were brought aboard the Black Pearl, where they met Sao Feng who had seized the Pearl immediately before their arrival. There, Turner's betrayal was revealed.[9]
Soon afterwards, the HMS Endeavour appeared. Jack Sparrow was transferred to the Endeavour and the rest of the crew including Barbossa remained aboard the Black Pearl, chained and guarded by Feng's soldiers and some Blue Coats led by Mercer. When Jack Sparrow spoke with Lord Beckett in the latter’s cabin aboard the Endeavour, he declared that he was willing to deliver Barbossa and the other Pirate Lords to Beckett. Meanwhile, Barbossa was able to bargain with Feng by mentioning Calypso and making him believe that she is Elizabeth. Feng, already disappointed of the Company because Mercer broke their agreement and refused to give him the Black Pearl, was intrigued, and agreed to join Barbossa in opposition to the East India Trading Company in exchange for Elizabeth. His men freed the prisoners while he returned to the Empress together with Elizabeth. The Rescue crew and the Chinese pirates turned on the East India Trading Company Marines aboard the Black Pearl and defeated them. During this skirmish Barbossa duelled briefly with Mercer, kicked him in the stomach and forced him to escape from the ship by jumping overboard. After damaging the Endeavour with some shots, the Black Pearl made for Shipwreck Cove, once again co-captained by both Barbossa and Jack Sparrow who returned safely to the Pearl near the end of the skirmish.[9]
When they already reached the coast of Shipwreck Island, Barbossa had a conversation with Tia Dalma on the Pearl's forecastle. The Voodoo priestess accused him on intending to betray her and therefore reminded him on the reason he was brought back from the dead by her powers, and his fate should he fail to free Calypso and demonstrated her abilities by briefly turning Barbossa’s right hand rotten. Barbossa however told her that she is the one who needs him, Jack Sparrow and the other Pirate Lords since only the nine Pirate Lords had the power to release Calypso from her bones. He ordered Pintel and Ragetti to arrest her and lock her in the brig, ensuring she is unable to escape before the Brethren can free her. He stayed on the deck, impressed by Tia Dalmas powers and contemplating his debt. [9]
[edit] The Brethren Court
- "There's not been a gatherin' like this in our lifetime."
- ―Barbossa when arriving at Shipwreck Island[src]
At Shipwreck Island, Barbossa served as the de facto leader and the Master of Ceremonies of the meeting, using a Chainshot as an improvised gavel.[9]
Barbossa declared the fourth Brethren Court opened and ordered all the present Pirate Lords to lay their Pieces of Eight into a bowl, what all except Jack Sparrow did. He took Ragetti’s eyeball and put it into the ball as well. Barbossa now had all but two Pieces of eight and waited for Sao Feng's arrival, but it was Elizabeth Swann who appeared in his place. She proclaimed that Feng is dead, killed by the Flying Dutchman, and Elizabeth has been made the Empress' new captain and the new Pirate Lord of Singapore. When asked what to do, Elizabeth proposed to face Lord Beckett's armada in an open sea battle, but Mistress Ching preferred staying at Shipwreck Cove and holding out a siege.[9]
- "It was the first Court what imprisoned Calypso. We should be the ones to set her free, and in her gratitude she will see fit to grant us boons!"
"Whose boons? Your boons? Utterly deceptive twaddle-speak says I." - ―Hector Barbossa and Jack Sparrow[src]
Barbossa made a third proposal: He suggested that Calypso should be released so that the East India Trading Company would have a harder time controlling the seas. Tai Huang stated that Sao Feng supported this idea and Villanueva agreed with Barbossa as well, but the other lords opposed since they feared the sea goddess' power and retaliation. A fight broke out, but Barbossa stopped the violence by jumping on the table and firing a warning shot in the air. [9]
When the Pirate Lords were calm again, Jack Sparrow made a fourth proposal: He wanted to start a faint battle only in order to flee later. Barbossa reminded him that this would mean war and only a Pirate King had the right of declaring war. In order to proof this, he called on captain Teague, the Keeper of the Code, who confirmed this. An election of the Pirate King was called out, during which Barbossa voted for himself, but since all the other Pirate Lords voted for themselves as well, excepted for Sparrow who supported Elizabeth, he lost the election to her.[9]
[edit] Parley
- "Everything we've ever faced, everything we've ever done, has led to this."
- ―on the conflict with Cutler Beckett[src]
The pirate fleet left Shipwreck Island and got ready to fight. Barbossa and Sparrow quarrelled as to who of them was the right captain of the Pearl, but when Cutler Beckett's armada appeared, Jack Sparrow called for a temporary parlay, so the two captains Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa, along with Pirate King Elizabeth Swann, took a rowboat and went to a sandbar where they met with Lord Cutler Beckett, Captain Davy Jones and William Turner. Barbossa walked to the right of Elizabeth. On the sandbar, the six had a confrontation and during this confrontation, Jack Sparrow was traded for Will as part of the parley, and for Jack to repay his debt to Jones. [9]
- "Jack's one of the nine pirate lords. You have no right."
"King!" - ―Hector Barbossa and Elizabeth Swann[src]
Elizabeth and Will walked away, while Barbossa had a deal with Sparrow: Barbossa attacked Sparrow with his sword and cut off his Piece of Eight (a coin woven into Moroccan beads) while calling Jack a "blackguard". Jack the monkey grabbed Sparrow's Piece of Eight, the last one to be collected, and secretly handed it to Barbossa. The three returned to the Black Pearl and prepared for the battle:[9]
Back at the Black Pearl Barbossa settled his debt with Tia Dalma and organized the ceremony of releasing Calypso from her human form. To do this, all nine Pieces of Eight were burned and Ragetti whispered the magic phrase in Tia Dalma's ear. When Calypso was released, Barbossa pleads for her intervention, but Calypso refuses to aid those who kept her imprisoned. Disappointed by this, Barbossa advised Elizabeth not to battle Lord Cutler Beckett, signifying that he was not going to die for her revenge, but Elizabeth held a speech which encouraged him as well as the rest of the crew. In the mean time Calypso showed her wrath by summoning a storm and forming a whirlpool by striking the sea with lightning.[9]
[edit] Battle of Calypso's Maelstrom
- "Barbossa, we need you at the helm!"
"[...]Aye, that'd be true!" - ―Elizabeth Swann and Hector Barbossa[src]
Barbossa, now undoubtedly the captain of the Black Pearl which sailed under his colours, ordered to sail into the maelstrom. Elizabeth asked him, as the best steersman aboard, to man the steering wheel, and Barbossa did it with joy. The Flying Dutchman sailed into the maelstrom as well. When the two ships entered the Maelstrom, Barbossa ordered to prepare for the battle, but waited with firing the guns until the Black Pearl came near enough to the Dutchman and assumed the right position which allowed to use her guns most efficiently. Then he gave the order for firing a full broadside. The two ships rotated in the whirlpool and fired at each other until they finally came close enough for boarding.[9]
- "Barbossa! Marry us!"
"I'm a little busy at the moment!" - ―Elizabeth Swann and Hector Barbossa.[src]
During the following battle Barbossa stayed on his position, the bridge of the Black Pearl and fought numerous East India Trading Company Marines and Fish-men including Urchin, Jelly and Morey whom he killed by beheading and stabbing. During the battle Will and Elizabeth asked him, as the ship’s captain, to join them in matrimony. Still fighting against numerous enemies, Barbossa performed a marriage. When Will stabbed Jones’s heart and the Dutchman began to sink in the whirlpool, Barbossa ordered Pintel and Ragetti to fire a chain shot on the mast tops of the two ships which were jammed together in order to uncouple the ship from the sinking Dutchman and when this was done he sailed the Black Pearl safely out of the dissolving swirl.[9]
Despite the Dutchman's defeat, Beckett's armada still had to be dealt with. Jack Sparrow escaped from the Dutchman and came aboard the Black Pearl to become her captain once more. He ordered to continue the attack, but Barbossa refused. During their conversation the Dutchman resurfaced again, now with Will Turner as its new captain. Delighted about this unexpected arrival of a new ally, Barbossa agreed to attack. Sparrow and Barbossa sailed the Pearl towards Beckett's flagship, the HMS Endeavour. The two galleons boxed the Endeavour in and attacked it from both sides, annihilating the ship along with its captain. The remaining ships of Beckett's fleet, seeing the destruction of their flagship, the death of their supreme commander and with the Dutchman out of their control, retreated from the battle. Barbossa and all the other pirates celebrated their victory.[9]
When after the end of the battle Elizabeth Turner left the Black Pearl to spend the one day her husband could spend on land with him, Barbossa was the first in the row of crewmembers who took leave from her.[9] Ironically, he had to address her as "Turner", which is how Elizabeth first (falsely) introduced herself to him.[9][1]
[edit] Second Mutiny
- "Sir! Some of the crew don't feel entirely settled about leaving Captain Jack behind.
Again.
...again." - ―Pintel and Ragetti regarding the mutiny.[src]
After the pirates' victory, the Black Pearl sailed back to Tortuga. While Jack was in port impressing women, Barbossa rallied the crew, left the sleeping Joshamee Gibbs on the pier and commandeered the Black Pearl once again, planning to use the charts he obtained from Sao Feng to find the Fountain of Youth. However, some time later, when Barbossa was feeding Jack on the bridge of the Black Pearl, a group of crewmen consisting of Pintel, Ragetti, Marty, Mullroy and Murtogg, who all felt unwell because they left Jack Sparrow behind, demanded him to show them the charts in order to calm them. Barbossa promised them "Eternal life" and agreed to show the charts, but when he furled the charts he was dismayed to find that Jack has cut the middle out of the charts. His further fate remains unknown.[9]
[edit] Equipment and traits
[edit] Personality and skills
Barbossa was grim and rough-edged, to say the least, but he had a knack for dry humour. [1][9] At his worst he was cruel, manipulative, and bloodthirsty. He could be merciless, treacherous and often turned agreements to his own favour,[14] but nevertheless he stated that he had a merciful nature and sense of fair play, though this was possibly only an example of his morbid sense of humour. irony.[9]. He was not completely without honor, however; he claimed to be a man of his word, and defied the Pirate King when told not to free Calypso, in order to fulfil his promise of freeing her. He considered himself a gentleman of the seas and could act polite if he wished; he possessed a certain eloquence which he frequently used to his advantage. Being a vain person,[7] Barbossa liked to wear fine clothes and enjoyed setting himself in scene and holding heroic speeches, for example in the cave at Isla de Muerta[1] or on the Brethren Court.[9] Like many other pirates he considered the Pirate Code to be "more guidelines than actual rules", but nevertheless he respected the right of Parley and preferred interpreting the Code in his own favour instead of breaking it openly. [1] Barbossa had an apparent fearlessness, which could be interpreted by some as suicidal insanity - much to the dismay of his crew, he did not hesitate to sail right over the waterfalls at World's End, nor did he show much concern for sailing the Pearl straight into the huge whirlpool created by Calypso.[9]
Originally an honest sailor who loved seafaring, Barbossa became a pirate because of his wish to raise his social status and his greed for wealth and power,[10] but not because he wanted to live the adventurous life as a pirate in the way Jack Sparrow did. However, once he became a pirate Barbossa constantly and successfully worked on the attainment of these dreams, so that by the time the end of his captaincy over the cursed crew he considered them fulfilled. Indeed, Barbossa intended to resign from piracy after dividing ten years' worth of booty between the cursed crew and wanted to spend the rest of his life as a rich man with a pretty pirate bride.[2] Attracted by Elizabeth Swann's beauty he even believed that she might be the right girl for him, but nevertheless he had no scruples when sending her to walk the plank when he found out that she was worthless for him.[7]
He kept a capuchin monkey, mockingly named Jack after Jack Sparrow, as his pet and cared for him. He deeply loved the monkey and seemed to find pleasure in petting or feeding the little animal. Jack normally accompanied his master everywhere and often sat on his shoulder. [1][9]
Barbossa’s favourite delicacy was caviar,[15][16] but he also had a penchant for apples, which was a quite expensive obsession since fresh fruit like apples are not commonly available in the Caribbean and therefore a rare treasure. He offered an apple to Elizabeth during their dinner aboard the Pearl and he commented that after the curse was lifted, he would eat a whole bushel of apples - for this reason he always kept a number of apples on the table in his cabin on the Pearl. This seemed to be one of Barbossa's simple pleasures in life - unable to feel or taste due to the curse, apples turned into a constant craving.[1] He was holding an apple upon his death because he intended to eat it immediately after lifting the curse,[1] he was eating one when he revealed himself to the survived members of Jack Sparrow's crew in Tia Dalma's house[4] and later he ate another apple when aboard the Black Pearl.[9] Although Barbossa did not drink much alcohol by the time of his command over the Rescue crew, the fact that his liver was wrecked[17] implies excessive drinking in the past. It is likely that he overcame this habit during the decade when he was cursed and therefore unable to find any pleasure in drinking.[1]
He was a master seaman, who had excellent navigational abilities[1][9], a strategist who could plan ahead and outwit his opponents[18] and an able yet brutal and unforgiving leader as evidenced when he shot Pintel in the heart in order to see if the curse has been lifted.[1] These abilities not only gave him many advantages in his pirate life but also earned much respect both among his subordinates[7] as well as among his enemies; these skills—combined with his exceptional fighting abilities— were in fact the reason why Barbossa managed to survive a life of piracy for several decades and contributed to his reputation and his high-ranked position during this time.[10][7]
Barbossa had a controlled and defensive style of combat; he normally attempted to win through building his forces up to something big without allowing himself to be torn back down.[18] Therefore, when he participated in a battle he preferred not to fight on the front but to stay behind the fight and command his subordinates from a safe position,[1][9] but when he was forced into a duel, he was a deadly enemy [10] since he was an extremely skilled swordsman hinting at a lifetime of experience, so only few people could match his swordsman abilities.[19] The two cutlasses on his flag possibly signifies these swordsman abilities. It is likely that he did not receive training at a finishing school, but instead learned through brawls since his teenage years, therefore his fighting style is quite dirty, however he has an extensive knowledge of killing manoeuvres such as beheading.[10] Barbossa used hand grenades as well on some occasions and sometimes he kicked his opponents in sensitive points like the head or the stomach area, like he did with an attacking East India Trading company Marine whom he kicked in the face.[9] In addition to his swordsmanship he was also a accurate and experienced pistolier, so that while residing on Devil's Anvil he could give people who visited him shooting lessons.[12]
[edit] Physical traits
- "Shoot him!"
"Cut out his tongue!"
"Shoot him and cut out his tongue and then shoot his tongue…and trim that scraggly beard." - ―Ammand, Jocard and Jack Sparrow[src]
Barbossa was a tall man speaking with a strong West Country accent and uses the pirate "arrgh".
His face was covered with pockmarks or freckles and he had many scars, the most notable one is under his right eye. He wore his auburn, greying hair long and partially loose, partially tied up to a thin plait. He had a straggly beard running down to the base of his neck. [1] Barbossa also had a braid descending from the top of his head to the back of his head. After his resurrection he painted his long and sharp fingernails black.[9]
With the curse upon him, Barbossa's face became weathered and gaunt over time, with yellowed eyes giving him a particularly sinister appearance. Under the light of the moon, Barbossa transformed into a living corpse with rags for clothing. Interestingly, his appearance in the moonlight showed somewhat less decomposition than that of his crewmen; for example, the soft tissues of his nose remained, whereas most of his crew's nasal cavities were exposed.[1]
Barbossa wore fine clothing befitting a man of his stature and status, and he carried many valuable items about his person.[7] His suit consisted of dark brown, full breeches, a brown, double-breasted waistcoat elaborately ornamented by a pattern and a grey coat with black cuffs, black liner and thin black brims around the buttonholes, fitted with buttons made from melted down Inca silver stolen from Spanish ships.[7] He also wore brown leather swash boots and a faded light-green bandanna. At the end of his time as the Cursed Crew's captain his shirt was dirty and grey, but after his resurrection he wore a shining white one. [20] A yellow sash worn under a leather belt with a patinated bronze buckle and a leather baldric with a big, frame-shaped silver buckle, a smaller silver loop and a silver cover at the end, all three elaborately ornamented, complete his outfit. On his left hand he wore a black leather gauntlet, presumably in order to protect the hand.
He was rarely seen without his big, round, dark hat which is decorated with blue ostrich feathers as a show of vanity. There were several holes and cracks in the hat's brims and during Barbossa's duel with Jack Sparrow on Isla de Muerta his opponent has cut off some of the ostrich feathers.[1]
The jewellery he wore consisted of a silver ring, which bore the image of a lion's head, plundered from a Venetian ship and signifying Barbossa's status as leader of his pirates on his right ring finger, a golden snake pendant on a 26-inch long metal chain which features four white crystals set in a square around a much larger shining red stone at the centre of the piece. [1] and a silver earring with an attached fang of an unknown big carnivore in his left ear. It is unknown whether the last two items have any symbolic meaning.[1][7][9]
Barbossa carried a broadsword and a flintlock pistol. This elegantly engraved weapon was won in a duel against a Spanish pirate and allowed him to kill his enemies in the way of a gentleman.[7]
[edit] Behind the scenes
- "That's Sora, Donald and Goofy to you! And don't you forget it!"
"Aye, that we won't, and we'll engrave it on your tombstones, to be sure."
"Woah, I like your style!" - ―Sora, Barbossa and Pete[src]
- Barbossa was portrayed by Geoffrey Rush in the Pirates of the Caribbean films[1][4][9] and voiced by Brian George in the English version of Kingdom Hearts II[8], The Legend of Jack Sparrow[21] and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)[22] and by Haruhiko Jo in the Japanese dub and the Japanese version of Kingdom Hearts II.[8]
- Gore Verbinski jokingly said that Rush was his third choice after the (already deceased) Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers.[10] Robert De Niro turned down the role because he felt the film would flop as all pirate films before did. He regretted this decision later, voting for Curse of the Black Pearl for Best Picture at the Academy Awards ballot, and accepting the role of Captain Shakespeare in Stardust out of his regret for turning down Pirates of the Caribbean.[23]
- The DVD commentary of The Curse of the Black Pearl revealed Barbossa's first name, though writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio maintain that Johnny Depp came up with the name himself while joking with Geoffrey Rush about Barbossa's first name.[24] It was spoken on screen for the first time, by his character, in At World's End, as Jack Sparrow's first line to Barbossa.[9]
- For Gore Verbinski Barbossa is a "Dark Trickster" and the evil counterpart to Jack Sparrow, while Geoffrey Rush sees him as a fallen hero.[10]
- "Barbossa" is derived from "Barbarossa" (Italian for "Redbeard"), another name for the legendary Ottoman privateer Aruj. The word "barbossa" in Italian means "beard of bones", which is very consistent with his skeletal look. His name in the original script, "Blackheart", was a reference to the pirates who had a nom de guerre featuring the word "Black" (Blackbeard, Black Bart, Black Sam.) His first name, Hector was invented by Johnny Depp who portrayed Jack Sparrow and mentioned in the commentaries,[10] but the writers believed that it was fan-made when they decided to introduce in At World's End'.