Mutiny

For other uses, see Mutiny (disambiguation)

"So tell me, what's become of my ship?" Warning! This page contains MAJOR spoilers from Dead Men Tell No Tales. Caution is advised.

A mutiny aboard the Black Pearl.

"The topic, gentlemen...is mutiny. Mutiny most foul."

―Jack Sparrow

Mutiny [myoot-n-ee] - noun: Rebellion against authority. This is best known as sailors' revolt against the captain or officers of a ship. A participant of a mutiny were called a Mutineer.

It was a conspiracy among a group of individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow a lawful authority to which they were subject. The term is commonly used for a rebellion among members of a crew against their superior officer(s), but can also occasionally refer to any type of rebellion against an authority figure.

During the Golden Age of Piracy, mutiny particularly meant open rebellion against the captain of a ship. When Jack Sparrow captained the Black Pearl and Hector Barbossa was his first mate, Barbossa led a mutiny that overtook the ship and left Sparrow to die on a deserted island. Having led his own mutiny several years later, Jack knew a thing or two about mutinies.

History

A mutiny aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge.

"You heard Captain Turner. Release her!"
"'Captain Turner'?"
"Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!"

―Sao Feng, Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs concerning Will Turner

Several mutinies occurred throughout the Age of Piracy, and almost all of them were successful. In 1720, Edward England's crew mutinied because their captain decided to spare their prisoners. A few years later, Left-Foot Louis and Silverback raised a mutiny onboard the La Fleur de la Mort, but their attempt to overthrow Captain Laura Smith was unsuccessful. When the rogue pirate captain Christophe-Julien de Rapièr shot his First Mate, the crew of La Vipère raised a mutiny and left Christophe in a small boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

One of the most notable mutinies occurred at the beginning of the quest for the Treasure of Cortés, aboard the infamous pirate vessel, the Black Pearl. When Jack Sparrow captained the Pearl and Hector Barbossa was his first mate, Barbossa led his crew in a mutiny that overtook the ship and marooned Sparrow on a deserted island and left him to die. More than 10 years later, Mary Bonny's crew raised a mutiny against their captain and left her in the middle of the sea in a small boat. Will Turner later led a mutiny aboard the Pearl, this time against the motley crew after saving Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker, with the help of Sao Feng's Chinese pirates of the Empress. After the battle against the EITC Armada, Barbossa stole the Black Pearl from Jack Sparrow, again, under circumstances that could only be described as mutiny.

During the quest for the Fountain of Youth, having known a thing or two about mutinies, Jack Sparrow found himself on the planning side of his own mutiny on board Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge. Add to the zombie officers, an abused and terrified crew, and Blackbeard's reputation for brutality, and Jack felt it was an entirely unacceptable combination. He also didn't care much for swabbing the deck. Trapped on a ship crewed by zombies, going to a place of almost certain death, rebellion seemed Jack's only option. However, his revolt is quickly stopped in its tracks when Blackbeard brought the sinister ship to life.

During the quest for the Trident of Poseidon, the crew of the Dying Gull discovered that their captain Jack Sparrow was being hunted by a deadly ghost sailor for the sole purpose of revenge. They immediately aimed their guns at Jack in frustration, making Jack decide to call upon mutiny, having Henry Turner and Carina Smyth join him on a rowboat. The mutineers ended up putting Joshamee Gibbs as their new captain.

Laws of Mutiny

"Why do you do this?!"
"Mutiny. Our laws be clear."
"Our laws allow the captain to show leniency."
"I have given this man a chance to determine his fate. A gift not afforded to all."

―Angelica and Blackbeard

There were laws on how to handle mutiny. One of which states that the captain was allowed to show leniency towards the mutineers.

Behind the scenes

"He plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was. See, three days out on the venture, the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too. So, Jack gives up the bearings. That night, there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die, but not before he'd gone mad with the heat."

―Joshamee Gibbs concerning Jack Sparrow

• When he read the script for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, actor Johnny Depp found the script quirky. One reason was that the traditional mutiny had already taken place.

Appearances

• Jack Sparrow: Silver
• Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father (Mentioned only)
• The Price of Freedom
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (video game)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (First mentioned)
• The Eyes Have It! (Mentioned only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Mentioned only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (First appearance)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Non-canonical appearance)

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide

External links

• Mutiny on Wikipedia