Sword of Triton

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

Sword of Triton
Production information
Creator	Atlantean blacksmith
Type	Broadsword
Usage
Owner(s)	Blackbeard Hector Barbossa
Affiliation	Triton Blackbeard Hector Barbossa
Behind the scenes
First appearance	Pirates of the Caribbean Online
Latest appearance	Dead Men Tell No Tales

"You dare face this sword?"
"This far away from your ship? Aye.""

―Blackbeard and Hector Barbossa

The Sword of Triton was a legendary broadsword. Unique among other swords, this weapon possessed a strengthened, ridged and lightened blade that narrowed down all the way to its broad steel hand-guard, a jeweled hilt. Holding far more power than meets the eye, the Sword of Triton channeled mystical unearthly powers.

According to legend, this infamous blade was forged by the sea deity Triton himself in the lost city of Atlantis. One of the three sapphires of Triton was embedded in this sword, granting the sword its power to bring dead matter to life. This power was used on everything associated with ships at sea, including their rigging and sails, and move according to the will of whomever wielded it. Anyone brandishing the sword would rule the ship, controlling the vessel to do his indomitable will. Despite its great power, the sword's power was diminished away from any ship. Passed from one ancient mariner to another, the Sword of Triton was most notably favored by Blackbeard and Hector Barbossa.

History

Early known history

Mysteries surround this infamous blade and its history. The Sword of Triton was rumored to have been forged in the lost city of Atlantis by the legendary sea deity Triton himself. Holding far more power than meets the eye, this mighty weapon was embedded with one of the three sapphires of Triton. Used in its construction, the sapphire gave the sword its power. The Sword of Triton channeled mystical unearthly powers, including the ability and capacity to bring dead matter to life. This power was mainly enforced on everything associated with ships at sea, including their rigging and sails, and move according to the indomitable will of whomever wielded it. Despite its great power, the sword's power were diminished away from any ship. The Sword of Triton had been passed from one ancient mariner to another, until falling into possession of the infamous pirate Blackbeard.

Blackbeard's sword

It is unknown how Blackbeard gained possession of the Sword of Triton, or how long he had the infamous blade. Brandishing the Sword of Triton, Blackbeard commanded unearthly power aboard his ship the Queen Anne's Revenge. Its magical connection to the Revenge, and any other ship, was such that the vessel would do the indomitable will of whomever wielded it. Blackbeard took advantage of the sword's power on a number of occasions, including increasing the speed of his voyages and keeping members of his crew in line. When he wasn't using it, Blackbeard had the oversized sword sheathed into an oversized scabbard.

Of his many fearsome deeds, Blackbeard was even known to have put the Sword of Triton to use in achieving victory in many battles at sea before adding the defeated vessels to his collection of ships enclosed in bottles in a special cabinet in Blackbeard's cabin. Prior to the quest for the Fountain of Youth, Blackbeard used his sword when the Revenge attacked the Black Pearl, captained by Hector Barbossa. Blackbeard had the Pearl turn against Barbossa's crew, though Barbossa himself managed to escape. The Black Pearl was ultimately captured, making it another addition to Blackbeard's collection of ships in bottles.

Quest for the Fountain of Youth

Blackbeard wielding the Sword of Triton.

"Aye. That be the cold breath of fate I feel down my nape. But, I'll have one last fight, by God. Kill them all!"

―Blackbeard

After being forced aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, Jack Sparrow used his position as mere crewman to led a mutiny against Blackbeard's zombie officers. However, the revolt was foiled when Blackbeard himself appeared on deck. He confronted his mutinous crew while touching the jeweled hilt of the Sword of Triton, causing the ship's ropes to start sliding around and slithering up and down the rigging. Blackbeard then used the Sword of Triton to spring the sinister ship to life, sailing at full speed while Jack's crew of mutineers got caught in its rigging. When it was all over and the Queen Anne's Revenge sailed at normal speed, Blackbeard rested his trusty sword on his shoulder after creating a massive spiderweb of rope and rigging, all of the pirates caught in the web, bound, trapped like flies.

The sword's power would again be brought into play during the battle at Whitecap Bay, where Blackbeard's crew attempted to capture a mermaid. Staring at the mermaids attacking his crew in the longboats, Blackbeard used his sword to summon the Queen Anne's Revenge and launch a wave of Greek fire, forcing the mermaids to swim to shore where his crewmen held nets. For the rest of the journey, Blackbeard mainly kept the sword on his belt.

Blackbeard pulling out his sword at the Fountain of Youth.

Blackbeard's final usage of the Sword of Triton was amidst the battle of the Fountain of Youth, where he fought in a fierce duel against a vengeful Hector Barbossa, now former pirate and privateer, the one-legged man prophesied to kill him. At the first part of their duel, Blackbeard killed one of Barbossa's men, Gillette, who got in the way of the fight. Blackbeard initially had the upper hand, having cut Barbossa's wooden crutch and drove Barbossa to the ground, lifting his sword for the killing blow until realizing they were surrounded by Spanish soldiers. This distraction enabled Barbossa to fatally wound Blackbeard with his poisoned sword.

Barbossa's sword

Revenge

Hector Barbossa claiming Blackbeard's sword.

"I claim Blackbeard's ship and crew, and this sword...payment for me missing limb."

―Hector Barbossa

Amidst Blackbeard's attack on the Black Pearl, Hector Barbossa had lost both his ship and his right leg. Despite narrowly escaping the onslaught, where he had to sacrifice his own leg to survive, Barbossa had no knowledge of the fate of his ship, having only believed that it was sunk. From that night on, Barbossa had vengeance as a goal. At some point after becoming a privateer and trusted advisor of King George II, Barbossa would have learned at least the basics on Blackbeard, including his need to find the Fountain of Youth as well as the importance of his trusty Sword of Triton. Barbossa was in respect of the sword and soon learned that its powers were diminished away from the ship, knowing that if you owned the sword you ruled the ship.

By the end of the quest for the Fountain of Youth, Barbossa successfully able to get his revenge on Blackbeard. After a fight between the two at the Fountain, Barbossa managed to fatally wound the infamous pirate with his poisoned sword, expressing his victory by saying "For the Pearl." Barbossa then took Blackbeard's sword and claimed it along with his ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, and crew wergild for his missing leg.

Hector Barbossa wielding the Sword of Triton.

Having achieved his goal of revenge against Blackbeard, Barbossa was backed by what was left of Blackbeard's pirate crew, until reaching the Queen Anne's Revenge. Barbossa had the sword on his person as he climbed aboard the Revenge, returning to piracy as its new captain. Changed into his full pirate regalia, Captain Barbossa drew his new sword, causing the lines to whip through the air and the sails unfurl, on their own accord. The crew look on in wonder as Barbossa pointed the sword straight ahead, causing the Revenge to sail forward in full speed. Barbossa sheathed his sword before giving orders to his new crew as the Revenge sailed for Tortuga.

War with Salazar

Barbossa invokes the Sword's power to free the Black Pearl.

"On the power of that blaggard's sovereign blade, I hereby release the Black Pearl to her former and rightful glory."

―Hector Barbossa

One year after Blackbeard's death, during the conflict with the undead Spanish capitán Armando Salazar, Barbossa continued to wield the Sword of Triton. When he made a deal with Salazar, promising to lead him to Jack Sparrow, Barbossa was allowed to keep the weapon while he steered Salazar's ship, the Silent Mary, in search of Jack's ship, the Dying Gull. However, when Salazar and his crew of ghosts failed to capture Jack on Hangman's Bay due to being unable to step on dry land, Barbossa and his men were disarmed and hanged upside down, with Salazar slowly butchering them one by one. Barbossa convinced Salazar to allow him and his crew to go on land to capture Sparrow for him and he was given the sword back.

Barbossa threatens Jack Sparrow with the Sword of Triton.

When they landed on Hangman's Bay Barbossa and his surviving crewmen saved Sparrow from Pierre Kelly and his gang. Barbossa stabbed the Black Pearl's bottle with the sword, using its power to restore the Pearl to her normal size. During the journey to the Black rock island, Barbossa threatened Sparrow with the sword, promising to cut off his tongue if he tries to reveal to Carina Smyth that Barbossa was her father. When Salazar's ghostly crew boarded the Black Pearl, Barbossa valiantly fought against them with the sword but he was still wounded in his right arm by one of the undead Spaniards. Only the arrival to their destination saved the pirates from being butchered.

Barbossa carried the sword when he, Carina, and Sparrow discovered the entrance to Poseidon's Tomb but he didn't have it later when his men lowered the Pearl's anchor to the bottom of the sea to save Carina, Henry Turner, and Jack Sparrow. The fate of the sword is unknown.

Design and power

"Seen Blackbeard's Sword of Triton? Its jeweled hilt is one to admire."

―Unnamed townsfolk to an unnamed pirate

The Sword of Triton.

The Sword of Triton was a large broadsword with a strengthened, ridged and lightened blade. It was broader by the tip and narrowed down all the way to its broad steel hand-guard, which arcs over to the pommel, and the handle grip was covered in black leather. The sword would've been a cutting weapon because of its thick width. According to legend, this sword was forged in the lost city of Atlantis, and was embedded with one of the three sapphires of Triton. Used in the construction of the sword, the sapphire gave the infamous blade its power.

Whoever wielded the Sword of Triton commanded unearthly power. The Sword of Triton channeled mystical power, which included bringing dead matter to life and move according to the will of the sword's wielder. This power was mainly enforced on everything associated with ships at sea, including their rigging and sails. The sword had a magical connection with ships, most notably the Queen Anne's Revenge, where the vessel would do the indomitable will of whomever wielded it, even if the wielder was not on board. The sword made the wielder virtually unstoppable in battles at sea, but its powers were diminished away from the ship.

The Sword of Triton seemed to have the ability to create winds out of nowhere, similar in nature to the power of the Sword of Cortés. This power was demonstrated by Blackbeard, who made the Queen Anne's Revenge sail while hanging his human crewmen with the ship's rigging, and Barbossa, who had the Revenge sail for Tortuga.

Presumably the sword was how Blackbeard shrank his ships-in-a-bottle as Barbossa was able to use its power to restore the Black Pearl to normal.

Behind the scenes

Concept art of the Sword of Triton.

• The name "Sword of Triton", despite not appearing in On Stranger Tides, would be used in several promotional material, such as the film's visual guide and art book.
• On February 11, 2011, actor Ian McShane (Blackbeard) appeared on a soundstage in Los Angeles for a special "head shot" that would be featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction on May 20, to coincide with the release of On Stranger Tides. Walt Disney Imagineering writer Michael Sprout, who directed the shoot, said that McShane came in wearing his complete Blackbeard costume, including the Sword of Triton. However, as this was a "head shot", the sword would not be seen in the ride itself.
• On April 2011, the Sword of Triton was added to Pirates of the Caribbean Online as an available weapon for players to wield. Alongside the sword, a riddle scrawled on parchment was also found: "This sword holds far more power than meets the eye, for when a royal bow breaks water, ye shall know her name and that of her enslaved crew."
• The Sword of Triton was believed to be how Blackbeard brought men back to life as his zombie officers (particularly in LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game). However, it was confirmed otherwise that the rituals required and practiced to create zombies, most likely from Dark Magic, are separate from the sword.
• In Terry Rossio's original script for Dead Men Tell No Tales it was revealed that the supernatural powers of the Sword of Triton came from Rhysis, one of the three Pearls of Neptune, which commanded the winds of the sea and was hidden inside the sapphire that was embedded into the hilt of the Sword. Barbossa would eventually deliberately break the hilt of the Sword, taking out the pearl so he could make a wedding ring for his fiancée Nadirah, who was actually the evil Sea Widow in disguise.
• A cursed sword with the name "Sword of Triton" appears in the 1994 anime comic series Dragon Pink.

Appearances

• Pirates of the Caribbean Online (First appearance) (First identified as Sword of Triton)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
• The Brightest Star in the North: The Adventures of Carina Smyth
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales: Movie Graphic Novel
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Non-canonical appearance)

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean Online
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide

See also

• Sword of Triton at Pirates of the Caribbean Online Wiki