William Turner
From PotC Wiki
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| William Turner | |
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| Biographical information | |
| Gender |
Male |
| Eye color |
Brown |
| Hair color |
Dark brown |
| Family |
Bootstrap Bill Turner (father) |
| Title(s) | |
| Statistics | |
| Weapon(s) owned | |
| Ship(s) captained or crewed |
HMS Interceptor |
| Behind the scenes | |
| First appearance | |
| Latest appearance | |
| Portrayer | |
- "Have you not met Will Turner? He's noble, heroic, terrific soprano."
- ―Jack Sparrow to Davy Jones[src]
William "Will" Turner Jr. was the only son of Bootstrap Bill Turner. Born in Glasgow, Scotland,[1] Will was raised by his mother, and had no contact with his father, whom he believed was a merchant sailor. Once she died, he headed to the Caribbean to search for his father. He ended up in Port Royal as a blacksmith's apprentice.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
- "That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child. Savvy?"
- ―Jack Sparrow to Joshamee Gibbs[src]
William Turner lived with his mother in England until her death while Will was still in his childhood. At the age of twelve,[2] Will set off on a quest to track down his father, and traveled to the Caribbean. However, his ship was attacked by the Black Pearl under the command of Captain Hector Barbossa, and was set aflame. Will was the only survivor, and was ultimately spotted and rescued by a young Elizabeth Swann aboard the HMS Dauntless.
Lieutenant James Norrington left Elizabeth to watch over the unconscious boy as his men set about searching the wreckage for further survivors. Alone with Will, Elizabeth was surprised to find a pirate medallion around his neck, and took it from him to protect Will from Norrington, who would undoubtedly consider the boy a pirate and deal out his brand of justice. Elizabeth kept the medallion in her possession for the next eight years.
Will, meanwhile, was taken to Port Royal, where he became apprenticed to John Brown, a local blacksmith. Will became proficient at his trade, and it could be said that he carried out many, if not all, of the duties neglected by his oft-drunken master. He also began forging a number of swords, and practiced with them for hours at a time at the smithy. He had developed a hatred towards pirates, and wanted to be able to best one in single combat should the opportunity arise.
During this time, Will's friendship with Elizabeth developed further, but grew into something more romantic as they grew older. Despite Will's feelings towards the girl, he remained reluctant to reveal his true feelings towards her, likely due to the social divide between them.
[edit] Pirates
- "You need to find yourself a girl, mate. Or, perhaps the reason you practice three hours a day is that you've already found one, and are otherwise incapable of wooing said strumpet. You're not a eunuch, are you?"
"I practice three hours a day so that when I meet a pirate, I can kill it!"
"Ah." - ―Jack Sparrow and William Turner[src]
Eight years after the incident on the crossing from England, Governor Weatherby Swann requested of Mr. Brown a sword for Captain Norrington, due to be promoted to Commodore. Will forged the sword himself, and delivered it to the Governor's estate. There, he met Elizabeth, but his polite and reserved manner, still present after all these years of friendship, irritated her, and they parted on less than good terms.
Will returned to the blacksmith's following the ceremony, where he was confronted by Captain Jack Sparrow, a pirate currently being hunted by the Royal Navy. Will's noble nature caused him to engage Sparrow in a duel, during which he displayed his skill with a sword. Will's training gave him an advantage over Jack, though the pirate ended the duel by pulling his pistol on his opponent. Even now, Will refused to back down, though Jack was reluctant to shoot the boy—and thus waste the single shot contained within his gun. His moment of indecision gave Mr. Brown enough time to rise and knock Jack unconscious (with his empty bottle of rum);and reap congratulations for "his" efforts from Commodore Norrington.
Jack was imprisoned, and Will continued working at the shop. However, when the Black Pearl launched a surprise attack on the port, he joined the fighting, defeating a number of marauding pirates. However, he was overcome in the battle, and left unconscious. When he awoke, the attack was over, and he soon learned that Elizabeth had been kidnapped by the pirates. Will demanded that Commodore Norrington hunt down the attackers, but with no leads as to the ship's whereabouts, Norrington could do nothing.
Will, however, was not satisfied. He was fiercely loyal to those he cared about, and would not leave Elizabeth in danger. Though it pained him to do so, he made a bargain with Jack Sparrow, freeing him from prison in exchange for information on the Black Pearl. After declaring that he would do anything to save Elizabeth—even die for her—Will accompanied Jack as he commandeered the HMS Interceptor, the only ship that had a chance of catching the Black Pearl. With this, Will committed his first act of piracy, a fact that did not sit well with him. He became further conflicted when Jack revealed that his father, whom Jack had known, had been a pirate, and it was a pirate's blood that ran in Will's veins.
[edit] Finding the treasure
- "You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you're well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga…and you're completely obsessed with treasure."
"That's not true! …I am not obsessed with treasure!" - ―Jack Sparrow and William Turner[src]
The Interceptor made it to Tortuga, where Will was given his first real taste of a pirate's life. He became somewhat overwhelmed by the cut-throats, drunks and bar brawlers that frequented the Faithful Bride, though he remained astute enough to overhear a foreboding discussion between Jack and an old friend, Joshamee Gibbs. As the pirates set out to procure a crew, Will considered the chance that Jack was preparing to betray him, to use him as "leverage" with Barbossa.
Will's doubts over the wisdom of continuing with his mission grew when he was presented with Jack's motley crew. He hardly considered them "able-bodied", but nevertheless agreed to sail out with them for Isla de Muerta. During the voyage, Will learned more about Jack himself; he was once captain of the Black Pearl, but had been betrayed by Barbossa and left for dead. As he and Jack set out alone for the island, Will also discovered the pirates were to keep to the Code, meaning that any man who fell behind would be left behind. Despite Jack's insistence to the contrary, Will kept staunchily to his bleak outlook on pirates.
Upon reaching Barbossa's treasure cave, Will witnessed the supposed sacrifice of Elizabeth, though it transpired that the cursed pirates believed they needed only a drop of her blood, and her life was spared. She was still far from safe, however, so Will took matters into his own hands. Not trusting Jack to help him, Will knocked the pirate unconscious, and rescued Elizabeth from the middle of the pirate assembly. He escaped with her, and the medallion, back to the Interceptor, which promptly left without Jack.
[edit] The blood of a pirate
- "It wasn't your blood they needed. It was my father's blood…my blood…the blood of a pirate."
- ―William Turner to Elizabeth Swann[src]
In the hold of the Interceptor, Elizabeth returned Will's medallion to him, and he realized that it was his blood, not Elizabeth's, the pirates required to lift their curse. Angry and despairing, Will drove Elizabeth away, yet again forestalling the chance of romance between them. Will soon learned that the Black Pearl was in pursuit, though unknown to Will, Jack was on board, and had informed the crew he knew whose blood they needed.
After the fight between the Black Pearl and the Interceptor, Will, who was thought to have perished in the destruction of the latter, jumped aboard the Black Pearl. He grabbed a pistol and threatened to shoot himself. Will, despite Jacks protest, identified himself to the perplexed Barbossa as the son of Bootstrap Bill, whose blood was needed to lift the curse. Barbossa agreed that, in exchange for setting Elizabeth free and not harming the crew, Will would surrender to them and not shoot himself.
[edit] Blood ritual
- "Who are you?"
"He's no one, no one. Distant cousin of my aunt's nephew, twice removed. Lovely singing voice though, [whispers] eunuch."
"My name is Will Turner. My father was "Bootstrap Bill" Turner. His blood runs in my veins." - ―Hector Barbossa, Jack Sparrow and William Turner[src]
Barbossa, a man of his word, set Elizabeth free…to be marooned on Black Sam's Spit with Jack Sparrow. The crew then took Will to Isla de Muerta to lift the curse. Barbossa was set to spill all his blood, just to make sure, but the arrival of Jack Sparrow halted Will's sacrifice. He explained to Barbossa that the HMS Dauntless was waiting outside (and discreetly grabbed a piece of the treasure, thus cursing himself), convincing Barbossa to wait to lift the curse until the opportune moment—a phrase Will identified as an indicator that Jack was not siding entirely with the pirates. Trusting Jack, Barbossa sent his crew to attack the Dauntless.
In the cave, Sparrow suddenly, without any notice, pulled a sword from one of Barbossa's crewmen, threw it to Will, and began dueling with Barbossa while Will began fighting the rest of the crewmen in the cave. Elizabeth, after escaping from the Dauntless, joined Will and helped him blow up three crewmen. Jack saw that only Barbossa was left, and cut himself, and threw his piece of the gold to Will. Will cut himself and was about to drop both pieces into the chest when Barbossa pulled his pistol and aimed at Elizabeth. Jack pulled his pistol and fired at Barbossa's heart. Barbossa was surprised, but then turned around and saw that the curse had been lifted. Barbossa fell dead.
[edit] The hanging
- "Elizabeth. I should have told you every day from the moment I met you…I love you."
- ―William Turner to Elizabeth Swann[src]
Upon returning to Port Royal, Jack Sparrow was sentenced to hang. After noticing Cotton's parrot, and admitting his love to Elizabeth, he pulled his sword and ran to the gallows. As the plank fell, he threw his sword into it, creating a plank for Jack. He pulled out another sword, and began dueling with the executioner, who hit the rope, releasing Jack. He and Jack ran toward the Fort's edge. They ran and used the rope that Jack had removed from his neck to knock over the Royal marines attacking them. Once they reached them, they were surrounded by Royal Marines attacking them. Elizabeth joined her true love, Will Turner. Governor Swann order the marines lower their weapons. Jack saw an opportunity and escaped into the sea, where the Pearl waited for him. Norrington realized that Elizabeth loved Will, not him, and conceded. Governor Swann also realized that this was where her heart truly lay.
[edit] Marriage interrupted
- "Tortuga. I'll start there and I won't stop searching till I find him. And then I'll return here, to marry you."
"Properly?"
"Eagerly, if you'll still have me."" - ―William Turner and Elizabeth Swann[src]
A year after their declaration of love, Will and Elizabeth were set to be married. During this time, Will had taught Elizabeth how to handle a sword, and continued to work in the smithy. On the day of their wedding, however, Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company arrived in Port Royal with warrants for the arrest of Will, Elizabeth and former Commodore Norrington. Will was taken captive in the smithy, and brought to the chapel where Elizabeth waited. Their marriage interrupted, Will could only declare how beautiful his fiancée looked in her wedding dress, while Beckett revealed their arrest—and scheduled execution—was the result of freeing Jack Sparrow the year before.
Although Elizabeth remained incarcerated, Will was offered a bargain with Beckett himself: the couple would earn their freedom if Will procured for Beckett Jack's mysterious compass, offering Letters of marque, and the chance to become a privateer, to Jack. Will, left with no other choice, accepted, and bid farewell to Elizabeth, setting out for Tortuga to begin his search for Jack Sparrow.
Will's search for the Black Pearl led him, by way of rumor and supposed sightings, to Pelegosto, where Jack was set to be eaten by the cannibalistic Pelegostos tribe. They escaped with Will's help, and Jack agreed to give Will the compass if he helped him find the key to the Dead Man's Chest.
[edit] A touch of destiny
Will, Jack, and the crew traveled upriver, through the Cypress Forest, to meet with Tia Dalma. She took a particular interest in Will, whose name she had somehow divined, stating that he had a touch of destiny about him. Tia informed Jack that the key would unlock the Dead Man's Chest, containing the heart of Davy Jones. The crew set out to find Jones, though Will soon found himself stranded on a wrecked vessel that Jack deviously claimed was Jones' ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman. When the real Dutchman suddenly surfaced from the ocean, Jack attempted to barter Will from Davy Jones to repay his debt, though Jones refused, claiming that one soul was not equal to another. Instead, he press-ganged Will into service.
Aboard the Dutchman, Will had a shock encounter with his father, Bootstrap Bill Turner, who had become an indentured sailor on the Dutchman. Will challenged Davy Jones to a game of liar's dice, betting his soul against the key to the Dead Man's Chest. Bootstrap joined in and purposely lost to free Will from an eternity of servitude, at the cost of his own freedom. That night, Will stole the key from Jones himself, and escaped aboard a longboat, though not before vowing to one day free his father. A passing ship, the Edinburgh Trader, rescued him, but Jones summoned the Kraken to destroy it. Will survived and stowed back aboard the Dutchman, now headed for Isla Cruces where the chest containing Jones' heart was buried.
[edit] Fight for his father
- "I keep the promises I make, Jack. I intend to free my father. I hope you're here to see it."
- ―William Turner[src]
Arriving at Isla Cruces, Will was reunited with Elizabeth, along with Jack and James Norrington, already in possession of the chest. Will made to stab the heart—thus killing Davy Jones and setting free his father—though found himself at the point of Jack's sword, and summarily caught in a three-way duel between himself, Jack and Norrington, all intent on claiming the heart (and perhaps Elizabeth's love). Jack managed to unlock the chest and take the heart, though Norrington later stole both it and the Letters of Marque. Will himself was knocked unconscious by Jack to stop him from stealing the heart for himself, and was rushed aboard the Black Pearl to escape Jones' crewmen.
The Black Pearl set sail and managed to outrun the Flying Dutchman—a point that did not escape Will's attention—though it was unable to escape the Kraken. Drawing on his previous experience fighting the monster, Will led the crew in temporarily fending the beast off, giving them time to abandon ship. Realizing the Kraken was only after Jack, Elizabeth distracted him with a passionate kiss while chaining him to the mast, effectively killing him. Will witnessed the kiss, and believed Elizabeth was in love with Jack. From the longboat, the crew watched on as the Kraken dragged the Pearl and Jack into the sea.
Will, Elizabeth, and the crew sought refuge at Tia Dalma's shack. As they mourned their fallen captain, Will was particularly despondent, although not only over Elizabeth and Jack. Tia understood his despair: with the Black Pearl, Will could have defeated Davy Jones and freed his father. When Gibbs proposed a toast to Jack, Will glumly raised his mug. Will then attempted to discover just how far Elizabeth would go to save Jack, were there a chance to do so. Tia Dalma proved an answer to this apparently hypothetical question, asking if Will, and the crew, would he be willing to travel to World's End to bring back Jack and the Black Pearl. All agreed, including Will. With that, the recently-resurrected Hector Barbossa revealed himself, and the quest began.
[edit] At World's End
- "William, tell me something; are you here because you need my help rescuing a certain distressing damsel…or rather a damsel in distress? Either one."
- ―Jack Sparrow to William Turner[src]
Turner journeyed to Singapore with the rest of Barbossa's crew, and attempted to steal Sao Feng's navigational charts to avoid a direct confrontation with the Pirate Lord. He was caught in the attempt, though at some point struck a deal with Feng unbeknownst to Turner's companions. Both Barbossa and Elizabeth denied they knew Will when he was revealed in Feng's bath house, though Elizabeth inadvertently betrayed him by reacting with horror when Feng made to stab him. Feng's men poised to fight Barbossa's crew when Will pointed out that Steng, believed to be Barbossa's spy, did not belong to either group. at that moment, East India Trading Company soldiers led by Mercer broke into the bath house, forcing Feng, Will and the others to flee. During the fight, Will made good his deal with Sao Feng, obtaining the use of the Hai Peng.
Will sailed with Barbossa and the crew through the frozen ocean, though throughout the trip communicated little with Elizabeth. The Hai Peng went over the waterfall at World's End, with Will attempting to guide its descent. Within Davy Jones' Locker, Will crewed the Black Pearl as everyone made their escape. Later, during a squabble between Jack and Barbossa, Sao Feng took possession of the Black Pearl and named Will captain, as per their deal.
Jack retained command of the Pearl, though refused to trust Will. Turner, however, attempted to help Jack honor his bargain with Lord Cutler Beckett, leaving a trail of bodies tied to barrels, leading Beckett to Shipwreck Island. Jack, when he discovered this, was able to partially reconcile with Will. When he saw Will in pain over having to choose between his father and Elizabeth, Jack came up with a plan: Jack would kill Jones, thus granting him immortality, and Will got his father's freedom and could still be with Elizabeth. As part of the plan, Jack sent Will overboard, giving him his compass to lead Beckett to Shipwreck Cove. Will made it on board the Endeavour, and tricked Beckett into going to Shipwreck Cove.
[edit] Immortality
- "Will you marry me?"
"I don't think now is the best time!"
"Now may be the only time!"" - ―William Turner and Elizabeth Swann[src]
Before their climatic battle, Will, Lord Cutler Beckett, and Davy Jones struck parley with Barbossa, Jack, and Elizabeth. At the parley, Will was exchanged for Jack, and was able to repair his relationship with Elizabeth. Will fought alongside her on the Black Pearl, and asked her to marry him in the middle of the maelstrom. Elizabeth asked Barbossa to recite the vows, and they were wed while fighting off soldiers and cursed pirates, hand-in-hand.
Will later boarded the Flying Dutchman, where he was attacked by his maddened father. During the meleé, Will was stabbed in the chest by Davy Jones (who was wielding a sword Will himself had forged), and his life faded as his wife held him. Upon seeing this, Bootstrap snapped out of Jones' hold on him. He attacked Jones but was quickly thrown aside. However, Jack ensured Will stabbed Jones' heart, not only defeating him but giving Will eternal life by making him the new captain of the Dutchman. Will's father cut out his son's heart and placed it in the Dead Man's Chest, before the Dutchman was consumed by the maelstrom.
[edit] One day
- "Keep a weather eye on the horizon."
- ―William Turner to Elizabeth Swann[src]
The ship returned, with Will at its helm, to join the Black Pearl in devastating the Endeavour with cannonfire. Victory came at a high price for Will, however. As captain of the Dutchman, he could only set foot on land every ten years. Will had one day with Elizabeth—their honeymoon, during which their marriage was consummated—before leaving to carry out his duty and ferry souls into the afterlife. Prior to leaving, Will gave Elizabeth his heart, stating that it had always been hers, and during his one day, he had sex with Elizabeth, leaving her pregnant, only to see his son ten years later. Will departed, disappearing in the green flash at sunset.
He returned ten years later to be with his wife and their nine-year-old child, who was named after both his father and grandfather.
[edit] Final Fate
Will's final fate is controversial. The writers and director of the films say he was freed of the Dutchman because Elizabeth remained faithful to him. But a leaflet inside the At World's End DVD says that he is still bound to the Dutchman (it should be noted that this leaflet was not written by either the writer or directors of the film).
[edit] Behind the scenes
- The adult William Turner is portrayed by Orlando Bloom, while Dylan Smith portrays the character at twelve years old. He is voiced by Crispin Freeman in Kingdom Hearts II and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow.
- As the archetypal hero of the series, the character shares similarities with Guybrush Threepwood from the Monkey Island games and other fictional characters, notably Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars saga.
- Will's name, as with Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swann, is linked to birds; in this case, his surname (originally Thackery) is intentionally reminiscent of "tern".[3] He also shares his name with the ornithologist William Turner.
- On the DVD commentary of The Curse of the Black Pearl, the scriptwriters reveal Will was intended to be the best swordsman of all the main characters.
- In the very first draft Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio wrote, which the rights to are owned by Amblin, Will Turner was the lead role.
- There is some controversy over Will's final fate. Terry Rossio posted on a forum that Will was now able to leave the Dutchman, as Elizabeth had remained faithful. He also states that this is why Jones could not escape, as Calypso had abandoned him.[4] By contrast, the commentary on the At World's End DVD states that he still had an obligation to the Dutchman.
[edit] Appearances
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (First appearance)
- The Accidental Pirate!
- Revenge of the Pirates!
- The Capture of Jack Sparrow!
- The Buccaneer's Heart!
- The Duel!
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Kingdom Hearts II (Non-canonical appearance)
[edit] Notes and references
- ↑ Zizzle.com: Dead Man's Chest "Heroes and Villains" series 1
- ↑ Wordplay: Pirates of the Caribbean first draft screenplay
- ↑ Wordplay Forums: Re: Last names by Ted Elliott
- ↑ Wordplay Forums: Pretty close ..., posted by Terry Rossio (May 23, 2007)
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