With its first film based on a popular attraction at Disneyland, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise became an unprecedented success in the early '00s, thanks to its instantly memorable characters. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a breakout film for several stars including Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, while Johnny Depp's return to form as Captain Jack Sparrow became the highlight of his film career.
Over the span of five films, characters like Captain Jack Sparrow and Hector Barbossa became integral parts of the canon, while Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and James Norrington were replaced by different young leads. A revolving door of villains kept their adversaries interesting, and ensured the stakes remained high on the High Seas. But did everyone's story have a "touch of destiny"? Here are 5 characters who got fitting endings and 5 who deserved more.
GOT A FITTING ENDING: ELIZABETH SWANN
Elizabeth Swann went through quite the transformation from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl to Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. She began as a damsel in distress, and ended her pirating adventures as the unlikely Pirate King of the Brethren Court.
Not only did Elizabeth have enough pirate tales to last her a lifetime, she was finally able to marry her true love Will Turner and start a family. While it was tragic that she had to be apart from him during the years he commanded the Flying Dutchman, his curse was eventually lifted and they were reunited in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
DESERVED MORE: JAMES NORRINGTON
James Norrington went from being a powdered-wig wearing priss to a belligerent brawler over the course of the first two films, but by the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest he was poised to be a power player with the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy.
But by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, all the momentum that had been built with his character development completely deflated. He ended up sacrificing himself in a way that made little sense, and being mortally wounded by an insane Bootstrap Bill for narrative shock value to fans.
GOT A FITTING ENDING: DAVY JONES
Davy Jones was a tyrant of the Seven Seas over the fickle love of the sea goddess Calypso, and as a result was responsible for terrorizing and killing innocent sailors out of misplaced heartache. He didn't deserve a happy ending because he made sure so many others wouldn't have one.
When Jack killed him in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Will Turner took his place, and not only gain the powers of immortality, but saw that Calypso's charge was done properly and the souls lost at sea ferried safely to the next world.
DESERVED MORE: JACK SPARROW
With adventures spanning five films, Jack Sparrow was able to lose and regain his ship The Black Pearl, get trapped in Davy Jones' Locker and live to tell the tale, defeat the likes of Blackbeard and the might of the Royal Navy, and plunder mythical treasure like the Fountain of Youth and Poseidon's Trident.
By the conclusion of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Jack is in command of the Pearl from Captain Barbossa, but the film is wide open for a more fitting end for Captain Jack, Pirate Lord of the Caribbean. Rumors exist that a sixth film may see Johnny Depp return to his famous role.
GOT A FITTING ENDING: WILL TURNER
Will Turner went from being a humble blacksmith to taking over the duties of Davy Jones as captain of the Flying Dutchman over the span of three films. Unfortunately, his duties ferrying lost souls to the netherworld occurred right after he'd married his longtime love, Elizabeth Swann.
Fortunately his son Henry Turner had grown up incredibly resentful of the curse that bound his father, especially since he only got to see him once at the age of 10 when he could come on dry land. Henry was able to locate Poseidon's Trident and destroy it, thus ending all curse on the High Seas and ensuring Will could return to his family.
DESERVED MORE: BLACKBEARD
The Blackbeard that appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is based on the infamous pirate of history, who famously boarded ships with lit matches in his beard and drew from the bracers of six pistols slung across his chest.
In the film, Blackbeard dies during a duel over the Fountain of Youth. While he may have been one heinous pirate, his death was premature, as the real Edward Teach continue to plunder and pillage for several more years.
GOT A FITTING ENDING: ARMANDO SALAZAR
Once a decorated member of the Spanish Royal Navy, Armando Salazar hated pirates with such a fiery passion he made it his solemn duty to wipe them all out. However, he was double-crossed by Captain Jack Sparrow in The Devil's Triangle, and then forced to haunt it with his cursed crew for eternity.
Armando Salazar deserved to be killed in the climactic battle for the Trident of Poseidon at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, but not simply because he was a ruthless killer. He was a pale imitation of Captain Hector Barbossa and his plotline from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
DESERVED MORE: HECTOR BARBOSSA
First introduced in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl as Captain Jack Sparrow's mutinous first mate aboard the Black Pearl, Hector Barbossa later became Captain of the Pearl and a cursed man until Jack could be reinstated.
He was resurrected in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and fulfilled a position as begrudging ally to Jack Sparrow and his comrades as they fought both the Royal Navy and Davy Jones. He'd survived in all five films through all manner of luck and magic, only to be unceremoniously killed in the fifth film just as he's reunited with his daughter.
GOT A FITTING ENDING: CUTLER BECKETT
With Commodore Norrington's reputation in disgrace after failing to capture Jack Sparrow, Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company arrived in Port Royal to finish the job in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
Beckett desired to eradicate all pirates and see law and order pervade the High Seas, which drove him to hunt down the Pirate Brethren and destroy them collectively in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The sanctimonious and vindictive bureaucrat was suitably destroyed by them in fitting irony.
DESERVED MORE: GOVERNOR WEATHERBY SWANN
Governor of Port Royal, Jamaica and father to Elizabeth Swann, Governor Weatherby Swann was a man of tradition, who disapproved of his daughter cavorting with pirates and her choice of fiance in the blacksmith Will Turner. He did however desire to see her happy, despite his reservations.
His dedication to British principles caused him to ally with the brutal Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company in Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest, despite the fact that Beckett would turn around and have him killed off-screen simply because he's "outlived his usefulness".