You don’t need to be a huge Disney fan to appreciate the Pirates of the Caribbean series. The franchise has struck a chord with audiences all over the world, and it’s not hard to see why: that blend of incredible action set pieces, humor and genuine emotional moments is very difficult to pull off. The Pirates movies have all of these elements in spades, along with a cast of unforgettable (and morally questionable) characters. Chief among them, of course, is the eccentric Captain Jack Sparrow.
To hear Jack himself tell it, he’s one of the most accomplished pirates ever to step aboard a ship. Some of his actions and achievements support this idea, while others definitely don’t. Let’s take a look at both sides of the story.
GREAT: His Swordsmanship Is On Point
Wherever pirates appear in media, they tend to be well-versed in one specific skill: sword fighting. The cutlass and pistol are iconic pirate images, and Captain Jack Sparrow more than proves how adept he is with both.
Shortly into the first movie, he proves his ability with a blade against the well-practiced Will Turner in a brilliantly choreographed and ridiculous battle. Here, Jack also demonstrates another key pirate skill in cheating to get the upper hand. Along with his excellent marksmanship with a gun, it’s clear that Jack has mastered the tools of a pirate’s trade.
WORST: He Doesn’t (Usually) Have His Own Ship
In Jack’s first scene of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, he barely makes it to the dock on a ship that’s sinking fast. Within a few minutes, he’s tangling with Norrington of the Royal Navy. Introducing himself as Captain Jack Sparrow, Norrington snarkily replies, “I don’t see your ship… Captain.”
Jack’s only response is “I’m in the market, as it were,” which neatly defines his status through most of the series. His beloved Black Pearl aside, Jack doesn’t really have a ship to call his own — he doesn’t even have the Pearl most of the time — and is usually vying with somebody else for the title of Captain when he does.
GREAT: He Improvises Very Well
True enough, Jack does spend a lot of his time squabbling with Hector Barbossa over who’s really in charge. Even if he doesn’t technically have a ship of his very own, though, Jack’s never been one to really worry about technicalities.
Whether he’s taken control of a legendary pirate vessel like the Queen Anne’s Revenge (which he very briefly tried to do) or commands the tiniest of dinghies, Jack always insists on being referred to as Captain. It’s all about confidence and resourcefulness, and nobody can deny that he has these two qualities in spades.
WORST: He Doesn’t Work Well As Part Of A Crew
With all of this in mind, it’s clear that Johnny Depp’s most eccentric character (which is saying something) doesn’t see himself as just another crew member. He wants to be at the top of the totem pole, dispensing the orders from the comfort of the captain’s quarters rather than obeying them.
Jack doesn’t seem to have his crew’s best interests at heart, either. The plots of the movies are mostly buoyed along by his brilliant, ridiculous and brilliantly ridiculous schemes as he pursues his own agenda and manipulates others into helping him achieve them.
GREAT: He’s Known, Feared And (Sometimes) Respected By Some Of The Greatest Pirates Around
Now, there’s no denying that Captain Sparrow’s fortunes are as changeable as the tides. He gets his beloved Black Pearl back, loses it again and generally flips-flops from highs and lows throughout the course of the franchise.
Still, they say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, and whether Jack has everything or nothing, he’s known wherever he goes. His renown and infamy follow him everywhere, and he’s acknowledged as one of the Pirate Lords by other heavyweights, such as Sao Feng and even Barbossa himself.
WORST: He’s Too Funny And Eccentric To Be Very Threatening
As mentioned, Pirates of the Caribbean has a very broad appeal. A lot of this is due to the witty one-liners and general comic tone of the movies, much of which is due to Jack himself. "Eccentric" might be too mild a word to describe his behavior and demeanor, but it’s probably about as close as we’re going to get.
The fact is, though, he’s just not very piratey a lot of the time. These scourges of the high sea need to be intimidating and threatening. Jack has his occasional moments, but otherwise, he’s just too charming to really frighten anyone.
GREAT: He’s Defeated True Pirate Legends Like Blackbeard And Davy Jones
When it comes to fearsome pirates, then, you might think that Jack Sparrow would barely even register next to the likes of the formidable Blackbeard. Interestingly, though, he’s battled against the pirate icon himself — as well as others like the series’ tentacled take on Davy Jones — and defeated them.
In the end, it seems that cunning, resourcefulness and a whole lot of luck served the canny Jack better than a fearsome reputation. These are some big names to have on your resume, after all.
WORST: He Didn’t Really Want To Fight Alongside The Others
The third movie in the series, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, revolves around the epic battle brewing between Cutler Beckett’s forces and the pirates. As the showdown draws nearer, the pirates assemble in their fortress, Shipwreck Cove, and try to decide what to do about their mighty enemy.
Several times throughout the movie, Jack makes clear that he doesn’t want to fight, and tries to steer his comrades away from doing so (or at least save his own skin). This is another example of Jack’s willingness to put his own desires and needs ahead of co-operating with his fellow pirates.
GREAT: He Always Manages To Best The Authorities
Captain Jack Sparrow has the smarts and inventiveness to escape or defeat some of his most powerful enemies. For any pirate worth their salt, though, there’s another major foe to always stay one step ahead of: the authorities.
From Governor Swann to Cutler Beckett and King George II himself, Jack has slipped through the fingers of the forces of justice countless times. He definitely has nine lives.
WORST: He Causes Some Of His Own Worst Problems Himself
Over the course of this run-down, we’ve waxed lyrical about Jack’s great resourcefulness, his creativity, his incredible ability to escape and survive at any cost. What we have to wonder, though, is how much of this is really owing to his own brilliance and how much is pure luck?
As Theodore Groves once asked Cutler Beckett, “Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?” Essentially, it comes down to where exactly Jack would be without plot armor, and that’s where all of his miraculous escapes come into question. As, perhaps, does his status as a brilliant and wily pirate.