Was there ever romance before Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner?? - Character & Storytelling Analysis.

Was there ever love before Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner?

I ponder this most evenings before falling asleep (try it sometime).

This romance was perhaps the first and has remained one of few love stories that hold a special place in my heart. Admittedly, the undeniable attractiveness of Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom is an added bonus and I spent many an hour conflicted, trying to choose the hotter of the two. It's Keira Knightly. It's always Keira Knightly. She was my queer awakening.

I suppose I should tell you why we’re here- I promise it’s not just to dote on one of the steamiest onscreen couples of all time. I want to know what makes this romance work. Why is it so successful and what solidifies its lasting impact on audiences? I think it’s time to get into the iconic trio, The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest, and At World’s End.

With an absence of shame, I admit I won't need to fact-check or refer back to scenes and dialogue, because I have a PhD in Pirates of the Caribbean lore. I have tenure. I ate, slept, and breathed the trilogy. Note how I said trilogy. Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and 5 are separate entities and I don’t feel the need to elaborate.

Let's do a tiny timeline of Elizabeth and Will’s relationship, which kicks off in the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl. Elizabeth, the daughter of a governor, is present on the ship that saves a drowning Will Turner when the couple are only eleven years old. Will becomes a blacksmith and Elizabeth is betrothed to a commodore. When Elizabeth is captured by pirates, Will sets out on a journey to rescue her. They spend the first film saving one another and after a climactic almost-execution ceremony, Elizabeth and Will profess their love for one another.

Dead Man's Chest kicks off with the interruption of the couple's marriage, and the arrest of both. Jack Sparrow is to blame- he is always to blame. Striking up a deal with Lord Cutler Beckett of the East Indian Trading Company (it’s just good business, baby!!) Will once again sets off in search of Jack who now holds the literal key to Will and Elizabeth’s freedom. Elizabeth doesn’t sit idly by and she easily manages to join a crew disguised as a man- and this is when I knew I was pansexual. The couple only reunite at the beginning of the third act but are soon separated by several crises. Dead Man's Chest ends with Elizabeth seducing Jack as a trap to have the Kraken eat and kill him. Will sees them kissing and naturally, this is a heartbreak for us all.

At World's End is pure madness. The entire film feels like a climax, and there is a strong disconnect and pining between the couple. They are estranged and act coldly, verbalising their lack of trust in one another. As in the former films, the couple are on separate adventures, but this time, they are making risky decisions in the name of love and authority- they are honestly just being cruel to be kind. In true fashion, during the climactic battle scene, Elizabeth and Will put their differences aside, working together as a team and amid all the chaos, Will proposes they get married on the spot and we get the most gut-wrenchingly onscreen kiss of all time. And then Davy Jones stabs Will in the heart. For fucks sake. But, have no fear, Jack decides to finally step up and save Will- by save I mean that Will Turner is now the captain of Davy Jones's Locker. With this eternal responsibility, Will is only gifted a day on land once every ten years. Tragic. Elizabeth and Will get one final reunion on the beach before he sets off to sea and disappears into the horizon. Kill me.

Why does this dynamic work so well? One of the most challenging aspects of creating a successful romantic partnership is the threat of stagnancy. Unfortunately, it can become easily boring for the audience when an onscreen couple becomes too stable. We need peaks and valleys, and the relationship needs to be challenged. But we also need to be satisfied, given moments of tenderness and romantic depth, we need proof that their character conflict has only strengthened the couple.

Pirates of the Caribbean follows the same three-part formula for the relationship between Will and Elizabeth. With separate stakes, challenges, and threats, this formula doesn’t become repetitive. Black Pearl: Will pines for Elizabeth’s love but it is interrupted by her kidnapping. They run into conflict when Elizabeth reveals she stole Will’s medallion, and the couple makes up and professes their love. Dead Man’s Chest: The couple are in love and it is interrupted by their arrest for fraternizing with a pirate. They run into conflict when it seems like Elizabeth is in love with Jack, and the couple come to a truce to help the greater good. At World's End: the couple are pining for a romantic resolution. They reach conflict when both start making decisions without informing the other, but with their lives at stake, they make up and marry, only for their love to be interrupted by Will's death.

The writers literally edged us for three films, my dudes. There were four kisses in three films, are you kidding me?!

Most importantly, the characters share a history that spans back to their youth and helps emphasise the already fleshed-out development of their relationship. We start off the trilogy with the reassurance that Will and Elizabeth have had a large influence on each other's lives. Creating a strong connection is vital because it solidifies both the importance and the intensity of their feelings for one another within the story that is yet to unfold.

There are also high stakes. From the first film we are provided with several conflicts that threaten to keep Elizabeth and Will apart. The main one is their differences in class and wealth. Elizabeth’s father is of a high ranking, making her eligible for marriage to another high-ranking man. Will has practically nothing to his name- he is merely a parentless blacksmith and is predicted to remain so.

Will is also the son of the infamous pirate, Bootstrap Bill Turner which brands Will as lesser than. Being the offspring of the lowest of the low, he has a reputation that supersedes his sword-making skills and he is well aware that this makes him socially ineligible for marrying Elizabeth.

Contributing to this taboo connection, Elizabeth has always admired the freedom with which Will acts and aspires to embrace these traits. They are deemed as unladylike or unprofessional and Elizabeth is constantly swayed back into her duties of royalty and elegance- sporting uncomfortable dresses, feigning interest in political and social connections.

We now know that their biggest relationship conflict is the inappropriateness of their connection and we are excited to see how the couple will challenge and counter this roadblock as the films progress.

Elizabeth and Will share a similar moralistic and ethical perspective, believing that the greater good is far more valuable than the falsified nobility in following duty in favour of the heart. They connect over the understanding of the unfair prejudice of society and are always willing to act in defence of the greater good. They display bravery and love when threatened with danger, commit to and rely on teamwork, and are well aware that success comes in numbers, putting trust in the people similarly fighting against the forces of evil. No matter the quality of their relationship, Will and Elizabeth are willing to put discourse aside to ensure the other's safety.

Let's detour and talk about the legend, the octopus, the saddest man on earth: Davy Jones. A mysterious witch doctor, Tia Dalma (nee Calypso), tasks Davy Jones with caring for the brilliantly titled, Davy Jones Locker- a place where sailors who died at sea are sent. Davy is supposed to gently welcome said sailors, offering the opportunity to join his crew on the notorious Flying Dutchman. With this responsibility comes the consequence of being granted only one day on the shore, every ten years.

In true love fashion, Davy’s undying love for Tia Dalma overtakes his responsibility and in pursuit of her affection he does not wait a decade to return to the land and consequentially is cursed to be an octopus man for eternity- this includes his crew turning into disfigured sea creatures (we all suffer from horrible bosses). Naturally, Davy Jones is miserable and resentful of the curse, turning his crew into a cruel band of sea monsters, torturing and punishing those who succumb to the sea.

Perhaps most importantly, Davy removes his heart and puts it in a treasure chest (dead man's chest… get it?), keeping it close by and guarded along with his most prized possession, a locket that plays a romantic tune as an ode to his love for Tia Dalma, simultaneously juxtaposing the way he welcomes sailors to the afterlife. Davy Jones and Tia Dalma display the failed version of love and the possible threat of Will and Elizabeth's relationship succumbing to the same fate.

In Dead Man's Chest, Davy Jones becomes the primary antagonist when he marks Jack Sparrow with the black spot; a signal to his loveable pet, the Kraken, to kill Jack. In true Jack Sparrow fashion, he does whatever he can to avoid his fate, and in true Will Turner fashion, Will is willing (haha) to do whatever is asked by whoever asks to ensure the release of Elizabeth. Will strikes a deal with Cutler Beckett and sets sail in pursuit of Jack Sparrow. Unbeknownst to him, Elizabeth has escaped captivity and she too is leaving land. This is a theme that repeats throughout the trilogy, Will Turner is determined to do whatever to keep Elizabeth safe, but Elizabeth is no softie and certainly doesn’t sit idly by. Will tends to underestimate her motivations and determination, assuming her upbringing has been a disadvantage to her ability to survive. Will is constantly surprised by Elizabeth's strength and often feels intimidated and acts out with frustration.

Elizabeth shares this frustration as she knows her set of skills and she knows that nobody- even her lover- acknowledges it. This leaves space for Will and Elizabeth's relationship to evolve and grow because it is evident that the couple still have a lot to learn about one another.

The writer's decision to keep Will and Elizabeth separated for much of each film works in their favour as it provides the opportunity for each character to have their own arc, motivations, and conflicts which in turn helps develop them into individually defined three-dimensional characters. When the cast is reunited, they can surprise and adjust the perspectives of each other. On the other hand, the absence of their coupling also creates a mountain of threat, insecurity, and a lack of trust as the characters have now been through separate experiences and have not been able to rely on their dynamic.

Will fears Elizabeth's impulsivity, which is ridiculous considering he does not think before acting, he feels like he’s losing a piece of their connection now that she doesn’t need his help keeping her safe (she never needed him but it was sweet that he thought otherwise).

The couple's constant separation reinforces their love and commitment to one another. They can focus on the situation at hand, tackling threats and danger whilst never forgetting their love and devotion to their relationship- even when Will is uncertain of where Elizabeth's romantic interests lie, he doesn’t hesitate to fight fin her honour whenever called for.

Though their commitment to the relationship is unwavering, romantic interruptions are vital for their romance to strengthen and solidify. The foundation for this has been laid through their coupling being interrupted each film, but needs to be reinforced by the threat of a third party.

The Curse of the Black Pearl revolves around Commodore James Norrington attempting to propose to Elizabeth. This would be the correct choice from a societal perspective, something Will and Elizabeth are greatly aware of, but Norrington was never a true threat as Elizabeth's heart was always with Will.

In Dead Man's Chest, Elizabeth and Jack Sparrow share a slightly flirtatious approach which leads us, the audience, to believe that perhaps Elizabeth's heart really is torn between two lovers, increasing our attention and altering any prior assumptions. And then… Elizabeth pulls the greatest stunt of all time and seduces Jack Sparrow, handcuffing him to his beloved ship, the Black Pearl and leaving him for the Kraken to take care of. Unfortunately, Will witnesses the kiss between Jack and Elizabeth and he believes this to be a tender moment shared between lovers. Like James Norrington, Jack Sparrow is not a romantic threat but nevertheless acts as a catalyst to the distrust that follows Will and Elizabeth into the third film, At World's End.

Will is understanding of Elizabeth's plan to kill Jack, but cannot deal with the fact that she didn’t fill him in on her plan. Also ironic because is this not the same thing Will Turner has done since the first film?? The fear of how risky and life-threatening these choices may be only increases the couple's frustration and disappointed that they seemingly do not need the aid of one another. As a viewer, we begin to bubble with frustration as it is so evident that Will and Elizabeth's insecurities come from a place of deep love and devotion. The fear of being without one another is the true cause of conflict and we are left begging for them to stop with all the longing stares, hoping they will just kiss and make up already.

But, boy oh, boy! We are in for one steamy make-up and make-out session! At the literal end of the world, the crews of the Black Pearl, the Flying Dutchman, and at some point the East Indian Trading Company, are battling within the swells of an ocean tornado. Elizabeth-, now captain of the ship, the Empress, and of the Brethren Court- takes the initiative and proves her dedication to her people and the cause. Through all of their ups and downs, Will finally feels secure in their relationship and seeks to certify their coupling. Amid badass choreography, brilliant special effects, sound, and sexy, sexy acting, Will Turner re-proposes to Elizabeth Swann, deciding that an epic and life-threatening battle is the perfect time for a wedding. I agree.

With the assistance of Barbossa, Will and Elizabeth profess their love and commitment to one another, pausing every so often to slay some undead creatures. And with the climax to end all climaxes, the couple says their I do’s, sealing their matrimony with a slow-motion, passionate smooch.

The pirates of the Black Pearl win the battle, unfortunately at the sacrifice of bloody Will Turner. That absolute dick Davy Jones interrupts the couple's joy when he stabs Will through the heart- with the same sword Will forged in the first film! Dick. Right when the promise of a happy ending is in sight, the writers pull their old trick of interrupting the romance, essentially leaving everyone at square one. Rude, but brilliant storytelling. The only thing that could keep Elizabeth and Will apart is death itself and the decision to create such opportunity further solidifies the strength and deep love that the couple share.

Fortunately, this is not the complete conclusion as Will becomes the new captain of the Flying Dutchman and is tasked with the same job Davy Jones failed to honour. With this curse comes the price of only stepping on land for a day each decade and consequentially this will be the only time the couple can reunite. I believe this is the most honest and truthful way the story can conclude, leaving Will and Elizabeth's relationship in an unstable position, but with their evident development and growth throughout the trilogy, there is a surety that the couple will remain dedicated and devoted to one another no matter the challenge.

The makers of Pirates of the Caribbean have masterfully created and concluded a well-established, versatile, challenging, and three-dimensional relationship dynamic. There is an ebb and flow that ensures their coupling never dulls, burns out, or bores the audience. The stakes are at an all-time high, countering classism, love triangles, and life-threatening situations that provide the characters a space to grow and evolve, as well as encouraging the viewer to maintain interest as the story progresses. A romance for the decades!!