Hector Barbossa
Encyclopedia
Hector Barbossa is a fictional character
and pirate in the Disney
film series Pirates of the Caribbean
. Barbossa was first introduced in the series as the main antagonist
of the first film, and pirate captain
of the Black Pearl
after committing mutiny
against the ship's former captain, Jack Sparrow, in the series' first installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
. Having met his demise in the climax
of the film, his character is revealed to have been resurrected at the end of Dead Man's Chest
, becoming a supporting protagonist in At World's End. In the third film, it is revealed that Barbossa is also one of the nine pirate lords as pirate lord of the Caspian Sea
territory. In the fourth film, On Stranger Tides
, he has become a privateer in the King's Navy and is ordered to be Jack's guide on an expedition for the Fountain of Youth
.
Barbossa is portrayed by Australia
n actor Geoffrey Rush
in all the films.
, but was not revealed by any of the characters until the third film of the series. (When they rescue Jack Sparrow, and Barbossa greets him, Sparrow says: "Ah, Hector! It's been too long! Hasn't it?") It was revealed that costar Johnny Depp
played a decisive part in providing the name. His last name is both a pun
on the surname of Portuguese origin "Barbosa" and is based on Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Ottoman
privateer
who is also known as Hızır Reis and Redbeard; the word is a combination of the Italian
words barba (beard
) and rossa (red
). The word "barbossa" in Italian could barely be translated as "beard of bones", which is very consistent with his once skeletal look.
, Barbossa is captain of the pirate ship the Black Pearl
, and is the main antagonist and villain of the movie. His plan is to break the Aztec curse he and his crew are under and bring an end to Jack Sparrow, one of his arch rivals. He was originally the ship's first mate under Captain Jack Sparrow
(Depp). Barbossa persuaded Jack to reveal the bearings to Isla de Muerta where the Chest of Cortez, containing 882 pieces of Aztec
gold, was hidden. After Sparrow divulged the location, Barbossa and the crew mutinied and marooned Sparrow on a tiny island, with only a single-shot pistol with which to commit suicide
. Barbossa was convinced for the next ten years after the mutiny that Jack was killed by starvation
. However, unknown to Barbossa, Jack made a deal with rum runners to take him off the island after three days, swore to use the pistol's single shot to kill Barbossa, and spent the next 10 years seeking revenge.
Barbossa and the crew found the Aztec
treasure, but ran afoul of a curse placed upon the gold by the Aztec gods, which rendered the pirates undead
. To lift the curse, the crew had to return all 882 coins to the chest and offer their blood. They still need their former shipmate Bootstrap Bill Turner's blood; Turner was the lone holdout against the mutiny, and believing the crew deserved to remain cursed for betraying Jack, sent one coin to his son, Will
(Orlando Bloom
). In retaliation, Barbossa tied Bootstrap to a cannon and threw him overboard. For years, Barbossa searched for the last coin, which was now possessed by Elizabeth Swann
(Keira Knightley
), daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann (Jonathan Pryce
). Barbossa sets sail for Port Royal after detecting a "signal" when the coin touched the sea. Unknown to him, Jack Sparrow is also in Port Royal.
Believing Elizabeth is Bootstrap's daughter (and thus, the means to breaking their curse) after she gives her name as Elizabeth Turner, Barbossa makes off with her and the medallion. He reveals their cursed state en route to Isla de Muerta. Elizabeth's blood is offered, but the ritual fails. Will, aided by Sparrow, rescues Elizabeth and escape with the medallion. Sparrow is taken prisoner aboard the Pearl, and Barbossa pursues the Interceptor. Catching them, Barbossa learns Will's true identity and tricks Will into believing that Jack, the crew, and Elizabeth will be freed. He instead maroons Jack and Elizabeth on a deserted island. Before the final battle, as Barbossa is about to kill Will, Sparrow makes another unexpected return and convinces Barbossa to capture the HMS. Dauntless, leaving Jack the Black Pearl.
While the pirates battle the Royal Navy, Jack duels Barbossa (after having secretly swiped a cursed coin). Barbossa stabs Jack during a duel, but Jack reveals that he holds a coin and is now also cursed, and thus immortal. Jack fatally shoots Barbossa with the pistol after Will tosses his coin with his blood on it into the chest, breaking the curse. His last words were "I feel...cold."
In a post credits "Easter Egg" scene, Barbossa's pet monkey, Jack, steals a gold coin from the Chest, thus cursing itself once again.
(Naomie Harris
) in order to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker
after Sparrow meets his demise against the Kraken, ending Dead Man's Chest in a cliffhanger.
During the scene at Tia Dalma's hut, someone's lower body can be partially seen lying on a bed in a back room; this is most likely Barbossa. Jack the Monkey perches on a boot-clad leg, alluding to Barbossa being resurrected. Jack Sparrow holding Barbossa's feathered hat is also a subtle clue that the captain will return.
In the movie, after Tia Dalma says they'll need a captain who knows the waters of World's End, Barbossa enters and says "So tell me. What's become of my ship?", bites into a green apple and laughs; however, for this short role and that the creators wanted to keep his return a surprise, Rush was not credited.
To reach World's End, the gateway to the Locker, Barbossa needs the navigational charts belonging to Sao Feng (Chow Yun-fat
), the Pirate Lord of South China Sea
. During a meeting with Feng, Barbossa and Elizabeth admit that they are planning to retrieve Jack Sparrow, Feng's enemy. Feng is furious over an earlier attempt by Will to steal the charts, but after the East India Trading Company attacks his bathhouse, he is persuaded to loan them the charts and a ship, although only after making a secret deal with Will.
Barbossa and the crew sail to World's End, eventually arriving in Davy Jones' Locker. There they find Sparrow and the Black Pearl, though Sparrow initially believes they are hallucinations. Sparrow finally agrees to be rescued, though he and Barbossa continually dispute who is captain. While searching for an escape route, Sparrow and Barbossa form a tenuous alliance when Jack is told that Cutler Beckett
(Tom Hollander
) now possesses the heart of Davy Jones and is purging piracy. But Jack learns that whoever stabs Davy Jones' heart will become immortal, and instead plots his own course.
Returning to the living world, the crew sight land and stop to restock supplies. Distrusting one another, both captains go ashore with a landing party, leaving Will temporarily in command, still unaware he has a deal with Sao Feng. While ashore, they find the dead Kraken, killed by Davy Jones under Lord Beckett's order. Barbossa tells Sparrow that as two of the nine Pirate Lords, they must attend the Brethren Court convening at Shipwreck Cove, although Jack refuses, intent on seeking immortality. A surprisingly eloquent Barbossa urges Sparrow to look beyond his own self interests and consider the greater good, telling him piracy is being exterminated and there is little nobility or purpose in being the only pirate left in the Caribbean; he will be doomed to the same fate as the Kraken—the last of its kind.
Sao Feng arrives in his warship, the Empress, claiming the Pearl and betraying Will. Hector Barbossa negotiates a new deal with Feng and implies that Calypso, goddess of the sea, is aboard the ship, trapped in human form. Believing Elizabeth is Calypso, Feng demands she be traded to him for the Pearl. Elizabeth, furious over Will's deception, agrees to go with Feng to protect the crew. Will is thrown into the brig by Sparrow as Barbossa and Sparrow head to Shipwreck Cove, after escaping Lord Beckett, who arrived at the island.
At the Brethren Court, Barbossa proposes releasing Calypso from her human form to help them fight Beckett. He argues that the first court imprisoned the goddess only because it served their own needs, but in doing so, they provided an opportunity for forces like Beckett to threaten them. The other lords remain opposed, however, fearing the sea goddess' power and retaliation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Swann, who has succeeded Sao Feng as the Empress captain and the Pirate Lord of Singapore, arrives at the court. The Lords argue over going into battle and releasing Calypso. According to the Pirata Codex
, only a Pirate King can declare war. The lords move to elect one, but historically, each Lord only votes for himself, resulting in a continual stalemate. In a surprising upset, Sparrow votes for Elizabeth, though it is only to serve his own scheme. As "King", Elizabeth declares war against Beckett.
As the pirates prepare for battle, the horizon fills with Lord Beckett's massive armada. Barbossa, who tricked the other pirate lords into yielding their "Pieces of Eight" rank insignias, frees Calypso (Tia Dalma) in a ritual. He pleads for her intervention, but Calypso refuses to aid those who kept her imprisoned; her fury creates a giant maelstrom
.
Barbossa takes the Black Pearl into battle against the Flying Dutchman; amidst the combat, he marries Elizabeth and Will. After Beckett's defeat, Elizabeth leaves to reunite with Will for their "one day", while Barbossa again commandeers the Pearl, stranding Jack and Gibbs in Tortuga. The crew demands that Barbossa share the bearings to the Fountain of Youth
, mirroring the original mutiny that made Barbossa the Pearl's captain. Barbossa agrees and unrolls the chart, only to discover that Jack has removed its middle.
A running gag
in the movie is Jack and Barbossa arguing over who is the Black Pearls captain after Jack is rescued. Jack and Barbossa eventually command different sides of the ship, often while issuing orders simultaneously. When the crew needs to restock for supplies at a nearby island, neither Jack or Barbossa will leave the ship in the other's command to lead a search party. They are forced to put Will Turner in temporary command so both can go ashore, unaware that Will and Sao Feng have plotted to commandeer the Black Pearl.
, Hector Barbossa is now a privateer
in King George II's Royal Navy. Barbossa reveals that the Black Pearl was attacked by the Queen Anne's Revenge
, Blackbeard
's pirate ship. Blackbeard seemed to make the Pearl come alive, attacking its own crew. Barbossa believes the ship was destroyed, and that he is the only survivor, though he escaped by severing his leg. He now uses a peg leg and crutch. Although Barbossa claims the British Navy recruited him by offering a "nice retirement package", his true intention is to seek revenge against Blackbeard.
King George sends Barbossa on an expedition to locate the Fountain of Youth
before the Spaniards. Barbossa, commanding the HMS Providence
, forcefully enlists Joshamee Gibbs
' help to find the Fountain and pursue the Queen Anne's Revenge
. Blackbeard, with Jack Sparrow now aboard, arrives at Whitecap Bay. The crew captures a mermaid and continues to search for the Fountain on foot. Barbossa also arrives at the island, but his ship is destroyed in a mermaid attack. He finds Sparrow alone at Juan Ponce de León
's decaying flagship. The two agree to join forces against Blackbeard, and Sparrow leads Blackbeard's crew into a trap. In the ensuing battle, Barbossa fatally stabs Blackbeard with a poisoned sword, finally enacting his revenge. He then claims Blackbeard's magical sword, the Queen Anne's Revenge, and assumes command of Blackbeard's crew. Renouncing all ties to the Crown, Barbossa reverts to piracy. But unknown to Barbossa, the Black Pearl was never destroyed, but had been magically shrunk by Blackbeard. The tiny ship is now back in Jack's possession, who must somehow restore it to normal size.
shared his personal take on Barbossa's history: his family was poor, and he ran away from home when he was 13. He went to the sea, and seeing how well the captains and officers lived, decided to become a captain himself. At first, he wanted to be an honest seaman, but quickly recognized that piracy was easier and more lucrative.
In At World's End, Hector Barbossa is revealed to be one of the nine Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court. He is the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea
, although as that body of water is endorheic
, he pirated elsewhere, eventually settling in the Caribbean
and joining Jack Sparrow's crew. His position as Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea is revealed in the updated Complete Visual Guide.
In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom
, Barbossa is the pirate captain in the Caribbean. After his schooner
, the Cobra, is attacked and destroyed by the infamous rogue pirates, he goes to Shipwreck Cove to inform the Pirate Lords of his disaster. With the help of a young pirate Jack Sparrow, Barbossa discovers that the leader of the rogues is Borya Palachnik, the Russian Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea. After he was captured and sentenced to hang, Borya gave his Piece of Eight to Barbossa, thus making him the next Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea.
Hector Barbossa is fond of apple
s, which appear throughout the first film. He offers one to the captive Elizabeth and later tells her that once the curse is lifted, he wants to eat a whole bushel-full. There are also apples in his cabin, and when Jack is taken to the brig, Barbossa grabs the apple Jack was eating and throws it in the water in anger. When he dies at the end of "Curse of the Black Pearl", an apple rolls from his hand that he apparently brought to eat when the curse was lifted. His cameo appearance at the end of Dead Man's Chest shows him biting into his favorite fruit. In At World's End, he is only shown eating one apple when aboard the Black Pearl. In On Stranger Tides, he is seen eating apple slices aboard his ship.
According to the audio commentary from the first Pirates of the Caribbean DVD (featuring the scriptwriters), Hector Barbossa is skilled with a sword, and is considered one of the finest swordsmen in the Caribbean. According to the commentary, Barbossa's skills are equal to James Norrington
(Jack Davenport
) and exceeded only by Will Turner. His prowess with a blade is evident in his duel with Jack Sparrow, and in the maelstrom battle against the East India Trading Company. In the first film, the Black Pearl crew were hesitant to attack Hector Barbossa, even simultaneously. The only person known to have survived a one-on-one duel with him is Jack Sparrow, in the treasure caves of Isla de Muerta--and even that was with the aid of a pistol. Geoffrey Rush comments that Hector Barbossa supposedly used a sword from a very young age, possibly as early as 13.
He uses the same flag as the notorious pirate "Calico Jack" Rackham.
In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide, Hector Barbossa is described as being attentive to his appearance, as his elaborate clothing shows. He wears a large ring bearing a bear's head symbol and has purplish blue ostrich
plumes and a pheasant feather in his hat (which appears to be important to him, as in the first movie Jack Sparrow interests him in a bargain by saying, "and I'll buy you a hat... a really big one"). His coat buttons are made from recast Incan silver
, and his pistol once belonged to a Spanish
pirate, won in a duel.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
and pirate in the Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
film series Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy-adventure films directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Marshall , written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. Barbossa was first introduced in the series as the main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of the first film, and pirate captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
of the Black Pearl
Black Pearl
The Black Pearl, originally Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. In the screenplay, the Black Pearl is easily recognized by her distinctive black hull and sails. The ship was originally named Wicked Wench before she was ordered burned and sunk by Lord Beckett...
after committing mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
against the ship's former captain, Jack Sparrow, in the series' first installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 adventure fantasy film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks. It was directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. Having met his demise in the climax
Climax (narrative)
The Climax is the point in the story where the main character's point of view changes, or the most exciting/action filled part of the story. It also known has the main turning point in the story...
of the film, his character is revealed to have been resurrected at the end of Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure fantasy film and the second film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . It was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by...
, becoming a supporting protagonist in At World's End. In the third film, it is revealed that Barbossa is also one of the nine pirate lords as pirate lord of the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
territory. In the fourth film, On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a 2011 adventure fantasy film and the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series...
, he has become a privateer in the King's Navy and is ordered to be Jack's guide on an expedition for the Fountain of Youth
Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years, appearing in writings by Herodotus, the Alexander romance, and the stories of Prester John...
.
Barbossa is portrayed by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n actor Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
in all the films.
Development
Barbossa's first name, "Hector," was revealed in a director's commentary on the Curse of the Black Pearl DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, but was not revealed by any of the characters until the third film of the series. (When they rescue Jack Sparrow, and Barbossa greets him, Sparrow says: "Ah, Hector! It's been too long! Hasn't it?") It was revealed that costar Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
played a decisive part in providing the name. His last name is both a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on the surname of Portuguese origin "Barbosa" and is based on Hayreddin Barbarossa, the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
who is also known as Hızır Reis and Redbeard; the word is a combination of the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
words barba (beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
) and rossa (red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
). The word "barbossa" in Italian could barely be translated as "beard of bones", which is very consistent with his once skeletal look.
The Curse of the Black Pearl
In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 adventure fantasy film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks. It was directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, Barbossa is captain of the pirate ship the Black Pearl
Black Pearl
The Black Pearl, originally Wicked Wench, is a fictional ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. In the screenplay, the Black Pearl is easily recognized by her distinctive black hull and sails. The ship was originally named Wicked Wench before she was ordered burned and sunk by Lord Beckett...
, and is the main antagonist and villain of the movie. His plan is to break the Aztec curse he and his crew are under and bring an end to Jack Sparrow, one of his arch rivals. He was originally the ship's first mate under Captain Jack Sparrow
Captain Jack Sparrow
Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the central protagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, portrayed by Johnny Depp. He is first introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...
(Depp). Barbossa persuaded Jack to reveal the bearings to Isla de Muerta where the Chest of Cortez, containing 882 pieces of Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
gold, was hidden. After Sparrow divulged the location, Barbossa and the crew mutinied and marooned Sparrow on a tiny island, with only a single-shot pistol with which to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Barbossa was convinced for the next ten years after the mutiny that Jack was killed by starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
. However, unknown to Barbossa, Jack made a deal with rum runners to take him off the island after three days, swore to use the pistol's single shot to kill Barbossa, and spent the next 10 years seeking revenge.
Barbossa and the crew found the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
treasure, but ran afoul of a curse placed upon the gold by the Aztec gods, which rendered the pirates undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
. To lift the curse, the crew had to return all 882 coins to the chest and offer their blood. They still need their former shipmate Bootstrap Bill Turner's blood; Turner was the lone holdout against the mutiny, and believing the crew deserved to remain cursed for betraying Jack, sent one coin to his son, Will
Will Turner
William "Will" Turner, Jr. is a central character in the first three titles of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series produced by Walt Disney Pictures. He is played by Orlando Bloom . Will is a blacksmith's apprentice working in Port Royal...
(Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom
Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom is an English actor. He had his break-through roles in 2001 as the elf-prince Legolas in The Lord of the Rings and starring in 2003 as blacksmith Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, and subsequently established himself as a lead in Hollywood...
). In retaliation, Barbossa tied Bootstrap to a cannon and threw him overboard. For years, Barbossa searched for the last coin, which was now possessed by Elizabeth Swann
Elizabeth Swann
Elizabeth Swann is a major character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series produced by Walt Disney Pictures. She appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and its two sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End...
(Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley
Keira Christina Knightley born 26 March 1985) is an English actress and model. She began acting as a child and came to international notice in 2002 after co-starring in the film Bend It Like Beckham...
), daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann (Jonathan Pryce
Jonathan Pryce
Jonathan Pryce, CBE is a Welsh stage and film actor and singer. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and meeting his longtime partner English actress Kate Fahy in 1974, he began his career as a stage actor in the 1970s...
). Barbossa sets sail for Port Royal after detecting a "signal" when the coin touched the sea. Unknown to him, Jack Sparrow is also in Port Royal.
While the pirates battle the Royal Navy, Jack duels Barbossa (after having secretly swiped a cursed coin). Barbossa stabs Jack during a duel, but Jack reveals that he holds a coin and is now also cursed, and thus immortal. Jack fatally shoots Barbossa with the pistol after Will tosses his coin with his blood on it into the chest, breaking the curse. His last words were "I feel...cold."
In a post credits "Easter Egg" scene, Barbossa's pet monkey, Jack, steals a gold coin from the Chest, thus cursing itself once again.
Dead Man's Chest
Barbossa is resurrected during the second film, although he does not appear until the final scene. Having met his demise in the previous installment, Barbossa is resurrected by Tia DalmaTia Dalma
Tia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a significant amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers...
(Naomie Harris
Naomie Harris
Naomie Melanie Harris is an English screen actress. She is best known for her starring role as Selena in 28 Days Later, as well as her supporting turn as Tia Dalma/Calypso in the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films...
) in order to save Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker
Davy Jones' Locker
Davy Jones's Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea: the state of death among drowned sailors. It is used as an euphemism for death at sea ....
after Sparrow meets his demise against the Kraken, ending Dead Man's Chest in a cliffhanger.
During the scene at Tia Dalma's hut, someone's lower body can be partially seen lying on a bed in a back room; this is most likely Barbossa. Jack the Monkey perches on a boot-clad leg, alluding to Barbossa being resurrected. Jack Sparrow holding Barbossa's feathered hat is also a subtle clue that the captain will return.
In the movie, after Tia Dalma says they'll need a captain who knows the waters of World's End, Barbossa enters and says "So tell me. What's become of my ship?", bites into a green apple and laughs; however, for this short role and that the creators wanted to keep his return a surprise, Rush was not credited.
At World's End
Barbossa joins forces with Will, Elizabeth and the Black Pearl crew to rescue Jack from Davy Jones' Locker.To reach World's End, the gateway to the Locker, Barbossa needs the navigational charts belonging to Sao Feng (Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
), the Pirate Lord of South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. During a meeting with Feng, Barbossa and Elizabeth admit that they are planning to retrieve Jack Sparrow, Feng's enemy. Feng is furious over an earlier attempt by Will to steal the charts, but after the East India Trading Company attacks his bathhouse, he is persuaded to loan them the charts and a ship, although only after making a secret deal with Will.
Barbossa and the crew sail to World's End, eventually arriving in Davy Jones' Locker. There they find Sparrow and the Black Pearl, though Sparrow initially believes they are hallucinations. Sparrow finally agrees to be rescued, though he and Barbossa continually dispute who is captain. While searching for an escape route, Sparrow and Barbossa form a tenuous alliance when Jack is told that Cutler Beckett
Cutler Beckett
Lord Cutler Beckett is a fictional character portrayed by Tom Hollander in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. He appears as a main antagonist in Dead Man's Chest and in At World's End...
(Tom Hollander
Tom Hollander
Thomas Anthony "Tom" Hollander is a British actor who has appeared in productions such as Enigma, Gosford Park, Cambridge Spies, Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean, In the Loop, Valkyrie and Hanna.-Early life:Tom Hollander was born in Bristol and raised in Oxford, Oxfordshire, the son...
) now possesses the heart of Davy Jones and is purging piracy. But Jack learns that whoever stabs Davy Jones' heart will become immortal, and instead plots his own course.
Returning to the living world, the crew sight land and stop to restock supplies. Distrusting one another, both captains go ashore with a landing party, leaving Will temporarily in command, still unaware he has a deal with Sao Feng. While ashore, they find the dead Kraken, killed by Davy Jones under Lord Beckett's order. Barbossa tells Sparrow that as two of the nine Pirate Lords, they must attend the Brethren Court convening at Shipwreck Cove, although Jack refuses, intent on seeking immortality. A surprisingly eloquent Barbossa urges Sparrow to look beyond his own self interests and consider the greater good, telling him piracy is being exterminated and there is little nobility or purpose in being the only pirate left in the Caribbean; he will be doomed to the same fate as the Kraken—the last of its kind.
Sao Feng arrives in his warship, the Empress, claiming the Pearl and betraying Will. Hector Barbossa negotiates a new deal with Feng and implies that Calypso, goddess of the sea, is aboard the ship, trapped in human form. Believing Elizabeth is Calypso, Feng demands she be traded to him for the Pearl. Elizabeth, furious over Will's deception, agrees to go with Feng to protect the crew. Will is thrown into the brig by Sparrow as Barbossa and Sparrow head to Shipwreck Cove, after escaping Lord Beckett, who arrived at the island.
At the Brethren Court, Barbossa proposes releasing Calypso from her human form to help them fight Beckett. He argues that the first court imprisoned the goddess only because it served their own needs, but in doing so, they provided an opportunity for forces like Beckett to threaten them. The other lords remain opposed, however, fearing the sea goddess' power and retaliation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Swann, who has succeeded Sao Feng as the Empress captain and the Pirate Lord of Singapore, arrives at the court. The Lords argue over going into battle and releasing Calypso. According to the Pirata Codex
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
, only a Pirate King can declare war. The lords move to elect one, but historically, each Lord only votes for himself, resulting in a continual stalemate. In a surprising upset, Sparrow votes for Elizabeth, though it is only to serve his own scheme. As "King", Elizabeth declares war against Beckett.
As the pirates prepare for battle, the horizon fills with Lord Beckett's massive armada. Barbossa, who tricked the other pirate lords into yielding their "Pieces of Eight" rank insignias, frees Calypso (Tia Dalma) in a ritual. He pleads for her intervention, but Calypso refuses to aid those who kept her imprisoned; her fury creates a giant maelstrom
Maelstrom
A maelstrom is a very powerful whirlpool; a large, swirling body of water. A free vortex, it has considerable downdraft. The power of tidal whirlpools tends to be exaggerated by laymen. There are virtually no stories of large ships ever being sucked into a maelstrom, although smaller craft are in...
.
Barbossa takes the Black Pearl into battle against the Flying Dutchman; amidst the combat, he marries Elizabeth and Will. After Beckett's defeat, Elizabeth leaves to reunite with Will for their "one day", while Barbossa again commandeers the Pearl, stranding Jack and Gibbs in Tortuga. The crew demands that Barbossa share the bearings to the Fountain of Youth
Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years, appearing in writings by Herodotus, the Alexander romance, and the stories of Prester John...
, mirroring the original mutiny that made Barbossa the Pearl's captain. Barbossa agrees and unrolls the chart, only to discover that Jack has removed its middle.
A running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
in the movie is Jack and Barbossa arguing over who is the Black Pearls captain after Jack is rescued. Jack and Barbossa eventually command different sides of the ship, often while issuing orders simultaneously. When the crew needs to restock for supplies at a nearby island, neither Jack or Barbossa will leave the ship in the other's command to lead a search party. They are forced to put Will Turner in temporary command so both can go ashore, unaware that Will and Sao Feng have plotted to commandeer the Black Pearl.
On Stranger Tides
In Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger TidesPirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a 2011 adventure fantasy film and the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series...
, Hector Barbossa is now a privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
in King George II's Royal Navy. Barbossa reveals that the Black Pearl was attacked by the Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge was the name of English pirate Blackbeard's flagship, used by him for less than a year, but an effective tool in his prize taking....
, Blackbeard
Blackbeard
Edward Teach , better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies....
's pirate ship. Blackbeard seemed to make the Pearl come alive, attacking its own crew. Barbossa believes the ship was destroyed, and that he is the only survivor, though he escaped by severing his leg. He now uses a peg leg and crutch. Although Barbossa claims the British Navy recruited him by offering a "nice retirement package", his true intention is to seek revenge against Blackbeard.
King George sends Barbossa on an expedition to locate the Fountain of Youth
Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years, appearing in writings by Herodotus, the Alexander romance, and the stories of Prester John...
before the Spaniards. Barbossa, commanding the HMS Providence
HMS Providence
HMS Providence was a sloop of the Royal Navy, famous for being commanded by William Bligh on his second breadfruit voyage between 1791 and 1794....
, forcefully enlists Joshamee Gibbs
Joshamee Gibbs
Joshamee Gibbs, often referred to as Mr. Gibbs, Master Gibbs, or simply Gibbs, is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, played by Kevin McNally and voiced by Steven Jay Blum in video game adaptations .-Character overview:Gibbs is a generally...
' help to find the Fountain and pursue the Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge was the name of English pirate Blackbeard's flagship, used by him for less than a year, but an effective tool in his prize taking....
. Blackbeard, with Jack Sparrow now aboard, arrives at Whitecap Bay. The crew captures a mermaid and continues to search for the Fountain on foot. Barbossa also arrives at the island, but his ship is destroyed in a mermaid attack. He finds Sparrow alone at Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
's decaying flagship. The two agree to join forces against Blackbeard, and Sparrow leads Blackbeard's crew into a trap. In the ensuing battle, Barbossa fatally stabs Blackbeard with a poisoned sword, finally enacting his revenge. He then claims Blackbeard's magical sword, the Queen Anne's Revenge, and assumes command of Blackbeard's crew. Renouncing all ties to the Crown, Barbossa reverts to piracy. But unknown to Barbossa, the Black Pearl was never destroyed, but had been magically shrunk by Blackbeard. The tiny ship is now back in Jack's possession, who must somehow restore it to normal size.
Background
In the "Becoming Barbossa" featurette on the "Lost Disc", Geoffrey RushGeoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
shared his personal take on Barbossa's history: his family was poor, and he ran away from home when he was 13. He went to the sea, and seeing how well the captains and officers lived, decided to become a captain himself. At first, he wanted to be an honest seaman, but quickly recognized that piracy was easier and more lucrative.
In At World's End, Hector Barbossa is revealed to be one of the nine Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court. He is the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
, although as that body of water is endorheic
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
, he pirated elsewhere, eventually settling in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and joining Jack Sparrow's crew. His position as Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea is revealed in the updated Complete Visual Guide.
In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom is a 2011 adventure novel written by Ann C. Crispin. The book details the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow as a young man after the events of Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow and before the events of Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the...
, Barbossa is the pirate captain in the Caribbean. After his schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
, the Cobra, is attacked and destroyed by the infamous rogue pirates, he goes to Shipwreck Cove to inform the Pirate Lords of his disaster. With the help of a young pirate Jack Sparrow, Barbossa discovers that the leader of the rogues is Borya Palachnik, the Russian Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea. After he was captured and sentenced to hang, Borya gave his Piece of Eight to Barbossa, thus making him the next Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea.
Hector Barbossa is fond of apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, which appear throughout the first film. He offers one to the captive Elizabeth and later tells her that once the curse is lifted, he wants to eat a whole bushel-full. There are also apples in his cabin, and when Jack is taken to the brig, Barbossa grabs the apple Jack was eating and throws it in the water in anger. When he dies at the end of "Curse of the Black Pearl", an apple rolls from his hand that he apparently brought to eat when the curse was lifted. His cameo appearance at the end of Dead Man's Chest shows him biting into his favorite fruit. In At World's End, he is only shown eating one apple when aboard the Black Pearl. In On Stranger Tides, he is seen eating apple slices aboard his ship.
According to the audio commentary from the first Pirates of the Caribbean DVD (featuring the scriptwriters), Hector Barbossa is skilled with a sword, and is considered one of the finest swordsmen in the Caribbean. According to the commentary, Barbossa's skills are equal to James Norrington
James Norrington
James Norrington, CB is a fictional character in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film series. He is played by English actor Jack Davenport.-Character history:...
(Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport
Jack Davenport is an English actor, best known for his roles in the television series This Life, Coupling and as James Norrington in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He has also appeared in many other Hollywood films such as The Talented Mr. Ripley...
) and exceeded only by Will Turner. His prowess with a blade is evident in his duel with Jack Sparrow, and in the maelstrom battle against the East India Trading Company. In the first film, the Black Pearl crew were hesitant to attack Hector Barbossa, even simultaneously. The only person known to have survived a one-on-one duel with him is Jack Sparrow, in the treasure caves of Isla de Muerta--and even that was with the aid of a pistol. Geoffrey Rush comments that Hector Barbossa supposedly used a sword from a very young age, possibly as early as 13.
He uses the same flag as the notorious pirate "Calico Jack" Rackham.
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
plumes and a pheasant feather in his hat (which appears to be important to him, as in the first movie Jack Sparrow interests him in a bargain by saying, "and I'll buy you a hat... a really big one"). His coat buttons are made from recast Incan silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, and his pistol once belonged to a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
pirate, won in a duel.
Other appearances
- In 2006, an animatronic Hector Barbossa was added (along with Captain Jack Sparrow) to the original Pirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean (theme park ride)Pirates of the Caribbean is a log flume type of dark ride at the Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris theme parks....
theme park ridePirates of the Caribbean (theme park ride)Pirates of the Caribbean is a log flume type of dark ride at the Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris theme parks....
at various Disney parks, wherein he appears as captain of the Wicked Wench. - Hector Barbossa is one of only five Disney villains ever nominated for the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, the others being Davy JonesDavy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)Davy Jones is a fictional character and antagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Davy Jones is the captain of the Flying Dutchman , roaming the seas in search of souls to serve upon his vessel for a century...
, Scar from The Lion KingThe Lion KingThe Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
, Jadis the White WitchWhite WitchJadis is the main antagonist of The Magician's Nephew and of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in C.S. Lewis' series, The Chronicles of Narnia...
in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson and based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published and second chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's children's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of...
and Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear from Toy Story 3Toy Story 3Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
. - Hector Barbossa (along with another Black Pearl crewman) is pictured on the cover of WAS IST WAS band 71 Piraten.
- Hector Barbossa appears as a villain in the Pirates of the Caribbean setting, Port Royal, of Kingdom Hearts IIKingdom Hearts IIis an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
. In the game, his role is copied and pasted from the film, with the exceptions of the presence of Sora, Donald and Goofy, his alliance with Pete and MaleficentMaleficentMaleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. She is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" who, after not being invited to the baby's christening, curses the infant Princess Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a...
, and his control over the Heartless. Due to the filming of the two sequels back-to-back, which resulted in Geoffrey Rush being unavailable, Hector Barbossa was voiced by Brian GeorgeBrian GeorgeBrian George is a British-Israeli actor and voice actor for Indian accents, who typically plays guest roles for characters of South Asian descent. Perhaps his most famous role is as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld.-Early life:...
in the EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
version. In the JapaneseJapanese languageis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
version, he is voiced by Haruhiko JōHaruhiko Jois a Japanese actor, theatre director and voice actor currently affiliated with Engekikurabu Za.-Animation:*Crest of the Stars *Case Closed: The Last Wizard of the Century *Sol Bianca: The Legacy...
. - Barbossa was made into several action figureAction figureAn action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s by NECANational Entertainment Collectibles AssociationThe National Entertainment Collectibles Association or NECA is an American manufacturer of collectibles typically licensed from films, video-games, sports, music, and television based in New Jersey...
. He appeared in the first wave of Curse of the Black Pearl figures in his human form; that same figure would be re-released as part of the fourth wave of Dead Man's Chest toys. Barbossa's cursed form was released as a box set, which also featured Jack Sparrow as a zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
, and the chest of cursed Aztec gold.Then, he was also released in the At World's End figure line. However, he did not come with Jack the Monkey, who was released in a figure set along with Marty. Lastly, Barbossa was featured in "At Stranger tides" action figure wave with his peg leg and privateer suit. - Barbossa was made as a plush toy for the M&MM&MM&M may refer to:* M&M's, a chocolate confectionery coated with hard candy shell* Eminem, stage name of rap artist Marshall Mathers III* "M+M's", a song by the American band Blink-182 from Cheshire Cat...
Dead Man's Chest.