William Turner Sr.

"I knew him. Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill." "Bootstrap?" "Good man. Good pirate. I swear you look just like him."

- Jack Sparrow and Will Turner

William Turner, also known as Bill or Billy Turner, though more commonly referred to as Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill, was a pirate who operated in the seven seas. Renowned as a good man, Bill Turner was the father of Will Turner, who followed in his buccaneering footsteps.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Bill Turner was part of Jack Sparrow's crew of the Black Pearl, where he would regretfully join in a mutiny led by Hector Barbossa. After being cursed, Turner sent his gold piece to his son Will, believing that Barbossa's crew deserved to remain cursed. This action led Barbossa to condemn Turner to a life at the bottom of the ocean. At some point prior to the curse's lifting, Bill Turner made a deal with Davy Jones and joined the crew of the Flying Dutchman. He would later reunite with his son Will Turner, which caused a chain of events during the War Against Piracy, ending with Will becoming the new captain of the Flying Dutchman. After the final titanic battle of the war, Bill Turner would remain with his son aboard the Flying Dutchman.

Early life
Billy Turner was born during the late 17th century, and lived on the Isle of Man with his Aunt Erin, Uncle Seamus and dog, Crumbs. He was given a ticket aboard the Sea Star to North Carolina as his hometown was in a dire situation after all the fish died. Billy was arrested after the Sea Star's captain, David Donovan, called him a stowaway when his ticket was classed as counterfeit (a fact unbeknownst to Uncle Seamus who gave Billy the ticket) by the Royal Navy.

Adventures with Jack Sparrow
"Billy! My name is Billy!" "Well Billy it is, then. But Billy is no name for a sailor. I recently met a pirate&mdash;a fellow named Renegade Robbie. You'll be needing a proper pirate name, too, of course. Like Bloody Billy. You are a pirate, aren't you?"

- Billy Turner and Jack Sparrow

Billy was subsequently jailed, and taken aboard a naval ship to Port Royal to be hanged. But along the way, was freed by Arabella Smith and Jean Magliore, who had infiltrated the ship trying to get the records of the Fleur De La Mort, aboard which Jean and Arabella were crewmembers under Arabella's mother, Laura. Billy successfully managed to convince them to free him, and stole the records to gain their trust, whilst the naval crew were preoccupied with an attacking sea monster. "And Billy! Billy Turner! It really is ye! Ye've made it out alive! Ye found Jack!"

- Arabella Smith

Billy was furious to learn that the Sea Star was responsible for the sea monster's attacks and for placing the Isle of Man in its poor state. Killing the sea monster, Billy stranded Donovan and the First Mate aboard a desert island. He joined the Fleur's crew, under Captain Laura, and helped Jack Sparrow defeat Captain Torrents.

The Black Pearl
"I mean, you want me to join your crew. Thanks, Jack, flattered, but I'm not looking for work. I'm just trying to get home." "But Billy, lad. Take a look at my ship. The Black Pearl, Billy&mdash;remember the stories we used to hear about the fastest ship in the world?"

- Billy Turner and Jack Sparrow

Years later, Billy joined Jack Sparrow's crew aboard the Black Pearl, recently risen from the seas by Davy Jones. Billy helped Jack find several vials of Shadow Gold to be found around the world, often providing a brooding sense to the crew. He revealed that he had eventually made it to North Carolina, and had married a girl who had given birth to a son there.

The Mutiny
"I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Jack. I stood up for ya. Everything went wrong after that."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner to Jack Sparrow

After the quest for the Shadow Gold ended, Bootstrap Bill would remain aboard the Black Pearl, taking part in Jack Sparrow's quest for the treasure of Cortés. During the quest, Jack's first mate Hector Barbossa rallied the crew in a mutiny against Jack. When the mutiny took place, Bootstrap was the only crewmember who did not side with Barbossa completely. However, Bootstrap was unable to not take part in Barbossa's mutiny nor prevent Jack being marooned on a desert island. Days afterwards, using the bearings acquired from Jack himself, Captain Barbossa was able to find Isla de Muerta. Bootstrap continued to serve on board long enough to take his share of the treasure of 882 pieces of Aztec gold. But Barbossa's crew would soon regret their taking the treasure.

Becoming cursed
"Never sat well with Bootstrap, what we did to Jack Sparrow. The mutiny and all. He said it wasn't right with the Code. That's why he sent off a piece of the treasure to you, as it were. He said we deserved to be cursed...and remain cursed." "Stupid blighter&mdash;" "Good man."

- Pintel, Ragetti and Joshamee Gibbs

At some point after spending and trading their pieces of the Aztec gold, every member of Barbossa's crew would learn that they had become cursed. Believing that their torment came from the treasure, the now-cursed crew attempted to lift the curse by reclaiming all 882 pieces of the Aztec gold. However, while Barbossa's crew wanted to lift their curse, Bootstrap Bill still felt guilty of betraying Jack Sparrow by taking part in Barbossa's mutiny, knowing that it wasn't right with the Code. And so Bootstrap sent a piece of the treasure to his son, Will Turner, avowing that the crew deserved to remain cursed for. Barbossa would eventually learn of this action and became angry with Bootstrap Bill.

Life at the bottom of the ocean
"They strapped me to a cannon, I ended up on the bottom of the ocean, the weight of the water crushing down on me. Unable to move...unable to die, Jack. And I thought that even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate...I would take it. I would trade anything for it."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner to Jack Sparrow

In response of Bootstrap Bill's treachery, Barbossa had Bill strapped to a cannon by his bootstraps, and had him thrown overboard. The last the crew saw of Bill Turner, he was sinking to the "crushing, black oblivion of Davy Jones' Locker." Bootstrap Bill Turner was left to suffer a life at the bottom of the ocean. Although he was eternally drowning, Bootstrap Bill was unable to die because of the Aztec curse. It wasn't until after Bootstrap Bill was thrown overboard did Barbossa's crew learn of an additional requirement to lift the curse: all who stole but a single coin from the chest had to pay the heathen gods in blood, including Bootstrap's. And so with the curse having an unlikely chance of lifting, Bootstrap Bill was left to suffer at the bottom of the ocean. "For nearly a year, I've been telling myself that I killed you to save you." "You killed me?" "I lifted the curse you were under knowing it would mean your death. But, at least, you would no longer suffer the fate handed to you by Barbossa."

- Will Turner and Bootstrap Bill Turner

Despite Bootstrap Bill Turner's intention to have Barbossa's crew remaining cursed, the crew still found their hope restored. When Will Turner reversed the curse by returning the last Aztec coins to the stone chest, he technically killed his father because at that moment, somewhere at the bottom of the ocean, Bootstrap Bill became mortal. However, fate had a different plan.

Davy Jones
"He sent me. Davy Jones." "Ah. So it’s you, then. He shanghaied you into service, eh?" "I chose it."

- Jack Sparrow and Bootstrap Bill Turner

Prior to Will Turner's lifting of the Aztec curse, which technically returned Bootstrap's mortality, Bootstrap Bill would find himself being offered to serve aboard the Flying Dutchman by none other than Davy Jones himself. Given that a life of servitude would be better than his current state, Bootstrap sold his soul to Davy Jones to alleviate his eternal suffering. Having made the deal with Jones, Bootstrap Bill Turner joined the Jones' crew, where he would become yet another soul to serve aboard the Dutchman. "It's the gift and the lie given by Jones. You join the crew and think you've cheated the powers, but it's not reprieval you've found. It's oblivion. Losing what you were, bit by bit, till you end up like poor Wyvern here. Once you've sworn an oath to the Dutchman, there's no leaving it. Not till your debt is paid."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner to Will Turner

It is unknown how long Bootstrap Bill served aboard the Flying Dutchman, but it is known that he was aboard for at least one year. During his time aboard, Bootstrap would begin his transformation that every member of the Dutchman had to undergo. He also grew to forget Barbossa, beginning to lapse into total dementia. The longer he was aboard, the more Bootstrap would learn about how life on the Dutchman played out; a man thought he'd cheated death, but he'd lose himself in becoming part of the Dutchman itself. Wyvern was a prime example, Bootstrap's in particular, of what would happen if a man served aboard the Dutchman long enough.

Meeting with Jack Sparrow
"Any idea when Jones might release said terrible beastie?" "I already told you, Jack. Your time is up. It comes now, drawn with ravenous hunger to the man what bears...the Black Spot."

- Jack Sparrow and Bootstrap Bill Turner



Thirteen years after having made a deal with Davy Jones, Jack Sparrow's time ran out. Davy Jones sent Bootstrap Bill Turner to warn Jack that his debt was due to be paid. Bootstrap would find Jack Sparrow aboard the Black Pearl, having taken it back from Barbossa, but having learned that Jack did it with the help of his son, William. During his visit Bootstrap and Jack were catching up, in which Bootstrap relayed his tale of ending up on the bottom of the ocean before taking Jones' offer. Bill Turner soon left the Pearl, but not before giving Jack Sparrow the Black Spot, thereby making Jack marked for death at the hands of Jones' leviathan, the Kraken. Having given his old friend Jones' warning, Bootstrap Bill returned to his duties aboard the Dutchman.

Reuniting with a son
"The cat's out of the bag, Mr. Turner! Your issue will feel its sting be it at the Bo'sun's hand or your own."

- Davy Jones to Bootstrap Bill Turner



Days later, during a stormy night, Bootstrap Bill was working with his fellow crewmen until he finds his son Will Turner aboard the Dutchman. Seeing that Will had ended up on the same wretched vessel as himself, Bootstrap lets go of a rope that was holding up a cannon, thereby causing a disturbance which Will was blamed for. Before the bo'sun, Jimmy Legs, could give Will the punishment of five lashes, Bootstrap stopped him. With the familial connection between Bootstrap Bill and Will revealed, Bootstrap was forced to give Will the five lashes, by means of protecting him, in front of Jones and his crew. After the lashing, Bootstrap explained why he had to do what he did, which Will understood. Bootstrap then talked to Will about life aboard the Dutchman, warning him that he must get away upon learning that Will gave no oath. But Will confided to his father that he wasn't planning on leaving until having found the key, in which Wyvern popped from his place where he became part of the Dutchman to tell the two Turners the secrets of the Dead Man's Chest before going back to being part of the ship. "Bootstrap Bill, you're a liar and you will spend an eternity on this ship!"

- Davy Jones

Bootstrap Bill later joined his son as he watched a game of Liar's Dice was played between the Dutchman's crew. To Bootstrap's surprise, Will challenged Davy Jones to a game, in which he was likely to lose. To save his son, Bootstrap Bill entered the game and purposely lost to save Will from losing. As a result, Bootstrap was sentenced to spend an eternity on the Flying Dutchman. Though Will was mad at his father's foolishness, he had gotten what he wanted: the key's location. With Bootstrap's help, Will was able to take the key from Jones in his sleep and escape the Dutchman. Before leaving, Bootstrap gave Will a black knife. Will took the knife with a promise that he'd find a way to free Bootstrap from Jones' servitude, saying "I will not abandon you. I promise."

The next day, Davy Jones would learn of Will's escape, which enraged him. And as punishment for his part in it, Bootstrap Bill Turner was forced to watch the Kraken attack the Edinburgh Trader, the ship on which Will was on board. As Jones' crew summoned the leviathan, Bootstrap watched in agony and with a heavy heart as his son was seemingly killed in this attack. Davy Jones, telling Bootstrap that he needed time alone with his thoughts, ordered Bootstrap Bill to be locked in the brig.

Time in the brig
"You need time alone with your thoughts. Brig!"

- Davy Jones to Bootstrap Bill Turner



A few months later, by the time Lord Cutler Beckett assumed control of the Flying Dutchman following his acquisition of the heart of Davy Jones, Bootstrap Bill would still remain in the brig. The apparent death of his son Will Turner caused Bootstrap Bill Turner to sink into a state of madness, so much so that the process of assimilation into the Flying Dutchman accelerated, and Bootstrap's humanity began to wane. When Elizabeth Swann was thrown in the Dutchman's brig, she was able to coax Bootstrap into a conversation, though it was clear that he remembered little of his life. He still recognized the name of his son, however, and held on to the hope that William had promised to rescue him. When he realized who Elizabeth was, he lost hope for his own redemption. Bootstrap told her that Will would have to choose one of them and jokingly stated, "I wouldn't pick me." Elizabeth tried to wake him after he had merged with ship again, but he appeared to have completely forgotten their prior conversation. "William! He's coming for me! Wait and see, you'll see...He promised."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner to Elizabeth Swann

Bootstrap Bill remained in the Dutchman's brig, until he heard the bars open in the middle of the night. Admiral James Norrington had helped free Elizabeth and the crew of the Empress to escape to their ship. In his maddened state, Bootstrap followed them to see what was going on. Having not realize Norrington's good intentions, he instead believed that Norrington was leading a prisoner escape and stabbed him in a killing blow. As Elizabeth escaped to the Empress, Bootstrap simply stood by while Norrington passed away. The mad-stricken Bootstrap Bill continued serving aboard the Dutchman on their way to Shipwreck Cove.

Fight against his son
"I'm not going to kill you&mdash;I've made you a promise."

- Will Turner to Bootstrap Bill Turner



Bootstrap Bill Turner was still aboard the Flying Dutchman when it was battling with the Black Pearl around Calypso's maelstrom. During the later portion of the battle, Bootstrap found his son on deck, and engaged him in a duel. Will quickly disabled his father, but held back from killing him. The sight of his black knife, in addition to witnessing Davy Jones mortally wound Will in front of Elizabeth and Jack Sparrow, finally snapped Bootstrap out of his delirium. Realizing what happen, Bootstrap attacked Jones in a frenzy, but was quickly defeated. But before Jones could finish him off, however, Jack helped Will stab Jones' heart. Soon afterwards, knowing that the Dutchman must have a captain, Bootstrap cut out his son's heart to allow him to take Davy Jones' place after Jones fell into the maelstrom. "The Dutchman must have a captain."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner before carving his son's heart out.

Sailing with his son
"Orders, sir?" "You're no longer bound to the Dutchman. You're free." "Aye. That's a fine thing, but...by my reckoning, I still have a debt that has to be paid. If you'll have me." "On the wheel then, Mister Turner." "Aye, Captain Turner."

- Bootstrap Bill and Will Turner



After Will became captain of the Flying Dutchman, the Dutchman resurfaced with the ship returning to its normal form. Bootstrap Bill and the other crewmen returned to their original human form. Like the rest of the crew, Bootstrap followed Will's orders and aided the Black Pearl in destroying the Endeavour. Afterwards, Bootstrap asked Will for orders, but Will only told him that he was now free. Though it was what they both longed for, Bootstrap decided to serve under Will, as he feels he owes Will for leaving him and for Will's rescue. With a smile, Will ordered his father to take the helm. Bootstrap then commented that there was a steep price for Will taking captaincy aboard the Dutchman: while the ship now had a purpose again, Elizabeth could not go on the voyages they're able to go on. Bootstrap Bill Turner would continue serving under Captain Will Turner's command. "This ship has a purpose again. And where we are bound...she cannot come. One day ashore, ten years at sea. That's a steep price for what's been done." "Depends on the one day."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner and Will Turner

Personality and traits
"I could say I did what I had to when I left you to go pirating, but it would taste a lie to say it wasn't what I wanted."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner



Bootstrap Bill was a good and loyal man and was the only known member of Jack Sparrow's crew who was against the plan to mutiny against him. Jack told Bootstrap's only child, Will Turner, that while Bootstrap had been a pirate he was nevertheless a good man. Even Pintel agreed he was a good man when telling Will about him, defending him as one when another crewman insulted him for his loyalty. Bootstrap believed that the pirates that had mutinied against Jack deserved to be cursed and so he sent a piece of Aztec gold to his son Will Turner. "The Bo'sun prides himself in cleaving flesh from bone...with every swing." "So I'm to understand what you did was an act of compassion?" "...Yes."

- Bootstrap Bill Turner and Will Turner

Though serving under Davy Jones had hardened Bootstrap, to the point where he whipped his own son, he had actually done it as an act of compassion in order to save Will from being whipped by the sadistic Jimmy Legs. He later intentionally lost a game of Liar's dice in order to save his son from becoming a slave of Davy Jones. Bootstrap's love for his son snapped him out of the madness he suffered from being on the Flying Dutchman for too long and when Will was mortally wounded by Jones, Bootstrap attacked his former captain in a fit of rage and grief. Bootstrap later chose to remain with Will when he became captain of the Flying Dutchman.

In his time under Davy Jones' command of the Dutchman, Bill had forgotten Barbossa. This was the effect of the deal with Jones, a symptom that worsened over time as Bootstrap eventually lapsed into total dementia. During his period of madness, Bootstrap had a conversation with Elizabeth Swann, but when she spoke to him again he had forgotten the conversation, even though it had taken place only moments earlier. When James Norrington helped Elizabeth escape from the Flying Dutchman, Bootstrap didn't understand Norrington's honourable intentions and came to the conclusion that he was a traitor and therefore stabbed him.

Equipment and skills
Bootstrap was a capable swordsman able to hold his own against his son Will, who was known to be an expert swordsman, longer than any of his fellow crewmen of the Flying Dutchman. His most well known possession was a small, black knife, which he later passed on to his son. He apparently had a connection to the knife as seeing it helped snap him out of his delirium.

Behind the scenes

 * Bootstrap Bill Turner was portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård in Dead Man's Chest and At World's End.
 * The fact that Will Turner technically killed Bootstrap Bill in The Curse of the Black Pearl was noted in Dead Man's Chest-related material. Director Gore Verbinski mentioned this fact in the audio commentary of the film's deleted scene "Begin to Forget". It was also said by Will Turner himself in the deleted scene as well as the film's junior novelization.
 * In the making of the films, Bootstrap Bill was the only character who wore a costume on set. Everyone else on the crew of the Flying Dutchman, including Davy Jones, was completely 3-D Computer-generated. Their performances were recorded using motion capture during actual filming on the set, rather than in a motion capture studio during post-production.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Poseidon's Peak
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Bold New Horizons
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: The Caribbean
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: Rising in the East
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: The Turning Tide
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: Wild Waters
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: Day of the Shadow
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
 * The Accidental Pirate!
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game)
 * Kingdom Hearts II
 * LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game