James Norrington

James Norrington was an English officer in the Royal Navy, achieving the rank of Commodore prior to the attack on Port Royal by the Black Pearl.

Personality and early life
"I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves: A short drop and sudden stop."

- James Norrington to Elizabeth Swann

James Norrington was a kind and noble man, though his outward personna was often seen as stoic and slightly snobbish. To his friends and colleagues, however, he showed great respect and grace, especially to Elizabeth Swann, with whom he had fallen in love. He was completely devoted to the Royal Navy, and would often forsake his own personal needs for the greater good. He harbored an intense dislike of pirates and their kind, and saw himself as something of a purveyor of justice to pirates in the Caribbean.

Norrington served in the Royal Navy as a lieutenant, and was stationed aboard HMS Dauntless as it made the crossing from England, carrying Governor Weatherby Swann and his daughter, Elizabeth, to Port Royal. Upon sighting a wrecked merchant vessel in the water, Norrington ordered his men to search the wreckage. He was so preoccupied with this that he did not notice the Black Pearl slipping away from the scene.

Commodore Norrington
The ship would once more play a part in Norrington's life some eight years later. By this time, Norrington had become a Captain, and due to his service, was set to achieve the rank of Commodore. The ceremony was held at the fortress in Port Royal, drawing a large crowd. Among those gathered was Elizabeth Swann, whom Norrington had first met on the crossing from England, and had developed a friendship with over the past eight years. However, Norrington was also in love with Elizabeth, and, since he believed a wife was the only thing missing in his life, wished for her hand in marriage.

The newly-promoted Commodore attempted to propose to Elizabeth atop the fortress, following the ceremony. However, Elizabeth, apparently overcome by the proposal&mdash;though actually having fainted due to the constricting corset she had been forced into&mdash;toppled over the side of the fortress and into the sea far below. Shocked, Norrington gathered his men and raced down to the harbor, where he found Elizabeth in the arms of a man in the distinctive garb of a pirate. Elizabeth's rescuer turned out to be Captain Jack Sparrow, whom Norrington took into custody, set for hanging despite his recent good deed. However, Sparrow managed to briefly escape Norrington's clutches until he was subdued in a blacksmith's shop in the town.

Commodore Norrington had Sparrow imprisoned, but it was not the end of his troubles with pirates. That night, Port Royal was attacked by the Black Pearl, and though Norrington's men fought valiantly, the town was overwhelmed, and Elizabeth was captured. The next day, Norrington and his men attempted to formulate a plan to locate the Pearl, but were unsuccessful. The situation escalated further when Will Turner freed Jack Sparrow from the dungeons and helped him commandeer the HMS Interceptor to track down the Black Pearl. Norrington was forced to watch the pirates sail away with the ship, grudgingly admitting Jack's unexpected competancy.

Behind the scenes

 * James Norrington is portrayed by Jack Davenport.
 * On the DVD commentary of The Curse of the Black Pearl, the scriptwriters revealed that Norrington was highly skilled with a sword, and was the equal of Hector Barbossa, with only Will Turner surpassing him in ability.
 * Norrington's name is mentioned in Kingdom Hearts II: in the Pirates of the Caribbean world, the cannons located at Port Royal bear the message, "To be used in case of pirate attack – Commodore Norrington".

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
 * Pirates of the Caribbean 3
 * Kingdom Hearts II