Scrum

"No, no, no, you don't understand, mate. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. The original. The only!" "Scrum. And the pleasure's all mine. Now keep moving."

- Jack Sparrow and Scrum

Scrum was a crafty, mandola-playing Machiavellian pirate. Hardly the sharpest sword in the scabbard, Scrum made up for his life with a natural-born talent for music, and duplicity.

Known for his cheery spirits and slow wits, Scrum joined the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge, where he would serve under the infamous pirate Blackbeard. During the quest for the Fountain of Youth, Scrum was torn between his duty to Angelica and his admiration for Jack Sparrow. Although he was a scurvy soul, Scrum betrayed a weakness for those scintillating sirens of the sea, the mermaids. Scrum would continue living a pirate's life aboard the Revenge.

Early life
Not much is known about Scrum's past, but it is known that he was born in London. He regularly goes to the Captain's Daughter Inn to tell tales of bravery. Scrum also learned how to play the mandola during his pirate career. His mother said that his playing brought a tear to her eye, and Scrum attempted to seduce a Berber princess with his musical talent. However, she was already betrothed to another Berber man, and Scrum fled. He later joined the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge, under the command of Blackbeard and Angelica. Scrum later became a right-hand man to Angelica.

Jack Sparrow
"I hear you be recruiting a crew." "Aye. That is, Jack Sparrow be puttin' together a modest venture."

- Jack Sparrow and Scrum

Arriving to London, Scrum would help Angelica with her scheme of luring Jack Sparrow where she could force him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge. They were gathered a crew in Captain's Daughter pub, saying that Jack Sparrow, whom Angelica was impersonating, was looking for a crew. However, while wooing wenches in the tavern by playing My Jolly Sailor Bold with his mandola, the real Jack Sparrow appeared questioning of his recruiting a crew. Thinking he was an imposter, Scrum made fun of Jack after he asked "Do you have any idea who I am, mate?", saying that he forgot his own name.

Scrum continued playing the mandola until the Royal Guard arrived to the Captain's Daughter and alerted their presence to Angelica, who was confronted by Jack. Scrum attempted to barricade the door to avoid dealing with the Guards, but ran right before they bursted in. As Jack and Angelica fought the guards, Scrum escaped the building. He would later meet with Angelica, who was able to get Jack unconscious, and made their way aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge.

Aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge
"[Waking up Jack Sparrow]...Show a leg sailor." "...Aye, sir!"

- Scrum and Jack Sparrow



A few days into the voyage, Scrum woke Jack up to work aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge. While doing their duties, mopping and scrubbing the deck, Scrum befriended Jack aboard while showing him the ropes around the Revenge. He told Jack of Blackbeard's zombie officers as well as Philip Swift's imprisonment aboard. Scrum would later take part in Jack's mutiny aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge. He and the other crewmen were convinced by Jack to mutiny as they were heading for certain death at the Fountain of Youth. "We take the ship, then. Now!" "...Go on, then."

- Scrum and Jack Sparrow



Scrum and Jack then told the crew to take the ship. In the fight, Scrum dueled with the Quartermaster and many other zombie crewmen. After their seeming victory, Blackbeard himself appeared out of his cabin, in which he hangs all of the crewmen with the Revenge's rigging, including Scrum who was knocked together with another pirate by their backs. Scrum and the other crewmen were let down so that they witness the Cook's punishment.

Whitecap Bay
"I'm in love!"

- Scrum after the mermaid attack



As the search continued, the pirates were led to Whitecap Bay, in search of a mermaid's tear for the Profane Ritual. Scrum was put in one of the various longboats, and the spotlight from the tower was cast on his boat. He, with Philip, Purser, Ezekiel, Cabin Boy, Derrick, and a few other pirates, were ordered to sing by Gunner, in order to lure the mermaids.

As the first mermaid, named Tamara, arrived, she asked if Scrum was the one who was singing. He said yes, and wanted a kiss. The others tried to hold him back, but Scrum insisted he would have a kiss from a proper mermaid. Tamara then started to sing, making other mermaids show up, and then lured Scrum underwater, where he saw her true form. Scrum screamed as Tamara tried to attack, only to be warded off by Ezekiel, who hit her with an oar. The mermaids then attacked. Scrum's boat was destroyed and he was caught in the net by the rest of the crew, mistaken for a mermaid. When they unraveled the net, all they saw was a lovestruck Scrum.

Fight at the Fountain
"Hand it over. The tear. There's a good lad." "I'm more afraid of her than I am of you."

- Jack Sparrow and Scrum

With a mermaid captured, the crew proceeded to the fountain. Once there, Barbossa and his own crew came to kill Blackbeard. As the fight commenced, Angelica had Scrum follow her to the Fountain. With the Chalices, and the tear, Angelica and Scrum had to face Jack, who wanted the items. An interesting switch occured and Scrum was left to continue fighting others.

Serving Barbossa
"I claim Blackbeard's ship and crew and this sword payment for me missing limb."

- Hector Barbossa

When Barbossa fatally wounded Blackbeard, he claimed his sword, ship, and crew for himself. Scrum and the other surviving members of Blackbeard's crew followed him back to the Queen Anne's Revenge. While aboard, Scrum witnessed Barbossa's usage of Blackbeard's sword to make the ship sail at a fast speed to Tortuga. His further fate is unknown.

Personality and Traits
"Boys! There ain't much been given to me in my brief, miserable life, there's the truth of it. But by God, I'll have it said that Scrum had himself a kiss from a proper mermaid!"

- Scrum to his fellow crewmen

Scrum was a crafty pirate known for his cheery spirits, and slow wits. A Machiavellian pirate, he would go anywhere there's a pound note and a job involved. Scrum was said to have half a right eye, the other half being made of glass. He also has a huge scar around his face near the half-glass eye. If brains were the true measure of a man, Scrum would be even more diminutive than he already was. Scrum makes up for his dull edge with a natural-born talent for music and duplicity.

During the quest for the Fountain of Youth, Scrum was torn between his duty to Angelica, whom he sailed with before, and his admiration for Jack Sparrow. He seemed to gave up on them once he joined Hector Barbossa, who became the new captain of the Queen Anne's Revenge after killing Blackbeard. A scurvy little soul, Scrum betrayed a weakness for those scintillating sirens of the sea, the mermaids.

Equipment and skills
As a pirate, Scrum had many skills, whether he was a fighter or lover. Given that he owned a sword with half-basket hilt, which protected his hand, Scrum was a fair sword fighter, having survived many fatal encounters. Scrum was also talented in playing stringed instruments, such as the mandola, even though its eight strings were all out of tune. On his neck, Scrum wore a necklace that included a whistle and a lucky shark's tooth.

Behind the Scenes

 * Scrum was portrayed by Stephen Graham in On Stranger Tides.
 * Stephen Graham thought of his character, Scrum, as a proper, loveable Cockney rogue. He also said that he was going to play him as a Scouser, but decided against it because he didn't think Americans would be able to understand the accent. He also revealed that Scrum would be the right hand man of Angelica, but that "he'll go anywhere there's a pound note and a job involved".
 * Graham stated that he based his performance as Scrum on English comedian Les Dawson.
 * In LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game, Scrum was knocked out by Angelica and was forced to join the Blackbeard's crew, along with Jack Sparrow. However, as evidenced in the On Stranger Tides film, Scrum was aligned with Angelica for a long time.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
 * LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game