Cutler Beckett

"Cutler Beckett?" "It's Lord now, actually."

- Weatherby Swann and Cutler Beckett

Cutler Beckett was the supreme head of the East India Trading Company. He was granted the title of Lord at some point before assuming Port Royal as his base of operations.

Early life
"Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking. The blank edges of the map filled in. Jack must find his place in the new world or perish."

- Cutler Beckett to William Turner

Decades prior to this, Beckett oversaw operations conducted by East India Trading Company member Jack Sparrow, who carried out a number of assignments aboard his merchant vessel, Wicked Wench. However, when Sparrow refused to transport slaves from Africa to the Caribbean, Beckett ordered his ship destroyed and Sparrow himself imprisoned.

Beckett's men set the Wench aflame and captured Sparrow. Beckett himself branded Jack as a pirate&mdash;burning a "P" symbol onto his right forearm&mdash;and had him incarcerated. Jack ultimately escaped, and at some point left his own mark on Beckett.

Lordship
"Every man has a price which he will willingly accept, even for that which he hopes never to sell."

- Cutler Beckett to Weatherby Swann



Approximately a year after the incident at Isla de Muerta, Cutler Beckett, now Lord Beckett, arrived at Port Royal aboard the HMS Endeavour, bearing arrest warrants for William Turner, Elizabeth Swann and former Commodore James Norrington, all of whom had been implicit in the escape of Jack Sparrow from his execution at Fort Charles. Beckett had Swann imprisoned, but struck a deal with Turner; he wished to obtain Jack's mysterious compass, with which he hoped to find the Dead Man's Chest and assume control over the legendary Davy Jones and his crew. In return, Beckett promised to pardon Will and make Jack a privateer under the English crown. Will agreed, and set off to locate Jack.

Some time later, Beckett was confronted in his office by Elizabeth Swann, recently escaped from custody and searching for Will, her husband-to-be. She too made a deal with Beckett, though these negotiations were held at gunpoint. Beckett was forced to agree, and allowed Elizabeth to flee. Her father, Weatherby Swann, who had a history with Beckett, pleaded for his daughter's life, but Beckett refused to comply. Beckett allowed the Governor to retain his position, if only to ensure good reports returned to Beckett's bosses in London. Beckett eventually had Weatherby imprisoned once his usefulness had expired.

Ultimately, Lord Beckett recieved the contents of the Dead Man's Chest from James Norrington, seeking a return to his former glory. With the heart of Davy Jones in his possession, Beckett was now one step closer to his goal of eradicating piracy from the Caribbean for good.

War against piracy
"The enemy has opted for oblivion&hellip;ready the fleet."

- Cutler Beckett

With the heart in his possession, Becket made an allegiance with James Norrington, whom he made admiral, and Davy Jones to eradicate piracy from the Caribbean. During this period, Beckett ordered the execution of thousands of people who associated with pirates, including children.

With the Flying Dutchman under his command he easily obliterated numerous pirate vessels. However, he often became irritated with Davy Jones, who rarely left survivors to interrogate. In the massive battle between the East India Trading Company and the pirates, Beckett placed the Dutchman at the vanguard of his fleet.

End of the armada
"It's just&hellip;good business."

- Cutler Beckett

Following the death of Davy Jones, and the apparent sinking of the Flying Dutchman, he commanded the HMS Endeavour to finish the Black Pearl. However as he closed in on the Pearl, the Flying Dutchman reemerged from the depths. Beckett, not knowing that in stabbing Jones's heart Will Turner had become the Flying Duchman's new captain, was absolutely dismayed when both the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman moved against the Endeavour. The Pearl and the Dutchman sailed forward, flanking the Endeavour on both sides. Both ships opened fire on the Endeavour, delivering full broadsides to the ship. Beckett was stunned at his utter defeat and failure and stood stunned on the quarterdeck of the Endeavor as the ship was blown out from under him. Defeated and outmatched, he, completely oblivious to the carnage and destruction going on around him, calmly strode across the deck of the Endeavour as fire from the Pearl and the Dutchman tore it apart, eventually meeting his end when his helpless warship exploded. His body was blown overboard and landed atop a floating East India Trading Company flag.

Equipment
"Our ships are in pursuit, and justice will be dispensed by cannonade and cutlass, and all manner of remorseless pieces of metal."

- Cutler Beckett to Weatherby Swann

Beckett owned and used a variety of items and weapons during his service in the East India Trading Company. Perhaps most impressive was the world map he had painted in his Port Royal office. A cartographer was employed to make daily changes to the map as ships returned bringing reports of the EITC's growing power. Beckett also maintained a large globe in his cabin aboard the HMS Endeavour. Also aboard were various nautical instruments and toy ships that eerily resembled torture devices, perhaps reflecting the type of control Beckett planned to exert over the world.

Beckett made many enemies during his rise to power, and took to carrying a pistol at all times. This short-barelled weapon was kept in a specially-made pocket in the lining of his frock coat. He also made use of a cutlass and took possession of James Norrington's sword upon taking control of Port Royal.

In his campaign to eradicate piracy, Beckett made use of a pirate brand. This branding iron was tipped with a "P", which was pressed, boiling hot, onto the forearm of captured pirates, leaving them permenantly scarred. Beckett kept this brand in his office. Upon journeying to the Caribbean, Beckett brought with him Letters of marque, signed by the King himself, intending to use them in his plan to assume control of the Dead Man's Chest. The chance to become a privateer was offered to Jack Sparrow, though the letters were ultimately signed and claimed by James Norrington, in exchange for the heart of Davy Jones.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End