Davy Jones

"So tell me, what's become of my ship?" Warning! This page contains MAJOR spoilers from Dead Men Tell No Tales. Caution is advised.

This article is about the captain of the Flying Dutchman.. You may be looking for the soundtrack theme, "Davy Jones"..

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"Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished. I can offer you...an escape."

―Davy Jones

Davy Jones was the supernatural ruler of the Seven Seas as the condemned captain of the Flying Dutchman. A fearsome and ruthless captain, striking terror into the bravest of sailors, Jones became the stuff of various myths and legends of Pirate Lore, particularly relating to the Dutchman and Davy Jones' Locker.

In one particular legend, Davy Jones was a great sailor until he fell in love with the sea goddess Calypso. He would be given the Flying Dutchman as well as the sacred task of ferrying souls who died at sea to the worlds beyond. Because of that love, Davy Jones agreed to set foot on land once every ten years, where Jones would be free to be with Calypso. But when Davy Jones came ashore after his ten year duty, he was forsaken by Calypso, who was nowhere to be found. So, when the First Brethren Court convened, Davy Jones plotted with them to tear the rule of the seas away from Calypso, in which the Brethren imprisoned her into the body of a mortal woman. Jones was the one who told the Brethren how to bind Calypso into human form; he never stopped loving her, but the pain it caused him was too much to live with. Soon Jones' guilt became so great, he carved out his own heart and locked it away in the Dead Man's Chest.

Abandoning his duty, Davy Jones then returned to the seven seas, only now sailors everywhere would fear him to the death, for Jones had turned fierce and cruel, with an insatiable taste for all things brutal. Davy Jones preyed on wayward sailors lost at sea with the Flying Dutchman, now a cursed ghost ship. Those who wished to avoid death and final judgment would agree to serve Jones aboard his haunted vessel, eventually becoming a part of the ship itself, forever enslaved to its terrifying captain. Davy Jones also commanded the Kraken, a great squid-like beast of the sea, which brought the captain of the Dutchman ever more souls into joining his crew aboard his cursed ship.

At some point in time, Davy Jones would strike a bargain with Jack Sparrow to resurrect his beloved vessel the Wicked Wench, which he would rename as the Black Pearl, in return for a hundred years of servitude aboard the Dutchman. That debt would be settled thirteen years later, in which Jones sent Bootstrap Bill Turner to give Jack the Black Spot, which drew the Kraken. Several days later, in which Jones dealt with Bootstrap Bill's son Will Turner, the debt was ultimately settled with Jack and the Pearl being dragged to the depths by the Kraken. But it was in vain as Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company came into possession of Davy Jones' still-beating heart, forcing Jones and his crew to do his bidding. With the Flying Dutchman under Beckett's control, Davy Jones would lead the EITC Armada in the fight against the Fourth Brethren Court.

While the Brethren convened, Jones reunited with Calypso, who intended to be free and punish the Brethren, until realizing Jones' betrayal. Upon being freed, the enraged goddess Calypso, in her wrath, created a massive maelstrom, where a battle raged at the center of it. And it was in that very battle that Davy Jones' heart was pierced and he died, finally free. With his death, Davy Jones was welcomed back into the dark embrace of the sea that he had been in love with, albeit only for a short period, as he mysteriously reappeared on land two decades later.

Biography

Early life

Legend

"You know of Davy Jones, yes? A man of the sea. A great sailor...until, he ran afoul of that which vex all men."

―Tia Dalma

Davy Jones was once a mortal pirate, but that part of his life is shrouded in mystery. It is known that he was a great sailor, who fell in love with the goddess Calypso, who was changing, harsh and untamable as the sea. There were different versions of the story, which said that Jones either fell in love with a woman or the sea. Calypso rewarded that love by giving Davy Jones the sacred task of collecting all the poor souls who were lost at sea and ferrying them to the other side. To carry out this task, Calypso gave him the Flying Dutchman, a ship which could enter the limbo-like dimension that came to be known as Davy Jones' Locker. Because of that love, Jones agreed to set foot on dry land only once every ten years.

Betrayal

Davy Jones in his human form.

"The First Court promised to imprison her forever. That was our agreement."
"Your agreement?"
"I showed them how to bind her. She could not be trusted. I--She gave me no choice."

―Davy Jones and Cutler Beckett about Calypso's imprisonment

For the next ten years, Jones devoted himself faithfully to the duty Calypso charged him with, looking after those who died at sea and ferried the souls of men to the 'other side' in the holds of the Dutchman, while also awaiting the one day when he could be reunited with his love. But when Davy Jones came ashore, he waited in vain; Calypso was nowhere to be found. Feeling that the goddess betrayed him, a heartbroken and enraged Davy Jones believed he had been tricked into his duty, and could not escape his service. Using The Journal of the Ancient Seas and its guardian, the foul and fearsome Kraken, Jones went on his course to vengeance. With the Kraken, Jones intended to hunt down the objects of power that laid scattered across the seas and have the loyalty of the first Pirate Lords of the seas. So, when the First Brethren Court convened, Davy Jones plotted with them to tear the rule of the seas away from Calypso. As part of an agreement, Davy Jones showed the First Court how to bind Calypso in human form, so that they could secure the rule of the seas for themselves. The Brethren captured Calypso and imprisoned the sea goddess into the body of a mortal woman, later known as the voodoo priestess Tia Dalma.

"You loved her. She's the one. And then you betrayed her."
"She pretended to love me. She betrayed me."
"And after which betrayal did you cut out your heart, I wonder."

―Will Turner and Davy Jones

Soon Davy Jones' grief and guilt at what he had done became so great, he carved out his own heart right out of his chest, and locked it in the Dead Man's Chest. To keep his fate intact, Jones had the chest hidden on Isla Cruces so it could be safe from potential mutineers aboard the Flying Dutchman and away from his haunted sight. He kept the key hidden within the newly created hole in his chest at all times. Whoever gained control of the chest was able to control Jones by extortion. Jones was immortal so long as his heart remained safe.

Lord of the Sea

Davy Jones aboard the Flying Dutchman.

"Life is cruel. Why should the afterlife be any different? I offer you a choice. Join my crew...and postpone the judgment. One hundred years before the mast. Will ye serve?"

―Davy Jones to dying sailors

With Calypso gone, Davy Jones abandoned his duty and returned to the Seven Seas. As a result of this, Jones gradually became monstrous, his physical appearance merging with various aquatic fauna. Sailors everywhere would fear him to the death, for Davy Jones had turned fierce and cruel, with an insatiable taste for all things brutal. Most stories told say that a terrible beast, known as the Kraken, was Davy Jones' obedient leviathan, sent to do his bidding and prey on unwary ships and mariners. The Kraken brought the captain of the Flying Dutchman ever more souls onto his cursed ship, dying sailors forever press-ganged into servitude. Those who joined his crew were bound to serve aboard his ship for one hundred years, but like Jones, their appearance merged with various aquatic fauna. However, unlike Jones, the effect of the deal was that they lose their humanity, which worsened over time, until they become part of the ship itself. Jones became a tyrant on his ship, and mercilessly pushed his crew to exhaustion, allowing his sadistic officers to enforce vicious punishments for even minor offenses. Eventually crew members lost their humanity in soul as well as in body. Jones wreaked havoc on the Seven Seas, and created an aura of fear wherever he sailed, only able to set foot on land once a decade.

Sword of Cortés and the Timekeeper

Jones with the Timekeeper.

"Do not toy with me, Sparrow. Hand over the watch"
"Pardon me, Mister Jones...mind if I call you Davy? Thank you kindly. What in the Seven Seas could you possibly want this piece of pawnshop trash for?"
"Trash? The only trash I see here are two little boys lost at sea and a pathetic excuse for a seaworthy vessel!"

―Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow

Davy Jones showed interest in the Sword of Cortés, and during Jack Sparrow’s early years forced Captain Torrents to retrieve it for him. Torrents failed, and Jones eventually confronted Jack Sparrow, who had previously given the Sword over to Tia Dalma. With the Sword unavailable, Jones set his sights on a different artifact, and pursued Sparrow in search of the Timekeeper, hoping to go back in time and make sure that Calypso reunited with him. Jones also ruled over the Siren and mermaid kingdom of Isla Sirena, which resided in his Locker.

Assisting the Brethren

"Davy Jones...we, the Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court, call you. By our alliance giving us power over the sea, binding the queen in her bones, we entreat you. Come to us, Davy Jones. We summon you. We summon you. We summon you."

―Eduardo Villanueva, Ching, Edward Teague, and Rafael

For some unknown reason, both Jones and Sparrow soon completely forgot their first encounter. A few years after the "timekeeper" incident, Jones was summoned by the Pirate Lords to Shipwreck Cove on board the Troubadour, the ship of Captain Edward Teague, Keeper of the Code. The Brethren Court was endangered by the mysterious rogue pirates, and Jones was summoned to help the Pirate Lords in identifying Boris "Borya" Palachnik, the Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea, as the leader of the rogues. Jones successfully identified Borya as the rogue captain, and he also revealed to them that there were seven rogue captains in Borya's fleet.

Jack Sparrow's debt

The Deal

"What is it you want? And what have you to trade for it?"
"Well, I have my immortal soul. At least, I'm pretty sure I didn't misplace it somewhere along the way."
"Go on, Sparrow. What is it you want?"
"Well, that will take a little while to enumerate, but I've got it all worked out. Do you mind if I sit down? I've had rather a rough day, all things considered..."

―Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow

Five years after helping the Brethren to identify the traitors among them, Jones was summoned by Jack Sparrow, who sunk with his ship and ended up in Jones' supernatural realm. Sparrow asked Jones to raise his ship, the Wicked Wench, from the ocean depths, after it was burned and scuttled on the orders of Cutler Beckett. Jack offered a proposal: in return for raising the Wicked Wench from the ocean floor, Jack would give Jones his soul after being captain for thirteen years, and would then serve on board the Flying Dutchman for the following century. Jones agreed and raised the ship from the depths of the ocean, and gave it to Jack. Only time would tell if Sparrow would live up to his side of the bargain.

The Black Spot

Jones recruiting new crew members.

"You have a debt to pay! You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years, that was our agreement!"
"Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon."
"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless. Have you not introduced yourself all these years as Captain Jack Sparrow'?"

―Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow

For only two years did Jack Sparrow remain captain of his ship, which had been re-christened as the Black Pearl, before a mutiny lost him his beloved ship. Having been opposed to the mutiny, William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, who had been cursed with immortality, was strapped to a cannon and cast into the sea by Hector Barbossa. Davy Jones found him on the seabed, and gave him the chance to spare himself one kind of tortured existence for another. Such was his desperation, Turner agreed, and became one of Jones' newest crewmembers. It was he whom Jones sent to warn Sparrow his debt was to be called in, thirteen years after their deal, and Turner marked the pirate with the Black Spot on Jones' orders. Jones called upon the Kraken and set it after Jack, though he continued about his usual business with the destruction of a ship near a isolated shoal. Jones sent his men to collect the surviving crew members, so that he could force them to join his crew aboard the Dutchman.

Davy Jones bargaining with Jack Sparrow.

"You are neither dead nor dying, what is your purpose here?"
"Jack Sparrow sent me to settle his debt."
"...What is your purpose here?"
"Jack Sparrow...sent me to settle his debt?"
"Ha, did he now? I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer!"

―Davy Jones and Will Turner

While Jones was convincing the survivors to join his crew, he noticed a man among them that was neither dead nor dying, thus not a member of the ill-fated crew. A suspicious Jones asked what his business was, and the man told him that he had come to settle Jack Sparrow's debt. Jones realized that Sparrow was attempting to weasel his way out of his debt, and knew that Sparrow had to be nearby. He spotted the Black Pearl and teleported to it. His men seized Sparrow's small crew, while Jones himself confronted Sparrow.

Sparrow tried to explain to Jones that he only been captain of the Pearl for two years, but Jones pointed out that despite this, Sparrow had gone on calling himself "Captain" Jack Sparrow, even though he did not truly have the Black Pearl under his command. Thus, he technically claimed it was under his ownership for thirteen years even if he was nowhere near it for most of that time. Sparrow then pointed out that the man he had sent, Will Turner, was his payment, one soul for one ship. Jones became frustrated and told Sparrow that one soul was not equal to another, and when Sparrow asked for the number of souls his own soul was worth, Jones snidely told him he had three days to gather one hundred souls. Jones removed the Black Spot from Sparrow and kept Will as a good-faith payment, and allowed Sparrow to go on his way to collect the remaining ninety-nine souls.

William Turner

Jones accept Will's challenge to play Liar's Dice.

"Master Turner, feel free to go ashore…the very next time we make port!"

―Davy Jones to Will Turner

While playing his organ one rainy night, Jones heard a loud crash coming from the main deck. When he went to investigate, he witnessed Bootstrap Bill trying to save Will Turner from Jimmy Legs' cat o' nine tails. Jones probed Bootstrap for his motives for the kind act, he discovered that Will was Bootstrap's son. Making the connection between their names, Jones became highly amused by the event. He then forced Bootstrap to either punish Will himself, or suffer Jimmy Legs to do the same. Knowing that Bootstrap would prefer his hand to the sadistic boatswain's, Jones watched with a sinister enjoyment as Bootstrap Bill begrudgingly whipped Will five times.

Later that night, Will challenged Jones to a game of Liar's dice and the latter accepted the challenge. He offered to serve aboard the Dutchman for an eternity, in exchange for the key to the Dead Man's Chest. Fearing for the safety of his heart, though refusing to show weakness in front of his crew, Jones agreed. Just as they were about to start, however, Bootstrap Bill joined them, in an attempt to decrease the odds of his son serving onboard the ship forever. Jones accepted this turn of events, and played on. As the game progressed, Jones cornered Will in a lie. Before Jones could call him out, however, Bootstrap took a dive for his son. Jones declared Bootstrap a liar and, having won the game, said he would spend an eternity on the Dutchman. Before leaving the room, Davy Jones told Will Turner that he was free to go ashore, but with the added twist that it'd be the next time they make port.

Davy Jones summoning the Kraken.

"The boy's not here, he must have been claimed by the sea."
"I am the sea."

―Maccus and Davy Jones

The next morning, Davy Jones realized that Will had stolen his key, and had escaped with the aid of his father. Beside himself with rage and fear, Jones set the Flying Dutchman hot on Turner's trail. The ship came up on the Edinburgh Trader, a merchant vessel, but Jones knew Will was onboard. He summoned the Kraken and forced Bootstrap Bill to watch as the Edinburgh Trader was destroyed by the Kraken. Turner was not discovered among the dead, however, as Jones knew that Will had been sent by Sparrow to steal his key. Realizing that Sparrow intended to use his heart as a bargaining chip to escape his debt, Jones ordered his navigator, Koleniko, to set a course for Isla Cruces unaware that Will had not only survived, but stowed away aboard the Flying Dutchman undetected.

Capture of the Dead Man's Chest

Jones confronting Jack Sparrow outside of Isla Cruces.

"The chest is no longer safe. Chart a course to Isla Cruces. Get me there first, or there'll be the devil to pay!"
"First?"
"Who sent that thieving charlatan on to my ship? Who told him of the key?...Jack Sparrow."

―Davy Jones and Koleniko

Upon reaching Isla Cruces, Jones spotted some of Sparrow's crew on the deserted island through his spyglass. Since he himself was unable to set foot on land for nearly a decade, he ordered his First Mate, Maccus, to lead a team to go ashore and seize the chest. He ordered the ship to dive, and the men swam to the island. After a while the crewmen returned with the chest. It was then that Jones set out to find Jack Sparrow to collect his debt personally. The Flying Dutchman rose out of the water and pulled alongside the Black Pearl. Sparrow confronted Jones and taunted him with a jar of dirt. Annoyed with Sparrow's games, he ordered his cannonneers to open fire. The Black Pearl turned completely around avoiding most of the barrage, and the Flying Dutchman turned in hot pursuit. As the Black Pearl sailed farther away, Jones ordered his chief gunner, Ogilvey, to fire the chase guns, though they were only able to deliver minimal damage as the swift and nimble Black Pearl slipped out of range. Jones broke off the pursuit and summoned the Kraken to destroy Sparrow.

Davy Jones with the Dead Man's Chest.

"Damn you, Jack Sparrow!!!"

―Davy Jones, upon realizing his heart was missing from the Dead Man's Chest.

Jones watched from afar as the Kraken was repelled several times. At last it came to an end and Jack Sparrow and his ship were dragged down by the Kraken to the Locker. Jones became suspicious of how easy it was to defeat Sparrow, and suspected treachery on his part. With mounting concern, he went to check on his heart and to his amazement and horror, discovered only an empty chest. Enraged, Jones thought of this to be of Jack Sparrow's doing and screamed in anguish instilling fear and pain in his crew.

Davy Jones after arriving to Port Royal.

Despite the fact that Sparrow was supposedly dead, Jones felt a summons from his heart and set sail for the source of the summons, Port Royal. Upon arriving, he found the very man who had inadvertently spawned Sparrow's debt with Jones, Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company. Beckett had Jones' heart, presented to him by a former member of Jack Sparrow's crew —James Norrington. Jones took off his hat in respect for his new master.

War Against Piracy

Servitude

Davy Jones confronted by Lord Cutler Beckett.

"This is no longer your world, Jones. The immaterial has become...immaterial."

―Cutler Beckett

Lord Beckett used Davy Jones to attack and destroy pirate ships all across the Caribbean. Beckett was distrustful of Davy Jones, however, and he forced Jones to kill the Kraken, by ordering it to beach itself on an island. Davy Jones did not accept servitude lightly, and adopted a bad mood whenever in the presence of Beckett. During his attacks against pirates, Jones obliterated every single vessel he was faced with, destroying ship after ship with ease. However, he was so brutal, that he left absolutely no survivors, and left no piece of wood unbroken. This destructive streak annoyed Beckett, because of his desire for prisoners to interrogate. Jones did not care about Beckett's quest for information, but in retribution, Beckett had the chest taken aboard the Flying Dutchman. Armed guards protected the chest at all times, and were ordered to kill Jones if he did not follow Beckett's orders more closely to the letter. Beckett also stationed aboard the Flying Dutchman, the very man who stole Jones' heart to begin with, James Norrington, now an admiral. Jones was irritated by the heart's presence on his ship, because it constantly reminded him of his servitude.

Jones was ordered to find and capture the ship of an infamous Chinese pirate, the Empress. Jones easily caught up to the ship, and after several cannon shots, his crew boarded the vessel and apprehended the crew. Jones found Elizabeth Swann, who claimed to be the captain of the Empress. Jones was in disbelief that she was the captain of the infamous vessel, but Admiral Norrington recognized her, and he had the crew of the Empress locked in the Flying Dutchman's brig. The Empress was tied to the Flying Dutchman, and towed slowly behind, as Jones set out to rejoin Beckett's armada.

Davy Jones onboard the Dutchman after the death of Admiral Norrington.

"James Norrington, do you fear death?
[Norrington stabs Jones with his sword, then passes away]
I take that as a no."

―Davy Jones to James Norrington

During the night, the crew of the Empress were set free by Admiral Norrington, who was in turn stabbed by Bootstrap Bill, who had been locked in the brig since helping his son escape the Flying Dutchman. Davy Jones tried to recruit the dying Norrington into his crew, but the moribund admiral simply stabbed Jones' shoulder, before succumbing to his wounds. Jones admired the sword he had been stabbed with, and kept it for himself.

Jones believed he was finally free from Beckett's control. He ordered his crew to kill the East India Trading Company soldiers stationed on the ship only to find that Beckett's second in command, Mercer, still possessed the key to the chest, and was still guarding the chest with a few other soldiers. Jones begrudgingly accepted Mercer's control of the ship.

The return of Calypso

Beckett and Jones during parley.

"There is an issue far more troublesome: I believe you are familiar with a person called 'Calypso'?"
"Not a person. A heathen god. One who delights in cursing men with their wildest dreams and then revealing them to be hollow and naught but ash. The world is well rid of her."
"Not quite so well, actually. The Brethren Court intend to release her."

―Cutler Beckett, Davy Jones, and Will Turner

The Flying Dutchman finally caught up with Beckett's ship, the HMS Endeavour. Fresh troops from the Endeavour refreshed the ones killed by Jones' crew. Jones was once again summoned aboard, much to his mounting annoyance. When he walked into Beckett's quarters, he was shocked to see Will Turner having tea with the mighty enemy of pirates. Will told Jones that Jack Sparrow sends his regards before revealing he and the surviving crew of the Black Pearl had gone to the Locker, and freed the soul of Jack Sparrow. Jones' shock was soon overcome by anger, since it was apparent that Beckett was well aware of the plot. However, Beckett asked Jones of his old love, Calypso. Jones told Beckett that the world was rid of Calypso, but he was rebuked by Turner, who informed him that the Brethren Court intended to release Calypso from her human form. Jones told Beckett that the Brethren couldn't release Calypso due to a bargain he had with them. Beckett became suspicious of this comment, and inquired as to Jones' involvement with the Brethren Court. Jones confessed that he was the one who revealed to the Court how to bind Calypso, but said that she was untrustworthy and it had been the proper thing to do. Will realized that Jones had loved her and that asked him if she had betrayed him for betraying her, or vice versa. Jones became annoyed with Turner, and the two came close to exchanging blows before Beckett asked Turner how he intended to lead them to the Brethren. He told them that he wanted Jones to set his father free in exchange for the location of Shipwreck Cove, the meeting place of the Brethren. Turner offered Beckett Jack's compass, a mystical item that could lead its user to the thing that they wanted most. Jones told Turner that he would only accept if Calypso was murdered, and so Will told Jones that she was imprisoned on the Black Pearl. With that, Jones set off on the Flying Dutchman to meet Calypso one last time.

Jack Sparrow and Davy Jones during parley.

"And what of your fate, Davy Jones?"
"My heart will always belong to you."

―Tia Dalma and Davy Jones

Jones reached Shipwreck Cove and confronted Tia Dalma in the Black Pearl's brig. He expressed his hatred of her for her betrayal. Dalma said that she still loved him, but that her untameable nature prevented her from waiting for him. Jones' mood slowly mellowed, and he asked what fate she had planned for the Brethren Court, to which she said that they would suffer a cruel fate at her hands. Jones offered his heart and his love to her once again, and agreed to join her later on after she was free.

Jones, Beckett, and Will met with the Brethren Court's emissaries––Hector Barbossa, Elizabeth Swann, and Jack Sparrow–on a sandbar in between Beckett's fleet and the fleet of the Brethren Court. Barbossa and Elizabeth offered Jack in exchange for Will. Beckett agreed and Jack was given over to Jones, who later sent Jack to the Dutchman's brig. The pirates would not surrender, however, and battle was inevitable.

Battle of Calypso's maelstrom

Jones at the helm of the Flying Dutchman.

"Full-bore and into the abyss!"
"Are you mad?!"
"Ha! Ye afraid to get wet?"

―Davy Jones and Mercer

The fleets of the two sides lined up, and Beckett ordered Jones to attack the Black Pearl and give no quarter. At that moment, a tremendous storm formed spontaneously, and Jones took it as a sign that Calypso had been released. The Pearl advanced into a massive maelstrom that had formed in between the two fleets. Despite the protests of Mercer, Jones steered the Flying Dutchman straight into the swirling vortex as the Pearl came in on the opposite side. Jones ordered the cannonneers to fire, and for several minutes, the two ships exchanged broadsides. A stray cannonball hits the quarterdeck, and all of the EITC soldiers near the helm were either killed or heavily wounded by the blast. Jones had shielded Mercer from the blast, but took advantage of Mercer's moment of weakness, and suffocated him with his tentacles, killing him. He then took the key from Mercer's body and began to head to his organ room, where he would reclaim the chest, and his freedom.

"The chest! Hand it over!"
"I can set you free, mate."
"My freedom was forfeited long ago!"

―Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow

Jones fighting Sparrow on board the Flying Dutchman for the chest.

While descending the stairs, however, Jones spotted Jack Sparrow, out of the brig, with the chest in hand. As his crew appeared and help in surrounding him, Jones taunted Jack on his ironic situation of being "a lost bird that never learned to fly". Jones then tried to seize the chest, but not before Sparrow grabbed a rope and escaped by ascending to one of the yardarms of the Dutchman's mainmast. Jones was able to teleport to Sparrow's location, where he demanded the chest but Jack refused to comply and a sword fight between them followed in the ensuing battle.

Jones taunted Jack about not having the key, as the latter replied he already had it but Jones revealed it was in his possession before they continued their fight. Although Jack managed to beat Jones in the sword fight by slicing off Jones' tentacle that held the key and disarming him, Jones was successful in breaking Jack's sword, taking the chest and knocking Sparrow off the yardarm. However, Sparrow still held onto the chest, and struggled to get back up. Jones then sent Sparrow flying, where he'd grab onto a rope. Swinging on the rope, Jack used his pistol and shot the chest from Jones' grip, sending it falling to the deck below.

Jones fights Elizabeth aboard the Dutchman.

The chest was taken by Will Turner, who boarded the Dutchman to help Jack, and ran to the other side of the ship until he was confronted by his father, Bootstrap Bill Turner. Jones came down, retrieved his sword and made his way through the battle on the Dutchman to get to the chest. He took down everything in his path, including EITC soldiers. As soon as he made towards the chest, Jack appeared, thereby continuing their duel. After Jones knocked Sparrow to the ground, he fought Elizabeth and quickly overpowered her by knocking her down with his massive crab arm.

Death

Jones fatally wounds Will Turner with his sword.

"Ah. Love. A dreadful bond. And yet, so easily severed. Tell me, William Turner. Do you fear death?"
"Do you? Heady tonic, holding life and death in the palm of one's hand."
"You're a cruel man, Jack Sparrow."
"Cruel is a matter of perspective."
"Is it?"

―Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow

As Davy Jones closed in for the kill, he was again interrupted, this time by Will Turner, who Jones also flung aside by kicking him with his crab leg. As the two lay on the deck desperately gazing at one another, Jones realized that they were in love, and decided to kill Turner to cause Swann pain and anguish. However, Sparrow intervened once again, and revealed to Jones that he had taken Jones' heart from the chest, and threatened to stab it with his broken sword. Jones perceived this as a bluff, and stabbed Turner in the heart anyway. Seeing that Jack couldn't stab his heart, Jones laughed at this seeming victory and watched as Elizabeth came next to Will.

Davy Jones after Will Turner stabbed his heart.

"You will not forestall my judgment!"

―Davy Jones to Bootstrap Bill Turner

But a grief-stricken Bootstrap Bill, after regaining his sanity, viciously attacked Jones like a crazed animal. Just as he finally gained the upper hand in his struggle with Bootstrap Bill, he yet again went for the kill. Jones then felt a horrible and foreboding pain in his chest, and turned to see his heart, pierced by a dying Will Turner with the help of Jack Sparrow. Davy Jones became dizzy and gazed up into the sky, calling out to Calypso, and finally falling into the darkness of the maelstrom, and his death.

"Calypso..."

―Davy Jones' last words before falling into the maelstrom.

Back from the dead

At first, Jones' fate was unclear. Sir Thomas Faye, witness of the battle, wrote on his EITC files that Jones was believed to have died when he fell into the maelstrom, in spite that he didn't have any solid evidence to prove it. It was implied, however, that Davy Jones finally merged with Calypso, the sea that he had once been in love with, and that he had found peace. With his death, Davy Jones was welcomed back into the dark embrace of the seas; for Calypso in her own way still loved him. His ship, the Flying Dutchman, received a new captain: Jones' killer Will Turner.

Jones raises his claw to strike at the Turners.

However, approximately two decades after the Battle of Calypso's maelstrom, Jones mysteriously reappeared alive and still under the curse of the Flying Dutchman. One stormy night he walked on land and entered the house of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann who were finally reunited when the destruction of the Trident of Poseidon broke Will's curse. Jones slowly stepped into the Turners' bedroom and raised the crab-like claw on his left arm to strike at them. The lightning woke Will who saw only the empty room and immediately returned to sleep, failing to notice barnacles and sea water on the floor.

Personality and traits

Davy Jones.

"Many things you were, Davy Jones. But never cruel. You have corrupted your purpose...and so yourself."

―Tia Dalma to Davy Jones

Davy Jones was known for his sadistic ways, showing no more care for his own crew than his foes. Proud, cruel, and hateful, Jones was a creature of malice. Perhaps a nihilist as a result of Calypso's perceived betrayal, the only thing he seemed to enjoy was to ensure the lives of those around him were as miserable and joyless as his own one. He regularly mistreated his own crew as well, believing that all humans should suffer through the afterlife with much pain; this is backed up by his proclamation of "Life is cruel. Why should the afterlife be any different?"

Jones was not credulous and therefore when somebody had a debt to him or performed a mission for him, he used to mark them with a magical sign or kept a good-faith payment, which allowed Jones to ensure that this person will do what he requested from him. Nevertheless he had some trust in at least some of his crewmen as evidenced by the fact that on certain occasions he allowed them to go ashore when this was necessary and he even had four most trusted mates aboard the Dutchman: Maccus, Ratlin, Penrod and Angler. Although Jones demanded good faith from others, he was treacherous and unreliable and felt no obligation to return in kind.

However, when it came to matters of love, Jones was somewhat sympathetic, revealing a softer side, hidden under years of guilt, anger, and bitterness. Even after she betrayed him, Jones still loved Calypso, and her name was the last word he ever uttered before his death. Although he was enraged about her betrayal he also said that his heart would always belong to her. Despite having stated that love was a "dreadful bond" Jones appeared to have shed a tear when Jack Sparrow told him that Will Turner was in love and due to be married. However, upon discovering this love, Jones didn't hesitate to stab Will in the heart in the presence of Elizabeth Swann, who had just married Will, despite understanding their feelings for each other since he had felt those feelings himself.

Jones' physical mannerisms were distinctive. He had a strong Scottish accent which was accented by various vocal and facial tics, and had an unctuous and mocking laugh. He would commonly extend vowel sounds and was known to release water through his mouth when in despair or rage.

"So he wasn't always...tentacle-y?"
"No. Him was a man, once."

―Ragetti and Tia Dalma on Davy Jones

Like the rest of his crew, Davy Jones had, over the course of time spent aboard the Flying Dutchman, taken on the appearance of various aquatic flora and fauna, to the point where he seemed to have lost all humanity. Prior to the loss his humanity, his appearance was not unlike that of many other sailors, although his manner of dress was very formal, or so it was before the curse set in. He wore black boots (ironically no peg leg), a red pirate coat with golden trimmings and an orange waistcoat. His face was rough and he had a beard which was beaded into several strands.

In his new form, Jones' head was replaced with something resembling an Octopus (a cephalopod), with a "beard" of forty-six tentacles hanging from his mottled, green-skinned face. He would often use these tentacles in place of his upper limbs, such as to hold the key to the Dead Man's Chest or play his pipe organ. During his duel with Jack Sparrow, he lost one of his two larger tentacles. A prominent sac also bulged from the back of Jones' head, which was nestled underneath a hat covered with barnacles. This sac is in actual fact the back portion of a standard Octopus. A siphon was located on the left side of his face, making up for his lack of a human nose. This lack of a human nose also gave his voice a slightly nasal sound. He had a crustacean-style claw for his left arm and a long tentacle-like index finger on his right hand. His right leg resembled that of a crab, which in turn resembled a peg leg, which gave Jones an awkward gait. so he occasionally used a barnacle-encrusted wooden stick as a crutch. His blood was black rather than red and his skin had a light green shade. No barnacles grew, on his skin, unlike the claw or the crab leg. Next to "Bootstrap Bill", Jones looked the most human of all the Flying Dutchman's crew.

His suit consisted of a coat which was originally light blue with thin golden brims on the cuffs and around the buttonholes, but later faded, a light grey one-breasted waistcoat and dark grey breeches. Since his clothes were nearly always wet, they appeared much darker then they actually were and seemed to have a dark-greyish or dark green shade. Like the crab leg and the claw hand, the clothes were covered with barnacles. On his left leg, which remained human-like, he wore a leather boot. A dark red sash and a leather belt with a patinated buckle completed this suit. However, the most notable piece of cloth which he wore was his hat, which was a tricorn which had the same light blue color as his coat and a similar thin golden brim along the edge. Its front corn was bigger then the other two and divided, so that its silhouette resembled the devil's horns, likely as a reference to his nickname "Devil of the Seas".

Equipment and skills

"...Nice sword."

―Davy Jones commenting on his new sword.

His position as the captain of the Flying Dutchman and the Ferryman to the Underworld gave Jones his ability to switch between the worlds of the dead and the living. This power was most likely the reason for other supernatural traits of him, including the abilities to teleport himself and walk through solid objects. Jones was also able to restore the Wicked Wench when he raised the ship from the depths, after it was burned by the East India Trading Company. However, this position had some negative consequences as well: He could not go on land, except for one day in ten years and by abandoning his duty as the ferryman to the afterlife he brought a curse upon himself and his crew which caused their transformation into fish-men. However, he is shown standing on the sandbar with both feet in a bucket of water, indicating that there may be loopholes to not being able to set foot on land.

Jones had also the power to control and call forth the Kraken, a sea monster which could destroy ships upon command by Jones and hunted every person marked with a Black Spot across the seas. Although every member of his crew was able to mark any individual with the Black Spot, only Jones himself could remove it.

Some of Jones physical abilities were also enhanced by his position, he was shown to be superhumanly strong several times, most notably during his last battle, with one hand he lifted both Jack Sparrow and Dead Man’s Chest, and did not show much discomfit in performing this act.

"Missed! Did you forget? I'm a heartless wretch!"

―Davy Jones after being stabbed by Will Turner

After removing his heart, Jones became nearly immortal, since he could only be killed when his heart, which was kept safe in the Dead Man's Chest, was stabbed, and once this happened, his killer had to replace him as the captain of the Flying Dutchman. However, Jones could still feel pain, as demonstrated when Jack Sparrow was able to cut off some of some of his facial tentacles during their battle, resulting in him screaming in anguish, though the severed tentacles stayed alive and could act on their own accord for Jones. He also shouted in pain when Will impaled him through the back. However, Jones does seem to have a high pain threshold, as he quickly recovered from the pain of Will's sword, even continuing to fight with it still stuck in his body, and was completely indifferent to being stabbed in the shoulder by a dying James Norrington.

Originally a strength, Davy's literal heartlessness later turned into a weakness after the incidents on Isla Cruces, when his heart was stolen and since then anyone who possessed it was able to "control" Jones by extortion.

Jones was also implied to have some sort of clairvoyance, despite the two of them not meeting for thirteen years, Jones was well aware that Jack had always introduced himself as Captain Jack Sparrow, also despite putting all the lights out, and being out well out of range of sight, Jones also knew where the Black Pearl was, and seemed to know that Jack was onboard it. In another incident, when Will challenged him to liars dice, despite being on another part of the ship, he knew about the challenge, and in another, despite making no noticeable sound, Jones seemed to sense Will's presence when he snuck back on board the Flying Dutchman.

Davy Jones was known as a master swordsman, being matched by few others. He had an aggressive and offensive style of fighting; his strokes were often swift, powerful, and highly varied. It was very difficult to defend against his attacks, and it often took up most of an average-skilled opponent's attention and concentration. His own defense was nearly as keen as his offense, and some opponents took to using unorthodox methods to defeat him His crab claw also served as weapon, with it he could easily break a person neck or even break a sword. Davy Jones was able to defeat some of the best known duelists, including Jack Sparrow and even the highly talented William Turner, being responsible for the latter's (temporary) death. However, it should be noted that these victories were more due to his invulnerability and unique anatomy than his skill with the blade; Sparrow managed to overcome Jones in swordplay and disarm him, but was rendered weaponless when Jones broke his sword with his crab claw. Turner was only defeated due to Jones being unaffected by a wound that would have killed any mortal man. Jones was, however, able to swiftly overpower the talented (albeit less experienced) Elizabeth Swann with swordplay alone. He was known for using his unique physical attributes, such as his crab-like leg, his numerous facial tentacles and his crab claw, for fighting during duels.

In addition to his swordsman abilities, he was also a master seaman and a skilled cannonneer. Because of these abilities he was not only a deadly duelist but also a captain who was able to win a sea battle against nearly every enemy ship or even a fleet of ships. When he had no intention to attack a ship with the Flying Dutchman he had the opportunity of sending out the Kraken for attacking it.

Jones' only weapon was a sword he normally carried attached to his belt. Before using the small sword of the then-deceased James Norrington, Jones carried an old barnacle-encrusted broadsword, which seemed to be an unusually designed Scottish Claymore at his side. In addition to his weapon, Jones carried three notable items with him: The Key to the Dead Man's Chest on a necklace, hidden under his beard of tentacles, a silver Musical Locket, most likely given to him by his lost love, Calypso, in his vest pocket and his smoking pipe, which he filled with a substance which burned under water, allowing him to smoke even when the Dutchman was submerged.

Davy Jones playing his organ.

Jones kept a pipe organ on board the Flying Dutchman, and played it seemingly on a daily basis. Utilizing the tentacles that made up his "beard", Jones would play his organ in a way that could only be matched if played by three or more ordinary human organists. The piece he often played was the same as the one played by his locket. In times of intense emotional anguish, Jones would use his organ to vent his anger and suffering. It was through his organ that he would show his more sensitive and troubled side.

Behind the scenes

• Davy Jones was portrayed by Bill Nighy in Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. He was voiced by Robin Atkin Downes in the At World's End video game. The character made a cameo appearance in Dead Men Tell No Tales, but no actor was credited. It's currently unknown who voiced the character in The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attraction.
• Before officially casting Bill Nighy for Dead Man's Chest, producers also met with Jim Broadbent, Iain Glenn and Richard E. Grant for the role, as well as Christopher Walken and Ian McShane (who later went to portray Blackbeard in On Stranger Tides).

Davy Jones in the POTC ride.

• Prior to official announcements regarding a fourth Pirates installment, actor Bill Nighy expressed interest in returning as Davy Jones. He stated "I am technically dead but then again, who cares?" Nighy said. "Everybody dies in the pirates movies. They killed Johnny [Depp] and Geoffrey [Rush]. Death is not permanent in the pirate world. I have a serious desire to come back." However, the film, entitled On Stranges Tides, was released in 2011, but without the character or Nighy in the cast. Despite this, however, Jones was apparently brought back from the dead in Dead Men Tell No Tales. Bill Nighy himself, however, wasn't aware that Davy Jones had reappeared in the post-credits scene until months after the film's releasing, revealing his confusion when a taxi driver asked him if he was going to appear in the next installment. He reiterated once more that he'd take the role without hesitation should he be approached to appear.
• In 2006, to coincide with the release of Dead Man's Chest, Davy Jones was placed in the POTC ride as a projection in a waterfall found in a treasure-filled cave. A brief visual of Davy Jones from the ride could be seen in Disney's World of Color. On May 2011, to coincide with the release of On Stranger Tides, Blackbeard was added to the ride, portrayed by Ian McShane, as a temporary replacement of Davy Jones. In later refurbishments in 2011 to 2012, projections of Blackbeard and Davy Jones were used alternatively through the ride at Disneyland; Davy Jones only appeared in Tokyo Disneyland, while Blackbeard appeared in Walt Disney World. As of November 2013, only Davy Jones can be seen in the Disneyland version of the ride.
• In the 2012 attraction The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones is only heard taunting Jack Sparrow from aboard the Flying Dutchman. It is currently unknown who voiced Jones in the attraction.
• Originally, Davy Jones had, as noted in The Complete Visual Guide: "black eyes as soulless as a shark's." But the character's design had changed, possibly because actor Bill Nighy had blue eyes.
• Regarding on how Davy Jones would speak, the Pirates producers needed something that would sound different from all the other characters and to give Jones a bit of power and authority. Director Gore Verbinski at one point suggested that Davy Jones should speak Dutch, taking from that Davy Jones' ship was called the "Flying Dutchman", or Norweigan. Though the previous suggestions were all authentic within the story, actor Bill Nighy decided to use a Scottish accent; despite the fact that Nighy's mother grew up in Glasgow, Nighy himself had stated it was because he could do an accent.

The development of the character.

• In addition to providing the performance for the computer-generated Davy Jones, Bill Nighy also portrayed Jones in his original human form before he cut out his heart and became cursed.
• Like the rest of the crew of the Flying Dutchman, except Bootstrap Bill Turner, Davy Jones was completely 3-D Computer-generated, Bill Nighy's performances were recorded using motion capture during actual filming on the set, rather than in a motion capture studio during post-production.
• Mark "Crash" McCreery's design of Davy Jones and his tentacle beard was inspired by Blackbeard.
• Jones' face color was inspired by a coffee-stained styrofoam cup which was then scanned into ILM's computers to be used as the skin.
• The computer-generated imagery used to complete Jones was highly praised, and named by Entertainment Weekly as the second most convincing (after King Kong) computer generated film character in film history. The work on Davy Jones and his crew by Industrial Light & Magic earned Dead Man's Chest the 2006 Academy Award for Visual Effects.
• Many reviewers have in fact mistakenly identified Nighy as wearing prosthetic makeup due to the computer-generated character's photo-realistic appearance.

Early concept art of Davy Jones before his transformation.

• Jones' human form, while not shown clearly in the At World's End, was shown in the action figure that was released. He wore black boots (without the peg leg), a red pirate coat with golden trimmings and an orange waistcoat.
• The legend of Davy Jones' Locker is hundreds of years old (found in works such as Treasure Island) though previously not connected to the legends of the Flying Dutchman and the Kraken. Following the success of Pirates of the Caribbean, the connection of these legends was featured in some other works, including the Pirates of Davy Jones' Curse expansion of the Pirates Constructable Strategy Game where Davy Jones is also portrayed as the captain of the Flying Dutchman or the Pirates: Quest For Davy Jones' Gold board game in which the Kraken protects Jones' treasures.
• A privateer called David Jones was active in the Indian Ocean between 1634 and 1637 as navigator and later captain of a British privateer ship. He may or may not be related to the legend of Davy Jones' Locker.
• As the being assigned to ferry souls into the afterlife, Davy Jones draws parallels with Charon, the ferryman of Hades in Greek mythology. Souls unable to pay Charon were forced to wander the banks of the Acheron for one hundred years, while Jones press-gangs sailors into service for one hundred years.
• Jones seems to have some connection to snakes. Snakes are pictured on the cuffs of his coat and on the chest harboring his heart. The stern painting of the Flying Dutchman also features the skeleton of a sea serpent.
• In earlier drafts of At World's End, Jones had a sort of friendship with Admiral James Norrington due to their mutual dislike for working for Beckett; which might explain why Jones offered Norrington a place in his crew.
• Davy Jones was part of Series One of the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest action figure set produced by the NECA. Although the initial run of figures had a sticker on the box that proclaimed that the figure came with the Dead Man's Chest and Jones' heart, both props (as well as the key) were released with the Bootstrap Bill figure in Series Two. Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest action figures - Another Toy Review by Michael Crawford, Captain Toy
• Jones also made an appearance as a smaller figure in a set together with crew members Angler, Wheelback and Penrod.
• According to NECA, there were plans to make a human Davy Jones figure, and a Battle Pose Davy Jones, like the At World's End series 1 Battle Pose Jack Sparrow.
• Jones was issued as a plush toy as part of Sega's "Dead Man's Chest" plush assortment.
• Jones was also part of a 3 figure pack as a 3.75 inch figure with Hector Barbossa and a limited edition gold Jack Sparrow for At World's End.
• Davy Jones and his ship, the Flying Dutchman, were produced as a Mega Blocks set for the movies Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. Interestingly, his mini-figure counterpart in the Dead Man's Chest set has more bluish tentacles then his counterpart in the At Worlds End set, which has more greenish tentacles.
• A children's and adult Halloween costumes were released for Halloween 2007.
• An action figure of Davy Jones in his uncorrupted human form has been released.
• A Davy Jones Kubrick figure is included both in Set A as well as in Set B of the Mediacom Toy Corporation's Pirates of the Caribbean Kubricks line. In both sets Jones is armed with a giant sword-like weapon.
• 7 cards in the Pirates of the Caribbean Trading Card Game features Davy Jones: the "ally" card "Davy Jones – Lord of the Locker" (Number 136) and six chamber cards (Numbers 188 to 193). He is a "Dark" character and his abilities are "Spirit" and "Cannon".
• "Captain Davy Jones" is a "crew" card in the Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel game.

Appearances

Jack Sparrow: The Coming Storm (Mentioned only) Jack Sparrow: The Siren Song (Mentioned only) Jack Sparrow: City of Gold Jack Sparrow: The Timekeeper Jack Sparrow: Dance of the Hours Jack Sparrow: Bold New Horizons (Mentioned only) The Price of Freedom Legends of the Brethren Court: The Caribbean (Mentioned only) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (First mentioned) The Black Heart of the Pearl (Mentioned only) Pirates of the Caribbean Online (Mentioned only) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (First appearance) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (comic) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (video game) The Journey of Will Turner! Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (video game) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (comic) Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War (In flashback(s)) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Non-canon appearances

• Pirates of the Caribbean (ride) (post-2006 revamp)
• The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
• Disney Infinity
• Pirates of the Caribbean Trading Card Game
• Pirates of the Caribbean PocketModel game
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas Strategy Game
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Gods and Ghosts M
• Kingdom Hearts III

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide
• The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean

Notes and references

Featured articles
Individuals: Hector Barbossa – Cutler Beckett – Sao Feng – Davy Jones – Ian Mercer – Pintel – Ragetti Blackbeard – Theodore Groves – Hernán Cortés
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