Jack Sparrow's cutlass

"We are an unimaginative lot when it comes to naming things." The title of this article is conjectural. Although this article is based on canonical information, the actual name of this subject is pure conjecture.

For other uses, see Jack Sparrow's sword (disambiguation)

Jack Sparrow's cutlass
Production information
Type	Cutlass
Usage
Owner(s)	Bowen Jack Sparrow
Behind the scenes
First appearance	The Price of Freedom
Latest appearance	Dead Men Tell No Tales

"What's all this?"
"Tribute, sir."

―Jack Sparrow and Bowen

This sword was a weapon most notably used by Jack Sparrow. Originally owned by Bowen during his time aboard the pirate ship Wicked Wench, he gave it to young "Jack the Sparrow" as tribute following the defeat of Armando Salazar and the Silent Mary. Jack Sparrow continued to use the sword as his own for the next few years, prior to captaining the East India Trading Company merchant ship Wicked Wench.

History

Bowen offers his sword as a tribute to Jack Sparrow.

At some unknown point in his life, Bowen acquired this sword. He would use it during his time aboard the pirate ship Wicked Wench, and was still in his possession of the weapon when the Silent Mary began to slowly destroy the pirate fleet that the Wench was part of. After Captain Morgan was killed, the young boy Jack Sparrow managed to trick the Mary's captain, Armando Salazar, into sailing his ship straight into the Devil's Triangle to its destruction. Bowen then offered his sword to "Jack the Sparrow" as tribute.

Jack Sparrow kept the sword and carried it as his personal sidearm as a young pirate on Shipwreck Island. When the pirate frigate Venganza arrived to Shipwreck City, Jack and his friend Christophe-Julien de Rapièr came to the docks to take a closer look at the majestic vessel. However, Jack was confronted by "Baldy" Malone, a drunken pirate who lent him fourteen shillings some time earlier, now demanding the money back. Being short on money, Jack promised to pay him back later, but Malone attacked him with his dagger. Jack pulled out his cutlass and easily disarmed his opponent, sending the dagger flying into the water. That didn't stop Malone, who continued attacking, until Jack kicked him in the stomach.

Jack eventually became a friend with Esmeralda, the granddaughter of Don Rafael, the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean and the captain of the Venganza. The two youngsters soon started going on picnics to hidden inlets around Shipwreck Cove. Being schooled in fencing by Don Rafael and the finest sword masters in Barcelona, Esmeralda helped Jack improve his sword fighting skills, and it salved his male ego that he could beat her in swimming. He coached her in swimming; she coached him in swordplay. One day Jack's friend Christophe-Julien de Rapièr joined Jack and Esmeralda in their picnics. Christophe was an excellent swordsman, and he began tutoring both of the younger fencers, teaching them many moves that weren't part of classical fencing. The further fate of the sword is unknown, only that Jack did not have it in his possession as he began captaining the East India Trading Company merchant ship Wicked Wench.

Behind the scenes

"Smoothly, Jack stepped back, drawing his cutlass as he did so. With a practiced flicked of his wrist, he separated the dagger from its owner, and sent it soaring into the air."

―An excerpt from The Price of Freedom referring to Jack Sparrow's cutlass

Jack Sparrow's cutlass first appeared in the 2011 novel Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom by A. C. Crispin. In the 2017 film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, a flashback revealed that young "Jack the Sparrow" was given a cutlass as tribute by Bowen, a fellow crewman aboard the pirate ship Wicked Wench. Although unconfirmed, it is likely that these swords are one and the same.

The swords named "Jack's Cutlass and Bane" appear in the non-canon video game Fortnite. The official description "One was a gift and the other is destined to get rid of Jack." implies one of the swords is Jack Sparrow's cutlass. However, the swords are designed like the crossed swords from the early posters for the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and the 2011 film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Appearances

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom (First appearance)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (In flashback(s))
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales: Movie Graphic Novel (In flashback(s))
• Fortnite (Possible appearance) (Non-canonical appearance)