Keeper of the Code

Captain Teague, the Keeper of the Code

"I call on Cap'n Teague, Keeper of the Code."

―Hector Barbossa

Keeper of the Pirate Code, or more colloquially Keeper of the Code, was the title given to a specially appointed member of the Brethren Court, as the protector and herald of the Code of the Pirate Brethren recorded in the Pirata Codex book. Subsequent to the creation of the Code by the Pirate Lords during the Second Brethren Court, set down by Captains Morgan and Bartholomew, new members of the Court were appointed, including the Keeper of the Code. Upon request, the Keeper of the Code would interpret the Code as written, clarify points of contention, and announce his findings to the Pirate Lords.

Captain Edward Teague, who was Pirate Lord of Madagascar, was also the most notable Keeper of the Code as of the Fourth Brethren Court. In the care of Captain Teague, with the Prison Dog carrying the key, the Code was padlocked and protected with the brazen Keeper's willingness to fire his pistol at anyone who would tarnish its pages or speak against it. Teague insisted that the Code was the law, though some pirates consider the rules as guidelines, but deep down he knew that the real code is in a pirate's heart and came down to one thing: what a man can do, and what a man can't do.

History

Origins

It was at the Second Meeting of the Brethren Court that the Pirates' Code was set down by the Pirate Lords Morgan and Bartholomew and recorded in the Pirata Codex. The Court held that the Code was law, but some would consider them more actual guidelines.

Subsequent to the creation of the Code, new members of the Court were appointed, including the Keeper of the Code who was its protector and herald. Upon request, the Keeper of the Code would interpret the Code as written, clarify points of contention, and announce his findings to the Pirate Lords. The Keeper designated his or her successor. The Keeper was assisted by the Carriers of the Code, two men assigned to deliver the Pirata Codex to the Pirate Lords when so ordered by the Keeper of the Code. At times when the Brethren wish to declare an act of war against a common adversary, they could only do so upon the agreement and the election of a Pirate King, who would be sworn in by the Keeper of the Code.

The phrase "Keep to the Code" may have been inspired by this title.

Teague

"I've concluded that we must take action regarding these rogue pirates. If these blackguards continue to plunder and menace merchant shipping, it won't be long before England, France, Spain and probably Portugal will dispatch their navies to hunt down all pirate ships they find. They won't distinguish between those of us that keep to the Code, and these rogue pirates...these Code breakers."

―Edward Teague to assembled pirates at Great Chamber

The most notable holder of the title was Captain Edward Teague, who was Pirate Lord of Madagascar in addition to Keeper of the Code. Although the circumstances in which he acquired the titles were unknown, it was known that Teague was Keeper of the Pirate Code no later than during the teenage adventures of his son, Jack Sparrow, as well as being considered the most wanted pirate on the Seven Seas. Several years afterward, in Jack's young adult life, Teague was both Pirate Lord and Keeper of the Code.

In the care of Captain Teague, the Pirata Codex book was kept padlocked and the Prison Dog carried the key. Teague insisted that the Code was the law, and he would shoot anyone who spoke against it. However, deep inside, he knew that the real code was in a pirate's heart and came down to one thing: what a man can do, and what a man can't do. Captain Teague was still the esteemed Keeper of the Pirate Code when both he and his son, Jack Sparrow, were pursued by British Royal Navy and East India Trading Company forces led by Admiral Lawrence Norrington, and later in events that saw Sparrow breaking the Code by having facilitated the escape of Christophe-Julien de Rapièr who had been accused of rogue piracy.

Teague still served as the Keeper of the Code when the Fourth Brethren Court convened against Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company. Captain Jack Sparrow, now the Lord of the Caribbean Sea, was eager to declare an act of war against the EITC, but Captain Hector Barbossa, the Lord of the Caspian Sea, maintained that only a Pirate King could declare war, and Sparrow's doubt necessitated Barbossa to call upon the Keeper of the Code, Captain Teague. The brazen Captain Teague appeared after Askay, one of Sri Sumbhajee's aides, told the assembled pirates of the Fourth Court to "hang the Code", demonstrating that the Code was the law by shooting Askay. Reading the ancient tome, Teague confirmed that only a Pirate King can declare war. When a vote was called for a new Pirate King, Jack changed the balance by voting for the newly instated Captain Elizabeth Swann, and then when Sparrow inquired as to whether the other Pirate Lords would be keeping to the Code or not, knowing Teague had his back on this. In resignation, the Pirate Lords kept to the Code with Elizabeth as King of the Brethren Court.

Behind the scenes

Keeper of the Code was first identified in Glenn Dakin's reference book Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, which detailed the Pirata Codex as well as the Code of the Brethren, prior to the first appearance in the 2007 film Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. The title was likely inspired by phrase "Keep to the Code", which was originally spoken by Jack Sparrow and Joshamee Gibbs in the 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The full title "Keeper of the Pirate Code" was first used in the Special Edition of the At World's End junior novelization, later appearing in the Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow book series, first used in the ninth book Dance of the Hours.

The phrase was used several times for the online game Pirates of the Caribbean Online, mainly to serve the "Pirates Online Code of Conduct" for the game. Captain Teague is mentioned as "keeper of the Pirate Codex" in at least a newsletter for the "Quest for Captain Teague" during the "Father's Day" quest, where Teague was abducted by the Royal Navy and the East India Trading Company. Following the closing of Pirates Online, "The Keepers of the Code" was a name given to a guild of pirates and a quest in the fan-made recreation The Legend of Pirates Online.

In the 2022 video game Disney Mirrorverse, an alternate-reality version of Elizabeth Swann was featured as the Keeper of the Code, hunting down those who would break the Brethren Code and bringing them to justice.

Appearances

• Jack Sparrow: Dance of the Hours (Mentioned only)
• Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father
• The Price of Freedom
• Pirates of the Caribbean Online (Mentioned only)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (First appearance)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization) (Special Edition) (First identified as Keeper of the Pirate Code)
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Penguin Readers)
• Disney Mirrorverse (Non-canonical appearance)

Sources

• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide (First identified as Keeper of the Code)
• The Pirates' Guidelines