Black Pearl 3811567 224240842 2008-07-07T23:17:42Z 69.29.144.210 /* Headline text */ {{other}} {{Pirates of the Caribbean ship | | name = ''Black Pearl'' | image = <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Black Pearl ship.jpg|300px]] --> | caption = | captained by = [[Jack Sparrow]]—3 years total (rightful Captain) <br> [[Hector Barbossa]]—10 years (due to a mutiny against Jack Sparrow) | ship type = [[East Indiaman]] | weapons = 32 [[cannon|cannons]] | appearances = ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl|The Curse of the Black Pearl]]<br>[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest|Dead Man's Chest]]<br>[[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End|At World's End]]'' | sails = jib, forestaysail, foresail, foretopsail, foretopgallant, mainsail, topsail, topgallantsail, mizen course (lateen sail), mizentopsail, main staysail, topmast staysail, topgallant staysail. }} The '''''Black Pearl''''', originally '''HEIC ''Wicked Wench''''', is a fictional ship in ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl]]'', ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest]]'', and ''[[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End]]''. The ''Black Pearl'' is easily recognised by her distinctive black hull and sails. This turns out to be an advantage in more than one way. Not only do the black sails act as a sort of intimidation tactic, but the ''Pearl's'' crew can put out the deck lamps for added stealth at night. The ship was originally named ''Wicked Wench'' before she was ordered burned and sunk by [[Cutler Beckett|Lord Beckett]]. It was later raised from the sea floor by [[Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Davy Jones]] after making a pact with [[Jack Sparrow]] who rechristened her the ''Black Pearl''. She is said to be, "nigh uncatchable". Indeed, in the three films she either overtakes or flees all other ships, including the ''[[Interceptor (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Interceptor]]'' (regarded as the fastest ship in the Caribbean) and the ''[[The Flying Dutchman (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Flying Dutchman]]'' (which is actually faster against the wind). Her speed is derived from the large amount of sails she carries. She is noted in ''At World's End'' as being ''The only ship as wot (which) can outrun the Flying Dutchman.'' [[Disney Corporation|Disney]] wanted to rename the ''Wicked Wench'' on the ride to ''Black Pearl'' but were denied licensing rights.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} There is actually a ship named ''The Black Pearl''; a [[brigantine]] located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.<ref>[http://www.amschooner.org/node/156 Brigantine Black Pearl - I need information | American Schooner Association<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The ''Black Pearl'' is one of the locations that can be visited in the Port Royal world of [[Kingdom Hearts II]]. ==Background== Originally named the ''Wicked Wench'' (the ''Wicked Wench'' is the ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which is shown shelling a fort), the ''Black Pearl'' was a ship that was registered to the [[East India Trading Company|East India Trading Co.]] and owned by Lord [[Cutler Beckett]]. It was commissioned to [[Privateer]] [[Jack Sparrow]], who was asked to bring some cargo over from Africa. However, when Captain Sparrow learned that the "cargo" was West [[African]] [[slaves]], he set them free. The furious Beckett had the ''Wench'' sunk, removed Sparrow from his position, and branded him a pirate. Sparrow eventually grew to like his new position, but wanted his ship back. He made a deal with [[Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Davy Jones]], captain of [[Flying Dutchman (Pirates of the Caribbean)|the ''Flying Dutchman'']]: if he would resurrect the ''Wicked Wench'', Jack would owe Jones his soul after being captain for thirteen years. Jones kept his end, and the resurrected ship was rechristened the ''Black Pearl''. Jack then went to Tortuga to find a crew for his ship. The crew was heading to the mysterious [[Isla de Muerta]] where the legendary ''Chest of [[Hernán Cortés|Cortés]]'' was hidden. Captain and crew agreed to equal shares of the treasure, but [[First mate]] [[Hector Barbossa|Barbossa]] persuaded Jack that equal shares included knowing the treasure's location. Jack complied, and soon after Barbossa led a [[mutiny]] and marooned Jack on an island. The crew found the [[Aztec]] gold, which they quickly frittered away on food, drink and prostitutes, unaware of a curse placed on it by an ancient Aztec overlord: that anyone who stole the coins would become an [[undead]] being, unable to eat, drink or feel anything, and that only [[Moonlight]] would reveal their true form. The cursed pirates were soon hideous living skeletons with tattered flesh and clothing clinging to their bones. Even the ''Pearl'' was affected, becoming constantly shrouded in an eerie mist (although the ship itself was not cursed; it was merely the curse's effect upon its crew). ==Appearances== ===''The Curse of the Black Pearl''=== [[Image:Pirate Flag of Rack Rackham.svg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Jolly Roger]] of Barbossa's Crew, which was originally the flag of pirate [[Calico Jack]]]][[Image:CursePearl.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Black pearl with curses (Captained by [[Hector Barbossa]])]] The curse could only be lifted when every coin was returned to the chest along with a trace of blood from each pirate who stole one. [[William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner]], the only crew member who defended Jack during the mutiny, sent a coin to his young son [[Will Turner]], believing the crew deserved to remain cursed. Barbossa, as Pintel put it, "strapped a cannon to old Bootstrap's bootstraps and the last we saw of old Bill Turner, he was sinking to the crushing black oblivion of [[Davy Jones' locker]]", in retaliation. Only later did they learn they also needed his blood to break the curse and had, in fact, doomed themselves to continued damnation. Over the next decade, the ''Pearl'' menaced the [[Caribbean]] as the pirates searched for the coins until all but one was found. As a boy, [[Will Turner]] brought the gold medallion with him on his journey to the Caribbean, although [[Elizabeth Swann]], the governor's daughter, came into possession of it and kept it hidden. The ''Pearl'' later attacked [[Port Royal]] and abducted Elizabeth, believing she was Bootstrap's child&mdash;the only source of Turner blood. The ''Pearl'' is eventually commandeered by Sparrow with a new crew. While its pirates are battling the Royal Navy at Isla de Muerta, the crew make off with the ''Pearl'', leaving Jack behind. However, they later rescue him after he escapes execution in Port Royal. ===Between The First and Second Installments=== The ''Black Pearl'' was pursued by [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[James Norrington]] and the [[Royal Navy]]. Off of [[Tripoli]], a large hurricane battered the ''Pearl'' (though she survived) and the ''[[Dauntless]]'', which sank, along with most of its crew. Norrington survived, and was discharged from the Navy in which he is seen as a pirate in [[Tortuga]]. ===''Dead Man's Chest''=== The ''Black Pearl'' is still being captained by [[Jack Sparrow]], although his crew is not content with him; they want to do more "pirating" and are upset about the hurricane. [[Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Davy Jones]] sends Bootstrap Bill Turner to remind Jack that he owes his soul and the ''Black Pearl'' to Jones, and his time is now up. Jack is marked with the [[Black Spot (Treasure Island)|black spot]], which means that the [[Kraken (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Kraken]] is now out to pull him and the ship into [[Davy Jones' Locker (Pirates of the Caribbean)|the Locker]]. Jack has the ship sailed to the nearest land - [[Pelegosto]], the [[cannibal]] island. Jack and the surviving crew escape the cannibals with [[Will Turner]], and travel to [[Tia Dalma]]'s shack for advice. When Jack sends Will over to the ''Flying Dutchman'', the ''Pearl'' is briefly commandeered by Jones' crew. Jack makes a deal with Jones: 100 souls in three days. The crew (minus Will, who is a good-faith payment) travel to [[Tortuga]] to find 99 more souls. Jack meets [[Elizabeth Swann|Elizabeth]] and [[James Norrington|Norrington]] at Tortuga, and travels to [[Isla Cruces]], the island where [[Dead Man's Chest (Pirates of the Caribbean)|the ''Dead Man's Chest'']] is buried. After Jack steals the Heart (which is stolen from him by Norrington) the ''Black Pearl'' is attacked by [[Kraken (Pirates of the Caribbean)|the Kraken]] and is heavily damaged. After figuring out that the Kraken is after Jack and not the ''Black Pearl'', Elizabeth kisses Jack, and (while she's kissing him) chains him to the ship and leaves him behind. He is swallowed whole by the kraken, and the ship is dragged down into [[Davy Jones' Locker (Pirates of the Caribbean)|Davy Jones' Locker]] as the surviving crew watches. ===''At World's End''=== Will, Elizabeth, the surviving ''Pearl'' crew and the newly resurrected Barbossa vow to rescue Jack and his ship. After acquiring navigational charts that will lead them to ''World's End'', the crew meets Jack in Davy Jones' Locker, along with the ''Pearl''. Jack uses a clue from the map (Up is Down) to return the ''Pearl'' to the Living World. They flip the ship upside down in the water at sunset, and it shoots up into the Living World at sunrise. After the ''Pearl'' is resurrected, it is desired by many characters: Jack, as it is his ship; Barbossa, as it ''was'' his ship; Pintel, who just wanted to throw his name into the hat (and implied a future mutiny at the end of the film); Feng, who wants a new ship; Will, who desires to free his father from Jones; and Beckett, who wants the only ship that can outrun the ''Dutchman''. The ''Pearl'' sails to the fourth meeting of the ''Brethren Court'', and becomes the flagship of the Pirate Armada, led by Pirate King [[Elizabeth Swann]] and [[Jack Sparrow]], the 'real' captain of the ''Black Pearl''. The ''Pearl'' and the ''Dutchman'' engage in a sea battle in a [[maelstrom]] during the battle between the pirates and Lord Cutler Beckett's armada. The ''Pearl'' comes out of the maelstrom, alive but severely damaged. After the battle, the ''Black Pearl'' and the ''Flying Dutchman'' (now captained by Will Turner) sail alongside each other towards the East India Company Fleet and destroy [[Endeavour (Pirates of the Caribbean)|the ''Endeavour'']], killing Lord [[Cutler Beckett]], and forcing the massive armada to flee, as they no longer have somebody to lead them. Afterwards, Jack loses his ship and crew yet again to Barbossa, with the exception of Gibbs who ends up staying behind in Tortuga. == Armament== The ''Black Pearl'' is moderately armed, she carries 32 twelve-pound [[cannon]]s: 18 on the [[gun deck]] and 14 on the [[upper deck]]. Its full [[broadside]] contains 16 [[round shot|cannonballs]] and weighs 192 [[pound (mass)|lb]] (87 kg). Strangely, the ''Pearl'' has no [[bow (ship)|bow]] chasers or [[stern]] chasers (cannons used while being chased or chasing, as one cannot use a regular broadside volley in this situation), which is very unusual for a pirate ship, giving her a grave tactical disadvantage during a chase; the ''Pearl'' isn’t able to shoot the ship she chases or to reply her hunter’s fire. Her high speed only partially negates this handicap. In ''Dead Man's Chest'' another advantage the ''Black Pearl'' has over her enemies is her ability to hide in the sea at night, if all the ship's lamps are blown out then the ship is no longer visible on the sea thanks to her black hull and sails. This is also seen in ''Curse of the Black Pearl'' where she is able to sneak into Port Royal under the cover of darkness, unhindered. Also, to allow the ship to maneuver in shallows, [[Captain Barbossa]] implemented an ingenious system of oars on one of the lower decks. It allowed a detachment of his pirates to act as a galley crew during one scene of The Curse of the Black Pearl, propelling the Pearl a short distance by rowing. She flies a jib, forestaysail, foresail, foretopsail, foretopgallant sail, mainsail, topsail, topgallant sail, mizzen lateen sail, mizzen topsail, main staysail, topmast staysail, topgallant staysail. It's unknown if she has studdingsails. ==Filming== In the first movie, the ''Black Pearl'' was a steel barge with wooden structures built on top to resemble a real ship. In addition, a soundstage set was used to achieve better control over fog machines. For the second and third movies, a floating sailing ship was actually built in the [[shipyard]]s at [[Bayou La Batre]] in [[Alabama]] on the hull of ship ''Sunset'' to serve as the set, though it is not an authentic tall ship.<ref>[http://www.keeptothecode.com/pdf/POTCprodnotes1.pdf Pirates of the Caribbean presskit], accessed Dec 9, 2006</ref><ref>[http://www.the-bahama-islands.com/piratesofcaribbean.html Pirates of the Caribbean page at the-bahama-islands.com], accessed Dec 9, 2006</ref>. Another version, mounted on a [[Gimbal|gimbal]], was built for filming the Maelstrom battle. The ship formerly known as the sunset is in storage in Ensenada, Mexico. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://pirates.wikia.com/wiki/Black_Pearl Black Pearl] at the [http://pirates.wikia.com ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' wiki] {{Piratescaribbean}} <!--Please do not remove these categories, they are relevant to the article--> [[Category:Fictional ships]] [[ar:اللؤلؤة السوداء]] [[fr:Black Pearl]] [[nl:Black Pearl]] [[ja:ブラックパール号]] [[no:Black Pearl]] [[pt:Pérola Negra (Piratas do Caribe)]] [[fi:Musta Helmi (laiva)]] [[sv:The Black Pearl]]