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- He eventually dies at the hand of renowned pirate "Bootstrap" Bill Turner.
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Jun 16, 2021 · James Norrington (Jack Davenport) died in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, but is the door open for him to return to the franchise? With Terry Rossio's original script for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales featuring Norrington appearing in one of Jack Sparrow's hallucinations, Disney is clearly open to the character's ...
- Brynne Ramella
- Overview
- Biography
- Personality and traits
- Equipment and skills
- Behind the scenes
- Appearances
- Notes and references
"James Norrington. What has the world done to you?"
"Nothing I didn't deserve."
―Elizabeth Swann and James Norrington
James Norrington was an officer of the British Royal Navy and the East India Trading Company. Bewigged and resplendent in his uniforms, Norrington owed his allegiance to His Majesty the King of England. During his time as a British naval officer, James Norrington lost Elizabeth Swann to Will Turner and got one-upped time and again by Captain Jack Sparrow. Norrington took pride in his service to others before himself, showing a strong dedication to the law, until the occasions of pursuing the right course that demanded acts of piracy.
Over the years, Norrington would achieve many ranks in his career, serving as a loyal British naval officer, while at the same time becoming the scourge of piracy in the eastern Caribbean. Norrington was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy serving aboard the HMS Dauntless, which carried Governor Weatherby Swann and his daughter Elizabeth in the crossing from England. Loyal service to both King George I and George II of Great Britain had brought James Norrington respect and status. As captain of HMS Interceptor, Norrington had chased and captured some of the Caribbean's most fearsome pirates. Through Norrington's efforts, Port Royal became a civilized British settlement. Because of those efforts, Norrington was eventually promoted from Captain to Commodore of the Fleet. To mark his promotion, Norrington was given a new sword by Governor Swann.
Commodore Norrington's promotion was an advance that brought him some satisfaction, but he still lacked the one thing that could bring him happiness—taking Elizabeth Swann as his wife. Norrington shortly afterwards met the infamous pirate Captain Jack Sparrow, who he was able to capture for a dawn appointment with the gallows. After the attack on Port Royal, Norrington and his crew led a search party for Elizabeth Swann, who was kidnapped by the cursed crew of the Black Pearl. His search was delayed after Jack Sparrow commandeered the Interceptor, with the help of the blacksmith apprentice Will Turner. By the end of the search, Norrington's men rescued Elizabeth and Jack from Black Sam's Spit, as well as battled against the cursed pirates aboard the HMS Dauntless off Isla de Muerta. At Fort Charles, after Norrington foiled an ill-conceived escape attempt in which Will Turner helped Jack Sparrow escape hanging, Elizabeth stood by Will in protecting Jack. Norrington knew his rival in love has beaten him and accepted defeat nobly, and gave Jack a day's head start.
Early life
"You need to be brave, son. There are men out there who are savages, and they want to destroy your entire way of life. They are uncivilized, heathen, thieving, filthy pirates, and when I have gone to a final rest, it is you who will carry on the banner of civility and order, and help the Crown and our allies in the East India Trading Company eradicate their slime from the Seven Seas." ―Lawrence Norrington to James Norrington James Norrington was a son of Admiral Lawrence Norrington of the British Royal Navy and an unnamed woman. When he was about five or six years old, he followed his father on a mission to capture Captain Edward Teague, a Pirate Lord and Keeper of the Code. In the midst of a chaotic battle occurring when Teague's crew came to free Teague and his son Jack Sparrow from Lawrence Norrington's ship, James was knocked into the sea and rescued by Teague. Lawrence was humiliated that his son was rescued by a pirate, yelling across the ship that he would have preferred to see his son die drowning instead of being rescued by a pirate. This events marked the young James' life.
Life in the Navy
"I intend to see to it that any man who sails under a pirate flag or wears a pirate brand gets what he deserves: A short drop and sudden stop." ―James Norrington to Elizabeth Swann Over the years, eventually serving as an officer of the British Royal Navy, James Norrington was a kind and noble man, though he often appeared to be stoic and slightly snobbish. To his friends and colleagues, however, he showed great respect and grace, especially to Governor Weatherby Swann and his daughter Elizabeth Swann, with whom he had fallen in love. He was completely devoted to the Royal Navy, and would often forsake his own personal needs for the greater good. He harbored an intense dislike of pirates and their kind, and saw himself as something of a purveyor of justice to pirates in the Caribbean. Norrington served in the Royal Navy as a lieutenant, and was stationed aboard HMS Dauntless as it made the crossing from England, carrying Governor Swann and Elizabeth to Port Royal. Upon sighting a wrecked merchant vessel in the water, Lieutenant Norrington ordered his men to search the wreckage. He was so preoccupied with this that he did not notice a ghostly ship with black sails, the Black Pearl, slipping away from the scene.
Hunting Jack Sparrow
"Commodore Norrington! You're out of uniform!" "And you're out of luck, Jack Sparrow. I swore I'd bring you to justice for your pirate ways, and this time you can't count on a woman to step in and save your hide!" ―Jack Sparrow and James Norrington However, it turned out Norrington didn't have to search for Sparrow because Sparrow himself "invaded" Port Royal alone. He was quickly captured and thrown into the dungeon. When he confronted Sparrow, Norrington commented that Jack really was the worst pirate that he ever heard of. However, Jack quickly escaped, with the secret help of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, taking one of the cursed pirates, Scurvy Joe, with him. Once again forced to pursue Sparrow, Norrington and his men sailed for Tortuga, where they expected to find him. However, since Tortuga was officially a French colony, Norrington and his men couldn't enter the port as members of the British Navy. After disguising themselves in civilian clothes, they found Sparrow and cornered him in one alley. However, Anamaria interrupted them, and Sparrow managed to run away. They chased him, but they were stopped by a man wearing the hat and cloak of the Governor of Tortuga. The "governor" threatened to arrest Norrington and his men as spies, but the real governor suddenly appeared, and it turned out that the imposter is actually Jack Sparrow in disguise. Using the governor's coach, Jack escaped once again, and the real governor also threatened to arrest Norrington and his men.
"Commodore Norrington is bound by the law. As are we all."
―Weatherby Swann to Elizabeth Swann
James Norrington was a loyal officer in service to the British Empire. He enjoyed power but he never abused it like Cutler Beckett, taking pride in his service to others before himself. Loyal service to His Majesty King George II of England had brought James Norrington respect and status. When he captained the HMS Interceptor, Norrington had chased and captured some of the Caribbean's most fearsome pirates. Norrington was devoted in equal measure to eradicating piracy and to the lovely Elizabeth Swann, daughter of Governor Weatherby Swann. He was dedicated to the laws against piracy and attempted to have all pirates executed, so much as to show off the bodies of the executed pirates near the docks, hoping that this grisly spectacle will encourage passing sailors to obey the law. To maintain an air of authority, an officer in the English Navy could not afford to show any emotion in front of his crew; Norrington himself had spent so many years masking his feelings that even in his personal affairs he is distant, including his feelings for Elizabeth Swann.
As a newly minted commodore, Norrington exercised restraint in his proposal to Elizabeth Swann, who greatly underestimated his love for her. Regardless, the two had once been betrothed, though Elizabeth had never wanted to marry. Later, when Elizabeth stood by the blacksmith apprentice Will Turner in protecting Jack Sparrow, a pirate captured twice by his men, Norrington knew that he could never win Elizabeth's heart. Accepting defeat nobly, he parted with the civil warning to Will, "This is a beautiful sword, I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life", making it clear he expected Will to treat Elizabeth with the utmost respect. It also showed that, despite the sword widely having been believed to be crafted by his master John Brown, Norrington at least deduced the truth and acknowledged it and Will's talent. Despite all they've been through, James Norrington's love for Elizabeth had never wavered, despite her rather unfortunate inclination toward the pirate life.
After Jack escaped from his hanging at Port Royal, recapturing him became a mission that took over Commodore Norrington. He chased the pirate all over the world, until he made the fatal mistake of sailing through a hurricane. He was dismissed from the Navy for his foolishness and became a penniless drunk. The former commodore became bitter and hated Jack Sparrow for ruining his life. Though Norrington agreed to join Jack's crew, he later attempted to kill him in a three way duel with Sparrow and Will Turner over the key to the Chest of Davy Jones. After Sparrow pointed out that Turner had been partially responsible for his disgrace, Norrington forgot about Sparrow and turned on Turner instead.
Unbeknownst to everyone, James Norrington was able to slip in, steal Davy Jones's heart, then brought it back to Port Royal and relinquished it to Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company. Having handed the heart to Beckett, Norrington was immediately reinstated in the Royal Navy and was a respectable officer once more. He was also given a promotion as Admiral of the East India Trading Company Armada. However, despite having regained his place in the Navy, James Norrington came to regret his decision to join Lord Beckett upon learning of Governor Swann's death from Elizabeth. He knew there was no way to absolve himself of his mistakes, even though he had only been trying to be a good soldier. Eventually James gave up everything, including his life, to help Elizabeth escape from the Flying Dutchman. Just before dying, James Norrington stabbed Davy Jones through the shoulder with his sword to show Jones that he wasn't afraid of death.
As a notable officer of the British Navy, Norrington was always dressed in a splendid uniform. His Navy uniform consisted of white breeches, white stockings, black shoes with buckles, a white linen shirt, sleeveless waistcoat, white cravat, black tricorne trimmed with gold, as well as a blue woolen broadcloth coat. He also had another tricorne, this one trimmed with feathers, which he wore only on ceremonial occasions. He also wore a medal of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, which signified his many achievements during his service to the Crown.
James Norrington wielded a sword that was crafted by Will Turner for his promotion ceremony. Though he lost this sword after his disgrace and resignation as Commodore he later regained it when he became Admiral. James was a skilled swordsman able to simultaneously fend off Jack Sparrow and Will Turner during their three way duel over the key to the Dead Man's Chest.
James also used a flintlock pistol and was an excellent marksman, able to shoot through the rope that Elizabeth Swann used to escape the Flying Dutchman even though it was dark.
During his service in the Navy and the East India Company, Norrington wore a white wig as a sign of his status and power. When he resigned his commission, Norrington wore the tatters of his old commodore uniform, including the tattered remains of the wig while on Tortuga. After boarding the Black Pearl, Norrington apparently dispensed of the wig in his new life as a pirate as it was not seen again following his preparing to board the Black Pearl. Instead, Norrington wore his regular brown hair in a small ponytail while serving on the Black Pearl and bringing the heart of Davy Jones to Lord Cutler Beckett.
•James Norrington was portrayed by Jack Davenport in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest, and At World's End.
•The character was created in 2000 by Walt Disney Studios executives Brigham Taylor, Michael Haines, and Josh Harmon. Originally named Defoe, he was the Captain of the Guard in Port Royal. After the Governor's daugher, Elizabeth, was kidnapped by the notorious pirate Blackheart, and held for an exorbitant ransom, the Governor dispatched Defoe with the payment, but the captain was secretly in league with Blackheart and planned to exploit the situation and unseat the Governor. In the end he was defeated by a prison guard named Will, and Jack, a former member of Blackheart's crew. Stuart Beattie later redesigned the character as Norrington, a power hungry Royal Navy officer who wanted to marry the Governor's daugher to gain power. When she rejected him, he made an alliance with Captain Wraith, an infamous pirate who wanted to take control of the Caribbean.
•In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's early screenplay draft of The Curse of the Black Pearl, Norrington was named "Captain Norrington" implying he served as captain aboard the HMS Dauntless in the crossing of England, rather than lieutenant. This is odd, considering Norrington still had the line "Rouse the Captain, immediately."
•During Norrington's promotion ceremony at the start of The Curse of the Black Pearl, Norrington can be seen wearing the neck badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath. This, however, is an error, as the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films are set during the reign of King George II of Great Britain, as seen in On Stranger Tides), and the Order of the Bath did not receive three classes until 1815; before that it only had the class of Knight Companion, whose badge was suspended from a sash.
•The character's first name "James" was first revealed in the deleted scene "Accepting the Proposal" from The Curse of the Black Pearl DVD release. James would be further made official in material relating to the sequels.
•On the DVD commentary of The Curse of the Black Pearl, the scriptwriters revealed that Norrington was highly skilled with a sword, and was the equal of Hector Barbossa, with only Will Turner surpassing him in ability. They also revealed that Norrington was originally written as an evil character intended to join forces with Barbossa after being rejected by Elizabeth, but the idea was later used for Dead Man's Chest, where he betrays Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, and Jack Sparrow, and sides with Cutler Beckett, though later regretting it.
The Pirates of the Caribbean Wiki has a collection of images and media related to James Norrington.
The Pirates of the Caribbean Wiki has a collection of quotes related to James Norrington.
••••Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003 junior novelization) (First appearance)
•Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2006 junior novelization)
•Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (comic)
•The Accidental Pirate! (Mentioned only)
1.According to Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father James Norrington is ten years younger than Jack Sparrow. The timeline established in On Stranger Tides (which takes place in 1750) and Dead Men Tell No Tales (which takes place in 1751) sets Jack Sparrow's birth around the year 1690 which sets Norrington's birth around 1700. However, the exact year still has to be officially confirmed by The Walt Disney Company.
4.James "Jim" Carson's calendar of Henry Turner's waiting for Will Turner's return from Dead Men Tell No Tales shows that Will Turner's first visit to his family after ten years of captaining the Flying Dutchman, which is shown in the after credits scene of At World's End, occurred in August 1739, which means the Battle of Calypso's maelstrom occurred in August 1729 which sets Norrington's death after the Attack on the Empress during the same year.
5.Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father, p. 100
6.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, pp. 24-25: "Norrington"
7.Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization), p. 3
8.Pirates of the Caribbean: 9.Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (junior novelization), p. 6
Nov 27, 2021 · Norrington ultimately finds redemption through saving Elizabeth from the Dutchman, sacrificing himself and stabbing Jones as a way of rebuking his offer to join his cursed crew. This is how Jones ends up with the weapon during the final battle, ironically killing Will with his own craftsmanship.
- Murray Ferguson
Jun 23, 2021 · Norrington died in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007). However, Disney has brought back the character as a hallucination in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).
What Did Norrington Mean? THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL. At the end of TCOTBP, when Jack Sparrow escaped, Gillete asks Norrington what they were going to do about Sparrow. Norrington says, "I think we can afford to give them one days head start." I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what he means by this!
Jun 2, 2021 · Norrington’s fall from grace challenged his rigid views. In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest , his stint working for Jack Sparrow on the Black Pearl taught him to play dirty to get what he wanted, meaning by At World’s End , he was no longer in Jack’s orbit, therefore relegated to essentially two sequences.
Jan 7, 2018 · Confirmed by POTC Wikipedia: Despite having got what he wanted, Norrington came to regret his previous actions upon learning of Beckett's hand in Governor Swann's death, which he learned from Elizabeth after capturing the Empress. In the end, Norrington had to make a choice and choose a side.
