BARBOSSA
You’d best take a swim, Jack.
JACK
The last time you do this, you left
me a pistol, with one shot.
The pirates mutter agreement.
PINTEL
That’s proper, sir, according to
the code.
BARBOSSA
By the powers, you’re right!
(turns around)
Where’s Jack’s pistol? Who’s got
it? Bring it forward!
JACK
A gentleman might give us two
pistols, seeing as there are two
of us, this time.
A pirate hands Jack’s pistol to Barbossa.
BARBOSSA
Tell you what. I’ll give you one
pistol, and let you be the
gentleman, and shoot the lady, and
starve to death yourself!
(grins)
That is, presuming you’re not both
drownded.
The pirates laugh. Barbossa tosses Jack the pistol-but over
his head, and down into the water with a splash.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D)
So how did you get off that island,
anyway?
JACK
You can go to your grave not
knowing.
BARBOSSA
That’s fair.
Jack glares at Barbossa. Then he’s prodded with a cutlass,
takes a step out. Reaches the end of the plank-steps off.
Jack plunges down into the water. Appears on the surface,
floundering, struggles to stay afloat. Will and Elizabeth
exchange helpless looks; there is nothing they can do.
BARBOSSA
The lady’s next. But first, I’ll
be wanting that dress back, if you
please.
Elizabeth hesitates … then strips it off, leaving her in a
silk slip. She throws it at him.
ELIZABETH
Here-it will go well with your
blackheart!
Barbossa indicates the plank.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
I will not walk into the ocean.
You’ll have to throw me in!
Barbossa raises an eyebrow, grins, nods.
BARBOSSA
Have at her, lads!
The pirates rush to comply. Lift her up, toss her over the rail-with a scream she falls-
EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – UNDERWATER – DAY
We follow Elizabeth amid foam and bubbles as she PLUNGES down
through the water. Blue and clear, with streaks of sunlight
cutting down; bright coral and tropical fish, and a lovely
young woman in a silk dress … if it weren’t for the mortal
danger, the scene could be described as gorgeous.
Elizabeth spots Jack, below her now, sinking, struggling. She
swims down … unties his bonds.
Elizabeth starts for the surface. Inexplicably, Jack swims the
other way, further down into the depths.
EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – DAY
Elizabeth breaks the surface, looks around. And then, finally
Jack appears, sucking in air. He shows what he went after: his
pistol. He tucks it into his shirt.
ELIZABETH
You went back for that? We need to
head for the reef!
She starts swimming. Jack hesitates. The Black Pearl is already
underway; he stares at it.
JACK
That’s the second time I’ve had to
watch that man sail away with my
ship.
He turns away, and swims after Elizabeth.
EXT. ISLET – BEACH – DAY
CLOSE ON: The surf line. Elizabeth’s feet leave prints in the
sand … and then meet up with matching footprints she made
earlier, going in the same direction. She has walked all the
way around the island.
JACK (O.S.)
Not all that big, is it?
Jack lays on the beach. He has dismantled his pistol; the parts,
ball and powder dry on his scarf.
ELIZABETH
Has it changed since the last time
you were here?
JACK
The trees are taller.
Jack checks to see if the pistol parts are dry; they are. He
sets about re-assembling and loading his pistol.
ELIZABETH
I hope you have no intention of
using that.
Jack has finished putting his pistol back together. He shoves
it in his belt, walks off.
JACK
Not yet. Ask me again in a few
weeks.
Elizabeth can’t believe it.
ELIZABETH
Captain Sparrow! We have to get
off this island-immediately!
JACK
Don’t be thinking I’m not already
working on it.
He climbs up toward a clump of palm trees. Digs for something
beneath the sand. He finds it: a large iron ring.
ELIZABETH
What is that? Is there a boat
under there?
Jack heaves the trap door up and over, revealing a pit. Inside
are barrels and bottles of rum … all covered with dust and
cobwebs, long abandoned. Jack’s face falls.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
What? What’s wrong? How will this
help us get off the island?
JACK
It won’t. It won’t, and so we
won’t.
He jumps down into the pit, cracks open a bottle of rum, takes
a swig.
ELIZABETH
But … you did it before! Last
time-
JACK
Last time, I was here a grand total
of three days. Last time, the
rumrunners who used this island as
a cache came by, and I bartered
passage off. But from the looks of
this, they’ve been out of business,
and so that won’t be happening
again.
(takes another swig)
We probably have your friend
Norrington to thank for that.
ELIZABETH
So that’s it? That’s the secret
grand adventure of the infamous
Jack Sparrow? You spent three days
on the beach drinking rum?
JACK
Welcome to the Caribbean, love.
He gathers up a few bottles, heads for the beach.
JACK (CONT’D)
You should look at our contretemps
this way: we’ve got shade trees,
thank the Lord. We’ve got some
food on the trees, thank the Lord
again. And we’ve got rum, praise
the Lord. We can stay alive a
month, maybe more. Keep a weather
eye open for passing ships, and our
chances are fair.
ELIZABETH
A month? Will doesn’t have a
month! We’ve got to do something
to help him!
JACK
You’re right.
(hoists the bottle)
Here’s luck to you, Will Turner.
He drinks-and difiantly returns Elizabeth’s angry gaze. But
then turns away, sits down.
JACK (CONT’D)
Don’t be thinking I’m happy about
this, Elizabeth. But I see no use
in wailing and gnashing my teeth
over that which I can do nothing
about.
ELIZABETH
Not when you can drink instead, at
least.
Jack tosses her a bottle.
JACK
Try it. It goes down rough, but it
goes down-and the second swig
goes down easier.
Elizabeth considers. Comes to a decision. She unseals the
bottle, takes a swig. They sit in silence for a bit.
ELIZABETH
And you will call me Miss Swann.
Jack toasts her: you got it. Elizabeth studies her bottle …
gives Jack a sidelong glance. Back to her bottle …
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
(under her breath)
Drink up me hearties, yo ho …
JACK
What? What was that?
(Elizabeth smiles)
Something funny, Miss Swann?
Share, please.
ELIZABETH
Nothing … it’s nothing. Just …
I’m reminded of a song I learned as
a child. A song about pirates.
JACK
I know a lot of songs about
pirates, but none I’d teach a
child. Let’s hear it.
ELIZABETH
Oh, no … it’s silly. Back in
England we didn’t know a thing
about pirates, really. They seemed
so romantic and daring-
Jack likes the way that sounds.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
(looks at him)
That was before I met one, of
course.
JACK
Now I must hear this song. An
authentic pirate song. Have at it.
ELIZABETH
Well, perhaps … with a bit more
to drink, I might …
JACK
More to drink!
He gathers two more bottles, tosses one to her. She drops her
half-finished bottle to catch it. Opens it, takes a sip.
JACK (CONT’D)
Well?
Elizabeth clears her throat, begins to sing self-consciously,
becoming stronger as she goes on.
ELIZABETH
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle,
we loot, Drink up me hearties, yo
ho.
She gestures for him to drink. He does.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
We kidnap and ravage and we don’t
give a hoot, Drink up me hearties,
yo ho-
EXT. ISLET – BEACH – LATER – NIGHT
The middle of the night. A fire BLAZES. Jack and Elizabeth are
roaring drunk, arm in arm, singing the song all the way up to
the stars-
JACK/ELIZABETH
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for
me! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life
for me!
JACK
I LOVE this song!
(sings)
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for
me! We’re beggars and blighters,
ne’er do well cads, Drink up me
hearties, yo ho!
(gives it a touch of
Irish ballad)
Aye but we’re loved by out mums
and our dads. Drink up me
hearties, yo ho!
They hoist their bottles, but only Jack drinks. He drains the
bottle, then tosses it away.
JACK
When I get the Black Pearl back,
I’m going to teach it to the whole
crew, and we’ll sing it all the
time!
ELIZABETH
You’ll be positively the most
fearsome pirates to sail the
Spanish Main.
Elizabeth salutes the idea with her bottle. Jack doesn’t have
a bottle to salute back. She hands him hers. He drinks, then
settles shakily to the ground. Elizabeth sits beside him.
JACK
Not just the Spanish Main. The
whole ocean … the whole world.
Wherever we want to go, we go.
That’s what a ship is, you know.
Not just a keel and a hull and a
deck and sails. That’s what a ship
needs … but what a ship is-
what the Black Pearl really is …
is freedom.
Elizabeth lays her head on his shoulder.
ELIZABETH
Jack, it must be so terrible for
you, to be trapped here on this
island, all over again.
JACK
Ah, well … the company is better
than last time. And the scenery
has definitely improved.
ELIZABETH
(coy)
Mr. Sparrow! I’m not sure I’ve had
enough rum to allow that kind of
talk.
JACK
We’ve got a few bottles left …
and we’ve yet to tap the kegs.
Elizabeth shrugs with a sleight-but promising-smile. She
picks up the empty bottle from the ground, holds it up.
ELIZABETH
To freedom.
JACK
To the Black Pearl.
They tap the bottles together. Elizabeth feigns a drink as he
chugs. He taps his bottle against hers again. She laughs,
feigns another drink-
EXT. ISLET – BEACH – MORNING
CLOSE ON-JACK’S FACE, dead asleep, lying in the sunlight.
His nose twitches. A bit of SMOKE drifts by. His nose twitches
again. His eyes open.
Jack GROANS and sits up. He rubs his head, looks over–all of the foliage in the middle of the island is ON FIRE.
Smoke rises high up into the clear blue sky.
Jack leaps to his feet. He sees Elizabeth, as she pours out the
last of the rum, dowsing a scrub brush at the base of a palm
tree. It goes up in FLAMES. She rolls the barrel forward-it
starts to BURN merrily.
Jack can’t believe his eyes.
JACK
What are you doing? You’ve burned
our food, the shade-the rum!
ELIZABETH
Yes, the rum is gone.
She wipes her hands together. One of the rum barrels in the
fire EXPLODES.
JACK
Why?
ELIZABETH
One, because it is a vile drink
that turns even the most
respectable men into scoundrels.
Two-
She points to the sky.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
That signal is over a thousand feet
high, which means it can be seen
for two hundred leagues in every
direction. The entire Royal Navy
is out to sea looking for me-do
you think there is even a chance
they could miss it?
JACK
You-you burned up the island,
for a one-time chance at being
spotted?
ELIZABETH
Exactly.
Elizabeth turns toward the sea.
ELIZABETH (CONT’D)
Just you wait, Captain. In an
hour, maybe two, keep a ‘weather
eye open’ and you’ll be seeing
white sails on that horizon!
She sits down, determined. Shields her eyes, scans the water,
waiting, searching. Jack is speechless. He throws up his hands,
stalks up the sand dune, just to get away from her.
EXT. ISLET – LEEWARD SHORE – DAY
At the crest of the dune, Jack stops-and stares, incredulous.
We come around to see what he is looking at-
Past Jack, anchored on the other side of the island, white
sails glorious against the turquoise waters, is the H.M.S.
Dauntless. A longboat is already being rowed toward them.
Jack shakes his head.
JACK
They’ll be no living with her after
this.
EXT. H.M.S. DAUNTLESS – MAIN DECK – DAY
Norrington gives Elizabeth a hand disembarking from the raised
longboat.
NORRINGTON
Elizabeth, I’m relieved you’re
safe.
(re: Jack)
Clap him in irons. And behind his
back this time.
ELIZABETH
Commodore, you can’t do that!
NORRINGTON
You’re speaking up for him again?
ELIZABETH
He can locate Isla de Muerta-but
I doubt he’ll be willing to help us
from the brig.
JACK
(she’s right)
We had time to get to know each
other.
NORRINGTON
We are bound for Port Royal, not
Isla de Muerta.
ELIZABETH
No. The pirates have taken Will-
NORRINGTON
Your father is frantic with worry.
Our mission was to rescue you and
return home. That is what we shall
do. Mr. Turner’s fate is
regrettable. But so was his
decision to engage in piracy.
ELIZABETH
Commodore, please!
JACK
Norrington, think about it … the
Black Pearl, its captain and crew
… the last pirate threat in the
Caribbean. How can you pass that
up?
NORRINGTON
By remembering that I serve others,
not only myself.
ELIZABETH
Commodore, I beg you-please do
this … for me. As a wedding
gift.
NORRINGTON
I am to understand that you will
accept my marriage proposal on the
condition I rescue Mr. Turner?
ELIZABETH
Not as a condition-a request.
Norrington considers. To Gillette:
NORRINGTON
Free Mister Sparrow, and prepare to
come about. He’ll give you our
heading.
Gillette unlocks Jack’s manacles. Jack raises an eyebrow.
JACK
Congratulations, sir.
Crew men lead Jack toward the bridge. Sailors go about their
tasks, and the ship begins its slow turn.
NORRINGTON
Elizabeth, I hereby withdraw my
proposal.
ELIZABETH
What?
NORRINGTON
I know where your heart truly lies.
Elizabeth looks at Norringtom, seeing him in a new light.
ELIZABETH
And now I know … where yours
does, as well.
They gaze at each other a moment. Norrington looks away.
NORRINGTON
You may seclude yourself in my
cabin. I’m afraid we do not have
any ladies’ clothing aboard.
ELIZABETH
Then I can wear men’s clothing.
NORRINGTON
That would hardly be proper.
ELIZABETH
Well, I am not going to stay hidden
in some cabin, or I suppose it’s
going to be heaving bosoms and bare
for the remainder of the voyage!
Norrington is exasperated, but then can’t help but grin-this
is exactly why he loves her. She grins back at him-she’s not
going to change.
NORRINGTON
Murtogg, take our guest below, and
find her some trousers, and a
shirt.
Elizabeth smiles, allows herself to be escorted away.
Norrington watches her go … then turns his gaze to the sea.
INT. THE BLACK PEARL – BRIG – DAY
Pintel enters the cell. It appears empty-but that’s because
Will is hanging from the rafters, trying to shove up the
ceiling planks with his legs.
PINTEL
That ain’t going to work. That’s
the gun deck above yea.
Will drops lightly to the deck. Suddenly:
WILL
What happened to William Turner?
PINTEL
Ah, William Turner. Stupid
blighter. He threw in with us
after we relieved Jack Sparrow of
his captaincy, but turned out, it
never sat well with him-
particularly after we found Cortes’
treasure, and its peculiar
condition. He thought we deserved
to be cursed, for leaving ol’ Jack
to the fate we did. That’s why he
sent off a piece of the treaure- to you, as it were: so it would
never be recovered, and so cursed
we remain.
WILL
And then he ran. And he’s hiding
out someplace where you haven’t
been able to find him.
PINTEL
That’s a nice thought, to be sure,
and I wager your da wishes he’d
thought it hisself. But, no. See,
what he’d done, didn’t sit too well
with Captain Barbossa … so he
chained a cannon to his legs and
dumped him over.
Will reacts with shock at the account of his father’s fate.
PINTEL
Yep, last I saw of Bootstrap Bill,
was his face looking up, as he
sank down to the crushing black
oblivion of Davy Jones’ locker.
(sighs)
It was only after, we found out we
needed his blood to solve the
curse. That’s what you call
ironic.
Barbossa appears behind Pintel, flanked by several others
pirates. He regards Will for a moment, then:
BARBOSSA
Bring him.
EXT. H.M.S. DAUNTLESS – MAIN DECK – EVENING
Jack goes to the rail and waits, pretending to look out at the
sea. Elizabeth, dressed in sailor’s clothes to excellent
effect, joins him.
ELIZABETH
You didn’t tell Commodore
Norrington everything.
JACK
Nor did you, I noticed.
ELIZABETH
He might delay the rescue … and
that would be too late.
JACK
Exactly.
ELIZABETH
These men will be facing an enemy
that seemingly cannot be killed.
JACK
I have a plan. If it succeeds,
then any battle will be decidedly
brief … and one-sided.
ELIZABETH
What’s your plan?
LOOKOUT (O.S.)
LAND HO!
Isla de Muerta lay dark and menacing on the horizon.
NORRINGTON
Elizabeth-below decks. I will
not compromise your safety.
She starts to speak; he turns away.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D)
Lieutenant, escort Elizabeth to my
quarters, and make sure she stays
there.
Norrington gazes through his spyglass, at the island. Jack
watches with some amusement as Elizabeth is escorted away.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D)
I don’t like the situation, Mister
Sparrow. The island is riddled
with caves. I will not put my men
at a disadvantage.
JACK
Funny, I was thinking along those
lines. How about you let me go in
alone, and while you’re setting up
an ambush, I’ll trick the pirates
out to you.
NORRINGTON
You would do that?
JACK
They left me stranded. Twice.
What have you got to lose?
NORRINGTON
(looks at him)
Nothing I wouldn’t be please to be
rid of.
JACK
(smiles)
I knew you’d listen to reason!
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVE ENTRANCE – EVENING
Torches are lit. Barbossa leads Will, guarded by Pintel and a
band of pirates, into the caves.
INT. H.M.S. DAUNTLESS – MAIN DECK – NIGHT
A longboat is prepared to be lowered over the side. Jack wraps
his pistol securely in an oilskin pouch.
JACK
That chart I drew up’ll get you
past the reefs. If you’re
steersman’s good enough, that is.
NORRINGTON
I’ll be at the wheel myself.
JACK
I’ll slip in, talk them into to
come out, and you’ll be free to
blow holy high heaven the whole lot
of them.
The crewmen release the lines, and the boat drops-
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVES – NIGHT
The pirate group moves deeper into the caves. Will moves along
unwillingly.
PINTEL
No reason to fret. It’s just a
prick of the finger and a few drops
of blood.
BARBOSSA
Turner blood doesn’t flow pure in
his veins.
(grins)
Best play it safe, and spill it
all.
PINTEL
I guess there is a reason to fret.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – NIGHT
The Dauntless drifts into the lagoon. Norrington and his men
prepare to go ashore.
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVES – NIGHT
Lit by torchlight. Will notices: a crack runs between the floor
and the wall of the cave, widening into a ravine.
BARBOSSA
Careful, now. You could fall in
and still be wonder’n when you’ll
hit dirt.
Will makes a decision. He intentionally stumbles. Pintel shoves
him forwad-Will continues forward, grabs the pirate in front
of him, swings him into the wall of the cave. Catches the
pirate’s torch, and uses it to ward off the others.
WILL
You deserve to be cursed-and
remain cursed!
He steps to one side-and drops into the ravine. The wall of
the ravine becomes a loose gravel slope; Will hits it, and
tumbles down, disappeats into black.
BARBOSSA
Blast him! A pox on him, and his
father, and the whole damnable
line! Fan out! Find him!
INT. DAUNTLESS – CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS – NIGHT
Elizabeth looks out the Captain’s small porthole-sees boats
laden with Navy men headed for shore.
She turns away from the porthole, wishing there was something
she could do. Suddenly there is a flutter at the window-
Cotton’s parrot is there.
COTTON’S PARROT
Drink UP me hearties yo ho! Drink
UP me hearties yo ho!
The bird flutters off; Elizabeth races to the porthole, and
then to the stern window to see it fly away.
She looks down-and there, fastened to the stern of the ship,
is a small rowboat.
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVES – NIGHT
Will races forward, turning this way and that. He sees a light
ahead, heads for it, turns a corner–and runs straight into Jack.
JACK
Do you have any idea where you’re
going?
WILL
Jack!
JACK
Don’t talk. These caves magnify
sound. Just follow me.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – THE BEACH – NIGHT
Norrington and men land on the beach, and spread out. They
silently take up positions around the main cave entrance.
INT. CAVES – NIGHT
Jack leads Will out of a narrow passage-and stops, staring.
Will is a few steps behind.
WILL
Are you certain this is the right
way?
JACK
It’s the right way.
Will joins him-and sees what Jack is staring at:
Treasure piled on treasure, sparkling, glowing, seemingly
endless. At the center is the moonlit clearing, and the stone
Aztec chest.
BARBOSSA
Thank you, Jack Sparrow.
They jump-Barbossa is standing right behind them, flanked by
his men. The trio whirl to run-more pirates emerge from
hiding. Nearly the entire crew of the Black Pearl is there.
The pirates grab Will and Jack. Will struggles, but Jack does
not fight at all.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D)
You couldn’t have led him back more
directly if you knew exactly where
you were going.
He laughs, and moves toward the stone chest. The pirates
follow, dragging Will and Jack with them.
WILL
You did know where you were going!
You did lead us directly to them!
(Jack’s silence
confirms it)
Why?
Jack looks away-as Will is manhandled toward the chest.
Barbossa steps up to him (becoming skeletal in the moonlight)
and puts the medallion around Will’s neck.
He picks up the stone knife.
BARBOSSA
What was begun by blood, let blood
now end!
He raises the knife to Will’s throat-
JACK
You don’t want to be doing that.
Barbossa pretends to think about his words.
BARBOSSA
No, I really think I do.
JACK
(shrugs)
All right then.
That makes Barbossa pause. He steps out of the moonlight.
BARBOSSA
Why don’t I want to do this?
JACK
Because, right about now, the
H.M.S. Dauntless is lying in wait
in the harbor.
WILL
Jack!
JACK
-and its guns and crew will cut
you and your men to pieces the
moment you step outside these
caves.
A buzz of apprehension sweeps through the pirates.
PINTEL
Do you believe him?
BARBOSSA
No.
(indicates Will)
But him I believe. He us genuinely
angry.
JACK
You’ve no hope of surviving
Norrington’s attack … that is,
if you’re mortal.
BARBOSSA
What’re you suggesting?
Jack shakes off the hands holding him, strolls toward Barbossa,
Will, and the chest of coins.
JACK
Simple. Don’t kill the boy yet.
Wait for a more opportune moment.
Will glares, listening to every word he says. Jack scoops up a
handful of coins from the chest.
JACK (CONT’D)
(drops the coins one-
by-one back into the
chest)
Like after you’ve killed … Every
… Last … One … of
Norrington’s men.
BARBOSSA
I can’t help wondering, Jack, why
you’re being so helpful and all?
Last time you did that, it didn’t
end well for you.
JACK
The situation has changed.
BARBOSSA
That so?
JACK
Aye. See, after you’re done with
the Royal Navy, you’ll have a bit
of a problem: the H.M.S. Dauntless.
There you’ll be, with two lovely
ships on your hands, and what to
do? Of course you’ll decide you
deserve the bigger one, and who’s
to argue? The Dauntless a first-
rate ship-of-line, and with it, you
can rule the seas.
(beat)
But if you’re Captain of the
Dauntless, who’s left for the Black
Pearl?
Jack smiles and spreads his hands: me.
JACK (CONT’D)
I sail for you as part of your
fleet, I give you fifteen percent
of my plunder, and you get to
introduce yourself at tea parties
and brothels as ‘Commodore
Barbossa.’
(sticks out his hand)
Do we have an accord?
Barbossa licks his lips. It’s tempting …
JACK (CONT’D)
Now, you can take care of the
Dauntless, right?
BARBOSSA
Men! Are you up for it?
The pirates yell to the affirmative.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D)
Mr. Pintel, select five men to stay
here. Take the rest of the men out
… not through the caves.
Jack’s expression falters; this he hadn’t planned for.
JACK
There’s … another exit?
BARBOSSA
Aye, for us there is.
EXT. LAGOON – UNDERWATER – NIGHT
Moonlight shines down into the shallow waters, brightening
coral, sparkling over the rippled sand floor.
Suddenly all the fish SCATTER. Briefly, the waters are empty.
And then FIGURES appear in the distance, seeming to waver in
the shifting current. They scuffle forward, kicking up clouds
of sand-
The figures resolve into the skeleton PIRATES, moving silently
across the lagoon floor, swords glinting. The tatters of their
clothing drift in the water. Their skull heads are fixed in an
endless grin.
The LEAD PIRATE glides forward-
And stops next to a huge iron ANCHOR-twice his height, even
buried halfway into the sand. A heavy CHAIN with barrel-sized
links climbs up toward the surface-
A SHADOW falls across the Lead Pirate-he TRANSFORMS, and we
see that it is Pintel. He looks up-
Above, the heavy chain leads to the giant bottom hull of the
H.M.S. Dauntless, silhouetted by moonlight.
The huge shift drifts, again spilling moonlight below-
And the pirates gathered around the anchor are once again
SKELETONS, staring with upturned faces. The Pintel-skeleton
puts a knife between his teeth, starts to crawl up the iron
rings.
Other pirates crowd forward, and soon the anchor-chain is
clustered with skeletons-
EXT. LAGOON – NIGHT
Elizabeth has the small boat out, and rows away from the
Dauntless, looking ahead over her shoulder. Cotton’s parrot is
nowhere to be seen.
In the distance, Pintel breaks the surface near the Dauntless,
intent on climbing the anchor; he looks over-
Just as Elizabeth rounds the point, and rocks obscure the small
longboat from view.
More skeleton-pirates appear, and Pintel continues his climb.
EXT. LAGOON – DAUNTLESS – NIGHT
Two SAILORS, alert and vigilant, stare out toward shore. The
island reveals nothing but blackness.
There is a scurrying sound-bones scraping against wood-and the sailors JUMP. They listen, intently-nothing.
TALL SAILOR
Ship rats. Big ones.
SHORT SAILOR
(nods)
Hate those things.
They turn back toward the island, continue their vigil. A long
pause.
SHORT SAILOR (CONT’D)
Taste all right, though.
TALL SAILOR
That they do.
>From behind, the two sailors at the rail are well-lit by a
lantern. Suddenly shadows appear, skeletons, climbing up the
sailor’s backs. MOVE CLOSER and then the skeletons appear,
reaching-the two sailors are grabbed from behind-
EXT. DAUNTLESS – SIDE – NIGHT
Two bodies are tossed out over the rail, hit the water with a
splash.
EXT. DAUNTLESS – SIDE – NIGHT
Pintel looks down into the water, satisfied. Puts away his
knife. Notices, pulls out a long piece of seaweed from his rib
cage. Tosses it. Turns to the others.
PINTEL
Be quick, now. Train the starboard
guns on the beach, and set your
aim. Wait for my signal, we don’t
want to spook them.
The pirates hurry to comply-
EXT. LAGOON – BLACK PEARL – NIGHT
Elizabeth rounds the point further, and sees: the Black Pearl,
anchored in the neighboring cove. A fleck of color-Cotton’s
parrot, as it darts through a porthole.
Elizabeth slows her efforts, silently approaching the ship.
EXT. BLACK PEARL – MAIN DECK – NIGHT
Four PIRATES-who really ought to be keeping watch-instead
have gathered wine bottles and rum casts into a pile, along
apples, biscuits-all the food on the ship.
They act out a mock-feast, in anticipation of the curse being
lifted. A SKINNY skeleton offers two bottles to a BIG BONES
skeleton.
SKINNY
Which would you prefer first, good
sir-rum, or wine?
BIG-BONES
I believe I’ll have a spot o’ rum,
if you don’t mind, and thank’ee
kind sir!
They burst out laughing-a hideous sound that wheezes through
their bones.
Behind them, unnoticed, Elizabeth peeks catiously around a
corner. She picks her moment and sneaks past quickly, down a
gangway, disappearing into the darkness of the ship.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
Gillette crouches, running low behind a line of rocks. He
reports to Norrington:
GILLETTE
All the men in place, sir. Ready
to fire.
NORRINGTON
Wait for my order-what the
blazes is that?
It’s the sound of cannon fire-coming from the Dauntless.
Cannonballs hit the shore; men cry out in anguish.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D)
Men! Take cover!
The sailors scramble to find refuge-
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT
Will, guarded by pirates, glares at Jack.
WILL
You’ve been planning this from the
beginning. Since you learned my
name.
Jack takes the opportunity to move toward him.
JACK
Oh, please-did I really seem
that clever?
Before Will can answer, Jack smoothly slips the sword from a
Pirate’s scabbard-tosses it to Will, who catches it despite
his sursprise.
JACK (CONT’D)
Use it well.
He draws his own sword-and clobbers the Pirate. Barbossa and
the other pirates stare in shock-
BARBOSSA
Confound it, Jack-I was actually
beginning to like you!
Swords are drawn, and the Pirates attack.
Jack and Will take on multiple opponents, each with his own
style: Will parries, glissades and dissarms with lightening
fast and perfect form, while Jack uses his blade, fists,
acrobatics and anything within reach to survive.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
The sailors charge. The moon emerges from behind a cloud-
Suddenly an army of SKELETON PIRATES rise up from the sea, and
charge the stunned sailors-several men are struck down-
NORRINGTON
Steady, men! Remember-we’re the
Navy!
The sailors recover their nerve, and engage the enemy. It’s a
full on battle, Royal Navy against Skeleton Pirates-
The Navy men are driven back, surrounded-
Suddenly there is a massive BOOM of cannon fire. Norrington, in
the midst of of a swordfight, tries to see-
NORRINGTON (CONT’D)
What is happening out there?
EXT. LAGOON – NIGHT
It’s the Black Pearl, manned by Gibbs, AnaMaria and Cotton, and
captained by Elizabeth, coming around the point, cannons
blazing-
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
Gillette sees the Black Pearl firing on the Dauntless.
GILLETTE
They’re on our side! Take heart,
men!
The Royal Navy stand their ground and fight-
INT. CAVE – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT
Only two pirates left: Barbossa and Jacoby. Jacoby rounds on
Will; Barbossa faces off against Jack.
BARBOSSA
Just so you know, Jack-I don’t
think you’re that clever. I think
you’re a fool. A mortal fool.
JACK
Remarkable how often those two
traits coincide.
Jack drives him back, making Barbossa laugh.
BARBOSSA
You can’t beat me, Jack.
To prove his point, he drops his own sword-and catches
Jack’s sword with both hands. Jack can’t free it. Barbossa
twists the sword from Jack’s grip, reverses it–AND DRIVES THE SWORD INTO JACK’S CHEST.
Will battling Jacoby, sees it-he smashes Jacoby in the jaw,
crumpling him.
WILL
Jack!
Jack stares down at the sword jutting from his chest. He takes
a few steps backward, toward the Aztec gold-when he steps
into the moonlight, JACK BECOMES SKELETAL.
JACK
Well, isn’t that interesting.
Skeleton Jack pulls the sword from his chest. He pulls
something from his pocket: one of the Aztec coins.
JACK (CONT’D)
They’re so pretty, I just couldn’t
resist stealing one. It’s a curse,
I guess.
Barbossa grabs up his sword, and rushes Jack. Both men are
in moonlight now, two skeletons in pitched battle.
BARBOSSA
So what now, Jack Sparrow? Are we
to be two immortals, locked in epic
battle until the trumpets of
Judgement Day?
JACK
Or you could surrender.
He shoves Barbossa back, out of the moonlight. Barbossa stalks
the room, his attention focused on Jack.
BARBOSSA
Or I could chain you to a
cannonball and drop you in the
deepest part of the ocean, where
you can contemplate your folly
forever.
Barbossa charges-
A SHOT RINGS OUT-
Jack stands out of the moonlight, flesh and blood again,
holding his smoking pistol, still aimed at Barbossa.
BARBOSSA (CONT’D)
Hah. Ten years you carried that
pistol, and you end up wasting your
shot.
WILL
He didn’t waste it.
Will stands over the Aztec chest, holding a bloody sword, his
left hand in a fist. He opens the fist–the medallion, blood covering it, drops from his hand,
revealing the cut in his palm.
Barbossa stares, then looks down at his chest. Blood blossoms
on his shirt around the bullet hole. It spreads quickly.
Barbossa clutches his chest, his face registering pain for the
first time in years. Barbossa falls heavily to the ground,
dead.
Jack blows the smoke from the barrel of his pistol … tosses
it away.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT
Murtogg FIRES a pistol at a pirate. The pirate is hit, screams
in pain, and crumples to the ground. Mullroy runs through
another pirate with a sword.
The pirates react to the sight, and quickly realize their
peril. They set their weapons down in surrender.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – LAGOON – NIGHT
The Black Pearl comes alongside the Dauntless, and Jack’s crew
swarm across, overwhelming the pirates.
The sailors on the beach see it, and CHEER.
INT. ISLA DE MUERTA – CAVE – MAIN CAVERN – NIGHT
Will wraps a cloth around his palm; Jack joins him near the
chest.
WILL
Well, you’re the worst pirate I’ve
ever heard of.
(smiles)
You’re a man who can be trusted,
who can be counted on, and who
can’t betray his friends. What
kind of pirate is that?
JACK
(admits it)
The worst.
(beat)
On the other hand, maybe I’m a man
who can’t pass up a chance for
revenge against the black-hearted
bastard who stole my ship and left
me to die in the middle of the
ocean-twice!-and who knows
how to get what he wants. Now
that’s a great pirate.
Jack cuts his palm, grips the coin he stole above the chest …
and then hesitates.
Will looks at him …
Jack releases the coin. It lands in the chest beside the other
bloody coin.
Suddenly, the lid of the chest, all on its own, SLAMS SHUT.
Elizabeth stares at it.
WILL
Let’s get out of here.
EXT. ISLA DE MUERTA – BEACH – NIGHT – LATER
Jack, Will and Norrington gather together on the beach.
Elizabeth calls out:
ELIZABETH
You’re all right!
The three men turn as one. An awkward moment-which of them
does she mean?
Elizabeth races across the sand, toward them-and straight to
Will. She throws her arms around his neck in a hug.
WILL
Miss Swann-are you wearing
trousers? And how did you get off
the island?
Elizabeth can’t believe that’s what he noticed. Indignant, she
steps away from him.
ELIZABETH
Yes, I am wearing trousers. And as
for how we got off the island-
ah, that’s a grand adventure, but
now is not the time to talk about
it.
She reaches a hand behind his neck, decisively kisses him.
ELIZABETH
There. And don’t you dare tell me
that wasn’t a proper kiss!
WILL
Elizabeth, I think it doesn’t
matter that we are of a different
class-
ELIZABETH
It doesn’t!
WILL
-but that was not a proper kiss.
Pure consternation on Elizabeth’s face-
WILL (CONT’D)
This is a proper kiss.
Will sweeps her in his arms, leans her back, and kisses her
long and well-
Jack puts a hand on Norrington’s shoulder.
JACK
Tough luck. I was rooting for you.
EXT. PORT ROYAL – FORT CHARLES – DAY
Close on: Will’s face, stoic, staring forward. He stands
straight and unmoving. Around him are members of the Royal
Navy, standing before for a group of witnesses from town.
It is the courtyard on top of Fort Charles. A trial is underway-with Will as the defendant.
NORRINGTON
… and though I do say so with
regret, the law is clear. The
penalty for piracy is death by
hanging.
In the crowd, Elizabeth squeezes the hand of her father, Swann.
She lets go as Swann stands.
SWANN
By your leave, I wish to speak on
behalf of the boy.
(a glance at Elizabeth)
It is clear that these deeds were
performed out of a sincere desire
to do good, at great personal risk.
It seems to me, that in rare
occasion where the right course is
committing an act of piracy, then
an act of piracy is the right
course!
(cheers of approval)
So in my capacity as Governor, I
intend to grant a pardon to-
GILLETTE
Sir!
All eyes turn. Gillette stands at the top of a stairway.
GILLETTE (CONT’D)
Jack and his crew have escaped!
(gasps from the crowd)
There was no damage to the cell …
they must have been set free.
Will and Elizabeth exchange looks. You? Not me, you? No, not me
either! Swann notices something on the parapet, points-
SWANN
The Black Pearl!
People rush to the parapet. Sure enough, below in the bay are
the distinctive black sails of the Pearl. The ship cuts through
the waters very close to the point–where the gallows of the pirates are. Suddenly Jack appears,
on the point; he swings off the one empty gallows, across and
down onto the ship’s rigging as it passes.
GILLETTE
Sir! Shall I break out the
cannons?
NORRINGTON
I don’t think that will be
necessary.
Norrington raises his hand … twirls a key on his finger.
NORRINGTON (CONT’D)
A day’s head start. That’s all he
gets.
Will, Elizabeth and Swann look out toward the ocean-
EXT. BLACK PEARL – STERN DECK – DAY
Jack monkeys down the rigging. AnaMaria is at the wheel.
ANAMARIA
Capatin Sparrow-the Black Pearl
is yours!
Jack runs a hand lovingly along the rail, then takes the wheel.
It feels good-right-in his hands. He enjoys it, and then
shifts to ‘Captain’ mode.
JACK
AnaMaria, trim the mainsail!
ANAMARIA
Aye, aye, sir!
JACK
Mr. Gibbs, organize a cleaning
detail-you and Cotton. I want
every inch of the Pearl spic-and-
span and ship-shape!
Gibbs actually stomps the deck, executes a salute.
Jack stands at the wheel: he’s got his ship back, and all is
right with the world. He begins to unconsciously hum: “Yo, ho,
yo, ho, a pirate’s life for me …”
He realizes what he’s doing and smiles, the orchestra takes
over as the Black Pearl sails for uncharted waters … and we
FADE UP large words in script:
THE END
FADE OUT and CREDITS ROLL
