Dead Man's Chest (Pirates of the Caribbean)
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The Dead Man's Chest is a fictional object in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and its sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. It belongs to Davy Jones, captain of the Flying Dutchman.
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[edit] Physical description
[edit] The Chest
The Dead Man's Chest is about two feet long and one foot deep. It is made of a dark grey metal (probably iron, as it is resistant to much damage in the two films) with a rounded lid. The lock on the Chest is unique, being a heart when closed and a crab when opened - the symbol of Calypso, Davy Jones' lover. The Chest is also covered in etchings of squid tentacles, a reference to Davy Jones' pet, the Kraken. Whenever the Chest is unlocked, tiny bars pop out of the lid, as if on springs.
The Heart of Davy Jones, inside the Chest, beats loudly. It seems to be covered in barnacles (reflecting his mutated state).
[edit] The Key
The Key to the Chest is unique; it is two connected keys, one of which is upside down, that fit into the lock. It is made of iron, and is carried by Davy Jones at all times, within his tentacled beard. A drawing of the Key was found by Jack Sparrow in a Turkish prison, which spurred his search for the Chest.
[edit] Fictional history
[edit] Before Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Davy Jones was asked by his lover the goddess Calypso, to perform a task for her: ferry the souls of all those lost at sea to the next life. He would live forever, and get to spend one day every ten years with her. Jones agreed.
However, the goddess didn't show up to meet him for his one day on land, and Jones was heartbroken and furious. He went to the Brethren Court and told them how to bind Calypso to a human form. He then cut out his heart and placed it within the Chest. Instead of ferrying souls to the next life, he had the souls join his crew on the Flying Dutchman. This caused him and all his crewmen to mutate into half-human, half-fish monstrosities. Jones buried the Chest on an unknown island in the Caribbean. If anyone possessed the Heart of Davy Jones, they could use it to control him and his crew (and thus have enormous power over the ocean).
[edit] Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Dead Man's Chest is sought after by several people in this film: Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Cutler Beckett, and James Norrington.
It is first mentioned by Tia Dalma, who revealed that it could be used to influence Jones to do the holder's bidding. Jack's plan is to use the Heart as a bargaining chip to free his soul from the payment he owed to Davy Jones. Will desires to free his father from Jones' curse, and Beckett wants to eradicate all pirates from the ocean. Norrington plans to deliver the Chest to Beckett and return to the Royal Navy as a reward.
Will steals the Key to the Chest from the the Flying Dutchman and stow aboard the ship to Isla Cruces, the island where the Chest was buried. A fight between Will, Jack, and Norrington breaks out, while Pintel and Ragetti steal the Chest. Jones' men attack, and the Chest is dropped in the middle of the island. Jack finds it, and, securing the Key from Will, opens the Chest and steals Davy Jones' Heart.
He hides the Heart in his jar of dirt; however, Norrington notices the dirt that was removed from the jar and steals the Heart from Jack. He then takes the empty Chest and draws away Jones' men, allowing Elizabeth, Jack, Will, Pintel and Ragetti to escape. He gives the Chest back to Jones' crew and leaves Isla Cruces and is picked up by the Endeavour.
The Heart is given to Cutler Beckett, who controls Davy Jones.
[edit] Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
The Chest is being held on Beckett's ship, the Endeavour, with the Heart safely inside. Beckett is using the Chest to blackmail Davy Jones into helping him purge piracy from the Seven Seas.
Forced into Beckett's service, Governor Swann is asking questions about the Heart, and discovers whoever stabs the Heart takes Jones' place as Captain. He is murdered on Beckett's orders, who realizes the Chest isn't safe on the Endeavour. The Chest is relocated onto the Flying Dutchman and is under watch by Admiral James Norrington. After Norrington is killed when Elizabeth Swann and the crew of the Empress escape, Jones and his crew attempt to regain the Chest; however, Mercer surrounds the Chest with his men, and it remains in the control of the East India Trading Company.
After a parley on a sandbar, Jack is traded onto the Flying Dutchman and is locked in the brig while the Dutchman and the Black Pearl fight in a maelstrom. He escapes, and steals the Chest from Murtog and Mullroy. He and Davy Jones get into a furious swordfight on the yardarm of the Dutchman over the Chest; Sparrow cuts off the tentacle from Jones' face that holds the Key. The Chest is dropped onto the deck of the ship, and Jones engages in swordfights with Elizabeth and Will. As Jones is about to kill Will, Jack opens the Chest, prepared to stab the Heart and take Jones' place as the immortal Captain of the Flying Dutchman. However, Jones' stabs Will in the heart, and Jack has to make a choice - his immortality or Will's life. While Jones fights Will's father, Jack uses Will's hand to stab the Heart, killing Jones and restoring Will to life. Will, as the new Captain, has his heart cut out and placed in the Chest. The Dutchman and the Black Pearl double team and sink the Endeavour, with Beckett on the ship.
After the battle, Will gives the Chest to Elizabeth, who will wait for him, and the next day she can see him - ten years later. When they meet again, Will meets his son, William Turner III, for the first time.
[edit] Links
For more information on the Dead Man's Chest:
- Captain Davy Jones
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- the Flying Dutchman
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