The second thing coolest about the Pirates of the Caribbean movies was the main villain, the fish-faced Davy Jones. And we all know what the first coolest thing about it was. I don’t have to say it, but I will anyway, because it brings back the greatest of childhood memories. There is no Pirates of the Caribbean without Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Every fan knows that, but sadly, it looks like he will no longer be a part of it. That is very much a tragedy and I’m not sure I see the point in trying to continue it. But it looks like the franchise will go on, with Margot Robbie replacing Johnny Depp as the lead. Hey, that could work, but still, no Captain Jack Sparrow? That’s like trying to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the peanut butter. It just feels wrong. That’s probably because it is. But if we can’t get Captain Jack back, then I would settle for one of his biggest enemies, fellow Captain Davy Jones. If you ask me, he’s the main villain of the franchise. It would be Barbossa, but he turned into a hero and even died one in the last movie. And after Curse of the Black Pearl, we got Cutler Beckett, who was more of a smug little pest. The famous scene of him freezing up while his Armada was being destroyed will remain as one of the most memorable scenes in the franchise. It was satisfying and it was fun to watch, but he didn’t do much fighting. Davy Jones, on the other hand, fought just about everyone.
Now I must say, I do enjoy Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s End, probably more than most people do. I have to attribute a large portion of that to Davy Jones, who became the next big bad of the movies. He was terrifying, knew how to pop out of nowhere, and even had a sarcastic wit to him. He seemed like a gross mirror version of Jack Sparrow and his crew was just as bad. They made for the deadliest of antagonists, even more so than Beckett’s crew. The final battle in At World’s End put them against the regular pirates we got an epic battle of crossing blades in a big maelstrom. That is also where Davy Jones met his end. Out of all the villains, he did the most damage to the heroes. Not only did he duel just about every major character, but he actually killed Will Turner. But before Will did die, he did manage to kill the fish-faced villain by stabbing his heart. That was the end of Davy Jones and Will became the new captain of the Flying Dutchman. It was a somewhat tragic ending, since Will did live, but couldn’t settle down with his family. He was forced to be bound to the Flying Dutchman for ten years, but for his one day, he did manage to impregnate his wife Elizabeth.
For those who saw Dead Men Tell No Tales, Will’s curse was lifted and he finally settled down with his wife and son. But in an interesting post-credits scene, Will and Elizabeth had an unseen visitor come to them while they were sleeping. From the shape of the shadow of the mysterious figure, not to mention the puddle left on the floor, it’s obvious who that figure was. That scene heavily implied that Davy Jones was set to return. Since all the other villains didn’t work, it only makes sense that they bring back the best one. The thing is, I’m trying to decide if bringing him back is a good or bad idea. First of all, I have to remind everyone that the absence of Johnny Depp means almost everything. Pirates of the Caribbean will continue, but not having him involved seriously neuters the quality it could have. Okay, so the last two movies were undoubtedly the worst of the bunch and he was in them. However, I still don’t think another Pirates of the Caribbean movie will attract a crowd without Captain Jack. And if we don’t have Captain Jack, then how would bringing back one of his biggest enemies work? I think that would be the big challenge in bringing back Davy Jones without Jack Sparrow.
I think their rivalry worked because they both had that facetious attitude for just about every situation. Whenever Davy Jones said something, Jack Sparrow would retort with a witty remark. He would do that with just about everyone, but this enemy would either get angry or respond with a witty remark of his own. He’s probably the only guy to get the last laugh on Jack when he stabbed Will. You know you’re a devious son of a gun when you can get the best of Captain Jack Sparrow. Would that dynamic work just as well with another protagonist? I suppose it could, but I don’t think it would feel the same. Only Jack Sparrow can ruffle the feathers of his enemies like no one else can. He’s that rare protagonist who enjoys engaging in quippy back-and-fourths with his enemies. If these movies think they can replace him with a hero who can do the same, then I’ll believe it when I see it. The point is, I think Davy Jones works best when there’s a Jack Sparrow around.
The next Pirates of the Caribbean movie might be a soft reboot, so Davy Jones can return. If he does, then he’ll have to deliver the same kind of banter with Margot Robbie’s character. Yes, she’ll retort with facetious sarcasm, as expected. But let’s just call it right now, it won’t light a candle to the banter he had with Jack Sparrow. Personally, I would like to see Davy Jones make his return, but it has to feel right. If it’s just for the sake of bringing him back, then it will be a serious waste. What are your thoughts, Pirates of the Caribbean fans?Margot Robbie
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