Meta

[djarum99]

Meta: On Captain Jack Sparrow and the Nature of Good and Evil
Author: djarum99
Disclaimer: not mine, no money coming in
A/N: Just some thoughts that have presented themselves in the course of writing in this fandom. This is where the characters as I see them come from; it is also the result of a very long work week, too little sleep, and Friday night

Comments

[ladyofthesilent]

Very interesting :)

A subjective term, to say the least, with some core elements that hold true. In the context of human experience, it often means doing the difficult thing, opting for our second or third choice, ignoring self interest and choosing love in its broadest sense, from the personal to the spiritual. I think this definition goes very well with PotC and the usage of the term "good" in popular media in general, take the Harry Potter series, for example, where "good" is defined as "what is right" opposed to "what is easy

[djarum99]

Ooh, I love to agree to disagree! Thanks so much for responding to this

[riveroceansea]

This is a great meta

[djarum99]

Yes, but it's a good kind of pain *g*. Taking your points in order

[bleumidget]

A thought on the Dauntless; I never interpreted Jack as planning on taking that ship in CotBP - he just had to give the impression that he was to draw the Intercepter out of dock and into waters where he could just steal her right from under the Navy's noses. He would have had no chance of comandeering her berthed in Port Royal; that would have definitley required more men than just he & Will to pull off. Remember that Murtogg and Mulroy had told him way back before he saved Elizabeth or ever had a run-in with Norrington and was jailed, that no ship could match the Interceptor for speed. In my mind he was after the Interceptor from that moment on; he needed a fast ship to catch up with Barbossa, and what he did to the Dauntless just gave him the opportunity to compound Norrington's embarrasment. How could Jack resist that?

[djarum99]

I know, you're definitely right about all of that. Just think that boarding the Dauntless under Murtogg and Mulroy's noses was part of that plan, and that he was starving for the feel of a ship, any ship, at that point. And yes, how could he resist? Best pirate I've ever seen...:)

[sirius4ever_1]

Your thoughts are as always very philosophical and I truly appreciate to read and discuss them

[djarum99]

Oh, I'm curious, too. I have faith in the skills of TnT, just hoping that whatever happens will feel true.

As far as the compass goes, that's a great point. TnT are very careful to point out that it points to "what you want most in the world" rather than "your heart's desire;" I'm spinning off the idea that in that moment rowing away from the Pearl, Jack wanted most to survive. If a man is dead, he can't achieve his heart's desire. But it certainly could be true that the compass pointed to Elizabeth, and Jack's choice was self-sacrifice for her. I guess, either way, he went back as a good man.

Thanks so much for reading and commenting, I love sharing ideas about all this :)