A Case for Jack Sparrow, Esq. and Capt.
I don't quite know what it is that is forcing me to write this (boredom? inspiration? desperation?), all I know is that its threatening to overwhelm me if it doesn't burst out now.
( Cut here for a meta-like continuation of the cryptic rambling )
( Cut here for a meta-like continuation of the cryptic rambling )
He knows a story. Jack is, in my mind, a story-teller. He recognizes the elements of a legend, and enacts them.
Bang on, there. It was either the Depp/Verbinski commentary or the writers' commentary on the scene in the jail cell with Will in CotBP where it was said something along the lines of, "Jack is aware of the notion of story-telling. Mocking the story that Will is in." And, also, again, at the end of CotBP when his parting shot to Elizabeth is, "It would never have worked between us." As, again, pointed out in one of the commentaries, he's got an audience, he's adding to his own myth. Jack is very, very aware of the power and thread of story. He makes a good story-teller, almost better than Gibbs, even, because I think you would sometimes not be able to separate Jack's fiction from Jack's truth.
Of all the sub-fandoms within PotC fandom, I like to think that the Sparrington community of fanwriters got him the best.
Me too, but we're a tad biased, eh?
Jack Sparrow is not a materialist.
Definitely agree with you here. I mean, yes, the man likes pretty (have you seen his commodore hair?), but he's not after things for the sake of things. He likes stuff (who doesn't?) but when you hear him expound upon his love for the Pearl...he doesn't love her because she's pretty colors or because she can go fast or because she's got lots of cannons (which I don't think she does, even). He loves her because she's his means to freedom, which says a lot. For all his looting and pirating, the essential thing to him is his freedom, which goes a lot towards a non-materialistic Jack.
In DMC, but most especially AWE, we see him competing, pettily so, with Barbossa.
I think that's mostly a bit of old habit between them probably. Like silly contents and things you do to annoy your friends. I totally loooooove Barbossa&Jack dynamic on screen, and I especially love this part of it. I think this competitiveness isn't necessarily petty or out-of-character as far as Jack's intelligence. I think it's just kind of intrinsic to the relationship with Barbossa, a bit of rivalry and one-upman-ship. After all, this is man who stole his ship, his love, his means to freedom. Jack certainly wouldn't resist a poke in the ribs, and I don't think Hector would resist a poke back.
Would such a serpent have given in to contest with his enemy? I think not.
See...I can't quite bring myself to see Jack and Barbossa as out-and-out enemies. At least not by At Worlds End. At the end of CotBP, yeah, I can kinda see it. But the look on Jack's face when he shoots Barbossa seems to have just a touch of, "This ended regretably. We could have been mates." You know? I don't think he would have taken Barbossa on in the beginning if they hadn't at least been somewhat chummy (and I don't mean chum as in shark food). It seems almost to me like their relationship has always had a bit of rivalry and eventually it got out of hand and they got old and stubborn and bitter, even, over it. AWE just makes it really hard for me to see them as serious serious enemies.
And so does Jamie
As does mine! *cheers you*
James: *tackles Jack to ground*
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I think that's mostly a bit of old habit between them probably.
Ennhhh... perhaps so. What really irritated me wasn't so much the very act of the contest (although upon rereading my own words, it does come across as that) but the way it was portrayed. *slaps self* Hate that word. Grr. Anywho, yes, it was how it was shown. I mean, come on, a bigger frikkin TELESCOPE??? That collapsed!! It was just too... to... I dunno. To something. If they'd had Jack doing so with a sort of self-deprecating air, or some actual verbal mockery between the two (which is what I think of when I think 'contest between rivals'), than I could have stood it. But not how they had it. *shudder* I'm gonna let this sit, anyway, and then go back and edit it in a while.
can't quite bring myself to see Jack and Barbossa as out-and-out enemies.
Perhaps 'enemy' is a bit to strong of a word. I was speaking in a bit of metaphor there, and not paying to much attention to how I gave my view on the actual Jack/Barbossa relationship. Perhaps I should have. In fact, I really should have. But you know how the writing gets you in its grip and all...
What I'm trying to say is that you had a very good point. I suppose the big reason 'why' I used 'enemy' for Barbossa is because in my own personal canon, in my head in other words, I only go by CotBP. AWE exists in horror stories only. *grimace* AWE makes it hard for me to see anything resembling an honest, serious dramatic storyline even in sub-plot. *scowls*
But how you said it there "has always had a bit of rivalry and eventually it got out of hand and they got old and stubborn and bitter, even, over it" was excellently put. I don't see them as out-and-out hunt each other down and kill them kind of enemies that start wars. But Barbossa took Jack's ship. :p to Barbossa. I should have used the word rivals there.
*g* Sparrington!!! It makes me happy.
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I mean, come on, a bigger frikkin TELESCOPE???
Eh. I liked the telescope gag. But, on the whole, there was just a whooole lot of gratuitious penis jokes in AWE. And a lot of sex humor in general. I mean, watching it, it's just like, "...And people take their kids to see this?!?!" But the gag with Barbossa and the cannonballs...that was priceless.
But you know how the writing gets you in its grip and all...
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMG YES!
But Barbossa took Jack's ship. :p to Barbossa.
Exactly! I am just such a big fan of the Barbossa&Jack dynamic...yeah, I have problems seeing them as who seriously hate each other. This might largely be because of the way they relate to each other in AWE...and maybe my *heart* for all of that dynamic in AWE is kind of going back and re-writing my interpretation of CotBP, come to think of it. But, yeah. Me *hearts* Teh Barbossa&Jack.
Sparrington!!! It makes me happy.
:D Doesn't it for everyone?
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But see, it's that kind of humour I can't stand. All the really popular comedies and that, I don't like because I don't appreciate the stupid gags. In my mind they are childish and immature and only funny if executed very skillfully, or self-deprecatingly, or by a little kid. And I don't even know what cannonball gag you're talking about. *g* I just can't stand that sort of humour. It has no place in anything meant to be dramatic in the least bit. If it was a clever gag, now that's another story.
That's the big difference between you and me, I think. I despise AWE, ignore it, only saw it once, and don't give it a second thought. Which means I also only think of Barbossa as dead. If I do take anything with me from AWE, it's the . . . I can't think of anything. But because of what they did to Jack's character (for me) and Norrington and Elizabeth, I don't even look at the other characters (except to admit that that sort of storyline only really fit the characters of Will and Barbossa). I can't bring myself to appreciate much of anything from that film. Which means it doesn't re-write any sort of perception. If I did look at it, it would only to look at Barbossa's charcter, but I doubt I'll be needing him anytime soon.
Almost... almost...
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The cannonball gag was during the Meeting of the Brethren when Barbossa was up on the table, shooting in the air, and he was holding a chained pair of cannonballs between his legs and...yeah. There's also a rather funny shot of Johnny Depp shooting him this odd look. It's...yeah. I don't often go for that sort of thing either, but the cannonball deal was rather...subtle. And hilarious.
Yeah...AWE for me...I like it a LOT for bringing back Barbossa (and Angus and Giles!!! :DDD), but I HATE IT SO MUCH for wreaking havoc through everything and killing, oh let's see, Norrington, Will, Gov. Swann, etc. So...after DMC, I was like, "Uhhhhh...I don't accept this. It doesn't fit in my brain." Seeing AWE helped reconcile me with DMC and as far as reconciliation with AWE...well, I don't know when that will happen.
But, yeah, conclusion? Barbossa is HEART. XD
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See, I haven't even really reconciled with DMC, and since Barbossa doesn't affect me any (although he IS teh Awesome) I don't even bother. My Navy Boyz and Pirate are quite happy all AU, and that's the important thing. ^^ Happy muses are good.
You know, I just really realized that I don't use Barbossa. I'll read the odd Barbossabeth or Sparrossa fic but... yeah. Beyond my main muses (aforementioned) I use Ana, Gibbs, Will/Elizabeth, Singh. . . and that's about it.
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