James Norrington
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| Name: | James Norrington |
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| Job: | Admiral in the East India Trading Company, formerly deckhand on the Black Pearl and Commodore in the Royal Navy |
| Portrayed by: | Jack Davenport |
| Ships used: | The Dauntless, The Interceptor, The Black Pearl |
| Weapons: | Cutlass, Pistol |
James Norrington is a fictional character in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy. He is played by English actor Jack Davenport.
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[edit] Fictional Biography
[edit] Early Life
Little is known about Norrington's early life other than he joined the Royal Navy. He is first seen as a Lieutenant aboard HMS Dauntless when it transports new Governor Weatherby Swann and his young daughter Elizabeth to Port Royal in the Caribbean. During the voyage, he expresses his views about pirates to Elizabeth, saying that they all deserve a "short drop and a sudden stop."
[edit] Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, James Norrington is introduced as a Lieutenant on HMS Dauntless as it makes a crossing from England to deliver the new governor to Port Royal. Over the next eight years, he becomes an established figure in Port Royal and rises to the rank of Captain. At the start of the movie proper, he is to be promoted to Commodore and according to Norrington, the only thing lacking in his life is marriage. He proposes to Governor Swann's beautiful daughter, Elizabeth Swann at his promotion ceremony, but he is interrupted when she faints and falls off the rampart wall into the bay. He truly loves Elizabeth, but she harbors deep feelings for Will Turner, a handsome and charming young blacksmith's apprentice. Norrington opposes her attachment to Turner (creating a rivalry between the two), but he later helps them and Captain Jack Sparrow in their fight against Captain Barbossa and his evil pirates. In the end, he graciously accepts Elizabeth's decision to be with Will.
Norrington's personality initially seems rigid, even slightly snobbish, escpecially regarding Jack Sparrow whom he constantly calls "the worst pirate I have ever heard of." Jack: "Though you have heard of me." Later, when Norrington's own lieutenant said "That has got to be the best pirate I have ever seen.", Norrington (obviously annoyed) admits "So it would seem." However, it becomes apparent that he is a kind and compassionate man who eventually comes to discern between what is lawful and what is right. When Will halts Jack Sparrow's execution, Norrington is hesitant to resume, believing it is unjust. However, he unwittingly provides the wily pirate an escape avenue when Sparrow falls off the rampart and is rescued by his crew. Fully intending to give chase, Norrington allows Sparrow one day's head start.
It is important to note that Norrington is the one character who is not driven solely by his own goals or needs. This is best demonstrated when he tells Jack Sparrow that he is able to forfeit the fame and prestige to be gained by capturing the Black Pearl, "By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself." Norrington is known and feared by pirates for his leadership skills, brilliant strategic mind, and swordsmanship abilities, (According to the DVD commentary by the scriptwriters, Norrington's skill with a sword is equalled only by Barbossa and surpassed by Will Turner).
In several deleted scenes on the DVD (specifically "Accepting the Proposal" and "Happy Endings"), Norrington's character is further developed as a kind and decent man who loves Elizabeth so much that he is prepared to abandon any hope of having her to ensure her happiness with another.
[edit] Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Lord Cutler Beckett has issued an arrest warrant for Norrington's part in Jack Sparrow's escape, but he has disappeared. While unsuccessfully pursuing Sparrow, his ship fell victim to a violent hurricane. Disgraced, he resigned his commission soon after. He resurfaces in Tortuga when he applies for a position on the Black Pearl, although he also attempts to shoot Jack. Upon his reappearance, he has descended into a ragged, drunken, bitter man, who schemes to regain his honor and seek vengeance against Jack Sparrow and (later) Will Turner, whom he blames for ruining his life. It is a stark contrast from the selfless man of honor in the first film to the one who has degraded into an individual he so previously despised. He also suspects that Elizabeth now prefers Jack over Will.
On Isla Cruces, the island where the Dead Man's Chest is buried, Norrington becomes entangled in a three-way battle with Will Turner and Jack Sparrow in a bid to capture Davy Jones' heart. Norrington plots to regain his career by taking the heart to Lord Cutler Beckett, who wants it to control the seas. Jack obtains the heart, but when they're attacked by Davy Jones' crewmen, Norrington steals it. Stuffing it into his coat, he grabs the now-empty chest, and deviously feigning he's sacrificing himself in a ploy to divert Davy Jones' crewmen away from the others, flees. Jack believes the heart is still hidden in the longboat, but in fact, Norrington has actually absconded with the heart and the Letter of Marque that grants the bearer clemency.
Norrington relinquishes the now-empty chest to Davy Jones's crew who, believing they have retrieved the heart, let him escape. He reappears in Port Royal, having been found adrift by an East India Trading Company ship. To win back his honor and career, he presents himself and the Letter of Marque to Lord Cutler Beckett. Beckett says that if he expects the Letter to be certified, he must have something to bargain with. Norrington tosses a small pulsating bag onto Beckett's desk and declares it, "The heart of Davy Jones".
[edit] Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
In the third film Norrington is promoted to Admiral and is in alligience with Captain Davy Jones and Cutler Beckett, at the end of the second film Norrington is seen stealing Davy Jones heart and handing it over to Cutler Beckett most likely to buy his freedom and the title of Admiral Norrington, Norrington is shown wearing a heavily gold-trimmed Admiral uniform, examining his old sword from his days as Commodore. It is foretold that Bootstrap shoots and kills Norrington.
[edit] Merchandise
[edit] Action Figure
NECA is making James into an Action Figure in Series 3 of the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Series. He is in the stance of when he is about to shoot Captain Jack Sparrow and includes a pistol, a hat, as well as a sword.
[edit] Playset
Playsets for At World's End depicting the Singapore Escape scene show Admiral Norrington fighting Sao Feng and stealing the map to Davy Jones' locker. The description says that during the opening sequence in Singapore, the East India Trading Company shows up, and a battle erupts on the docks with a lot of fireworks. The playset merchandise is due for release June 1st.
[edit] Trivia
- According to the audio commentary from the first Pirates of the Caribbean DVD featuring the scriptwriters, Norrington and Barbossa are equally skilled with a sword. They tie as second-best, after Will Turner.
- He and Bootstrap Bill Turner are the only secondary Pirates of the Caribbean characters to have a mention in Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts II; If the player inspects the cannons at the fort in Port Royal, the message says "To be used in case of pirate attack - Commodore Norrington."
