The Pirates of the Caribbean series boasts five movies' worth of heroes, anti-heroes, villains, and plenty of gray-area figures in between. It's famous for characters changing sides like the tides. But some have stood out more than others.
There were certain characters the fans wanted to see more of — and still might, if the reboot sees the light of day — and others they could have lived without. Take a look back through all five movies at the best and worst villains to take on Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew and live to tell the tale. Or not.
10 WORST: Ian Mercer
"Who?" you might be asking. Mercer is the one-note mercenary on a raging bender against pirates. Mostly, he suffers by dint of working for Lord Cutler Beckett (we'll deal with him later). Mercer does all the dirty work; as Beckett's assistant, he carries out some seriously gruesome deeds. But, he's not memorable.
In a sea of villains, he sinks. Mercer murders Governor Weatherby Swann, captures the Black Pearl, and eventually assumes control of The Flying Dutchman. Yet somehow, he doesn't leave much of a lasting impression. The series is better off without Mercer and the rest of the East India Trading Company.
9 BEST: Pintel & Ragetti
These pirates are a package deal. Together, they make for one of the best villainous pairs. The lovable oafs became such fan favorites that they outlasted the rest of the Black Pearl crew and landed roles in the second and third movies, too.
Pintel and Ragetti might be comedic relief, but they were pretty dangerous while operating as members of Barbossa's fearsome crew. The tag-team duo didn't stay villains beyond the first installment, but that's only a testament to how great they were.
8 WORST: Calypso
While Tia Dalma enters as an ally to Captain Jack and company, she exits as one of the worst villains. Calypso, as she turns out to be, is a merciless sea goddess scorned by her old flame Davy Jones. Not that the third movie wasn't already cluttered, but things take a turn for the strange when Calypso must be freed from her human bonds.
She breaks out of enlarged writhing ropes and transforms into a giant. It's here she becomes a true villain: She creates a maelstrom to even out the playing field between both sides at war, wreaking more damage than anyone else in the movie. Arguably, it would have been better to leave her as Tia Dalma and not introduce a third-act antagonist at all.
7 BEST: James Norrington
James Norrington first appears as a British captain — soon turned commodore — and a foe to the pirates. While he wouldn't be villainous in the real world, he's a great foil to the anti-hero in Captain Jack: All duty, dignity, and diligence.
For the most part, Norrington always remains on the opposing side, making audiences root against him when he seeks to marry Elizabeth Swann, capture Jack Sparrow, and most of all, when he betrays the protagonists and joins Cutler Beckett in the fight against pirates. But viewers can't help but love him, especially for the way he goes out: As a hero giving his life for Elizabeth.
6 WORST: Angelica
Admittedly, the fourth Pirates wasn't the strongest outing when it came to the plot and, especially, the villains. Angelica, played by Penelope Cruz, becomes the is-she-or-isn't-she daughter of Blackbeard and love interest to Jack. While a true paramour for Jack could've been an interesting concept, she instead plays into tired tropes of female characters.
Angelica first meets Jack as a young and innocent woman and, after a fleeting romance, he disappears until the plot of the movie necessitates a reunion. (Yes, this is the same story as Marion Ravenwood and Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and no, it didn't work there either.) With a phenomenal actress and new twists on board, the team could've developed a stronger villain in Angelica beyond such stereotypes.
5 BEST: Armando Salazar
In the opening moments of Dead Men Tell No Tales, Henry Turner's ship goes up in flames and descends into chaos as sparks literally fly and an undead crew takes out everyone aboard. Then, to the tune of electric cello strings, Captain Armando Salazar staggers aboard. With that, Salazar lays claim to the best entrance in the franchise.
Javier Bardem reinvigorated the latest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean with his unparalleled gravitas and ingenious physicality. Not to mention, the shipwrecked effects of Salazar and his men were pretty cool. Like the villains before him, Salazar has beef with Jack Sparrow, but the fifth movie elevates their conflict by fleshing out their joint backstory through a flashback that also happens to be one of the movie's strongest scenes.
4 WORST: Edward Teach
Despite being billed as the fearsome Blackbeard and played by the excellent Ian McShane, Captain Edward Teach was the most underwhelming villain in the series. Teach is clearly a carbon copy of the better Barbossa, right down to his entrance: Swigging rum on a magical ship in the midst of a stranger stirring trouble aboard.
But moving ropes around pales in comparison to the skeletal night circus that ensues in the first movie. In the increasingly supernatural franchise, Blackbeard — by all accounts, a normal guy — ends up dull. A villain is also only as good as his crew; the zombified grunts don't really stand up to the pirates of movies past.
3 BEST: Hector Barbossa
Played to aplomb by Geoffrey Rush, Barbossa is the scene-stealing pirate perpetually crossing swords with Jack Sparrow. With his ghost stories, skeletal crew, cursed backstory, and trademark hats — really big ones — Barbossa is a formidable match for Jack and eventually becomes the best pirate of all, ruling the seas in the fifth flick.
Only the best villains live long enough to see themselves become the fan-favorite. He's the only villain to appear in all five movies, all because his first foray was instantly iconic. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you sign up to star in one movie and walk away with the franchise.
2 WORST: Cutler Beckett
Lord Cutler Beckett does everything he can to rid the sea of pirates, but he's the real scourge of the series. Wily and manipulating, audiences remember him by his calm demeanor and that smug look he has on his face the entire time. From his intro to his final scene, the movies try overly hard to make him seem cool.
Pirates of the Caribbean is known for thrilling supernatural elements, so that makes it difficult to believe that a guy like Beckett can bring an ocean of baddies to their knees. Somehow, we're meant to believe he stays one step ahead of every pirate left standing. He's responsible for the weakest plot in the movie and, therefore, earns the top spot as the worst villain in Pirates of the Caribbean.
1 BEST: Davy Jones
Davy Jones has it all: A killer entrance, great theme music by Hans Zimmer, and a totally unique look. As far as sidekicks go, the Kraken is pretty epic, too. But he isn't simply boiled down to impressive effects; he becomes the heart of the story (quite literally), elevated by a memorable performance from Bill Nighy and a poignantly tragic backstory.
He's such a great villain, in fact, the reboot will reportedly focus on him. He made a surprise reappearance at the end of Dead Men Tell No Tales, haunting the dreams of Will Turner. Or was he? With a flash of his famous claw on the screen, it seems that Davy Jones will extend his reign as the best Pirates of the Caribbean villain in a new movie.
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