Jack Sparrow

If ever there was a character who could compete with Legolas for sheer fangirl hordes, it would be the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. He is the main character in the Pirates of the Caribbean universe, and arguably the reason behind the trilogy's success.

Captain Jack Sparrow is played by Johnny Depp, who has the misfortune of having attracted some of the most unpleasant obsessive fans at the Pit. This is not a subjective opinion: the badness surrounding him is so severe, this is fact. The fanfic explosion in the Pirates of the Caribbean sections has not treated him kindly.

In Canon
Jack Sparrow is a main character, but not entirely a protagonist. He is a notorious, mischievous pirate who has a good heart, although he is a dangerous man. He is the pirate captain of the Black Pearl, and would have it no other way. He cares for his ship enough to go to extreme lengths to rescue her time and time again. You can read more about him here.

In the fourth movie, On Stranger Tides, Jack reveals one of his past love interests, but, in true Captain Jack fashion, he does not display one iota of sappiness. Although he fancied her, in the end, he maroons her on an island with a pistol loaded with a single shot.

In Fanfiction
Jack's character is extremely complex, and doesn't sit still. In fact, he is too complex for many Suethors to grasp: his plans are always improbably complicated (or maybe he just makes them up as he goes along?) and he is an ambiguous character down to the bone. Writing him well takes patience and understanding of dubious morality, things that not every writer has.

As a result, he is often pushed to one extreme or the other. Either he is a black-hearted villain, or a comic sop. Either he is cruel towards women, or he melts at the very sight of a skirt. Very commonly, poor Jack is possessed or ruptured by writers that simply want to use him to get a quick fix when his characterization almost demands a long-term commitment of irresponsible shenanigans and betrayals.

On the bad shipping front, he is often paired with a Mary Sue or steals Elizabeth Swann away from Will Turner. Slash may feature him with Will or even Commodore Norrington. While Jack Sparrow is canonically bisexual, there are many other factors than simple preference to bear in mind. Aside from Jack's possible syphilis (suggested by Johnny Depp in an interview), Jack goes through lovers like he goes through rum: he has several on Tortuga, at least one old flame, and he has tried to seduce Elizabeth on a few occasions for reasons blatantly other than twu wuv. In fact, he has shown more of a love for his ship, his rum, and the ocean than for any human being, to the point of stating blatantly in canon that his first and only love is the sea.

He wouldn't be a very healthy or constructive relationship partner, anyway.

Mary Sues, of course, ignore this. This is why at least a zillion of them are on him at Fanfiction.net at all times. And that's tame, compared to... other places.

If Jack Sparrow ever disregards the Black Pearl for a person's sake, or if he does not correct somebody when they forget to call him a captain, then he probably is OOC.

PPC Missions Featuring This Character
Listed in chronological order according to when they take place on the HQ Standard Timeline, as near as can be determined.


 * 2004
 * "'Piratates' of the Caribbean: When Stories Run Amok" (archival link), Agent Isaiah (DTE) with Rosie Cotton Bomull (DMO), January
 * "The Most Beautiful Women" (archival link), Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), February
 * "Imposter" (archival link), Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE) with Quen (DoP), April
 * "Shay Leigh Turner," Part 1, Part 2 (archival link), Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), June
 * "A Visit to OFUCI" (archival link), Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), August
 * "All About You" (archival link), Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), August
 * "I just met a 'Sue named Maria...", Agents Glass and Lena Montrose (DMS - PotC), c. October


 * 2006
 * "The Monkeys of Doom," Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE) with Quen (DoP) and trainee Tiranel, January
 * "'Twas Many and Many a Year Ago, in a Nondescript Random Town by the Sea," Agents Suicide and Ithalond (DMS), c. February
 * "Mara-thon," Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), July
 * "Skylar James," Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), August


 * 2008
 * "Caribbean Ding-Dong," Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), July


 * 2009
 * "Love in a Storm," Part 1, Part 2 (alternate link), Agents Marcus Langston (DF) and Luke Celinus (DMS - Freelance), April 1


 * 2010
 * "Unpaid in Full," Agents Isaiah and Mara (DTE), March 31
 * "Of Pirates and Annoyed Partners," Agents Ian Nahinu and Lee Keaton (DMS-Freelance), June