The Black Pearl, a Legendary Ship
If there was a ship faster then most could think this was it. This ship has no ties to real life.
Origin[]
Known as the Wicked Wench, It was in fact a East India Trading Company vessel and owned by Cutler Beckett, The EITC Director for West Africa at the time. Jack Sparrow who was a privateer in its employ at the time was given the Wench to use. He captained the Wicked Wench for Cutler Beckett for about a year, hauling various cargos, but he refused to haul slaves. Hoping to recruit Sparrow as one of his many "operatives", Beckett indulged what he regarded as an odd peccadillo of Sparrow's until he and the captain came to a parting of the ways. Beckett had dispatched Sparrow on a mission to find the lost island of Kerma, and the treasure at the heart of its underground labyrinth, but Sparrow double-crossed the EITC official and claimed he couldn't locate the island. Suspicious that Sparrow had indeed found the island, and probably the treasure, but had not given him its accurate location, Beckett, determined to browbeat the captain into obedience, demanded that the young captain transport a cargo of slaves to the New World. Initially Sparrow agreed, but when he realized that he was betraying the Wicked Wench, as well as himself, he rebelled and freed the slaves by taking them to Kerma for safe asylum. Furious that Sparrow had flouted his orders and stolen the "cargo" of "black gold", Cutler Beckett had Sparrow thrown into jail. After allowing him to languish for a couple of months, he had him transported to the Wicked Wench's anchorage, about a mile from the coast of West Africa, near Calabar on the Bight of Benin. After personally branding Sparrow with the "P" brand, Forever branding him a Pirate. Cutler Beckett gave the order to loose carcass charges at his own ship, the Wicked Wench, in order to totally demoralize his prisoner.Sparrow fought his way free from his guards, dove overboard and attempted to rescue his burning, foundering ship, but he was too late. The Wicked Wenchturned into an inferno, then sank, taking Jack with her. But, while dying, the resourceful Sparrow called upon Davy Jones, and struck a bargain with him...his soul and one hundred years serving aboard the Flying Dutchman in return for a continued human existence of thirteen years as captain, plus saving the Wicked Wench and transforming her into the fastest, most dangerous pirate ship sailing the seven seas. Jack christened his resurrected Wench, now a black vessel with an angel figurehead, The Black Pearl.Two years after, the Black Pearl was heading to the mysterious Isla De Muerta where the legendary Chest of Cortes was hidden. Captain and crew agreed to equal shares of the treasure, but First Mate , Hector Barbossa persuaded Jack that equal shares included knowing the treasure's location. Jack complied, and soon after Barbossa led a mutiny and marooned Jack on an island.The crew found the Aztec gold, which was spent very quickly, not believing in the curse placed on it: that anyone who stole the coins would become an undead being, unable to feel anything but unsoothable hunger, and that only moonlight would reveal their true form. This curse being real, the pirates were soon hideous living skeletons with tattered flesh and clothing clinging to their bones. Even the Black Pearl was affected by the curse upon its crew, becoming constantly shrouded in an eerie mist, with moonlight revealing tattered sails.
Curse of the Black Pearl []
The Curse could only be lifteing by returning all 882 coins to that cursed chest and trace of blood from each pirate who stole one, Over the next Decade the Pearl under control of the ruthless Barbossa menaced the Caribbean and even becoming a ghost ship story to many. Until the one who had the last coin was sailing into the Caribbean and his ship was attacked but he managed to escape, young William Turner Jr. At the moment the Royal Navy flagship the HMS Dauntless was sailing and picked up the boy heading to Port Royal. The Pearl eventually came to the port and went after the coin ravgaing everything. The coin had been found in possesion of the Governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann, tricking them into saying her name was Turner the crew took her to Isla De Muerta. Will and the old captain Jack Sparrow , still looking to claim his beloved ship and kill the man who took it from him went along to resuce Elizabeth. After the curse had been lifted The Pearl was taken back by Jack who had fixed up her tattered sails.
Now Pursued by the Royal Navy after escaping the gallows in Port Royal, James Norrington's Dauntless was caught in a hurricane off of Tripoli, in which his ship was sunk and the Pearl battered.
Dead Man's Chest[]
The 13 years were up and it was time for Jack to fufil his debt to The Lord of the Seas Davy Jones. But trying to get out of his bargain and now chased by Jones's pet The monsterous Kraken , he stayed as close to land as possible and fell aground Isla De Pelegostos. After escaping and now with William Turner with his crew. Learning of a way to control Jones using his severed heart from mystic Tia Dalma, the Pearl sailed to find Jones's ship the mythical Flying Dutchman,taking poor Will aboard to find the key and also inadvertently reuinting with his father Bootstrap Bill. Jones gave Jack 3 days to get 99 souls in place of him. sailing to Tortuga they came across Elizabth Swann and a disgraced James Norrington, Also learning that Cutler Beckett now a Lord of the EITC was searching for the heart was well, The Pearl sailed to Isla Cruces and got the heart or so they thought, During a battle with the Crew of the Dutchman Norrington took the heart and ran, After escaping the Dutchman itself appeared and began to fire upon the Pearl. using its a bility to sail with the wind the Pearl went out of range but Jones wasnt finished yet, he summoned the Kraken to do away with the ship and crew. Seeing how they could not kill the Beast , the crew abanonded but Elizabeth realizing The Kraken was only after Jack trapped him as the Monster dragged the ship down to Davy Jones Locker as the ramining crew watched on.
At World's End []
With The Pearl and Jack in the Locker and Beckett controling the Flying Dutchman, the EITC began exterminating Piracy and pirates, whether sending millions to hang at the gallows or the Dutchman to blow up ships at random, The time was called for the Brethern Court to be rallied. Jack being one of the 9 Pirate Lords was needed. The remaining Pearl crew along with a ressurected Barbossa sailed to The Locker to find the captain and ship. Sailing on endless seas Jack figured out the way to send them back as they all tipped the ship over at sunset and were teleported back. Arriving near Black Sand Island the Chinese Pirate Lord Sao Feng and his ship the Empress came upon them also brining the EITC flagship The Endeavour. Having struck a deal with Beckett but being betrayed Sao Feng helped the crew escape and sail to Shipwreck Cove, the meeting place of the Brethern. After the meeting was done the EITC armada led by the Endeavor and Dutchman arrived. Reelasing the goddess of the sea Calypso a furious storm brew as the Pearl and Dutchman sailed toward eachother, In middle of the sea lighting struck and created a huge whirlpool called the Malestrom. The ships battled in the swirling vortex of water and eventually Jones was defeated and The Dutchman fell into the abyss. The Endeavour now coming upon them , a twist of fate as the Dutchman breached gone were its monsterous affects and look captained by Will Turner, The Two Legendary ships sailed alongside each other towards the East India Company Fleet and destroy The Endeavour, killing Beckett, and forcing the massive armada to flee, as they no longer have somebody to lead them.
After sailing to Tortuga, Barbossa took the Pearl once again leaving Jack as a captain without a ship. At some point off of Hispanolia the Pearl was attacked by the infamous Queen Anne's Revenge captained by ruthless Blackbeard. Using his Voodoo he captured the Pearl and shrunk it into a bottle with Barbossa escaping having lost a leg and vowing revenge. Later on as Jack Sparrow had been taken abord the Revenge he discovered his beloved ship and was promised if he leads them to the Fountain of Youth he can have it back. After Blackbeard was killed by Privateer Barbossa, The Revenge was claimed by him. But luck would have it, The first mate Joshamee Gibbs had made off with the bottled Pearl and a assortment of bottled ships, Jack once again had his beloved Pearl back and set off to find a way to get her out. Further fate is unknown.
Things to Know[]
- Was known to be fastest ship to sail, The Flying Dutchman could supernaturally sail against the wind, and the Queen Anne's Revenge could be influenced by the Sword of Triton.
- With its unique coloring (from the burning of it) the ship could sail in the cover of night and pitch blackness.
- It carries 32 tweleve pound cannons , 18 on the gun deck , 14 on upper deck.
- Under control of Barbossa he implented a system of oars that could be used to make the ship go even faster.
- Unlike most ships there are no chase or stern guns giving it a grave tactical disadvantage during a chase; the Pearl isn’t able to shoot the ship it chases or to reply to her hunter’s fire. Her high speed only partially negates this handicap
- Like Jack Sparrow himself, the Black Pearl seems to be exceptionally difficult to destroy, having been sunk on two separate occasions, only to appear again somewhere else. She flies a jib, forestaysail, foresail, foretopsail, foretopgallant sail, mainsail, topsail, topgallant sail, mizzen lateen sail, mizzen topsail, main staysail, topmast staysail, topgallant staysail. It's unknown if she has studdingsails.
Gallery []
