Pirates (2022) Ending Explained – Final Scene & Meaning

Will inherits the role because killing Davy Jones automatically transfers the cursed captaincy to the killer. This is the rule that binds the Flying Dutchman, whoever defeats the current captain becomes the new captain, doomed to ferry souls to the afterlife for ten years. Will kills Jones to free him from his curse, but in doing so, he inadvertently traps himself in the same eternal duty.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, it's established that the Dutchman's captain must serve a ten-year sentence ferrying souls, setting up this exact fate for whoever defeats Jones.

• will turner
• flying dutchman
• davy jones
• captain
• curse

Will departs on the Flying Dutchman to serve his ten-year sentence ferrying souls to the afterlife. He leaves Elizabeth and their newborn child behind, setting off on a lonely voyage across the seas. The film ends with Will's forced separation from his family, fulfilling the curse's requirement.

Foreshadowing: The film's recurring theme of sacrifice for duty foreshadows Will's departure, as he's consistently shown putting obligations above personal desires.

• will turner
• ending
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• family

Will has no choice but to leave because the Dutchman's curse requires its captain to remain at sea for ten years without the ability to stay on land. The curse binds him to the ship, making it impossible for him to remain with his family. His departure is not a choice but a requirement of the cursed role he now inherits.

Foreshadowing: The film's earlier scenes establish that the Dutchman's captain cannot stay on land, making Will's departure inevitable once he accepts the role.

• elizabeth swann
• child
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• curse
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The Flying Dutchman operates under a specific magical rule: the captaincy transfers to whoever kills the current captain. This is not a reward but a curse that binds the killer to the same fate. Will's act of killing Jones to free him from his suffering inadvertently traps Will in the same eternal duty.

Foreshadowing: The movie establishes this rule earlier when discussing how Davy Jones originally became captain, making Will's fate predictable yet tragic.

• kill
• davy jones
• inherit
• captaincy
• curse transfer

The ending creates confusion because Davy Jones was shown able to visit land by standing in a bucket of water, a method that could have allowed Will to sneak onto dry land and avoid the full burden of the curse. However, the film doesn't explore this option or explain why it wouldn't work for Will. This inconsistency makes the ending feel more like a plot device designed to create a sad conclusion rather than a logically consistent resolution.

Foreshadowing: Davy Jones's ability to move between sea and land using water is demonstrated earlier, making the film's failure to address this option feel like a missed opportunity.

• plot hole
• water method
• avoid curse
• inconsistency

Yes, the sequels reveal that Will Turner is eventually freed from his duties as captain of the Flying Dutchman, allowing him to reunite with Elizabeth. However, the original film portrays their separation as a permanent sacrifice, making the later reunion feel like it undermines the emotional weight of the original ending.

• sequel
• reunion
• elizabeth
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Davy Jones demonstrates the ability to step onto land by standing in water, which appears to allow him to bypass the curse's restriction. This raises questions about why he couldn't simply use this method more freely or why Will couldn't do the same. The film never clarifies this inconsistency, leaving the rules around the curse unclear and somewhat contradictory.

Foreshadowing: Jones's water-based land visits are shown throughout the film, establishing a power that seems to contradict the curse's apparent limitations.

• davy jones
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• ability

The ending feels somewhat contrived because the film establishes earlier that Davy Jones could visit land using water, yet never explores whether Will could use the same method to avoid his fate. This oversight weakens the emotional impact of Will's departure, making it feel more like the story needed a somber ending rather than a logical consequence of the established rules.

• emotional impact
• contrived
• sacrifice
• plot device

Will spends ten years ferrying souls to the afterlife, serving as the captain of the Flying Dutchman. This is the same duty Davy Jones performed, guiding the dead across the seas to the world beyond. The role is both a curse and a responsibility, requiring Will to remain at sea while carrying out this grim task.

Foreshadowing: The film's depiction of Davy Jones's duties establishes what Will's role will entail during his sentence.

• ten years
• ferry souls
• duty
• afterlife

The film ends with Elizabeth and her child left waiting on land while Will departs. The original story portrays their long separation as a tragic consequence of the curse. Later sequels address this by showing their eventual reunion, though the original film's portrayal emphasizes the sorrow of their forced separation.

• elizabeth
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• faithful