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Adventure-sailing? Treasure-hunting? Sword-fighting in the middle of a maelstrom? Yo, ho! Yo, ho! A pirate's life for me!

  • The townspeople at the beginning get one. When they join in the singing of "Hoist the Colors", they actually make the EITC marines back up apprehensively.
    • Especially poignant, since they were quietly walking to their deaths. But then the child starts to sing. And some others join in, slowly, until the entire line of condemned people do so as well. They were going to die, but they were going to die as pirates.
      • This becomes even better when you learn that "Hoist The Colours" is the call to arms for the Brethren Court. The pieces of eight resonate as the pirates sing, which is how the other Pirate Lords knew to meet up at Shipwreck Cove.
      • "Hoist The Colours" is used repeatedly throughout the movie, until after "What Shall We Die For", at which point, they use "He's A Pirate" again. But it's so well done because it's not until the Brethren Court have assembled to go to war with Beckett over piracy that it stops. It's a fantastic use of the tune throughout the film.
  • When Elizabeth is accosted by Sao Feng's pirates before they meet with him. It looks like they're going to do something evil, then Barbossa comes in. As the pirate turns to talk to Barbossa, Elizabeth grabs him around the neck and puts a knife to his throat.
  • The fight between the EITC and what looks like that whole town of Singapore, causing a city-wide battle that keeps the company busy enough for the main cast to escape unnoticed.
  • Cotton's parrot and Jack the Monkey during the battle in Singapore. The two work together, armed with nothing but an unstable rocket and a match, sending it hurtling across the docks towards a fireworks warehouse-and it's still a direct hit. The fireworks go up with a very big boom. Read that again - a bird and a monkey manage to obliterate boxes of fireworks... with nothing but rocket and their own wits. And only the Monkey is immortal.
    • And then later during the Battle of the Maelstrom, Pintel and Ragetti load Jack into a cannon and fire him at the Dutchman. Despite hurtling out of control and on fire he manages to hit Maccus dead center, and save Turner from being cut down, and continues to contribute to the battle until the end.
      • Just the perks of being an undead monkey, eh?
  • "Witty Jack is closer than you think". Cue Jack inverting his first MOA and standing on his ship as he sails it across land into the sea. The rest of the cast is stunned by this.
    Ragetti: "...Boat."
  • The flipping of the ship. Doubles as a Funny Moment.
  • And the same goes for Jack tipping the odds in the Brethren Court.
  • Jack running the Gambit Pile Up with a mixture of a Xanatos Gambit that evolves into Xanatos Speed Chess, neatly outfoxing everyone.
    • That being said, it's quite wonderful to see how both Will and Elizabeth, who were as far away from such a scheming world as possible in the first movie, are now effortlessly spinning wheels of their own and mostly able to keep up with the other players in the game is quite impressive. Jack may still ultimately outfox them, but the fact even he has to tweak his plans because of their own respectively ploys, which, to note, also sometimes clash with each other, speaks well of their own ability to keep up and handle their own.
  • Though it's mainly a Funny Moment, you gotta give Pintel some respect when he interrupts Jack and Barbossa's argument about the captaincy of the Pearl by shouting at them both to shut up and act like captains, doing what the audience would probably want to do to them at that point. All the two captains can do in response is silently stare at Pintel in complete shock. Even after he loses his nerve and apologies to them, they opt to awkwardly make their way to the back of the ship rather than lay into Pintel.
    Pintel: STOW IT! THE BOTH OF YOU! THAT'S AN ORDER! UNDERSTAND?!
  • Jack's escape from Beckett's ship, which is acknowledged In-Universe as Crazy Enough to Work.
    Beckett: [Sees Jack lashing a rope over spar and to the back of a cannon - which has his little figurine in its mouth] You're mad.
    Jack: Thank goodness for that, because if I wasn't, this would probably never work.
    • The one-liner immediately afterwards is a peach, too, delivered from Jack's nonchalant perch atop the Pearl's stern.
      Jack: And that was without even a single drop of rum!
    • And another one for Jack after that scene, even though he wasn't there:
      Beckett: Signal the Dutchman to track down Sao Feng. We follow the Pearl. How soon can we have the ship ready to pursue?
      Lieutenant Theodore Groves: [looks back towards a cracking sound, and watches as the large mast falls down; he looks on towards the Black Pearl, in bemused admiration] Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?
  • A deleted scene expanded upon Beckett and Jack's past. While it's debatable whether it's canon or not, it's still pretty awesome.
    Beckett: ...I contracted you to deliver cargo on my behalf. You chose to liberate it.
    Jack: People aren't cargo, mate.note 
    • This moment goes a long way on clarifying Jack's character; he may be morally ambiguous, but slavery is a bridge too far. He stopped trying to search for the Heart of Davy Jones while Beckett wasn’t looking to look at his “P” branding, then said the line with a disgusted sneer and an annoyed tone.
  • Elizabeth masquerading as Calypso to Sao Feng. Not only has Barbossa, an old enemy, wagered his entire plan on Elizabeth's ability to both figure out what she needs to do and to do it convincingly, she delivers some of the sexiest, most beautiful lines worthy of any goddess. Tia Dalma would be honored.
  • Elizabeth has an offscreen one as captain of Sao Feng's ship. She chooses to stay with her crew in Davy Jones' brig despite Norrington's offer to use his cabin. When Norrington comes to free them, you realize that Sao Feng's crew look to her and follow her unspoken orders. In a matter of hours, in a brig on an invincible ghost ship with a crew that has betrayed her friends, including Sao Feng's right-hand man Tai Huang who initially angrily said she was not his captain, Elizabeth gains their trust and loyalty. Girl didn't becomes the Pirate King for no reason.
  • James Norrington gets fatally wounded while ensuring Elizabeth's escape from the Dutchman and Jones offers him a place in his crew of monsters as a chance to avoid dying. James' response? He stabs Jones—the most feared Humanoid Abomination in the seas—with his last breath as a way of saying "Screw you." Talk about an epic way to die.
    Davy Jones: James Norrington… Do you fear death? [stab] (amused chuckle) ...I'll take that as a "no".
  • Any time shit breaks loose and Davy Jones sees his chance to take back full control of the Dutchman you can bet your undead Monkey he takes that chance. He finally gets it back after giving Mercer a cruel and unusual, if not also gross-looking, death.
  • Will as an unflappable Deadpan Snarker when he next meets Davy Jones.
    • He quickly figures out that Davy Jones and Calypso were once lovers and Jones betrayed her by telling the first Brethren Court how to bind her in human form. Jones claims that she betrayed him first pretending to love him and not showing up during his one day on land. Will responds by asking, "And after which betrayal did you cut out your heart I wonder?
    • And what does he do when Jones angrily knocks the teacup out of Will's hands and threatens him to not push his buttons? Never flinch and calmly reply "I hadn't finished that".
  • Four words: Pirate King Elizabeth Swann. She is not only a pirate but highest authority pirates the world over recognize.
    • As well the method of her ascendancy, as part of Jack's Batman Gambit to come out alive and free.
      Gibbs: See, the Pirate King is elected by popular vote.
      Barbossa: And each pirate only ever votes for himself.
      Jack Sparrow: I call for a vote!
      All the captains vote themselves.
      Elizabeth: Elizabeth Swann.
      Barbossa: (resignedly) Barbossa.
      Jack Sparrow: Elizabeth Swann.
      Elizabeth: What?!
      Jack Sparrow: I know. Curious, isn't it?
  • The Brethren Court. Especially when Captain Teague walks in and everybody immediately shuts up out of respect mixed with fear. Even Barbossa.
    Captain Jack Sparrow: Am I to understand you lot will not be keeping to the Code then? (An audible twang gets the other pirate lords to shut up immediately.)
  • An amazing Crowning Line of Awesome: "It's not just about living forever, Jackie. The trick is, living with yourself... forever."
  • Elizabeth's epic "What Shall We Die For" speech. "Gentlemen... hoist the colors."
    Barbossa: Revenge won't bring your father back Miss Swann. And it's not somethin' I'm intendin' to die for.
    Elizabeth: (long beat) You're right. (walks away, then turns back) Then what shall we die for?
    Elizabeth: (to the crew) You will listen to me. LISTEN! The Brethren will still be looking here, to us. To the Black Pearl, to lead. And what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship- no. No, they will see free men! And FREEDOM! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons. They will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows. And the strength of our backs. And the courage of our hearts! Gentlemen... hoist the colors.
    Will: (nods) Hoist the colors.
    Ragetti: Hoist the colors?
    Pintel: Hoist the colors!
    Gibbs: Aye. The wind's on our side boys! That's all we need!
    All: (celebrating) Raaaargh!
    Elizabeth: (to all the ships) HOIST THE COLORS!
  • No love for Tia Dalma, the sea goddess herself? In her first and only real appearance as Calypso, she grows to about 100 feet, delivers what can only be assumed as the loudest and deepest "Screw You" any woman has ever uttered, turns into thousands of crabs and escapes into the sea. She then summons a maelstrom and a thunderstorm just to piss off everyone.
    • According to the PotC Wiki, she says "To your graves, wrongdoers! I bend your paths to the bottom of the sea!"
    • Ragetti releasing Calypso from her human bonds is an awe-inspiring moment.
    • Just before, Will gets a brilliant moment where you can really see what he's learned from Jack. Calypso is primed to take vengeance on the pirate lords for locking her up in the first place, but just as she's being freed, Will tips the balance by revealing one crucial fact: it was Davy Jones who told them how to do it in the first place.
      • Cue her also taking her revenge against Davy Jones by immediately summoning a giant maelstrom, into which the Flying Dutchman and Black Pearl descended to do battle. Jones, once he sees Calypso has been released and pauses to feel her storm's rain, roars in anger because she isn't at his side curbing the battle in his favor like they initially planned. She really did bend their paths to the bottom of the sea!
  • The battle at the end, where pirates battle against Davy Jones and his crew of undead fishmen in the middle of a thunderstorm called down by a furious sea goddess while both ships circle a maelstrom. It does not get more epic than this.
  • Davy Jones tauntingly calls Jack "A lost bird that never learned ta fly!" Jack responds, "To my great regret. But ... never too late to learn, eh?" and soars straight up into the Dutchman's rigging with a bit of help from a severed line. Which leads directly to Jack and Jones having a protracted sword fight on the yardarm. During said duel, Jack conclusively outfights Jones with raw skill, while also balancing the chest in his other hand, despite the former basically being the worst of the main cast as far as technical fighting ability goes. The dialogue right before the duel on the yardarm is noteworthy:
    Davy Jones: The chest! Hand it over!
    Jack Sparrow: I can set you free, mate!
    Davy Jones: My freedom was forfeit long ago!
  • Davy Jones bellowing FIRE! at the top of his lungs while this magisterial piece plays. Epic indeed!
  • Barbossa, when he marries Will and Elizabeth during the middle of the aforementioned battle, casually outfighting three opponents in the process. And when they request it of him originally, his response of "I'm a bit busy at the moment!" sounds more like he's just occupied doing his shopping or something as mundane. And after several attempts to get the last bit out, he just goes 'screw it', and says; "Just kiss!" Them marrying themselves in the battle. Also the flood of music and water when they kiss.
    • Additionally in this battle, as it zooms out and you get the full image of the Pearl and the Dutchman, locked in battle, caught around a swirling vortex of doom with the aforementioned epic music, and the sheer magnitude of the battle hits, what do you hear? Barbossa's cackle. This matches his line from earlier as they went into battle "Dying be the day worth living for!" which was pretty awesome as well.
      • The most important thing? The ship they're on comes out of it in one piece.
  • In the final battle, there's a close up of Jack smiling and aiming a pistol at Davy Jones. That shot is a Crowning Moment without considering he manages to shoot the chest out of Jones' hand successfully. Oh, did we mention that he's doing this, in the middle of a vicious storm, with rain pelting down, fast swirling winds, and swinging on a line, on a ship that is caught in a maelstrom? Jack may be the worst swordsman of the main cast, but his marksmanship borders on the impossible.
  • When Will stabs Davy Jones during the final battle, he shrugs it off and has this to say:
    Davy Jones: (Will plunges a sword into his chest from behind.) AAAAAUUGGHH! Missed! Did you forget? I'm a heartless wretch! (Bends Will's sword with his claw.)
  • When Will's dad attacks Davy Jones to protect his son who just got stabbed. This is after he became so assimilated into the Dutchman crew (and ship) that he stabbed Norrington without a thought.
  • The part where Jack guides a dying Will's hand into stabbing the heart of Davy Jones. To elaborate, the captain of the Flying Dutchman is supposed to guide the souls of those who die at sea to their resting place and is immortal so s/he can do it. The downside? Ten years at sea for one day on land. Davy Jones can only be killed by destroying his heart, and since the Flying Dutchman needs a captain, whoever kills Jones becomes the new captain.
  • Jack rescuing himself and Elizabeth from the deck of the foundering Dutchman by improvising a parachute from one of the sails. Particularly ingenious since parachutes hadn't been invented yet.
  • After surviving the magical maelstrom, Black Pearl still has to face an entire armada. Looks like all hope is lost... Cue Flying Dutchman. With Will at the helm.
  • Lord Cutler Beckett's ship being blown to bits and more specifically, Beckett's death scene itself. Despite what he is, the man knows how to die in an awesome fashion. At that point in his Villainous BSoD, it was all he could do. That shot of him going down to the deck, and the final one of him before the flames engulf him, are eerie and, in a way, beautiful.
    • ...Until you look at the panicked sailors around him and realize that a lot of them are going to die for his ego. If you must be that evil, then take the cream of the Royal Navy with you.
    • Not only that but they would've at least been able to take down the Pearl handily, and sent the Dutchman down at least temporarily. But because Beckett had SUCH an iron grip over his minions that they feared acting without his word at all, they coudn't even try to return fire. And when Groves realized they were never going to get anything out of Beckett anymore, literally jumping ship was the only thing they all could do to save themselves.
  • Jack stealing the map at the end.
  • One for the production of the film: that unbelievably epic maelstrom battle at the end? They did that for real. They placed the full size Black Pearl and Flying Dutchman sets on hydraulic lifts in an aircraft hangar with the largest lighting rig ever used in cinema and filmed much of the battle practically. The shot where the crews of both ships swing across on robes and smack into each other in the middle? That was real, not CGI.


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