William Turner Jr.

Will Turner is the only son of Bootstrap Bill Turner.

"My name is Will Turner. My father was 'Bootstrap Bill' Turner. His blood runs in my veins."

―Will Turner[src]

His former occupation was as a blacksmith, but after several adventures with "Captain" Jack Sparrow, he found himself a skilled pirate.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Will was raised by his mother in England and believed his father was a respectable merchant sailor. When his mother died, Will began searching for his father while wearing a gold medallion. Rescued from a burning shipwreck, Will first met Elizabeth Swann aboard the HMS Dauntless. Upon arriving to Port Royal, Will Turner became a blacksmith under John Brown. A simple craftsman, his life revolved around his work, and his distant longing for a woman he knew could never be his wife. After Elizabeth was kidnapped by Hector Barbossa's crew of the Black Pearl, Will joined forces with Captain Jack Sparrow to save her while being pursued by Commodore Norrington's men and facing cursed pirates. Though he was initially shocked and dismayed when Jack revealed that his father was a pirate, Will Turner managed to save Elizabeth. In return for his help, Will aided Jack Sparrow in escaping from the gallows at great risk to his own. About a year later, Will and Elizabeth were on the verge of marrying when they were arrested by Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company for saving Jack Sparrow. Will Turner sets out to retrieve Jack's unique compass in exchange for their freedom. After meeting with Jack in Cannibal Island and visiting the voodoo mystic Tia Dalma, Will Turner was tricked into serving on board Davy Jones's ship, the Flying Dutchman, where Will met up with his father, Bootstrap Bill. Will promised Bill that he'd try and free him from Jones's servitude, a promise Will saw throughout the search for the Dead Man's Chest and the war against piracy, where he joined a resurrected Barbossa in rescuing Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker. Despite his best efforts, Will would try and do everything he could to honor that vow but not forgetting that he still loved Elizabeth. During the final battle against Beckett's Armada, Will and Elizabeth were married. Shortly after being stabbed by Jones, Will himself pierced Jones' heart. Because he had killed Jones, Will became the new captain of the Flying Dutchman. After the pirates' victory, Will and Elizabeth spent one day with each other, during which time they conceived a child, before Will leaves to serve aboard the Dutchman for ten years.

Maelstrom Battle "Will you marry me?"

"I don't think now is the best time!"

"Now may be the only time!"

―William Turner and Elizabeth Swann[src]

Before the climactic battle, Will, Lord Cutler Beckett, and Davy Jones struck parley with Barbossa, Jack, and Elizabeth. At the parley, Will was exchanged for Jack. Later, Will contributed in Calypso's release by supplying the name of the person who betrayed her by telling the First Brethren Court how to bind her: Davy Jones. Shortly, the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman sailed into battle in a massive maelstrom. Will fought alongside Elizabeth on the Black Pearl, and asked her to marry him in the middle of the fight. Elizabeth asked Barbossa to recite the vows, and they were wed while fighting off EITC soldiers and the Dutchman's crewmen.[3]

Will later boarded the Flying Dutchman, where he was attacked by his maddened father, Bootstrap Bill. During the meleé, Will was thrown against a wall. Will soon gained the upper hand and knocked the sword out of Bootstrap's hand and had his sword at his throat. But after seeing Davy Jones preparing to kill Elizabeth, he rushed to her rescue, which resulting in being knocked down. Realizing that Will and Elizabeth love each other, Jones threatened to strike Will.[3]

At that moment, Jack threatened to strike Jones' heart, shortly after taking it from the chest. Despite Jack's efforts to distract Jones, by threatening to stab his disembodied heart, Will was stabbed in the chest by Jones' sword, one that Will himself had forged. His life faded as his wife held him. Upon seeing this, Bootstrap snapped out of Jones' hold on him and attacked Jones. They struggled but Bootstrap was quickly thrown aside with Jones preparing to strike.[3]

However, seeing Will dying, Jack gave up his own dreams of immortality and used the hand of the unconscious Will to impale Jones' heart with his broken sword. This act not only defeated Jones, but gave Will eternal life by making him the new captain of the Flying Dutchman. Will's father cut out his son's heart and placed it in the Dead Man's Chest, before the Dutchman was consumed by the maelstrom.[3]

Jack and Elizabeth, on the other hand, escaped the maelstrom through the use of a parasail. As they escaped, they had no choice but to watch the Dutchman going underwater. After Jack and Elizabeth made it back aboard the Pearl, which also escaped the maelstrom, they prepared to attack the HMS Endeavour.[3]

Rising from the depths, the Dutchman returned, with Will at its helm, to join the Black Pearl in devastating the Endeavour with cannonfire. Beckett was speechless to know that he lost the war, and the rest of the crew of the Endeavour either abandoned ship or died in the attack. Beckett watched and endured the destruction of his ship and his death. Because of the Dutchman switching sides, the rest of the ships in the armada retreated, and the pirates expressed their victory.[3] Victory came with great joy for all of the pirates, but for Will and Elizabeth, there came a price. As captain of the Flying Dutchman, Will could only go on land for one day every 10 years. Will had one day with Elizabeth—their honeymoon, during which their marriage was consummated—before leaving to carry out his duty and ferry souls into the afterlife. Prior to leaving, Will gave Elizabeth the Dead Man's Chest, which contained his heart, stating that it had always belong to her and hoped that she would keep it safe. During their one day together, Will and Elizabeth conceived a child, leaving her pregnant. Will departed on the Dutchman, disappearing in the green flash at sunset.[3] Ten years later, after doing the duty to ferry souls to the next world, Will returned to be with his wife and their nine-year-old child.[3]



Will's final fate is controversial. Some say that he was freed from the service on the Dutchman because Elizabeth remained faithful to him, while others say that he must sail the Seven Seas for all eternity.[12]

"Keep a weather eye on the horizon."

―William Turner to Elizabeth Turner before leaving.[src]