#anyway welcome to Norrington Hell

[norrington-hell]

I’m offically buying tickets to see this upcoming Ted talk from you. Please elaborate because this is obvious me to every time I rewatch the series. I wanna see what you have to say about it!

VERY WELL TUMBLR USER @grayladyofthewell

It’s been nearly five years, and I still feel very strongly about this subject. Lord knows I’ve tried my damndest to find peace, but alas! Jimothy continues to consume my waking thought!

It’s so clear that Jack Davenport was playing a character that HE’D been the one to write. James is so much more fleshed out and real than the majority of the very fun, and very trope-y cast. That’s not to say every other character is devoid of nuance (I am not talking about the sequels oh my GOD am i not talking about the sequels), but more to the point that the original script had James written as a mustache twirling, power-hungry, opportunistic secondary antagonist. I think they might have even drafted him to team up with Barbossa at one point (either that or I dreamed it in which case hell yeah original idea do not steal).

When Jack Dav showed up, the part evolved into something much more complex. Much more relatable. Much more HUMAN. Something reminiscent of a regency drama. And the audience has the benefit of SEEING it…while the other characters in the universe DO NOT.

We, the viewers, can know James is in love FRFR. Elizabeth doesn’t. And that’s a damn shame bcuz if the worlds best pirate hunter had been even a little bit more exciting and visibly interested in her as, you know, a person, I imagine he would have been a much more pleasing prospect for her.

When Elizabeth does finally see him in all his complexity, when she does finally understand the depth of his feelings, it’s too late. Or James believes so, at least. He likely had no intention of going with her. He likely had every intention of hanging for his treason. But he would do so knowing he’d tried to put things right.

James Norrington was so well-written he COULDN’T survive this narrative. There’s too much beauty in his tragedy. Too much poetry in his sacrifice. And…let’s be honest, fam. The writers were riding the wave of mid 2000s ‘lol random’ energy they assumed the audience loved about J*ck Sp*rrow and making a delirious cash grab in the process. This series wasn’t made to be art. They had no idea what to do with James after the second film.

Now, as for what I said about conforming being his end.

The reason he stands out to us, the reason he captures our hearts and imaginations, the reason we’re still talking about him nearly 20 years after his canonical death is also the reason he is as killed.

He was a goddamn Jane Austen hero in a goddamn Disney movie based on a goddamn theme park ride.

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#pirates of the caribbean #james norrington #Elizabeth swann #this post gets a lot of notes every so often #there’s been a bump in activity on all my old Norribeth stuff #everyone doing okay out there? #do you need some water? a trauma blanket?? #anyway welcome to Norrington Hell

[norrington-hell]

Hi, hi hi hi there, thanks for your blog, came here for the potc text edits stayed for the norrington pining, thanks for it, I now love him, even though back in the day I loved Will so much that I Did Not Notice The Existence Of Commodore James Norrington, but anyway please, please would you tell me: why, is no one talking about how this beautiful boy FUCKED UP?. He is a respected captain, a commodore, and he SAILED HIS SHIP INTO A HURRICANE??? How could he make such a mistake!

I truly believe James’ obsession with catching jack stemmed out of trying to escape his feelings over losing Elizabeth. The only way he knew how to deal with his broken heart was to find something else to pour all of his time and energy into, and it became extremely toxic.

Our boy did, in fact, fuck up. And after the utter disgrace that came out of that failure, he pickled himself in rum and laid in wait in Tortuga- keen to finish his task, and then, I’m convinced, finish himself. Suicide by pirate.

But then Elizabeth ruined his death too, by smashing a bottle over his head and convincing the others to spare him.

I imagine his frustration over that not inconsequential irony was unparalleled.

Anyway, thanks so much for the ask! Welcome to Norrington Hell!!

#another hot take from your local fool #more at 11 #pirates of the caribbean #james norrington #elizabeth swann #Norribeth #ask me things