I left a chat group today where they were really getting on my nerves. Seriously, I’d only been there for my friend’s sake, but then we stopped talking and I finally felt free again. What am I getting at? I’ve been having a few thoughts about the POTC fandom, and sometimes it strikes me that it’s one of the most hypocritical fandoms I’ve ever been part of. Of course, I’m not talking about everyone, but a certain section of people (with whom, unfortunately, I’ve had to put up with for far too long) really are like that.
I don’t know if you’ve had this experience, but personally, as a fan of characters deemed ‘antagonists’ by the story, I’ve faced judgement almost every week. It just kills me. I realise that everyone has their favourite and least favourite characters, but I’m talking specifically about judging PEOPLE for their preferences. It’s as if we’re literally watching a film where the main characters are PIRATES (no one needs explaining what pirates do, do they?), who, amongst other things, calmly betray one another and use each other for their own ends, even though they supposedly have some sort of quasi-friendly or at least comradely relationship, and we happily build a fanbase around them, only to then condemn people who like that very same Cutler Beckett? The logic goes something like this: if you love a robber, a murderer, a person for whom ‘freedom’ means committing whatever atrocities come to mind, then you’re fine, but if you love an absolutely identical moral monster, just on the other side of the story, then there’s something wrong with you and you’re ‘weird’ or even ‘problematic’.”
I was told in all seriousness that if I like the characters from the East India Company more than the main protagonists, I am supporting colonialism, capitalism, the slave trade, oppression, the unpunished ruin of countries, and other terrible things. By that logic, does the majority of the fandom support the murder and plundering of sailors who are often completely innocent? It doesn’t work like that.
When I tried running a TikTok account way back in 2021, I had to fend off dozens of negative comments, get drawn into arguments and defend myself against attacks, so I quickly shut it down. Fortunately, I’m now mentally strong enough not to react so strongly to the hate, and I’ve returned to the online space.
That group really took me back to that time, to be honest. It literally existed to express opinions about the film and its characters and to share creative work, but I was constantly being silenced there and they tried to kick me out simply because my opinion differed from others. As soon as I shared my drawings at the admin’s request (my former friend) – 50% of which were of Beckett and 50% of which were of Mercer, because I’m ABSOLUTELY indifferent to any other characters (okay, Norrington and Davy Jones are favourites of mine too, but not enough to devote my creative energy to them on a regular basis), I was immediately bombarded with insults like ‘ewwww, how can anyone like them?’, ‘awful’, ‘just awful’ and the like. Any mention of Mercer in particular provoked this sort of reaction (and not just there, by the way). In my opinion, he’s the most over-hated character of all. When asked, “Why do you hate him so much?”, it’s impossible to get a coherent answer. “Well, he kills people.” But who in this film, apart from the background and minor characters, hasn’t killed people? Point them out to me! The bloke appeared in the film for FIVE MINUTES, three of which he just silently tagged along behind Beckett like a dog on a lead, and yet he managed to rake in SO MUCH hate that you’d be dragged to the stake if you dared say you liked him.
I also reckon that Jack Sparrow is bloody overrated. It really annoys me when people say that Pirates of the Caribbean makes no sense without Jack Sparrow. The fandom is so fixated on him. I mean, we’ve got loads of brilliant characters apart from him. Even though I don’t like the characters I’m about to mention, you can’t deny that Barbossa is a unique character with mind-blowing charisma, Elizabeth is brilliantly written, Norrington is a deeply tragic and utterly fascinating character, and Davy Jones is quite literally the peak of Disney villains. Are you trying to tell me that none of them would have deserved to exist if it weren’t for one single bloke, 80% of whose fans haven’t even delved into his incredible backstory outside the films, don’t try to understand his character, but have simply fallen for him because he’s played by Johnny Depp? Don’t make me laugh.
I’m not trying to be rude here, and I’m not judging Jack Sparrow fans in the slightest; there are loads of lovely people amongst them, and there are some very nice Jack Sparrow fans amongst my followers too. I’m looking at the fandom as a whole, and based on my personal experience (which may be VERY different from yours), such people are not in the majority, and the fandom is turning into a cult of worship centred on a single character. I still believe he wouldn’t have so many fans if he weren’t played by Johnny Depp; you won’t change my mind.
That’s all, though this is just my opinion, which I’m expressing for two reasons only. Firstly, I hope to find like-minded people; secondly, I need to practise my English and write in it as much as possible so that I can learn to express my thoughts clearly. If my post has offended you or you’ve taken my words personally because I didn’t express my thoughts clearly, feel free to call me a bitch. Because I didn’t want to hurt the feelings of good people, and I respect everyone’s preferences without intruding on their personal space with my unnecessary negativity.
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