The 10 Best Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Quotes, Ranked

Among its iconic characters, epic scores, Oscar nominations, and revitalization of the adventure genre, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise produced some of the most quotable lines in modern cinema. The five-movie series starred a core cast of Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush as pirates charting the high seas fighting cursed sea creatures, the colonizing British authority, and each other. Fan favorites and considered the only worthwhile installments, Gore Verbinski‘s first three movies—The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest, and At World’s End—were groundbreaking for Disney’s live-action resume.

The fourth and fifth films—On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales—failed to live up to the precedent set by the original trilogy, not only with audiences but with critics. Alas, writers Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, and Stuart Beattie crafted compelling, quotable characters that pop culture, movie buffs, and franchise fans still quote today. The writing, paired with skilled and sometimes improvised performances from the cast, delivered iconic lines from “I’ve got a jar of dirt” to “It’s just good business,” that contribute to the series’ rich legacy.

10 “You actually were telling the truth.”

James Norrington (Jack Davenport) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)

A complete 180-degree shift from the Royal Navy Commodore James Norrington’s (Jack Davenport) return in Dead Man’s Chest as a fallen-from-grace drunkard provided audiences with one of pop culture’s favorite memes. After hitching a ride with Jack (Depp) and Elizabeth (Knightley) aboard the Black Pearl to the Isla Cruces, the trio discovers the legendary buried heart of Davy Jones (Bill Nighy). To everyone’s surprise, Jack wasn’t scheming—well, partially—when he led the crew to the sandy beach to retrieve the chest.

Jack’s response is, well, very Jack-like and completely accurate. He does tell the truth; however, it’s hard to tell where in his long-winded ramblings the truth lies. His fellow pirates (and audiences) learned to take his words with a grain of salt while also searching for hidden meanings and misdirection. The two-way quote became a fan-favorite meme template that still makes its rounds on social media almost two decades after the movie premiered.

9 “Do you fear death?”

Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)

The legendary sea creature antagonist, Davy Jones, struck fear into those onscreen and off-screen. After Jack tricks Will (Bloom) into believing the Flying Dutchman has been shipwrecked, Will boards the remains of the debilitated vessel only to realize he’s been sold into servitude to repay Jack’s debt to Jones. An ominous presence until he graces the screen, Jones’s first line, uttered as a match flame illuminates his face, sends goosebumps radiating across everyone within earshot.

His follow-up question is just as petrifying. The crew members of Dutchman are men who were either manipulated into servitude in exchange for mercy or forcibly sent to him to settle debts. As part of his elevator pitch to survivors of the Kraken’s havoc, Jones asks sailors two very simple but important questions. Men who agree to join his crew fear death and the darkness of the sea, electing 100 brutal years aboard the Dutchman over the watery grave they eluded during a Kraken attack. From page to delivery, this Davy Jones quote is one of the best in the franchise and one of the best introductions to a cinematic villain.

8 “The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can’t do.”

Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

Right from the start, audiences knew Jack Sparrow would be one of the best-written characters in the Disney canon. His long and convoluted, tongue-twisting, enigma-riddled quotes are not only laughable but also thought-provoking. In The Curse of the Black Pearl, audiences are on the fence about whether Jack is a hero, a villain, or somewhere in between. As he teaches straight-laced Will the ways of piracy, Jack explains the two rules that really matter in life and the high seas.

He follows up with an example: “For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can’t. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you’ll have to square with that someday.” It’s the perfect foreshadowing piece of wisdom of what would come for Will’s character in the first and succeeding films. These rules of engagement are threaded throughout the franchise of what each character can do and can’t do when it comes to where that moral and what-you-desire-most compass pointed.

7 “You have to be lost to find a place that can’t be found, elseways everyone would know where it was.”

Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ (2007)

At World’s End marked a huge turn for the franchise with the return of Barbossa (Rush) following the cliffhanger in the second film with Jack’s banishment to Davy Jones’ locker. Barbossa’s presence in At World’s End is crucial, as the crew lacks an experienced captain to lead them. Without Jack or the Black Pearl, the core characters are surrounded by a sense of loss and misdirection, something Barbossa’s wisdom and chaos bring full circle.

The journey to the world’s end gets them good and lost, which inspires Barbossa’s mood, but he panics the crew as he delivers one of his character’s best lines. In a world where direction and charting the right course is the difference between life and death, being lost is the absolute worst place to be; however, here, that narrative is flipped. This line makes absolutely no sense and perfect sense all at the same time, which is the beauty in the delivery and writing. It’s also one of the many thought-provoking quotes from the franchise that has a greater meaning when applied off-screen.

6 “No cause is lost if there is but one fool left to fight for it.”

Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ (2007)

The ominous presence of Will’s father was palpable in the first film, making Bootstrap Bill’s (Stellan Skarsgård) introduction in the second all the more showstopping. By the third film, it’s obvious Bootstrap is losing his mind, taking one step closer to insanity than freedom, as Elizabeth witnessed firsthand aboard the Flying Dutchman. Mirroring a loved one with memory loss, Elizabeth tries to protect Will’s expectations in his quest to free Bootstrap from Jones’ servitude.

Their argument about what is and is not worth pursuing further drives a wedge in their tumultuous relationship. Will’s best quote of the series sums up the heart of his character. In each of his toughest moments, he keeps fighting for every cause important to him. From chasing down Elizabeth’s captors in the first film to securing their freedom with Beckett in the second and saving his father in the third, Will never wavers in his dedication. The Pirates movies are very rewatchable, and it’s largely thanks to Will’s unshakable idealism that makes him a compelling hero who’s easy to root for.

5 “Not all treasure’s silver and gold, mate.”

Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

It never ceases to surprise just how insightful the bumbling, morally ambiguous hero of this franchise is. Perhaps it’s his life experience across the treacherous seas or the temptations of Tortuga, but either way, Jack’s epic timing to mic-drop provocative wisdom is unmatched. The Curse of the Black Pearl is centered around the pursuit of treasure; the Aztec gold as the root of the pirate’s curse signifies the lesson Jack learned without succumbing to the curse.

Jack’s quote also holds a double meaning. Will is clearly not obsessed with the monetary and tangible aspect of what lies within Isla de Muerta, but as Jack alludes, treasure is in the eye of the beholder. For Will, his treasure is Elizabeth, someone he is deeply attached to and obsessed with ensuring her safety. This quote is just another example of Jack’s ability to read people and how they play into his master plan and grand scheme.

4 “Every man has a price he will willingly accept even for what he hoped never to sell.”

Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ (2006)

Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) is one of the best villains in Pirates of the Caribbean, a downright diabolical man with no redeeming qualities. His introduction in Dead Man’s Chest set the tone perfectly, introducing him as a worthy adversary in the game of chess against piracy. Beckett pits Will and Elizabeth against Jack while simultaneously wreaking havoc on the trust in Will and Elizabeth’s relationship.

This line flew under the radar but is such a masterful exposition in this franchise’s world, where the price for each character changes from film to film. In one of the best quotes of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Beckett packs a punch that serves as an overarching theme for the evolution of several key characters while also paralleling the colonizing world they live in.

3 “Me? I’m dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest.”

Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

In a beautifully blended recipe of page-to-screen character development, Jack Sparrow is just as skilled with his words as he is with a sword, and his seemingly ridiculous tangents are quite disarming. Moments before the final battle in The Curse of the Black Pearl, Jack is pilfering the gold of Isla de Muerta, having convinced Barbossa to wait before killing Will and breaking the curse. Once again, he redirects, drawing his linguistic weapon to distract his adversary just enough to catch him off-guard.

The delivery of this line kicked off one of the most epic battles in the pirate genre, paired with an incredible movie score to create pure perfection. The quote made audiences double-take but for all the right reasons. It’s a slippery slope but absolutely worth the payoff for Jack’s accurate self-description. Honesty and deception would be monumental themes in subsequent themes, not only for Jac but for other major character arcs as well.

2 “By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts! Gentlemen, hoist the colors!”

Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ (2007)

One of the most underrated quotes, but the best of the original trilogy, Elizabeth’s first line of her epic third-act speech set the tone for the battle that should’ve ended the series. In At World’s End, as the Brethren Court faces off against the East India Trading Company’s armada led by the Flying Dutchman, all hope seems lost. Elizabeth, newly crowned Pirate King, delivers a war cry that channeled fear into courage and pirate pride one last time.

With the freedom of the sea on the line, the crew of the Black Pearl realizes just what they are willing to die for. Piracy, while a criminal enterprise, is the expression of freedom, something worth dying for as the world around them evolves. This rally and declaration of war solidified the arc of Elizabeth’s character, no longer a dainty debutant but rather a Pirate King ready to die for the freedom of the sea. The impassionate speech is one of the many reasons why the third movie is the best in this trilogy and a wonderful showcase for Knightley’s acting.

1 “Why is the rum gone?”

Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) – ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Back Pearl’ (2003)

On the surface level, this is not the most thought-provoking, expertly-written dialogue, but it is the most quoted line of not only the franchise but the iconic character. Following their banishment to a remote island, Jack and Elizabeth spend an evening relishing the pirate’s life of sandy beaches and a few good bottles of rum—or so Jack thinks. Waking up hungover to flames billowing high and the rum cache torched, Jack delivers the most famous line that would carry with him throughout the remainder of the series.

Yes, it’s a quick exasperation from a questionable pirate who indulges too much in the drink, but Jack’s devastation goes a little deeper. Later in the series, Jack asks, “Why is the rum always gone?” Just when he thinks he’s found relief from the chaos and carnage of sword fighting, curses, the law, and more, Jack’s almost always disappointed, except in a few instances. Surprisingly, audiences can relate to the feeling, empathizing with Jack’s letdown by thinking of their replications and versions of real-life “rum.”

NEXT: The 10 Best Jedi Quotes in Star Wars, Ranked