Sailor

For other uses, see Sailor (disambiguation)

"You know of Davy Jones, yes? A man of the sea. A great sailor."

A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer was a person who works aboard water-borne vessels, navigating or assisting in their operation or maintenance. The term can apply to pirates, professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses.

History

"Show a leg, sailor!"
"Aye, sir! What?"

―Scrum and Jack Sparrow^[src]

According to legend, Davy Jones was a great sailor before falling in love with the goddess Calypso, in which he ultimately became the condemned captain of the Flying Dutchman. After cutting out his own heart, Davy Jones returned to the Seven Seas; only now sailors everywhere would fear him to the death. The Kraken brought ever more souls onto the Dutchman, dead sailors forever press-ganged into servitude.^[1]

At the Captain's Daughter, countless sailors have attempted to impress the ladies with a tune or two as well as telling a ripping yarn after they have had too much liquor to drink.^[2] Prior to the quest for the Fountain of Youth, pub regular Scrum helped recruit sailors and other volunteers hoping to sail with Jack Sparrow, where Angelica impersonated Jack himself.^[3]

Behind the scenes

In the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, when the skinny man and Irish man stop James Norrington from shooting Jack Sparrow they say, "Easy, sailor! That's our captain you're threatening." In Irene Trimble's junior novelization, only the skinny man speaks, saying "Easy, soldier, that's our captain you be threatening." The latter line was taken from the dialogue featured in Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's screenplay draft.^[4]

In the 2017 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, when Shansa the sea witch is brought to Carina Smyth's empty prison cell, Lieutenant John Scarfield says "The sea has turned to blood. A sailor washed ashore talking about the Trident. He was looking for Jack Sparrow." In Elizabeth Rudnick's novelization, Scarfield says "A soldier washed ashore talking about the Trident of Poseidon."^[5]