Elizabeth Swann is a fictional character in the Walt Disney Pictures’ Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. She appears in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and its two sequels, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007).

Elizabeth is a spirited and independent-minded character. Throughout the three films, she transforms from a modest young lady into a courageous pirate.

Elizabeth easily adapted to piracy, although it is unknown if she remained a pirate following the events in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. She learned swordsmanship from her (at the time) fiancee, Will Turner.

Having been raised in upper-class society as a governor’s daughter, the beautiful Elizabeth is an elegant and finely-dressed lady. In Curse of the Black Pearl Elizabeth is first seen as a young girl wearing a frock appropriate for her age and social status.

In Dead Man’s Chest, as Elizabeth’s character changes, so does her appearance.

In the third film, Elizabeth is first seen wearing Chinese peasant clothing and a coolie hat while paddling a small boat through Singapore’s waters. Weapons (swords, pistols and grenades) are hidden under her cloak, and she is forced to change into a short silk robe upon entering Sao Feng’s bathhouse.

Throughout the trilogy, Elizabeth Swann is portrayed as a spirited, intelligent and independent-minded character who chaffes at the restrictions that her social rank and gender impose upon her. Early on in the first movie she is seen as someone who often fantasizes about pirates and life at sea.

Elizabeth is now a marriagable age; but in an era when matrimony is still a common means to forge strategic political alliances and advantageous social connections rather than happily-ever-after unions, she is expected to wed a respectable, prosperous man who is equal or supeior to her in rank. Elizabeth prefers to marry for love, however, and it appears that she secretly harbors feelings for Will Turner.

It is Will’s love for Elizabeth that motivates his actions and helps drive the story; he will do anything to save her, including resorting to piracy.

On Isla de Muerta, Barbossa discovers Elizabeth is unable to break the curse just as Will and Sparrow secretly arrive. Will rescues Elizabeth, but, distrusting Sparrow, knocks him out and leaves him behind.

Elizabeth’s fiesty, self-sufficient nature propels her into taking action for her and Jack’s rescue by burning a cache of smugglers’ rum. The huge smoke signal is spotted by Commodore Norrington aboard Dauntless.

At Isla de Muerta, Elizabeth frees Jack’s crew from the brig, believing they will help save Will and Sparrow. Abiding by the pirate code that “any man who falls behind, is left behind,” they instead commandeer the Pearl and set sail, leaving a disgusted Elizabeth to row to the island alone.

In Port Royal, Elizabeth is present for Jack’s execution, although her pleas on his behalf have been ignored. To Elizabeth’s astonishment, Will approaches and proclaims his love for her before attempting to rescue Sparrow from the gallows.

Elizabeth is next seen just before her and Will’s wedding ceremony. Lord Cutler Beckett and the British Navy arrive with Will shackled in irons.

As in the first film, Elizabeth’s freedom is again dependent on Will procuring Jack Sparrow’s help. After a frantic search, Will finds Jack and the Black Pearl crew on Pelegosto hiding from the Kraken, a voracious leviathan controlled by Davy Jones, the mythical captain of the Flying Dutchman and ruler of the seas.

Elizabeth escapes jail to discover that Beckett is only pardoning Sparrow. In a desperate bid to save Will, she confronts Beckett at gunpoint and forces him to validate a Letters of Marque, a document intended to recruit Jack Sparrow as a privateer but which she wants for Will.

As the Black Pearl races toward Isla Cruces, Elizabeth’s love and loyalty for Will are tested after Jack becomes amorous towards her; he even suggests marriage. Elizabeth’s seemingly pleased reaction to his attention causes Norrington to confront her, although she denies any romantic feelings for Sparrow.

When Will arrives with the key he stole from Davy Jones, Elizabeth learns that Jack tricked Will onto the Dutchman. A conflict emerges: Will wants to kill Jones by stabbing the heart to free his father from Jones’ servitude; Jack fears the Kraken will continue hunting him if Jones is dead; Norrington plots to bargain back his career.

Pursued by the Flying Dutchman, the Pearl outruns her. Undeterred, Jones summons the Kraken, but the crew temporarily fight it off.

Norrington arrives in Port Royal and presents the heart and the Letters of Marque to Cutler Beckett in a bid to reclaim his commission. Meanwhile, Will, Elizabeth, and the grieving crew make their way to Tia Dalma, the voodoo priestess who helped Jack find the Dead Man’s Chest.

To rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones’ Locker, Elizabeth joins Will, Barbossa, Tia Dalma, and the Black Pearl crew on a journey to Singapore to seek a navigational chart belonging to Sao Feng, the pirate lord of the South China Sea. The chart leads to World’s End, the gateway to the Locker where Jack Sparrow is eternally imprisoned aboard the Black Pearl.

Sao Feng agrees to hand over the chart and provide a ship and crew, but, unknown to Elizabeth, he does so only after negotiating a secret deal with Will: Jack Sparrow in exchange for the Black Pearl. However, they are overheard by EITC agent Mercer, whose men attack the bathhouse.

As Jack and Barbossa squabble over who is the Black Pearl’s captain, the crew navigate their way back to the living world.

After returning to the living world, Will’s clandestine bargain with Sao Feng is exposed. But Feng has already double-crossed Will for another deal with Beckett.

The Black Pearl and the Empress head to Shipwreck Island for the Brethren Court. The pirate lords dispute how to oppose Beckett and the East India Trading Company; Elizabeth favors going into battle while the Brethren Court prefer to secrete themselves inside the inpenetrable Shipwreck Cove, although Jack speculates that their confinement will result in them all killing each other.

Whether Elizabeth’s decision to declare war is brilliant or rash, her actions reflect her bravery but also inexperience in tactical warfare. As Beckett’s massive armada looms on the horizon, Elizabeth quickly realizes that the pirate fleet is vastly outnumbered and outgunned.

Elizabeth and Will are reunited on an island for their “one day” where they consummate their marriage.

Following the film’s end-credits, an Easter egg scene set ten years later shows Elizabeth and her and Will’s nine-year-old son atop a cliff looking out to sea.

Disney has created confusion regarding Will’s eventual fate.

According to actress Keira Knightley, Swann is, “a 21st century girl trapped in an 18th century world. She . . . starts out as a damsel in distress and then kicks butt, so what’s not to like?” While she appreciates her role, she was disappointed that her character did not carry a sword in The Black Pearl: “I didn’t have a sword. Am I angry about that? Yes, very! I asked every single day, anyone I could ask, if I could have a sword but I didn’t get one.”

She adds she was relieved to finally be able to brandish a sword, although according to Knightley, most of her swordfighting scenes were cut.

Elizabeth Turner appears in the Pirates of the Caribbean world, Port Royal, of the Disney/Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts II, voiced by Eliza Schneider in the English version (like the other original actors, Keira Knightley was unavailable due to filming Dead Man’s Chest) and by Saori Yumiba in the Japanese version.