History Main / GhostPirate

* Foxy is this in ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' [[spoiler:regarding that he's one of the shells for a dead child]]. [[BodyHorror Mangle picks up Foxy's paste]] [[spoiler:in the prequel]] [[MultiArmedAndDangerous looking freaky as hell.]]

-->Mr. Centipede: A [[WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Skellington?!]] [[StealthPun Jackpot!]]

* The ''Pirates Constructible Strategy Game'' always had some references to supernatural and ghostly pirates (most prominently El Fantasma from the original "Spanish Main" set), but it wasn't until Set 6 ("Curse of DavyJones") that they got their own faction, aptly named the Cursed. Besides ghosts, they also had a plethora of [[VoodooZombie zombies]], native cannibals, FishPeople, and other dark magic loving folk ruled over by DavyJones himself, who was represented as a full on GodOfEvil and the closest the game had to a BigBad.

* Subverted by ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', in which the pirates were actually pulling a ScoobyDooHoax.

'''Hank:''' Who isn't a ghost.... Or a pirate even, really.

* The antagonists of ''VideoGame/{{Sonic Rush|Series}} Adventure'' are called the "Ghost Pirates", though they're actually not ghosts at all... more like robots. [[spoiler:Fitting, seeing as [[HijackedByGanon Eggman and Eggman Nega]] built 'em.]]

** Subverted with Vander Decken, who sails on the infamous underwater ship ''FlyingDutchman'' like his real-life counterpart and is believed to be a ghost pirate on a cursed ship, but actually is just a regular [[FishPeople fishman]] pirate. Rather than being the ghost of the infamous Vander Decken, the one the Straw Hats encounter is actually his great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson Vander Decken ''IX''. Not that it makes him more of a nice guy.
* While she does not look the part Captain Liliana from ''[[Anime/QueensBlade Queen's Blade Rebellion]]'' is an Undead Pirate Captain -- the members of her crew, on the other hand, are little more than walking skeletons.

* The FlyingDutchman from ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' is a classic Ghost Pirate who possesses many [[RealityWarper supernatural powers]]. He also acts as an underwater GrimReaper, who takes the souls of dead sea creatures to DavyJones' Locker (which is a literal gym locker filled with dirty laundry, and as revealed in a later episode, is owned by the musician [[Music/TheMonkees Davy Jones]]).
** In the episode "Shanghaied", the FlyingDutchman forces [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick to become crew members on his GhostShip, serving him as "ghostly ghost pirates" (though they're still alive). They're... [[MinionWithAnFInEvil not up to par]]. After losing patience with their incompetence, the Dutchman resolves to just [[EatenAlive eat SpongeBob and Patrick]].

* ''LetsPlay/PiratesSMP'': A handful of undead pirates haunt the Isles and will summon Zombie or Drowned crew to attack on their behalf; when they reach sufficiently low health, they summon [[ActionBomb a piece of TNT]] to self-detonate [[SuicideAttack in an attempt to take the player down with them]]. These undead pirates are sometimes the targets for "A Terrible Beast" quests because of the danger they pose.

* ''VideoGame/AloneInTheDark2'': The main antagonists are a band of zombified pirates kept "alive" through voodoo.

* DVD menus of ''Film/TheFog1980'' make it seem that the film's ghosts were pirates (as the menus show a {{hook hand}}ed one) but they are actually a leper colony who drowned with their ship.

* ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum}}'': In one point, you need to get a ship. There are three ways to do this, and one is by laying your hands on a GhostShip belonging to a cursed undead pirate.

* In ''VideoGame/ThiefII'', Garrett can possibly encounter one while exploring the wreck of his ship. Stealing the pirate's loot causes him to appear as a [[DemonicSpiders Haunt]], and Garrett then has to sneak by him in order to get away and keep the treasure.

* William Hope Hodgson wrote 'Literature/TheGhostPirates' which you might think you would a trope maker, but by "ghost" he meant bizarre shadow people rising out of the ocean and by "pirate" he meant [[spoiler:they take over and sink the ship it's set on.]]

%%* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'': The BonusBoss Deadbeard.

* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' has an episode featuring ghost pirates, who were [[AnthropomorphicFood skeletons made of licorice]], as a direct shout out to Pirates of the Caribbean.

** Played with in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'', as a man impersonates the ghost said to haunt a house. His disguise is clearly pirate-themed. But the real ghost ends up not even being pirate-related at all. Talk about a CriticalResearchFailure.

* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'': While trying to escape an undersea dome, the team is beset by ghostly submarine pirates ("[[SeenItAll Yeah, they get those down here]]"), but luckily Maxim knows that any ghostly submarine pirate will let you pass if you give them the Pearl of Skibazz. Maxim uses it to buy their way past... and they're gone before the pirate realizes it was fake. Maxim is keeping the real one for an emergency.

* The 1968 Disney comedy ''Film/BlackbeardsGhost'' is built around this, as one might expect. Protagonist Steve accidentally summons the ghost of the real-life pirate Edward "{{UsefulNotes/Blackbeard}}" Teach (hammed up by Creator/PeterUstinov) from {{Limbo}}, where he had been cursed to stay by his spiteful wife. [[InvisibleToNormals Only Steve can see]] Blackbeard, and hijinks ensue as they scheme to [[SavingTheOrphanage rescue the historical hotel]] that bears Blackbeard's name. The hope is that this good deed will release the restless spirit.

Occasionally, their sojourn as the living dead is due to a terrible curse that keeps them sailing (which may or may not involve [[HollywoodVoodoo voodoo]]). Other times, they're just [[EscapedFromHell too tough to stay in hell. They are typically {{Ghastly Ghost}}s, though there are also some [[FriendlyGhost friendlier]] examples.

Occasionally, their sojourn as the living dead is due to a terrible curse that keeps them sailing (which may or may not involve [[HollywoodVoodoo voodoo]]). Other times, they're just [[EscapedFromHell too tough to stay in hell]].

Legends of Ghost Pirates and {{Ghost Ship}}s alike may derive from the tale of the ''FlyingDutchman'', a phantom ship reportedly doomed to sail the oceans for eternity. Though of course, not all ghost ships are literally ghostly or include any pirates. This is a common form of NinjaPirateZombieRobot. Also see DavyJones, who may sometimes be a Ghost Pirate himself.

[[caption-width-right:350:"Who be disturbin' the Flying Dutchman in his ''own'' lair?!"]]

Legends of ghost ships and ghost pirates alike may derive from the tale of the ''FlyingDutchman'', a phantom ship reportedly doomed to sail the oceans for eternity. Though of course, not all {{Ghost Ship}}s have ghost pirates. This is a common form of NinjaPirateZombieRobot. Also see DavyJones, who may sometimes be a Ghost Pirate himself.

* The ''Pirates Constructible Strategy Game'' always had some references to supernatural and ghostly pirates (most prominently El Fantasma from the original "Spanish Main" set), but it wasn't until Set 6 ("Curse of Davy Jones") that they got their own faction, aptly named the Cursed. Besides ghosts, they also had a plethora of [[VoodooZombie zombies]], native cannibals, FishPeople, and other dark magic loving folk ruled over by Davy Jones himself, who was represented as a full on GodOfEvil and the closest the game had to a BigBad.

* ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum}}'': In one point, you need to get a ship. There are three ways to do this, and one is by laying your hands on a ghost ship belonging to a cursed undead pirate.

* ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' has the player's party board a GhostShip full of pirates. [[spoiler:They're actually just putting on an act, and aren't ghosts at all. Later, though, the ship is attacked by a real ghost ship.]]

* ''VideoGame/MediEvil'': The "Ghost Ship" level of the original game has you fighting your way through skeleton pirates to take over their ship. In ''[[VideoGame/MediEvilResurrection Resurrection]]'', the UpdatedRerelease for PSP, the level is preceded with a harbour filled with acrobatic skeleton pirates.

%%** Not to mention one of the discoveries that can be found in the game is a ghost ship.

* The plot of the ''WesternAnimation/DefendersOfTheEarth'' episode "Kshin and the Ghost Ship" revolves around Kshin encountering a bunch of ghost pirates and helping them to find the compass they need to free themselves from the curse which forces them to wander the ocean for all eternity.

** In the episode "Shanghaied", the Flying Dutchman forces [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick to become crew members on his GhostShip, serving him as "ghostly ghost pirates" (though they're still alive). They're... [[MinionWithAnFInEvil not up to par]]. After losing patience with their incompetence, the Dutchman resolves to just [[EatenAlive eat SpongeBob and Patrick]].

** Brook is a living skeleton brought back by the powers of his Devil Fruit after he died once. Surprisingly for this trope, he's a good guy!

* As send up to this trope happens in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' episode "Mizzen In Action" where some pirates end up temporally displaced into modern Townsville and, mistaking chest of [[XMarksTheSpot Chemical X for treasure]], consume some and end up glowing green with superpowers like flight and enough strength to contend with the girls. Fortunately it was only temporary as apparently Chemical X needs a catalyst to grant permanent superpowers.

* At least two ghost pirates have appeared in Franchise/TheDCU, both of them historical characters that used to have their own series. The Black Pirate appeared as a ghost in ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' and Captain Fear in the ''Dr. Thirteen'' mini-series.
** Bizarrely, Captain Fear might be able to die again, implying that there are tiers for this sort of thing.

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: The title page for "The Treasure of Capt. Storm" depicts Capt. Storm and his crew as ghostly pirates aboard their sunken vessel, but in the story itself they only appear in flashback and the real villains are the modern day pirates who end up hunting for Storm's buried treasure.

* The FlyingDutchman from ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' (as pictured above) is a classic Ghost Pirate, who possesses many [[RealityWarper supernatural powers]]. He also acts as an underwater GrimReaper, who takes the souls of dead sea creatures to DavyJones' Locker (which is a literal gym locker filled with dirty laundry, and as revealed in a later episode, is owned by the musician [[Music/TheMonkees Davy Jones]]).

** In the episode "Shanghaied", the Dutchman forces [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick to become crew members on his GhostShip, serving him as "ghostly ghost pirates" (though they're still alive). They're... [[MinionWithAnFInEvil not up to par]]. After losing patience with their incompetence, the Dutchman resolves to just [[EatenAlive eat them both]].