History NightmareFuel / PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl

** Actually, real pirates generally avoided killing as much as possible, instead relying on their fearsome reputation to scare people into compliance. When attacking a ship out on the open sea, the black flag indicated that they would give quarter to any who surrendered, as opposed to the rarely used red flag which meant no quarters. Pirates were out to live good lives with comfort, freedom, and happiness for as long as possible, and that meant getting into sword and gun fights was unwise, both from the immediate threat of death and the delayed threat of a harsher sentence should they be arrested. In particular, they would take great care not to harm a ship's captain, as he could be negotiated with and ransomed, and killing him would impact their criminal record more than other crew members (preferential treatment much?) And on the rare occasion they'd attack a settlement, they'd most likely try to blockade it first, and at worst would shoot it with cannons from a distance, and only set foot on land after it surrendered. The best example of this is the pirate that Barbossa is loosely based on, Blackbeard, who famously spurned the use of violence and, allegedly, never killed a single person before the day he died. He cultivated a particularly brutal and terrifying reputation even among pirates of the time to ensure he could always get what he wanted, without ever actually following through on his threats. If anything, Barbossa and his crew behave like how Blackbeard wanted people to believe he behaved, and that's what makes them truly horrifying, when even someone as self-centered and morally grey as Jack still acts relatively civil with his enemies throughout the first three movies.

* Anytime the crew of the ''Black Pearl'' become skeletons. "You best start believin' in ghost stories, Miss Turner. You're ''in'' one!"
** These aren't ''clean'' skeletons, (like in most of the films up until this one) either. They've got bits of rotten flesh and clothing hanging from them, [[TheDeadHaveEyes and perfectly intact eyes]].

* What Barbossa did to Bootstrap Bill. He tied a cannon to the feet of an immortal and tossed him overboard in the open ocean which would be deep and dark. Sure, he got out of that by making a deal with Davy Jones but it's pure nightmare fuel for people with claustrophobia, the dark or fear of drowning. The curse only grants immortality and removes the ability to feel physical gratification; from the taste of food to temperature and ''that'' gratification. It doesn't grant superhuman strength; the weight of the water around him immobilized; which he outright stated in the second movie. Of course, the fact that he made a deal with Davy Jones in the first place might point to how horrible it was for Barbossa to leave him like that.

* The threat made towards Elizabeth after she tries to reject Cap** Also take into account that the ''Pearl'' had been doing this ''for years''. All because they were trying to find the last medallion.tain Barbossa's dinner invitation and gown.

* The threat made towards Elizabeth after she tries to reject Captain Barbossa's dinner invitation and gown.
-->If that be da case, den you be dinin' wiv de crew. An' yewll be nekkid.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pirates_of_the_caribbean_skeleton2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"You best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner.'' '''''You're in one!'''''"]]

--->'''Barbossa''': I'm curious! After killin' me, what was it you were plannin' on doing ''next?''

--> If that be da case, den you be dinin' wiv de crew. An' yewll be nekkid.

* What Barbossa did to Bootstrap Bill. He tied a cannon to the feet of an immortal and tossed him overboard in the open ocean which would be deep and dark. [[spoiler: Sure, he got out of that by making a deal with Davy Jones]] but it's pure nightmare fuel for people with claustrophobia, the dark or fear of drowning. The curse only grants immortality and removes the ability to feel physical gratification; from the taste of food to temperature and ''that'' gratification. It doesn't grant superhuman strength; the weight of the water around him immobilized; [[spoiler:which he outright stated in the second movie.]] Of course, the fact that [[spoiler:he made a deal with Davy Jones in the first place might point to how horrible it was for Barbossa to leave him like that.]]

---> '''Jack:''' [[SarcasmMode Is there a problem between us, Miss Swann?]]
---> '''Elizabeth:''' You were going to tell Barbossa about Will in exchange for a ''ship.''
---> '''Jack:''' ''We could use a ship!'' The fact is, I was going to ''not'' tell Barbossa about bloody Will in exchange for a ship because as long as he didn't know about bloody Will, I had something to bargain with. Which now no one has, ''thanks to bloody stupid Will.''

** Also, when Elizabeth is trying to escape from Barbossa in his cabin, and stabs him in the chest with a knife is a particularly horrifying moment. Barbossa simply stares down at the knife sticking out of his chest before casually reaching up and pulling it out, while Elizabeth watches in horror. Then Barbossa holds up the knife, which is covered in his blood, and looks at Elizabeth with a terrifying gleam in his eye...

[[caption-width-right:350:''You best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner.'' '''''You're in one!''''']]