<P> When Will and Elizabeth escape Isla de Muerta, Barbossa pursues and captures their ship, sinking it . Will and the crew are thrown in the Pearl's brig, while Elizabeth and Sparrow are marooned on a deserted island . Elizabeth's feisty, self - sufficient nature propels her into taking action for their rescue by burning a cache of smugglers' rum . The towering smoke column is spotted by Commodore Norrington aboard Dauntless . To rescue Will, Elizabeth convinces Norrington to attack Isla de Muerta by impulsively accepting his previous marriage proposal . The commodore doubts her sincerity, though Elizabeth apparently intends to honor her promise, sacrificing her own happiness to save Will . She says nothing about the curse while Sparrow provides the bearings to Isla de Muerta, setting his own plan into motion . </P> <P> At Isla de Muerta, Elizabeth frees Sparrow's crew from the Pearl's brig, naively believing they will rescue Will and Sparrow . Abiding by the pirate code that, "any man who falls behind, is left behind," they instead commandeer the Black Pearl and set sail, leaving a disgusted Elizabeth to rescue Will and Sparrow alone . As the navy battles the pirates, Sparrow duels Barbossa inside the treasure cave, while Elizabeth joins Will in fighting the remaining cursed crew . Sparrow fatally shoots Barbossa, who, upon reverting to mortal form as the curse is lifted, falls dead . The surviving now - mortal pirates surrender . Will, Elizabeth, and Sparrow are rescued, although Sparrow is later condemned to hang . </P> <P> In Port Royal, Elizabeth attends Sparrow's execution . Will, who has been pardoned, approaches and proclaims his love for her before attempting to rescue Sparrow . Will frees Sparrow, but they are quickly captured, though Norrington and Governor Swann are reluctant to arrest Will or resume Sparrow's execution . Elizabeth intervenes and declares her love for Will . Norrington releases Will and concedes Elizabeth's hand to him . Sparrow, meanwhile, falls off the rampart and into the bay just as the Black Pearl sails into view . He is hauled aboard, captain once again . Apparently impressed by the wily pirate, Norrington allows the Black Pearl one day's head start before giving chase . </P> <P> The film opens a year later, and Elizabeth is seen waiting at the altar where she and Will Turner were to be wed . Lord Cutler Beckett and the British Navy arrive, bringing Will, who is shackled in irons . Elizabeth and Will are charged with aiding Sparrow's escape; the punishment is death . Former Commodore James Norrington is also implicated, although he has since resigned his commission and disappeared . Lord Beckett offers clemency if Will agrees to search for Jack Sparrow and bring him back his magical compass . Beckett, a ruthless East India Trading Company agent, is extending the company's monopolistic stronghold over the entire Caribbean . Honest merchants and traders are forced to pay exorbitant fees and surcharges to ply their goods in EITC - controlled ports, an action amounting to little more than legal piracy . With Jack's compass, Becket can eradicate all pirates, thus securing and expanding the company's territory and increasing its profits while consolidating his own power and wealth . Beckett implies he has a personal score to settle with Jack Sparrow, though it is never revealed in the series what this is . However, it is revealed that Beckett was responsible for branding Sparrow for piracy . </P>

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