Top 10 Fictional Pirates

Ahoy again you scurvy bilge rats! I have created a list of the Top 10 Fictional scallywags to ever sail the Seven Seas in our favorite movies, TV shows, books, and video games. My list will not include the usual pirates like Blackbeard or Captain Kidd, but only the fictional. I am not limiting my list to pirates that sail the oceans, but also the ones that pillage and plunder the vast abyss of space, and even modern pirates. 

Honorable Mention: Han Solo, Malcolm Reynolds, and Star Lord

As much as I wanted to include my three favorite galactic scoundrels, Han and Mal are more smugglers than pirates, and Star Lord is more of a thief, therefore, they will not be making the list.

At Number 10: Davy Jones

Honestly, Davy Jones is not a particularly compelling character to me in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. However, he looks cool, and Davy Jones is a very popular character. Plus, if I did not include him on the list, I might end up in Davy Jones' Locker!

At Number 9: Captain Hook

Captain Hook from the old Peter Pan book and movies is a classic pirate that almost everyone has seen in some form or another. Sure, he is not exactly menacing, and I have not seen an incarnation of the characters in years (except for that Neverland miniseries), but the original Peter Pan animated movie was one that I watched several times as a child. Hook has been played by many different actors throughout the years including, Rhys Ifans, Hans Conried, Tom Hiddleston, and next year, Garrett Hedlund will play a young version of the character in the new live-action reimagining of the story titled, Pan.

At Number 8: Captain Harlock

Captain Harlock is the fearless captain of the spaceship Arcadia, and he is the titular character in the TV series Space Pirate Captain Harlock, as well as the recent feature film, which I reviewed yesterday. He comes from the mind of the popular Japanese anime creator Leiji Matsumoto, and grew popular in the 70s and 80s thanks to the anime TV series. While there have been various versions of the character, he remains a stoic figure that fights for no one except for what he, himself, believes is right.

At Number 7: Edward Kenway

Apparently, not all of Desmond Miles' ancestors were noble assassins with Edward Kenway being just as much a pirate as he is an assassin. In the popular Ubisoft video game, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, you play as Edward Kenway, a privateer-turned-pirate, as he battles the Templars and plunders the high seas, alongside some of history's most infamous pirates like Blackbeard and Captain Kidd. 

At Number 6: Hondo Ohnaka

Most notable for his various appearances in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Hondo Ohnaka can be an antagonist or reluctant anti-hero depending on who pays the most. He is the leader of the Weequay pirate group, and he has often clashed with Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in various episodes of The Clone Wars series. Apparently, Hondo has also had a romantic relationship with bounty hunter vixen Aurra Sing.

At Number 5: Captain Barbossa

After Jack, Captain Barbossa is the best character of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, hands down. In some ways, he is an even cooler character than Jack, and his lack of presence in the second film of the franchise is glaringly noticeable. Sure, he does not have a ton of depth, but Geoffrey Rush gives a fun performance in every film.

At Number 4: Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)

More of a Space Cowboy/Bounty Hunter than pirate, Spike Spiegel is the main character of the classic anime Cowboy Bebop. Since he is not exactly a pirate by some definitions, Spike is not number one on the list, but he and the crew of the spaceship the Bebop fly around space trying to track down bounties across the known galaxy, which is kind of like a pirate. While he kind of sucks at his job, Spike is one of the most complex and compelling characters of any media. 

At Number 3: Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts

The most feared pirate of the seven seas, who is known for taking no prisoners, Dread Pirate Roberts, aka Westley, is not really that bad of a guy when you get to know him. In the extremely popular satirical fantasy adventure, The Princess Bride, Westley tries to save his beloved Princess Buttercup from the clutches of evil. If, for whatever reason, you have not seen the Princess Bride, just go watch it; the movie is a classic!

At Number 2: Revy (Black Lagoon)

A modern pirate/mercenary, Revy is possibly the coolest and most buttkicing female protagonist in any TV series or movie, and she is one of the main characters in the anime Black Lagoon. Definitely more of an anti-hero than hero, who often cares more about money and killing than anything else, Revy, along with Rock, Dutch, and Benny, are a part of Lagoon Company, a band of pirate mercenaries that are hired to do odd jobs ranging from VIP protection to ship plundering. Revy is also known for being a little (more like a lot) psychopathic at times, and throughout the series her dark past is explored. 

At Number 1: Captain Jack Sparrow

Honestly, who else could be number one other than Captain Jack Sparrow? Johnny Depp, in easily his most famous role, has almost single handedly made pirates the pop culture phenomenon that they are today with his Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. Depp was even nominated for Best Actor for his performance in Curse of the Black Pearl! Sure, the sequels range from mediocre to forgettably entertaining, but the first film and Depp's performance in it, more than makes him the best fictional pirate of all-time.

Who are your favorite fictional pirates? What do you think of my list? Please comment below and let me know.

Update Note: Well, it seems that I have made a massive mistake because Talk like a Pirate day is actually September 19, not August....

Honorable Mention: Long John Silver,

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