The Pirates of the Caribbean films have quickly become some of the most beloved pirate movies in film history. Its well-crafted characters are a big part of it—Davy Jones' (Bill Nighy) heartbreaking backstory makes you emphatize with the guy and feel for him, and Barbossa's (Geoffrey Rush) character development makes viewers realize that he isn't necessarily the "bad guy", but rather Jack's (Johnny Depp) thorn in the side; an antagonist with conflicting motives who often stood on his way simply because he seeked to lift a curse and move on with his life.
Out of all the characters these fantastic films delivered, there are a couple of villains and antagonists who stood out thanks to their calculative and cunning nature. So, avast, ye: from Angelica (Penelope Cruz) to Captain Hector Barbossa, see how these fictional baddies rank next to each other.
Angelica Teach
Daughter of the infamous Edward Thatch also known as Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Angelica, the charming lady pirate brought to life by Penelope Cruz, is the former love interest of Jack Sparrow and the secondary antagonist of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Though not particularly a villain, the captivating character is a master of the art of the con, having learned some of it from Sparrow himself.
Angelica is a very experienced anti-hero privateer who can surely wield a sword and fight the boldest of pirates. However, her true motivation as an antagonist comes entirely from matters of the heart—she strives to find the Foutain of Youth to ensure her father has enough time to redeem his soul from eternal doom.
Captain Armando Salazar
Back in the old days, Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem) was a terrifying pirate hunter who tormented the Caribbean. A young Jack Sparrow was the one who managed to trick him into a cursed cave which ultimately destroyed him along with his ship and led the character to come back looking for revenge in Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Much like Blackbeard and contrary to Barbossa and Davy Jones, Salazar didn't get a proper introduction. While the actors did a formidable job, the script and general execution of the last two films fall short. Nevertheless, Captain Salazar is an ambitious and scheming character who will find a way to ultimately get what he wants.
Blackbeard
Ian McCain's character is as brave as he is prone to cowardice. With an enormous and prided black beard, the notorious English pirate isn't afraid to step over others if he feels he needs to; as a matter of fact, he even tries to sacrifice his own daughter at some point. Edward Teach is the main antagonist of On Stranger Tides.
While, when it comes to the villains of the franchise, the character is relatively far from being a fan favorite (which some argue has more to do with the disappointing fourth installment of the series than with the character itself), the ruthless, crafty, and smart Blackbeard is hardly a bad villain.
Lord Cutler Beckett
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Although Lord Cutler Beckett was not the main antagonist but the secondary one in the second Pirates of the Caribbean installment Dead Man's Chest, the character had previously taken his share of atrocities in the first film. Beckett is the director of the vile East India Trading Company who often shows no emotion, even when his life is at risk or when innocent people are being murdered.
Motivated by profit and profit alone, the snobbish, mean-spirited, and arrogant character who took a part in Jack Sparrow's troubled past (and had him transport slaves without his knowledge), although witty and cunning, lacks empathy towards others and often acts on pure greed.
Davy Jones
If there is anything viewers can agree on, is that nothing is black and white in these films. While Davy Jones was unarguably the antagonist of the second movie and the secondary one of the third, his motivations all along were somewhat understandable. Extremely well-crafted a character, Jones' oddly captivating mannerisms and speech combined with his unique appearance easily make him one of the most iconic antagonists in film history.
Though the character is a cruel man cursed by love with a taste for violence, it is clear for viewers that there is still a very human side to him that is surprisingly easy to empathize with—there is no doubt the octopus-faced man is the most beloved Pirates villain.
Captain Hector Barbosa
While Barbossa's character has developed significantly throughout the films to the point where he is no longer considered a villain, there is no way to deny how awesome he was in The Curse of the Black Pearl (though, to be frank, he gradually became even cooler after that). The Pirate Lord is certainly one of the most treasured characters out of the franchise; just as much as Johnny Depp is Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush is Barbossa.
Fairly cold-hearted and cunning to a fault, the true Captain of The Black Pearl's dark nature slowly became lighter and a comical side to him started to show later in the films, which eventually led to a full redemption in which the character selflessly saved his daughter's life.