In Dead Man’s Chest , Will seeks the heart of Davy Jones to free his father from servitude aboard the Flying Dutchman . His choices lead to a tragic twist: he stabs the heart himself and is forced to become the new captain of the Dutchman , ferrying souls to the afterlife. This means he can only set foot on land once every ten years.

Though largely self-taught, Will is considered one of the best swordsmen in the series, often dueling on equal footing with Jack Sparrow and James Norrington.

Born William Turner Jr. in Glasgow, Scotland, Will was raised by his mother in England under the belief that his father, "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, was a respectable merchant sailor. Following his mother's death, a young Will set out to find his father, but his ship was attacked by pirates. He was rescued by a British Royal Navy vessel and brought to , Jamaica, where he became an apprentice to blacksmith John Brown.