Charles Vane
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Title | Captain Steward of the fort |
| Gender | Male |
| Status | Alive |
| Ships | Ranger |
| Relationships | Jack Rackham (Ex-Crewmen) Anne Bonny (Ex-Crewmen) Eleanor Guthrie (Lover) |
| Appearances | First: I. |
| Portrayed by | Zach McGowan |
| Gallery | Charles Vane Gallery |
- "Are you as surprised as I am that I'm the only one here behaving myself?"
- ―Charles Vane to Eleanor Guthrie[src]
Charles Vane is Captain of the pirate ship Ranger. Possibly the next great pirate captain on New Providence Island, he is known for his vicious temper as well as his tremendous financial success.
Biography
Background
In his youth, Vane was a child laborer, held captive by Albinus. At some point he escaped from captivity, but due to the fact that it is unclear when exactly he escaped, it was most likely as a young boy because his former captain, although remembering his former slave's name, did not recognize him.
At some time in his adult life, Vane became a pirate, joining a growing pirate community on New Providence Island. It was there where he met Jack Rackham and his lover, Anne Bonny, who joined his crew, the former becoming his quartermaster. Sometime between his becoming of a pirate and early 1715, Vane obtained the Ranger, which he made his flagship.
Season One
Vane first appeared in the series during the confrontation between Singleton and Mosiah. When Mosiah announced his intention to support Captain Flint over Singleton, Vane had Mosiah killed. Though outwardly appearing to support Singleton for Captain of the Walrus, his true motive was much different. Vane hoped that when Singleton was elected Captain and subsequently failed at it, that the capable crew of the Walrus would defect and join Vane's own ever growing pirate crew.
When Eleanor found out that Vane had a part in Mosiah's death, she confronted him and punched him in the face. Vane responded by punching her in the face. He followed her into her room and Eleanor explained that he had screwed her over by backing Singleton over Flint. When Eleanor threatened to no longer sell any booty Vane brought back to Nassau, he responded by telling her that her father was the one who would make that decision and that her father would always choose profits over his daughter. Before he left, Vane told Eleanor that he had loved her once and to never strike him again in public or else he might forget that love and do something far worse to her.
When Rackham approached Vane about the possibility of buying the supposed schedule of the Urca de Lima, Vane was initially skeptical, but allowed Rackham to take 5,000 pesos of the crew's money to buy the schedule. When Vane and Rackham met with Max to discuss the transfer, Vane assaulted her, thinking that she was trying to cheat them out of their money with a worthless document.
Vane assaults Max.
Max told Vane that she was legit and that he could purchase the schedule from a man (John Silver) later that night at a location outside Nassau. When Vane showed up to purchase the schedule, he became enraged and killed Silver's proxy, spooking Silver. When Silver was spotted by members of the Walrus crew, he ran way, forcing Vane and Rackham to chase him. During the chase, Rackham fell from some rocks into the ocean and lost the 5,000 pesos. Flint's crew would eventually find Silver before Vane could.
Though unsuccessful in getting the schedule, Vane and his crew were invited to act as consort to the Walrus in the expedition to take down the treasure ship. Vane agreed and for once actually behaved himself, impressing his former lover Eleanor. However, Vane was harboring a secret from Eleanor. He had captured Max and was allowing her to be abused by members of his crew. When Eleanor found out, she banished Vane from ever again operating a pirate crew in Nassau and forced many of the members of his crew to join Flint's crew.
Noonan's men prepare to shoot Vane.
The loss of his ship and crew devastated Vane, who fell into an opium and drink induced fog, where he was constantly getting in fights with people. Visions of Eleanor would eventually bring him partly out of the terrible shape he was in. While in his fog, he kept seeing the apparition of a very large man staring at him. Vane followed the man through the streets of Nassau, but he would keep disappearing as Vane grew close. Eventually, Vane found himself in a narrow ally where he was confronted by Noonan and his men. Noonan owned the local brothel and was angry that Vane had taken away his most prized whore: Max. Noonan ordered that Vane be shot, but the pistol misfired. Vane took this opportunity to fight against his attackers and killed Noonan. With Noonan dead, Vane and Rackham took control of the brothel.
Unexpectedly, Vane took a skiff one night and sailed to an unknown location. While he was gone, Captain Hornigold more or less forced Eleanor to rescind her ban on Vane. However, he would soon be left without much of a crew when Eleanor and Bonny conspired to kill Hamund, who had been abusing Max. In the act of killing Hamund, they also killed seven other members of Vane's crew that had remained loyal to him.
Vane went to see Albinus, a former pirate now lumberer. Albinus used to own Vane as a child laborer. Vane negotiated with Albinus to get some men for a new crew to help him take Nassau. He offered to give Albinus four shares for the men that he would get in return. However, while Vane was giving a speech to his new men, he told them that Ablinus was weak and that if they joined him they would become strong and feared as they once were.
Vane after killing Albinus.
However, Vane was overheard by Albinus and attacked. Albinus beat him nearly to death and had him stripped and thrown into a shallow grave. However, Vane was still alive and hearing Eleanor's voice inside his head giving him encouragement; he climbed out of the grave. He approached Albinus from behind and stabbed him through the back with a wooden stake, killing him.
With a whole slew of men at his disposal, Vane returned to Nassau and quickly took over Hornigold's fortress that overlooks Nassau. With control of the fortress, Vane essentially controlled Nassau. When confronted by Eleanor, Charles demanded Hornigold’s spot on the consortium and a share of the profits that her new Consortium would collect. When Eleanor tells him that his actions will not be accepted, Vane tells her that if they should decide to attempt an attack, he is start sinking ships in the harbor. Without any options, she agreed and Vane became a partner in the Consortium.
Trivia
- Charles Vane was a historical pirate who terrorized the seas during the Golden Age of Piracy aboard his ship the Ranger.
- Charles Vane is left-handed.
- The unique brand on his chest is the brand that Albinus gave to all of his child laborers.
Memorable Quotes
- " But make no mistake about it, whatever future this place has left, I'm it."
- ―Vane to Eleanor Guthrie[src]
- " You don't know me, but you once did, when I was the lowest among you. Now I return, and I offer you a chance to be free of this place. I'm Charles Vane and you were a strong crew once, proper pirates, feared as you should have been, before he dragged you away from the sea, before he convinced you to live here like animals because it suits his weaknesses. There is a place not far from here where strong men live lives of pleasure, not labor. A place where you could be feared and respected once again. Follow me and I will show you what life is."
- ― Vane to his new crew.[src]
- "You spend enough time on an island, you forget there's a whole world out there."
- ―Charles Vane to Eleanor[src]
