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In Dead Man's Chest, it is revealed that Davey Jones cut his own heart out in order to spare himself the anguish of his separation from Calypso, and that before he did this - and turned his back on his duty as a nautical psychopomp - he and his crew appeared as normal humans, not humanoid sea-creature chimera. This implies that the lack of a heart within the Flying Dutchman's captain's chest is not a requirement of the position

However, in At Worlds End, after Davey Jones is vanquished and Will Turner is dying or dead, Will's heart is cut out so that he can become captain of the Flying Dutchman and take on Davey Jones' former role as psychopomp.

Is there any explanation for this apparent discrepancy? How was Davey Jones able to serve with his heart still within his chest until his emotional trauma led to his removing it, yet it is implied that Will Turner cannot become captain of the Flying Dutchman and take on Davey Jones' role unless his heart is cut out?

Is this a plot discrepancy or is there a valid point that I've missed?

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The heart had a geis upon it - cast by Davy Jones

In a deleted scene from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Davy Jones states to Governor Swann.

"Are you prepared for what comes after? When I carved that traitorous vessel from my body, I cast upon it a terrible geis. If you stab my heart, yours must take its place. The crew are not bound to me. They are bound to the Dutchman. And the Dutchman must have a captain. Will ye serve?"

from about 6:25 in

Therefore the heart of whoever stabs the heart must replace Davy Jones' heart.

Probably a second layer of protection for the heart, giving anyone that thinks of destroying it a pause for thought.

Do they really want to take the place of Davy Jones, bound to ferry the souls of the dead for 10 years before being able to set foot on land?

"Bootstrap" Bill Turner cut out his son's heart to maintain the geis. I do not know if the geis will then be on Will's heart, or if it applied only to Davy Jones.

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    Was any justification given for deleting this particular scene? It would have made the circumstances of Will Turner's posting as captain of the Flying Dutchman much clearer IMO.
    – Monty Wild
    Dec 7, 2016 at 2:59
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    @MontyWild: If the majority of people did not question the rules of the Dutchman because they were clear, the scene served little extra purpose. Movies are always stretched for time, so a scene that is considered redundant (or opens another door that isn't needed for the plot) can quickly end up gettign cut.
    – Flater
    May 18, 2017 at 15:11

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