Black Sails Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Dobbs
Dodds
'
Vital statistics
Gender Male
Status Deceased (killed by Hornigold)
Ships Walrus
Relationships James Flint (captain)
John Silver (quartermaster)
Appearances First: XIX.
Last: XXVIII.
Portrayed by Richard Lothian

Dobbs was a Walrus crewman under Captain Flint's command, and a member of the vanguard.

Biography[]

Season Three[]

During his months crewing with Captain Flint, Dobbs becomes a member of the vanguard. During a raid, however, amidst the war against civilisation, he loses his footing, which Flint interprets as him losing his nerve. Once they return to the Walrus and Flint demands he gets replaced. Billy Bones tells Flint that he just lost his footing and doesn't think it had anything to do with his nerve, but Flint orders he be replaced. John Silver reluctantly convinces Dobbs to quit his position as the vanguard, telling him that his skill in the rig is too valuable. He later informs Flint of this[1].

Flint sails the crew through a storm in order to escape Benjamin Hornigold, who has become a pirate hunter for the Royal Navy, refusing to surrender in exchange for pardons. Dobbs is part of the deck crew and mans one of the ropes. However, they are unable to raise their t'gallants and the wind nearly capsizes the ship, and the men on deck are thrown around by the waves. Flint is eventually forced to cut away the t'gallants of the main and foremast, righting the ship. Billy then advocates that they weigh anchor and ride out the storm below, but Flint says that Hornigold will be looking for them when it dies out. Billy orders Dobbs and Palmer to man the starboard braces while Flint ties himself to the helm and tries to steer them through the storm. The crew survives, but they are becalmed in the Sargasso Sea with little food or water[2].

The crew spends over three weeks in the Doldrums surviving on minimal rations and what little they can catch with the eel nets. During this time, two crewmen accuse each other of stealing rations. Silver tries to deliberate, but gets nowhere and Flint executes the two. As supplies dwindle even further, Silver and Flint row out to a whale carcass to try and salvage its meat but it is too far rotten for consumption. However, they catch several sharks to feed the crew. Shortly thereafter, the wind returns, and they sail to an uncharted island[3].

The crew is captured upon arrival at the Maroon Island. The Maroons lead them to their camp upriver. During the journey, one pirate runs away from the column, but is killed by a pit trap. Upon arrival, Flint and Silver are questioned by the Maroon Queen as to how they arrived on the island. After they explain that they were defeated in battle and driven to the island by a storm, they are imprisoned. Dobbs is placed in a cage with Flint, Silver, Billy and a number of other men. Inside, they find Ben Gunn, the last survivor of a slaver crew captured by the Maroons. He tells them that they will all be worked to death doing hard labor. Several of the crew are chosen to be tortured and interrogated before being killed[4].

The imprisoned crew is surprised to see Mr. Scott arrive, and it is revealed that Scott is the secret Maroon King. Flint is summoned to speak with them, and when he returns he explains that he will propose a partnership deal between their crew and the Maroons later that night. If he fails, he will take the Queen hostage with a small knife he had stolen. After he leaves, Howell finds the small knife left behind, shocking the crew. However, Flint is able to negotiate a partnership with the Maroon Queen and her husband Mr. Scott where they will join forces to retake Nassau and then launch a rebellion of pirates and slaves to end colonial rule in the New World[5].

The crew takes on a number of Maroons and sails to Ocracoke Island to try and reclaim the Pirate Fleet. While they sail to Ocracoke , the crew works on repairing the fore and main masts, which were damaged in the storm. As they try and haul a spar up to the tops of the masts, the lashing becomes undone and the spar comes crashing down to the deck. Dobbs becomes angry after barely dodging the falling wood, and rushes towards the Maroon, calling him an idiot and saying that if he can’t tie a rope he shouldn’t be on a ship. Flint, Billy Bones and Kofi then step in to prevent things from escalating. Flint asks what happened and Dobbs explains that the Maroon’s lashing came undone, which he had showed him how to do it ten minutes ago. Dobbs also adds that someone could have been killed. Flint replies that Dobbs showed the Maroon incorrectly. Dobbs is irritated by this, and says he knows how to tie a lashing. Flint repeats that if the Maroon tied it wrong, then Dobbs instructed him incorrectly. Flint then pulls him close and emphasizes how they persuaded the Maroons that they need the pirates, but the pirates certainly need the Maroons. With that, everyone continues their work. Dobbs is part of the landing party at Ocracoke. Teach refuses to cede control of the fleet to Flint, and the two agree to duel. Flint seemingly kills Teach with his pistol shot, but Teach rises, the shot only having grazed his face. The two then fight with swords, and Teach is on the verge of killing Flint when Charles Vane intervenes on his behalf. Teach then orders Flint and Vane to leave Ocracoke[6].

The Walrus returns to the Maroon Island before sailing for Nassau to proclaim Flint's return and gain new recruits, and also for Madi to secure a stockpile of guns and ammunition maintained by her father's allies. Silver and Madi succeed in their missions, but the next day when they go to the eastern shore to pick up new recruits, Dobbs and the rest of the crew are shocked to find Governor Rogers waiting for them under a White Flag. Flint goes ashore to parley with him, and the two leave without capitulating, and Rogers revokes the universal pardon[7].

The Walrus pretends to sail away, but actually just waits off the coast under bare poles with the hull below the horizon, waiting for Flint and Vane to return with Jack Rackham and the Urca treasure. Meanwhile, Dobbs takes revenge on Chidi, one of the Maroons, by beating him. Dooley, Wayne and Joji confine the two in a cabin, and Dooley fetches the quartermaster, John Silver, in order to figure out how to proceed without causing the Maroons and pirates to break out fighting. When Silver berates Dobbs, he explains that he beat Chidi for choosing the men to be tortured while they were imprisoned in the Camp. Silver eventually brings the Maroon Queen’s daughter, Madi, into the fold. Madi swallows her pride to maintain the alliance, and releases her man with orders to say that he was beaten by Kofi for disrespecting Madi. As punishment, he has his men pin Dobbs in his bunk with a blanket and beaten, promising Madi that it will not happen again[8].

When the crew returns to the Camp, Silver reveals to Flint that Dobbs had assaulted Chidi, having told him the version of the story Madi had spread. Silver explains that he sorted it and punished Dobbs by having the vanguard beat him. Later, as Mr. Scott is close to death, the crew waits with the rest of the community for the announcement that he has passed. Flint approaches Silver and points out Dobbs sitting sullenly by himself and says they need to discuss the recent incident. The two talk about Silver's motives for having Dobbs beaten, and Flint warns Silver not to let his darker impulses control his actions[9].

As part of their strategy for the upcoming battle against an overwhelming English force, one man is to be chosen to make a direct move against Captain Hornigold, who will be leading the invasion force. In order to redeem himself, Silver assigns Dobbs that key role. Flint is shocked that Silver would do such a thing and orders him to choose someone who does not have a grudge against them, as the entirety of their plan rests on this. Silver refuses, warning that choosing another man would only make Dobbs more resentful. The next morning, the British fleet attacks the pirate and Maroon defenses on the beach, landing their men and forcing the pirates and Maroons to retreat inland. While the British plan their next move on the beach, Dobbs is sent with a pistol to their camp, however he surrenders himself, explaining that he was sent to kill Hornigold but instead wants to help them defeat the pirates, promising the lead them safely to the Camp as revenge for siding with the Maroons against him. To prove that he is being truthful, Hornigold orders him to shoot a Pirate Prisoner, which Dobbs does, satisfying Hornigold, who orders his men to prepare to move out. Dobbs leads the English to the Camp, which they start bombarding with their mortars. However, it is revealed to be an ambush, where Flint’s concealed men began slaughtering the British. In the ensuing chaos, Dobbs tries to cut his way towards Benjamin Hornigold but he is shot and killed by him[10].

Memorable Quotes[]

I sailed with that crew for months. Then they take the side of those fucking savages over a man who was supposed to have been their brother. Truth is, they didn't give a shit about me except that I did their bidding, so now I'm ready to see it end, and I can help you end it” Dobbs to Hornigold.

Image Gallery[]

References[]

Appearances[]

Season Three
XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII.
XXIV. XXV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII.
Advertisement