I didn't mind Norrington being brought low, I just minded him giving the heart to Lord Jerkoff.
While we in the audience know that Beckett is a bad guy because he lets his henchmen kill people who get in his way and he imprisoned Gov. Swann, Norrington does not know that. Based on what we're shown in the movie, all Norrington knows is that Beckett's with the EITC[1]. Neither Will nor Elizabeth saw fit to tell Norrington that Beckett had a warrant out on him and Elizabeth didn't tell him the man arrested her father. As far as Norrington knows, Beckett's a law enforcer just like he himself once was. In the choice between handing the power to control the sea over to a known pirate vs. handing it over to someone who more or less works in law enforcement, Norrington's going to give it to the cop. I'd be more concerned about Norrington's honor/decency if he'd decided to keep the heart for himself. I don't think it's unreasonable for him to hand it over to someone who, as far as he knows, is a hard-ass, yes, but (a) isn't evil, and (b) has the authority of the crown to which Norrington once swore allegiance behind him.
Re: your point later in the comments about being bothered that Norrington was self-serving:
The line in CotBP that Norrington utters in explaining to Jack how he keeps his ambitions in check isn't "By remembering that I serve others," period; it's "By remembering that I serve others and not only myself" (emphasis mine). We're told in the first movie -- by Norrington himself -- that he has the same impulses to selfish and/or self-centered behavior as anyone else, but what keeps them in check is his higher duty to others.
In DMC, there isn't anyone to whom he owes that higher duty. All my capacity for Sparrington shippyness aside, James doesn't owe Jack anything; there's a reason he gets interrupted before he can actually sign the Pearl's articles. Jack would screw over James and everyone else in a heartbeat to get what he wants; he is therefore owed no higher duty than he's willing to extend to others.
Will and Elizabeth both that James is facing the same death sentence they are and yet there isn't a single moment in the entire movie when either of them express an ounce of concern for his possible fate. We don't even see them tell James that Beckett's got a warrant out for his arrest/execution. If Will and Elizabeth had demonstrated the slightest interest in wondering how they could work the whole situation to save themselves and James, then I'd be a lot more conflicted about James taking the heart/chest for his own reasons without giving a thought to what it means for Will and Elizabeth that they don't get the heart/chest. Will and Elizabeth have demonstrated through their actions in CotBP that they don't give one whit about what happens to James as long as they can save/help each other.
Jack, Will and Elizabeth have all demonstrated that they feel no particular fealty to Norrington. I don't think Norrington should be expected to continue putting Elizabeth's wants/needs/desires ahead of his own when she's demonstrated that he doesn't factor into her considerations at all. Being honorable doesn't mean people have to be stupidly or unreasonably selfless/self-sacrificing. Norrington giving up his chance at a pardon/redemption just so Jack can continue welshing on a deal he made with his eyes wide open and/or Will and Elizabeth can have a shiny, happy marriage is Norrington being unreasonably selfless/self-sacrificing.
[1] Also, while Beckett does manipulate Will and Elizabeth into bringing him the compass, he's not actually wrong in arresting them in the first place. They did help a convicted felon escape. It's questionable that Beckett wants the compass and that he's willing to trade Will and Elizabeth their freedom to get it, but it's not all that different from a modern-day plea bargain between a prosecutor and one of the accomplices to a crime who can hand over even more evidence of bigger crime. Beckett showed his true evil colors when he authorized his henchman to willy-nilly kill people who got in his way, but none of the characters except Gov. Swann know about that.
no subject
While we in the audience know that Beckett is a bad guy because he lets his henchmen kill people who get in his way and he imprisoned Gov. Swann, Norrington does not know that. Based on what we're shown in the movie, all Norrington knows is that Beckett's with the EITC[1]. Neither Will nor Elizabeth saw fit to tell Norrington that Beckett had a warrant out on him and Elizabeth didn't tell him the man arrested her father. As far as Norrington knows, Beckett's a law enforcer just like he himself once was. In the choice between handing the power to control the sea over to a known pirate vs. handing it over to someone who more or less works in law enforcement, Norrington's going to give it to the cop. I'd be more concerned about Norrington's honor/decency if he'd decided to keep the heart for himself. I don't think it's unreasonable for him to hand it over to someone who, as far as he knows, is a hard-ass, yes, but (a) isn't evil, and (b) has the authority of the crown to which Norrington once swore allegiance behind him.
Re: your point later in the comments about being bothered that Norrington was self-serving:
The line in CotBP that Norrington utters in explaining to Jack how he keeps his ambitions in check isn't "By remembering that I serve others," period; it's "By remembering that I serve others and not only myself" (emphasis mine). We're told in the first movie -- by Norrington himself -- that he has the same impulses to selfish and/or self-centered behavior as anyone else, but what keeps them in check is his higher duty to others.
In DMC, there isn't anyone to whom he owes that higher duty. All my capacity for Sparrington shippyness aside, James doesn't owe Jack anything; there's a reason he gets interrupted before he can actually sign the Pearl's articles. Jack would screw over James and everyone else in a heartbeat to get what he wants; he is therefore owed no higher duty than he's willing to extend to others.
Will and Elizabeth both that James is facing the same death sentence they are and yet there isn't a single moment in the entire movie when either of them express an ounce of concern for his possible fate. We don't even see them tell James that Beckett's got a warrant out for his arrest/execution. If Will and Elizabeth had demonstrated the slightest interest in wondering how they could work the whole situation to save themselves and James, then I'd be a lot more conflicted about James taking the heart/chest for his own reasons without giving a thought to what it means for Will and Elizabeth that they don't get the heart/chest. Will and Elizabeth have demonstrated through their actions in CotBP that they don't give one whit about what happens to James as long as they can save/help each other.
Jack, Will and Elizabeth have all demonstrated that they feel no particular fealty to Norrington. I don't think Norrington should be expected to continue putting Elizabeth's wants/needs/desires ahead of his own when she's demonstrated that he doesn't factor into her considerations at all. Being honorable doesn't mean people have to be stupidly or unreasonably selfless/self-sacrificing. Norrington giving up his chance at a pardon/redemption just so Jack can continue welshing on a deal he made with his eyes wide open and/or Will and Elizabeth can have a shiny, happy marriage is Norrington being unreasonably selfless/self-sacrificing.
[1] Also, while Beckett does manipulate Will and Elizabeth into bringing him the compass, he's not actually wrong in arresting them in the first place. They did help a convicted felon escape. It's questionable that Beckett wants the compass and that he's willing to trade Will and Elizabeth their freedom to get it, but it's not all that different from a modern-day plea bargain between a prosecutor and one of the accomplices to a crime who can hand over even more evidence of bigger crime. Beckett showed his true evil colors when he authorized his henchman to willy-nilly kill people who got in his way, but none of the characters except Gov. Swann know about that.