- "That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child. Savvy?"
- ―Jack Sparrow to Joshamee Gibbs
Will, meanwhile, was taken to Port Royal, where he became apprenticed to John Brown, a local blacksmith. Will became proficient at his trade, and it could be said that he carried out many, if not all, of the duties neglected by his oft-drunken master. He also began forging a number of swords, and practiced with them for hours at a time at the smithy. He had developed a hatred towards pirates, and wanted to be able to best one in single combat should the opportunity arise.
During this time, Will's friendship with Elizabeth developed further, but it grew into something more romantic as they grew older. Despite Will's feelings towards the girl, he remained reluctant to reveal his true feelings towards her, likely due to the social divide between them.
"I practice three hours a day so that when I meet a pirate, I can kill it!"
"Ah."
- ―Jack Sparrow and William Turner
Will returned to the blacksmith's following the ceremony, where he was confronted by Captain Jack Sparrow, a pirate currently being hunted by the Royal Navy. Will's noble nature caused him to engage Sparrow in a duel, during which he displayed his skill with a sword. Will's training gave him an advantage over Jack, though the pirate ended the duel by pulling his pistol on his opponent. Even now, Will refused to back down, though Jack was reluctant to shoot the boy—and thus waste the single shot contained within his gun. His moment of indecision gave Mr. Brown enough time to rise and knock Jack unconscious (with his empty bottle of rum) and reap congratulations for his efforts from Commodore Norrington, whose stiff manners towards Will (who was socially beneath him) caused him to ignore Will's part in the capture.
Will, however, was not satisfied. He was fiercely loyal to those he cared about, and would not leave Elizabeth in danger. Though it pained him to do so, he made a bargain with Jack Sparrow, freeing him from prison in exchange for information on the Black Pearl. Doing so, he used a trick he knew from being a blacksmith and the same trick was later used by Sparrow to escape the Flying Dutchman's brig. After declaring that he would do anything to save Elizabeth—even die for her—Will accompanied Jack as he commandeered the HMS Interceptor, the only ship that had a chance of catching the Black Pearl. With this, Will committed his first act of piracy, a fact that did not sit well with him. He became further conflicted when Jack revealed that his father, whom Jack had known, had been a pirate and a good man, and it was a pirate's blood that ran in Will's veins.
- "You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates, you are well on your way to becoming one. Sprung a man from jail...commandeered a ship of the fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga...and you're completely obsessed with treasure." "That's not true! I am not obsessed with treasure." "...Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate."
- ―Jack Sparrow and William Turner
Will's doubts over the wisdom of continuing with his mission grew when he was presented with Jack's motley crew. He hardly considered them "able-bodied", but nevertheless agreed to sail out with them for Isla de Muerta. During the voyage, Will learned more about Jack himself; he was once captain of the Black Pearl, but had been betrayed by Barbossa and left for dead. As he and Jack set out alone for the island, Will also discovered the pirates were to keep to the Code, meaning that any man who fell behind would be left behind. Despite Jack's insistence to the contrary, Will kept staunchily to his bleak outlook on pirates.
Upon reaching Barbossa's treasure cave, Will witnessed the supposed sacrifice of Elizabeth, though it transpired that the cursed pirates believed they needed only a drop of her blood, and her life was spared. She was still far from safe, however, so Will took matters into his own hands. Not trusting Jack to help him, Will knocked the pirate unconscious, and rescued Elizabeth from the middle of the pirate assembly. He escaped with her, and the medallion, back to the Interceptor, which promptly left without Jack.
- "It wasn't your blood they needed. It was my father's blood…my blood…the blood of a pirate."
- ―William Turner to Elizabeth Swann
After the fight between the Black Pearl and the Interceptor, Will, who was thought to have perished in the destruction of the latter, jumped aboard the Black Pearl. He grabbed a pistol and threatened to shoot himself. Will, despite Jack's protest, identified himself to the perplexed Barbossa as the son of Bootstrap Bill, whose blood was needed to lift the curse. Barbossa agreed that, in exchange for setting Elizabeth free and not harming the crew, Will would surrender to them and not shoot himself.
- "Who are you?" "No one, He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew, twice removed. Lovely singing voice though, [whispers] eunuch." "My name is Will Turner. My father was "Bootstrap Bill" Turner. His blood runs in my veins."
- ―Hector Barbossa, Jack Sparrow and William Turner
In the cave, Sparrow suddenly, without any notice, pulled a sword from one of Barbossa's crewmen, threw it to Will, and began dueling with Barbossa while Will began fighting the rest of the crewmen in the cave. Elizabeth, after escaping from the Dauntless, joined Will and helped him blow up three crewmen. Jack saw that only Barbossa was left, and cut himself, and threw his piece of the gold to Will. Will cut himself and was about to drop both pieces into the chest when Barbossa pulled his pistol and aimed at Elizabeth. Jack pulled his pistol and fired at Barbossa's heart. Barbossa was surprised, but then turned around and saw that the curse had been lifted. Barbossa fell dead.
"Elizabeth. I should have told you every day from the moment I met you…I love you."
- ―William Turner to Elizabeth Swann
Fighting off the Royal Marines, he and Jack ran toward the Fort's edge. They ran and used the rope that Jack had removed from his neck to knock over the Royal marines attacking them. Reaching the Fort's exit, they were surrounded by the Royal Marines attacking them. After both Norrington and Governor Swann confronted Will and Jack, Elizabeth joined her true love, Will Turner. Seeing these turn of events, Governor Swann order the marines lower their weapons. Jack used this opportunity, and escaped into the sea, where the Pearl waited for him. Norrington realized that Elizabeth loved Will, not him, and conceded. Governor Swann also realized that this was where her heart truly lay. Will and Elizabeth then shared a long, passionate kiss.