John Silver

John Silver is the main antagonist turned anti-hero of the 2002 animated Disney film, Treasure Planet. He was based on Long John Silver in Treasure Island. He was voiced by Brian Murray.

Role in the film
Initially, Captain Amelia assigned him as the ship's cook, and gives him the task of looking after Jim Hawkins. At first, they don't get along; Jim suspects Silver of being the cyborg who torched his mother's inn, and Silver doesn't enjoy having to look after Jim, concerned that he may get wind of the plans. He decides to give Jim so much work that he won't notice any plotting.

However, as the journey passes and Silver gets to know how strong-willed and determined Jim is, they form a father-son relationship. When Jim's confidence is dashed after Mr. Arrow, the first mate, fell into a black hole, Silver realised that it must have been Scroop who did it, and tries to comfort Jim, convincing him not to give up. However, soon after, Silver had to tell his mutinous crew that he saw Jim as nothing more than a "nose-wiping little whelp" to keep them in line, and Jim overhears this just as they arrive on Treasure Planet itself.

When Jim escaped with the map, he could not bring himself to shoot him. He later apologized and offered Jim a deal on the treasure, his deal appearing genuine, but grew angry when Jim turned him down, and threatened to blast him to kingdom come, although he was also shown to not wish to do this. Later, Silver captured Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler, and took the map, and Jim along with it. When Silver finally got the treasure, Treasure Planet began to self-destruct, and Jim almost fell to his death. Silver had to choose between some of the treasure, or saving Jim. He chose Jim, which effectively saved his life as between them, they built a solar-surfer and Jim managed to save the entire remaining crew from destruction.

Silver then attempted to escape the consequences of prison for his actions, but Jim caught him out. They exchanged a heart-warming goodbye, and Silver also gave Jim his pet shape-shifter, Morph, to have Jim remember Silver by. Just before Silver left, he gave Jim the few gems he had managed to salvage from Treasure Planet, enough for Jim to rebuild the Benbow Inn. At the very end of the film, Jim looks up to the clouds and remembers John Silver, and the star/cyborg eye twinkles.