I feel so strongly for this ship!
I think it all started at the beginning of POTC1 ... when jack rescued Liz from drowning...that was when he first set her free.
The connotations of their relationship are laid out there for everyone to see, but it is ALWAYS down to how people happen to interpret certain things.
I think Lovethemtigers has a huge point with the fact that its 'jack and liz' up for best couple/kiss etc for teen choice awards...THAT is what people want to see.
The audience want action and adventure and they want it with their hero...the one who can make them laugh...the one that made the freaking film for god sakes!
IMO they've put the audience on the knifes edge because theyve made them WANT to see the third film by adding the cliff hanger...and 99% of the audience are rooting for jack because he IS the ultimate hero!
He has it all!!!
And the best thing about him of all;
He's real.
He has his flaws...he hides behind posessions and what it means to be a 'pirate' so people dont see the real him...
he is the ordinary man...hes not james bond.
Hes jack sparrow.
And people love that because they can sypathise with him. At one point in their lives they may have been in a similar emotional situation.
The epitome of Jack letting his true feelings show through were his lines;
"its only a ship mate"
The pearl was everything to him...it was the one thing he saught out in CotBP...and suddenly in DMC he was willing to give it all up...
because he found something better.
He found himself.