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it makes me so sad whenever i think about misty saying “she’s my best friend, she wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye,” and then crying in nat’s empty motel room when she thinks that she did.

especially since, if lottie hadn’t taken nat hostage, natalie would have left without saying goodbye. and it would’ve been under far worse circumstances.

misty saying “i knew it,” when she realizes the door was broken down, and later scoffing when lottie tells misty nat tried to kill herself…

misty telling lottie “i don’t believe that,” because she’s thinking natalie wouldn’t do that to her; she wouldn’t leave her like that.

nat wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

i don’t think natalie ever realized that her suicide would’ve had the same exact impact on misty as travis’s did on her. i don’t think nat ever realized how deeply misty’s love for her really ran.

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this was brought to you by the collective thirsting appreciation for Tai showing midriff.

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I think the most unlikely bit of characterization in the whole show is Blackbeard never having killed a man with his own hands, after his father. It’s so far-fetched for what he does and for what his reputation is. I love it. It’s so compelling. I can’t stop thinking about it. Somehow he’s avoided anyone noticing that, all of these years.

And for all he’s agreed to teach Stede to be a pirate, he doesn’t teach him how to kill, either; he lets him watch his crew do it, but he also lets Stede stop him doing it; he shows him how to be intimidating and how to put on a fuckery and how to make a last-minute call that will save his men’s lives, but even his fencing lessons are all about movement and blocking and how to take a blade, not how to cut a throat, or strike a heart home. He doesn’t teach Stede how to be cruel; he teaches him how to look like a good pirate, stage a show. He’s teaching Stede how to survive the sea. How to do enough to get by and get what he needs and get away.

And it’s what Stede needs from him. Because for all Stede claims he wants to be a pirate, and acts relaxed amid the fighting (after asking how violent it will be and getting an implied ‘very’; this is a man’s work! Lily-livered little rich boy), and accepts that Ed “loves a good maim” and is far from an innocent, though he looks uncomfortable whenever Ed hurts someone in front of him—what Stede really wants is to be in a pirate story. He wants to have the adventure, the sea and the storms, but no blood on his hands. A little gold, and laughter. And it appears that somehow, the actual Blackbeard really wants the same. He’s been creating his own pirate story, but he likes Stede’s story even better. There aren’t two men better suited to be co-captains than they are.

Stede never hurts anyone, all season, other than whacking Badminton with the whale; he fuckeries them. He blusters and bluffs his way into getting the houseplant, the hostages, the Act of Grace, and his crew’s respect; he outwits Izzy and the invading party and the rich snobs; he doesn’t actually try to kill either Badminton twin, and the even the party ship doesn’t burn down because of him—the others set it on fire themselves by accident (though he does seem to enjoy that). He hasn’t gotten in any murder, or even a maim. In any other pirate story, the moment he finally pulls a weapon and pins a man would feel like a triumph—he’s found his competence. But instead it’s a sign that he needs to get the hell out of there; this isn’t him; he’s not where he needs to be.

And against all odds, Blackbeard’s sudden violence at the end feels the same. When he tells about the theatrical things he’s done, we love it; we’re impressed by his self-possession and charm and competence and intelligence. But when Jack shows up and tells stories about the crueler things Ed’s done to get and keep his reputation, it’s not impressive. It’s deeply uncomfortable for them all. It isn’t who he wants to be. It gives him no joy. So when Ed chokes Izzy out at last, it isn’t cathartic, like it might have been in another story. It’s horrifying. It’s even worse when he tries to drown Lucius—not understandable, not excusable. He’s losing himself in front of our eyes. Somehow, this is a pirate show about how violence is anything but their real men’s work; it’s the breakdown of the story, not the catharsis. They’ll only be free when they’re free of it.

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meanwhile--

have you heard (read) the good word (my pirate data science meta from 20-fuckin'-22) about how

STEDE

is WEIRD

about TOUCH

-> Part 1: Stede wants to be touched, but is afraid of it.

-> Part 2: Stede will avoid touch to protect himself.

-> Part 3: Stede has found/developed “safe” ways to physically interact with people.

-> Part 4: The top three people who touch Stede, or who Stede touches, are Ed, Mary, and Izzy.

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There are so many little physicalities in the reunion scene that overwhelms my soul.

It’s not just the kisses. I mean, it’s mostly the kisses let’s be real, but it’s the glances, the soul seeking, the hand placements, etc etc…

I’ve been replaying this scene over and over, probably an innumerable amount and each time, I’m filled with those little butterflies in the pit of my stomach. 🥹 it’s akin to kicking my feet and giggling.

I wanted to show zoomed in clips of each of their perspective because Rhys and Taika have incredible ways of storytelling through their physicality.

Rhys is a fantastic actor. Unbelievably emotive. Outrageously funny. But he’s also wonderfully honest during moments of tenderness. There’s so much that can be said of his perspective looking at Taika. It’s the way he allows Stede to keep his eyes open right before locking lips with Ed. It’s the way he grants permission to Stede to study Ed’s face in admiration while he’s talking. Rhys hits the mark on every beat of that scene.

The generated heavy breathing having just run on the beach. The gentle swaying in Ed’s arms after riding that high. The nuzzling into Ed’s hand pressed against Stede’s face. It’s all there. And it’s intuitive and beautiful.

For Taika, he shows us what Ed could be like without the presence of any piracy and general swashbuckling. His character development in this season was astoundingly emotional for me and I think it’s because Taika allowed himself to “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.”

Click the link to read about Meisner technique and how it informs authentic acting.

Taika is also intuitive with his roles. He brings a certain level of familiarity and that’s evident in Ed. Not the whole ‘feared pirate legend’ bit, but the bit where Ed is a man that fell in love.

Now I don’t know about you all, whether some of you that read this have had acting experience, but for someone who does, it is quite an undertaking to act a scene like this. The vulnerability can only be achieved if your partner meets you halfway. Meisner believed acting is doing, right? There’s no talking when it comes to acting. Acting is action.

These scenes are incredibly difficult for not only the logistics/planning of the kiss, but the before and after said kiss. That one kiss needs to be built into a storyline, and if you aren’t able to bounce off that stimuli to your acting partner, it falls flat and appears clunky and irregularly timed.

But Taika and Rhys went above and beyond to present something that’s honest, tender, and not at all uncomfortable, out of place or inauthentic. It was as real a kiss as could be in a gay pirate show lol!

Taika inhabits the reality of Ed’s world by resting his right hand against Stede’s neck. His physicality is compelling. The furrowed brows. The hands grasping Stede’s face. The hand resting against Stede’s chest, almost as a way to fully feel present. Or maybe it’s a way to hold onto Stede after the delirium inducing kiss.

But my favorite part of this entire scene?

“I love you. I love you.”

Ed pulls away mid kiss to let Stede know he loves him. As if Stede didn’t already know, though I’m sure grateful for the spoken affirmation nevertheless. It’s the fact that Taika made a choice to say ‘I love you’ in an abrupt way. To the audience, it could be interpreted as his inner monologue springing forth to be heard. As if he’d been saying ‘iloveyouiloveyouiloveyou’ while his lips were desperately clinging to his lover’s.

He says it twice. The first time it’s quick and in an attempt to make Stede understand. The second time he’s willed it into existence. Taika also makes a choice to say the second ‘I love you’ while maintaining eye contact.

It’s the kiss we all wish we truly could experience.

It’s a kiss of acceptance.

Unconditional love.

It’s a kiss that says everything they’re unable to say.

It’s everything. This reunion was everything.

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Nicky: Not much of an exile, if you're dropping in to deliver groceries. Joe: Booker's alone. Nicky, caro, what… he's alone. Nicky: Yeah. And you were the one screaming for his head.

now I just love this, since it really shows how even if Joe was the one who pushed for a longer exile that also played a role in how he dealt with Booker in the aftermath, as Greg said "[...] Joe and Booker are shouting at each other at the lab… but Joe is the last person looking back when they leave Booker […] and there’s a nod between them. They have achieved something. In accepting this punishment, they can be friends again."

so yeah Joe's quick to anger, but also quick to forgive and I'm just 🥺🥺🥺

meanwhile poor Nicky is like 'why did you push for 100 years if you wouldn't even last six months, am i a joke to you'

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nicky when joe tries to give him a bro hug and walk off without making eye contact like that's a thing they do

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joe contacting booker and nicky being upset about it is so incredibly in character im sorry like joe’s a hothead who has emotional reactions in the moment and nicky’s an emotionally reserved sniper who is used to waiting things out of course his rage took longer to manifest and joe’s had already fizzled out

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Been thinking about this all day, and I think the main thing this movie failed to understand about itself is this: the immortality was supposed to be the premise, not the plot.

Like, the immortality piece fuels the villains in the first film, but the unknowability of it is part of the point. It’s a dreadful curse, to outlive all your loved ones. Or, it’s a powerful gift, to grow and nurture a relationship for centuries on end. Or, it’s a complicated responsibility, a way you are uniquely positioned to help make the world a better place, and how much of that mantle should you take on? It’s the premise, the vessel through which the themes and characters can be explored.

The point was never to find out the “rules” and drop a bunch of lore about it. This movie took the premise and made it the plot, and that I think was its cardinal mistake.

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Joe & Nicky I The Old Guard 2 (2025)

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Joe: I need some alone time

Nicky: The idea that this man wants to be parted from me for even a second is extremely suspicious

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I don't think Joe's bad at lying I think he's just bad at lying to Nicky because he's literally just never tried. 900 years and Joe's like whew ok here I go gonna lie to Nicky, he caught me the last time I tried 4 centuries ago but this one will get him, third times the charm,

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#dorks

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if a hot undead cougar said that to me I would need a cigarette

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UNUSUAL HOARD commission for robin - it stands to reason that more than a few dragons thatre revered as forest guardians are just hoarding the dang trees

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Maxwell Gotch is such pure distilled Murph character energy, I’m obsessed with him. Guy who is generally unpleasant in social situations and constantly puts his foot in his mouth because he is hounding for plot information, guy convinced he’s the sanest person in the room, guy who’s whimsy reserves are severely lacking, guy who is constantly, deservedly, bullied by all the other pcs, guy who lusts for blood in a distinctly wrestling manner, and guy who’s, quite frankly, a little gay with it. He’s like a cross between the three main Murph character archetypes of grizzled plothound with a distaste for shenanigans, big buff dude who’s two steps away from being a professional wrestler, and shithead asshole in their 20s

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idk what your all talking about tiktok rules