#both max and anne vs. jack

[holychopshopgalaxy]

it's such an honest depiction how only the men black sails are obsessed with their legacy and their name and how they'll be remembered. almost like the women intrinsically know they'll be erased and won't be remembered anyway and therefore are motivated by other things

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Since we’re talking about Death Battle again, Mod, I wonder what are your top 10 battles and top 10 most wanted battles? You can ignore if it’s too much to think about

//What's funny is that I actually talked about my most wanted matchups recently with crossover, and this list is ever changing. But to give you an answer, I think my top 12 Death Battle episodes, at least right now, are:

12. Omni-Man Vs Homelander 11. Joker Vs Giorno 10. Rick Vs The Doctor 9. Samurai Jack Vs Afro Samurai 8. Cole Vs Alex 7. Frieza Vs Megatron 6. Xeno Trunks Vs Archie Silver 5. Bill Cipher Vs Discord 4. Goku Black Vs Reverse Flash 3. Goku Vs Superman 3 2. Scooby Vs Courage 1. Bowser Vs Eggman

//And below are my Top 12 most wanted matchups, as well as why I want them (This does not include any confirmed matchups or matchups that have already happened):

12. Yuma Kokohead Vs Will (Master Detective Archives: Rain Code Vs Metaphor ReFantazio)

Reason: Okay, genuinely, this is a meme match for me and I don't ACTUALLY want it, I just think it's funny for Not Persona and Not Danganronpa to face off.

11. Xiao Vs Jingliu (Genshin Impact Vs Honkai: Star Rail)

Reason: I really like both these games, and not only were Xiao and Jingliu my first 5-Star characters for both of them, but they are surprisingly similar. Xiao, a former warrior, is heavily influenced by his karmic burden, a result of his battle against dark forces, whereas Jingliu was once a renowned swordmaster and leader who succumbed to mara and became a mara-struck murderer. Both characters share a tragic relationship with the side effects of immortality and the struggles against the dark forces of their respective worlds.

10. The Eevee Battle Royale (Pokemon)

Reason: To be more specific, this is a battle between Eevee Vs Vaporeon Vs Jolteon Vs Flareon Vs Espeon Vs Umbreon Vs Leafeon Vs Glaceon Vs Sylveon. If Pokemon ever makes a return to Death Battle, I want it to be this, because not only do I think it would genuinely be a great battle royale, but I also want Death Battle to dive into the feats of each Eevee, and find out who, lore wise, wins.

9. Luz Noceda Vs Anne Boonchuy (The Owl House Vs Amphibia)

Reason: Luz and Anne are protagonists of Disney animated series that aired around the same time, who are thrust into magical worlds that challenge them to grow. Both are teenage girls with unique quirks. Luz is an imaginative, eccentric dreamer, while Anne is a fun-loving and loyal friend. They start as outsiders but gradually develop deep bonds with their newfound families and communities, Luz with the residents of the Boiling Isles and Anne with the citizens of Amphibia. Both face moral and emotional challenges, learn about leadership, and ultimately fight against powerful dictators to protect their worlds (Emperor Belos and King Andrius respectively). Their journeys emphasize themes of friendship, self-discovery, and embracing one’s individuality, making them kindred spirits in their narratives of growth and heroism. Both these shows ended a while ago now, but I still think that they are among Disney's best cartoons in the last decade, and I still kind of want to see the fight because I do love both shows, and both characters.

8. Naofumi Vs Maple (Rising of the Shield Hero Vs Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense

Reason: They are both isekai protagonists who have an unconventional reliance on defense-focused abilities in worlds where offense is typically prioritized. Naofumi is the Shield Hero, unable to use offensive weapons, and must creatively use his defensive tools to overcome challenges in a hostile world. Similarly, Maple, through her in-game character, maximizes her defense stats to absurd levels because she's afraid of getting hurt, resulting in unique, often comedic ways to defeat enemies. Both characters are underestimated by others due to their atypical builds but gain respect and allies through their ingenuity, resilience, and unconventional strategies. Also, the track Brandon Yates made for it goes hard.

7. Solidus Snake Vs King Bradley (Metal Gear Solid Vs Fullmetal Alchemist)

Reason: Again, this is largely because of Brandon Yates' music, even though we won't actually see them in the fight itself, but I am actually familiar with both these characters. Both are charismatic yet morally complex antagonists shaped by military ideology and secretive organizations. Both are also artificially created human super-soldiers, with Solidus being a clone of Big Boss, who seeks to liberate the world from control by the Patriots, believing in a harsh but free existence, while Bradley is the Führer of Amestris and a Homunculus, who enforces Father’s plan for human sacrifice under a guise of benevolent leadership. Both are highly skilled warriors—Solidus with his enhanced physique and swords, and Bradley as the Homunculus sin of Wrath with superhuman speed and precision. Despite their power, they grapple with existential themes: Solidus with his identity as a clone and Bradley with his artificial creation and limited autonomy. Their arcs explore questions of freedom, control, and the cost of serving higher powers.

6. Bendy Vs Cuphead (Bendy and the Ink Machine Vs Cuphead)

Reason: Okay, so admittedly I kind of fell out big time with Bendy and the Ink Machine, but I still kind of want to see this fight. Especially since with the release of the Dark Revival and the Delicious Last Course, there's new stuff for both of them. Both come from indie games that blend retro aesthetics with modern storytelling, drawing on vintage art styles to create unique atmospheres, and both of them are characters rooted in 1930s-style animation, sharing a nostalgic connection to classic cartoons while exploring darker undertones. Bendy represents the eerie corruption of creativity, as his world is a decayed cartoon studio filled with monstrous ink creatures, while Cuphead’s world is a whimsical yet perilous land filled with colorful bosses and a high-stakes deal with the Devil. Both stories explore the darker side of their respective settings: Bendy through horror and mystery, and Cuphead through challenging gameplay and moral consequences. Their shared connection lies in their homage to the golden age of animation, reimagined with innovative and contrasting tones.

5. Monika Vs Flowey (Doki Doki Literature Club Vs Undertale)

Reason: First of all, I think that this could be fun on the same level that Bill Vs Discord was, at least I'm really hoping it will be. Both of them are self-aware video game characters who manipulate their worlds to achieve their goals, often at the expense of others. Both break the fourth wall, using their awareness of the player’s presence to influence the narrative. Monika seeks the player’s attention and love, altering the game’s code to eliminate her competition, while Flowey uses his ability to manipulate timelines and reset progress to exert control, often displaying cruelty and detachment. Despite their antagonistic behavior, both reveal deeper vulnerabilities: Monika yearns for genuine connection, and Flowey’s actions stem from his inability to feel emotions after losing his soul.

4. Goku Vs Sonic (Dragon Ball Vs Sonic the Hedgehog)

Reason: We've had Shadow Vs Vegeta, and we've had Archie Silver Vs Xeno Trunks. This is the only Dragon Ball Vs Sonic matchup we've yet to get, and if Goku Vs Superman was anything to go by, this one has the potential to be a spectacle and a half. Both are energetic, freedom-loving heroes who rely on speed, power, and an indomitable spirit to protect their worlds. Both characters embody a carefree, adventurous attitude, but step up with determination and bravery when faced with challenges. Goku’s martial arts skills and transformations, such as the Super Saiyan form, mirror Sonic’s speed and power-ups, like his transformation into Super Sonic, which in itself is a clear homage to Goku’s iconic golden-haired state. Both characters frequently face off against powerful enemies intent on domination, such as Frieza and Dr. Eggman; dictators who wish to rule the universe; and rely on their friendships and teamwork, whether it’s with the Z Fighters or the Sonic Heroes.

3. The Traveler Vs The Trailblazer (Genshin Impact Vs Honkai: Star Rail)

Reason: Basically the same reasons as Xiao Vs Jingliu. Traveler is actually getting a matchup against Aang soon, but honestly? I really REALLY would have preferred his matchup be this, because this has the potential to be so much more fun. Both are HoYoverse game protagonists who share the role of being interstellar explorers thrust into worlds fraught with mystery, conflict, and adventure. The Traveler searches for their lost sibling while uncovering the secrets of Teyvat, while the Trailblazer seeks their identity and purpose after being imbued with the Stellaron. Both are connected to celestial forces; the Traveler to the enigmatic Unknown God and the Trailblazer to the Aeons; and are guided by a diverse cast of allies, such as Paimon and the Astral Express crew. Both are also capable of using every element in their respective games (Traveler at this point can use the power of Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, and Hydro, and Trailblazer can use the elements of Physical, Fire, and Imaginary)

2. Junko Enoshima Vs William Afton/Springtrap (Danganronpa Vs Five Nights at Freddy's)

Reason: Because trust me, this fight is a lot cooler and way more fun than the DBC made it out to be. I kind of talked about this match a little bit during the DB crossover we did, but not only am I a fan of both DR and FNAF, but these two share striking similarities as deeply manipulative and morally corrupt villains who derive a twisted sense of satisfaction from causing chaos and suffering. Both characters are obsessed with creating despair and fear, manipulating others for their own gain, and exhibit a cold, calculating demeanor that hides their inner emotional turmoil. Junko, as the mastermind behind the Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy, orchestrates mass despair to feed her nihilistic worldview, while Afton, through his involvement with the creation of haunted animatronics and the murder of children, creates terror to further his own goals. They both use their intelligence and charisma to control and deceive, often hiding behind a facade of normalcy or charm, and their actions ultimately lead to devastating consequences for those around them. Both are embodiments of twisted obsession and the destructive impact of unchecked desires.

1. Hajime Hinata Vs Izuku Midoriya (Danganronpa Vs My Hero Academia)

Reason: If you've known me for the whole time I've been doing this blog, you would know that this was my most wanted because I've talked about it before I even first started regularly talking about DB on here. They share a deep connection in their roles as unlikely heroes who rise above their perceived limitations through hard work, determination, and unwavering optimism. Both begin their journeys feeling inferior—Izuku initially lacks a Quirk, while Hajime starts as a relatively average student in a class of exceptional talents. Despite these perceived shortcomings, both characters exhibit remarkable resilience, developing into strong, dependable leaders who inspire others with their actions and ideals. Izuku is driven by his desire to protect others, particularly through his inheriting the powerful One For All Quirk, while Hajime's growth is shaped by his desire to understand his purpose, uncover the truth of his situation, and pave a better future to overcome the mistakes of his past. Both characters embody the power of self-improvement and the importance of believing in oneself, even when facing overwhelming odds, but where they diverge is that Izuku's story is that of a rising hero, while Hajime's is that of a fallen hero.

[julesandthemachine]

NEW BLOG INTRO!

ABOUT ME:

heya! my name is Jules, but you can also refer to me as Em, or Jasper, or Dipper. i am 18 years old, i am bisexual (with a girlfriend!) and non binary (with they/them pronouns), and i am also autistic. (i may also have arfid, but i don’t know yet) i am a cartoon lover, a CD collector, and an artist, both traditional and digital. i am also passionate about 2000s nostalgia and music. along with alt rock and numetal; they’re my preferred genres. right now i am hyperfixated on Pelswick, Recess, Pepper Ann, Lloyd in Space, and Being Ian. i made a blog intro before, but i decided to remake it. i may also update this from time to time :)

BEFORE YOU FOLLOW:

please note that i can open up art requests and art trades whenever i want to. at the moment, both of these are closed. please avoid flirting with me, as i have a girlfriend. i also have a bit of a swearing problem. i also have a problem with overreacting and i have bad social anxiety. i am also a hypersexual. i try to mask it but that’s not always the case. if i say or do anything wrong, let me know immediately.

CARTOONS I ENJOY:

Pelswick

Being Ian

Lloyd in Space

Pepper Ann

Recess

The Weekenders

Fugget About It

MTV’s Downtown

Moral Orel

Daria

Gravity Falls

Steven Universe

Adventure Time

Dan Vs

Archibald the Koala

John Callahan’s Quads!

Futurama

Smiling Friends

South Park

BoJack Horseman

Brickleberry

3-South

Metalocalypse

Bob and Margaret

Family Guy

American Dad!

The Simpsons

Drawn Together

The Oblongs

Beavis and Butthead

Inside Job

Bob’s Burgers

Robot Chicken

Rick and Morty

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Invincible Fight Girl

The StoryBots

Megas XLR

Undergrads

Bluey

Max and Ruby

The Amazing Digital Circus

Toopy and Binoo

YOLO: Crystal Fantasy (ik the name changes but i prefer calling it that)

The Backyardigans

My Little Pony

MUSIC/BANDS I LISTEN TO:

Florence + The Machine

Green Day

Gorillaz

Neon Trees

Foster The People

Chappell Roan

Nelly Furtado

Lady Gaga

*NSYNC

Limp Bizkit

Korn

System of a Down

Paramore

MARINA

Coldplay

Avril Lavigne

Destiny’s Child

Nelly

Timbaland

Rihanna

No Doubt

The Killers

Blink-182

Evanescence

Linkin Park

My Chemical Romance

Jack Off Jill

OutKast

P!nk

Maroon 5

Matchbox Twenty

3 Doors Down

DO NOT INTERACT:

Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss fans (THIS DOESN’T APPLY TO PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY MY MUTUALS)

zionists. if you support israel, you basically support genocide.

Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared fans (i trigger to it)

anyone who is under the age of 10, because i am an adult

anyone else that is problematic

but to be fair i block people freely so…

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME AT:

Instagram: miserymysweetbabboo

Discord: limpjuleskit

Bluesky: julesandthemachine

Twitch: julesandthemachine

Reddit: _julesandthemachine_

Agere Blog: rainbowkittywhiskers

Roblox: julesandthemachine

AO3: julesandthemachine

Pinterest: julesandthemachine

Wattpad: mabelsmissingsock

Youtube: julesandthemachine

Spotify: jules (it has a heart but it won’t let me put it there…)

[maremote]

Black Sails Monologuolympics! 🏴‍☠️🦜

Behold... the ultimate contest, to determine the one true monologue to rule them all!

Over the next few weeks, I will be running 8 tournaments to determine the best/most popular monologue in the whole show.

There will be 8 bracket tournaments.

TOURNAMENT 1: MINOR CHARACTERS' MONOLOGUES

berringer, dufresne, blackbeard, featherstone, garrett, idelle, mr.mccoy, mrs. guthrie, muldoon, ned lowe, oglethorpe, thomas hamilton, morley

TOURNAMENT 2: SECONDARY CHARACTERS' MONOLOGUES

billy, gates, israel hands, julius, maroon queen, miranda, mr.scott, woodes rogers

TOURNAMENT 3: SECONDARY MAIN CHARACTERS' MONOLOGUES (2 WINNERS)

anne, vane, eleanor, jack

TOURNAMENT 4: SILVER'S MONOLOGUES

TOURNAMENT 5: MADI'S MONOLOGUES

TOURNAMENT 6 : MAX'S MONOLOGUES

TOURNAMENT 7: FLINT'S MONOLOGUES

TOURNAMENT 8:

winner of tournament 1, winner of tournament 2, 2 winners of tournament 3, silver's winning monologue, madi's winning monologue, max's winning monologue, flint's winning monologue

Attached below is the bracket setup for Tournament One, which will go live Friday, February 17th, at 5 PM EST. Each poll will contain the full text of both monologue options. Every successive poll will go live at approximately 5 PM EST.

LINK TO POLLS FOR MONOLOGUOLYMPICS 1.1

LINK TO ALL POLLS FOR MONOLOGUOLYMPICS

(All posts related to the monologuolympics will be tagged #bsm. Posts will also be tagged in accordance to their situation within the tournament: for example, bracket one round one posts will be tagged #bsm11, bracket five round two posts will be tagged #bsm52, etc.)

Monologuolympics Bracket One Round One Matches:

Idelle: "You killed my friend" (408) vs Morley: "The Barlow woman's agenda" (104)

Featherstone: "And with the stroke of a pen, it's all gone as if it never existed." (305) VS Blackbeard: "A man puts a dead thing in the ground, he expects it to stay there." (302)

Berringer: "The time calls for dark men to do dark things." (403) VS Ned Lowe: "I make the men feel better about themselves." (201)

Oglethorpe: "What's to be done with the unwanted ones?" (410) VS Mr.McCoy: "Hold onto this for as long as you can."  (409)

Garrett: "Part of what you built, it worked too well." (405) VS Dufresne: "Is it possible a man could do such a thing?" (203)

Mrs.Guthrie: "It's the wrong river and the wrong woman, but perhaps to get even this close to a fantasy is something." (408) VS Abigail: "It would seem these monsters are men." (208)

Blackbeard: "There is no forever." (301) VS Featherstone: "I remember what you did for me." (406)

Tham: "We've talked and talked. And now it is time to act." (204) VS Muldoon: "What the water does to you once it's got you." (302)

[thematicparallel]

🏴‍☠️ black sails FMK battle: round 2 🏴‍☠️

ROUND 2: MARRY – would who would you want to come home to? will you fight in the name of domesticity for them?

it's been a.. pleasure.... to see the first round come.. to an end. even if some of you sure made some interesting choices. atrocious, even. but now, the real pain begins. keep in mind that whoever wins this round, may or may not be killed later.

you are encouraged to tell how you'll get married, who proposed, who the guests will be, if you have a prenup, if monogamy pains you & wishes you can marry both but have to choose only one, etc.!

polls live within the hour of 12PM EST / 9AM PST

links under the cut or head over to #bsfmk poll

FLINT VS. JULIUS

JACK RACKHAM VS. ANNE BONNY

BILLY VS. MULDOON

EDWARD TEACH VS. MADI

MAX VS. MR. GATES

MIRANDA VS. MR. FEATHERSTONE

CHARLES VANE VS. ELEANOR GUTHRIE

IDELLE VS. JOHN SILVER

[powerpolyculeshowdown]

Round 1 Match-Ups

I made 2 brackets and cut both in half in hopes this will make it easier to zoom in and read, but there's no side A or side B, which is why they aren't facing each other.

(reminder, i am willing to change stuff up if ppl ask nicely, so you can ask but there's not guarantee that i'll do it - these were randomized)

Masterpost has been updated, but here's a list of the match ups under the cut:

Kieran/Ray/Gemma (Trigonometry) vs Nicky/Joe/Andy/Booker/Niles (Old Guard)

Eugene/Rapunzel/Cassandra (Tangled the Series) x Sasha/Anne/Marcy (Amphibia)

Neal/Peter/Elizabeth (White Collar) x Jade/Dave/Karkat (Homestuck Epilogues)

Anzu/Kazuki/Junta (Romantic Killers) x Pyrrha/Commander Wake/Gideon The First (The Locked Tomb)

Syenite/Innon/Alabaster (Broken Earth) x Breq/Mercy of Karl/Seivarden/Ekalu (Imperial Radch)

Taylor/Theo/Josey (3) x Tessa/Will/Jem (The Infernal Devices)

Kieran/Cristina/Mark (The Dark Artifices) x Sofiane/Victor/Luisa (Mortel)

Jack/August/Rina (The Wicker King) x La’gann/Coral/Rodunn (Young Justice)

Roguish Semiotician/Infamous Mathematician/Player Character (Fallen London) x Alphonse/Seth/Listener (Bittersweet)

Emiya/Saber/Rin (Fate Stay/Night) x Winter/Moon/Qibli (Wings of Fire)

Amber/Reese/David (Adaptation) x Jack/Emma/Izzy (You Me Her)

Camina/Michio Pa/Serge/ Berthold/Oksana (The Expanse) x Enrique/Hypnos/Sofia (The Gilded Wolves)

Max/Jack/Anne (Black Sails) x Keiko/Miles/Kira (Star Trek)

Shikimori/Izumi/Ai (Shikimori is Not Just Cute) x Quincey Morris/Jack Seward/Arthur Holmwood/Lucy Westenra (Dracula)

Camille/Nyra/Dendro (Muted) x Turtle Heart/Melena/Frex (Wicked)

Storm/Helen/Mira (Love and Luck Podcast) x Neptune/Venus/Jupiter (We Know the Devil)

Nathan/Vlad/Ursula (Hunger Pangs) x Leif/Thorn/Kale (Leif and Thorn)

Haruka/Michiru/Setsuna (Sailor Moon) x Ichika Hoshino/Saki Tenma/Shiho Hinomori/Honami Mochizuki (Project SEKAI)

Sadie/Walt/Anubis (The Kane Chronicles) x Sherlock/Watson/Mary (Sherlock Holmes movies)

Dianda/Simon/Patrick (October Daye) x Caleb/Astrid/Eadwulf (Critical Role)

Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot (High Noon Over Camelot) x Mukai Naoya/Saki Saki/Nagisa Minase (Girlfriend Girlfriend)

Dashawn/Steve/Jose/Cupe R III/Otto/Arturo/Gregory/Quackers McQuack (Bojack Horseman) x Fluorite (Steven Universe)

Logan/Jean Grey/Scott/Emma (X-Men) x Uzui/Hinatsuru/Makio/Suma (Demon Slayer)

Eddie/Venom/Anne/Dan (Venom) x Ben/Ryn/Maddie (Siren)

Nathan/Gabriel/Annalise (The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself) x Peter Quill/Aradia/Mors (Guardians of the Galaxy)

Aizo/Yujiro/Hiyori (HoneyWorks) x Kyle/Rogelio/Lonnie (She Ra)

Princess Glisselda/Seraphina/Lucien (Seraphina) x Tess/Jacomo/Margarethe (Tess of the Road)

Daniel/Sam/Jack/Teal’c (Stargate SG-1) x Quanxi/Pingsti/Cosmo/Long/Tsugihagi (Chainsaw Man)

Wu Zetian/Li Shimin/Gao Yizhi (Iron Widow) x Tree Trunks/Mr. Pig/Alien Husband (Adventure Time)

Miss Piggy/Kermit/Gonzo (Muppets) x Rajan/Wolfgang/Kala (Sense8)

Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades) x Rilla/Arum/Damien (Penumbra Podcast)

George/Gilda/Thomas (Design for Living) x Asmodeus Alice/Clara Valac/Iruma Suzuki (Mairimashita, Iruma-kun!)

[bloodiedflint]

i’ve withheld from severely interacting with the whole black sails vs our flag means death in terms of lgbt representation debate but i was discussing this all with a friend last night so now i’m fired up and i have points to make and i’ll try to be as nice as possible.

first of all, the utter thoughtlessness in the one tweet who said, “ofmd is doing what black sails never had the balls to do.” are you all really that shortsighted? i’ve said this before and i’ll say it now, it fucking sucks that the majority of today’s consumers have legitimately begun to separate gay media created for gay audiences into categories of, “well, this one is the GOOD one, the REAL one cause it has ____” and, “that’s the BAD one though cause they wouldn’t or didn’t ____.” get the idea of baiting vs not baiting out of your minds and please just admit that you’ve lost the ability to invest in multiple, different gay stories with varying levels of intimacy and nuance outside of “fandom” and “shippable-ness.”

secondly, i’m going to get into black sails itself as it has been, and always will be, a pioneering work of lgbt media and representation. i won’t deny its faults and shortcomings in its narrative, i myself have pointed them out more than once and will continue to. but quite frankly, ofmd would not exist without black sails paving the way. it wouldn’t. and even if it did or could and you want to argue that, you can’t argue that the creators of black sails created it for the purpose of showing real, authentic, complex lgbt relationships not as a joke, or a side piece, but in a pivotal and impactful historical and narrative context. the creators wrote captain flint as a gay man. toby stephens (who played him) has spoken proudly of this fact. silver and flint didn’t kiss or have sex onscreen but neither steinberg (the show runner), nor luke arnold (silver), nor stephens denied the love those two characters shared. you also have to understand, especially if you haven’t watched black sails, that the story itself was written to be a tragedy, not a romance. their love wouldn’t and couldn’t be fully reciprocated solely due to both of their complex histories and fated separation tied to their future and source material, “treasure island.” and regardless of silver and flint’s relationship, are you really going to overlook the other just as crucial lgbt characters and relationships? black sails still gave us eleanor and max, max and anne, max and anne and jack. for fuck’s sake, flint’s entire war stems from the tragedy of being separated from his first love, thomas. so please don’t be ridiculous and tell me black sails didn’t represent our community when it did more than just represent, it lead with us.

and doesn’t all of that, make the existence of ofmd all the more sweeter (for gay audiences and gay audiences who specifically love gay pirates)? in the words of my friend ailith (@aseaofhoney), who really co-wrote this entire post, “black sails is a tragedy in which everything comes from love, our flag is a romance in defiance of all calls towards tragedy.” so stop pitting two masterworks against each other, please and thanks. they’re best friends. they told me themselves.

and please stop ignoring and being blatantly obtuse to both of these wonderful stories, and any other works of gay media, that were made for us by cast and creators who care.

[bring-it-all-down]

I’d like to talk a little bit about why I think Black Sails, while definitely tragic, is NOT a tragedy. Rather, I think that Black Sails ultimately is more hopeful than tragic.

The literary conception of tragedy is divided into two types, Greek and Shakespearean. I’m in no way an expert on tragedy, but broadly speaking, in Greek tragedy, the plot must have unity (it must have a clear beginning, middle, and end) in order for the audience to reach some sort of emotional catharsis. Most importantly, though, the plot must be driven by a character’s pointless struggle to avoid their fate brought on by their hubris (an attempt to become like a god), which has been predetermined (largely from prophesies) and from which they cannot escape. For instance, everything Oedipus attempts to do to escape his fate of killing his father and marrying his mother only draws him closer to that fate. 

Shakespearean tragedy, on the other hand, has a less clear beginning and plot, including many subplots that take place over a much longer period of time: it lacks the Greek elements of unity of plot, time, and place. Furthermore, the struggle is driven not by divine prophecy but by a character’s struggle between good and evil; the character is doomed not by an external power but by an internal failing. Thus, while the tragic hero in Greek plays gains full knowledge of the situation by the end, the Shakespearean tragic hero rarely gains self-knowledge. In essence, Greek tragedy is more plot-focused and Shakespearean tragedy is more character-focused.

Although Black Sails has a predetermined end thanks to both Treasure Island and the historical context of piracy, if it was to be a tragedy, it would be a Shakespearean tragedy, not a Greek tragedy. The plot is complex, focusing on a number of characters, and is driven largely by the characters’ internal struggles. However, the show differs in several key ways that ultimately prevent it from being a full tragedy.

Most importantly, Black Sails lacks a real tragic hero, who in Shakespearean tragedy is somebody well-regarded––often a member of the nobility––who is fundamentally a good person, but whose fatal flaw leads to his downfall and the downfall of society at large. As Tom McAlindon puts it in his article, “What is Shakespearean Tragedy?”:

The hero’s fall involves a self-betrayal or loss of identity which constitutes the breakdown in the balance of a richly-endowed nature, one in which feeling is so powerful that it is never far from the point of destructive excess...loosely speaking, then, anger and ambition (including pride, a sense of honor, and the desire for glory), and, on the other hand, love and grief, are the passions whose overflow brings disaster; and it should be stressed that the first pair are to be seen in as positive a light as the second (9-10).

This tragic hero frequently wants to do good, but is blind to the truth of reality, and his initial errors in judgment due to this blindness compound over time, leading to his destruction. Throughout this decline, the ‘hero’ status is maintained through a constant reminder of the environment in which the tragic hero exists; Othello’s paranoia, for instance, is in part a product of the racism in Venetian society. Furthermore, the tragic hero is always juxtaposed by a manipulative figure who knowingly attempts to rouse the hero’s passions for his own gain.

In Black Sails, the person who most closely matches this description is Flint, a high-ranking pirate who commands the respect of his inferiors. Flint certainly is driven by some continuously shifting combination of ambition, love, and grief. His entire project is one dedicated to honoring Thomas’s memory, but it’s also very true that Flint enjoys being in power. He relishes the opportunity to take back command of the Walrus from Dufresne, and as much as he sees his crew as men rather than animals, he absolutely believes himself superior to them. His penchant for murdering those who stand in his way is constantly justified to us through reminders that civilization is even more violent and less discriminating in its use of violence. Furthermore, he is manipulated at times by Silver (though the extent of each other’s knowledge of this is questionable).

This brings us to the question of Flint’s fatal flaw. Unlike with Shakespearean tragic heroes (Romeo’s impulsiveness, Hamlet’s indecision, Macbeth’s ambition), it’s hard to pinpoint a singular flaw for Flint. To be sure, the guy has many flaws: his arrogance, his reticence to trust people, his anger, etc. But it’s difficult to pick out a singular flaw that leads to his demise. In fact, it’s perhaps his abandonment of these flaws that results in his death (“Flint” died, regardless of how you interpret the ending). He trusts Silver, he humbles himself enough to believe himself unworthy of overseeing a post-revolutionary world alongside Madi and Silver, and it’s his love in place of anger that makes it impossible for him to kill Silver. So, ultimately, his fatal flaw is trusting Silver too much, but this is not a flaw that is inherent to him, that he had even from their first meeting. 

A second way in which Black Sails differs from Shakespearean tragedy also concerns the ending. In Shakespearean tragedies, the reciprocal relationship between the disordered tragic hero and the disordered society in which he exists comes to and end with the hero’s demise, and a new orderly society springs up in its place. In Macbeth, Malcolm becomes king, ushering in an era of benevolence; in Othello, Iago receives a fitting punishment, thereby restoring some sense of justice; etc. In essence, the tragic hero’s death results in the end of conflict and the beginning of peace.

In one sense, Black Sails follows this plot. The end of Flint brings about the end of war and the beginning of peace in Nassau under Max’s rule. However, we know that this peace is deeply unsatisfactory because we have come to learn that compromising with civilization is actually impossible. We learn that while the Maroons have a peace treaty, it does not extend to any other freed Black person, and it includes the Maroons re-enslaving people who come to them for freedom. We know through historical context that Jack and Anne only have a few more years of freedom before they’re captured and Jack is hanged. We know that Silver spends the rest of his life haunted by what he did to Flint. And so Flint’s death brings about no actual peace.

The key element that prevents Black Sails from being a Shakespearean tragedy, despite it fitting most of the typical components of a Shakespearean tragedy, is the idea that the central conflict––freedom vs. civilization––extends beyond the show. And so we are aware that no character’s actions will actually affect the conflict in a monumental way. Even though there is the idea that it could have ended differently, we know from the beginning, with our historical knowledge, that the revolution is doomed. The central conflict of the show is an ongoing conflict; there is no possibility of reconciliation as with the Montagues and the Capulets. While all Shakespearean tragedies begin in medias res, they have a definite conclusion, but Black Sails does not.

So, Black Sails is not a Shakespearean tragedy, but on its surface, it looks like it’s incredibly tragic. However, I think that, for all of the reasons I just talked about, Black Sails is actually a show about hope. Flint’s arc demonstrates to us that people can change, that hope can be found in a mutual recognition of suffering and a desire to end that suffering not just for yourself but for others. We learn from Max that nothing is worth doing unless it begins and ends with love. We find a deep sense of familiarity in these characters through the recognition that their battles are our battles, that their flaws are our flaws, but their failure does not have to be our failure. 

Unlike with Macbeth or Othello or Romeo and Juliet, the Black Sails story is still being written and so long as that is the case, there is room for hope.

[princelymlm]

Gotta Be LGBT+

This is a list of just some of the LGBT+ content out there. Anything on this list was contains LGBT+ characters or was made by LGBT+ creators. All entries on this list were sent in by followers and have not been confirmed by the mod. (Entries with ‘rep not given’ next to them mean that the suggestion did not include what kind of representation is in the content)

Put everything under the cut since this list started getting really long

Books/Comics

They Both Die At The End - Adam Silvera (mlm)

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire-Saénz (mlm)

Symptoms of Being Human (genderfluid)

Lily and Dunkin - Donna Gephart (trans/trans woman)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid (wlw/bi)

The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice and Virtue - Mackenzie Lee (mlm/gay/bi)

Been Here All Along - Sandy Hall (gay/bi)

History Is All You Left Me - Adam Silvera (mlm/gay)

Blue Is The Warmest Color - Julie Maroh (wlw/bi/lesbian)

Mask of Shadows - Linsey Miller (bi/genderfluid)

Once and Future - Cori McCarthy (wlw/mlm/gay/bi/nonbinary)

Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda - Beck Albertalli (mlm/gay)

Leah on the Offbeat - Becky Albertalli (wlw/bi)

Grasshopper Jungle - Andrew Smith (questioning/mlm)

The Rest of Us Just Live Here - Patrick Ness (mlm/gay)

Flying Tips For Flightless Birds - Kelly McCaughrain (mlm/gay)

I’ll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson (mlm)

Point Pleasant - Jen Archer Wood (mlm) 

True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys - Gerard Way (mlm/wlw)

The Wayfarers Series - Becky Chambers (wlw/aro/trans man/nonbinary/genderfluid)

Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss (bi)

The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller (mlm)

Radio Silence - Alice Oseman (bi/mlm/demi/gay/pan/wlw/lesbian)

Of Fire and Stars - Audrey Coulthurst (wlw/lesbian)

Magnus Chase Series - Rick Riordan (genderfluid)

Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan (gay)

This Is Kind of An Epic Love Story - Kheyrn Callender (mlm/wlw)

Gracefully Grayson - Ami Polonsky (trans woman)

If I Was Your Girl - Meredith Russon (trans woman)

Call Me By Your Name - Andre Aciman (mlm)

Red, White, and Royal Blue - Casey McQuinston (mlm)

I Wish You All The Best - Mason Deaver (nonbinary)

Dreadnaught + Sovereign - April Daniels (wlw/trans woman)

The Art of Being Normal - Lisa Williamson (trans)

The Gone Series - Michael Grant (mlm/wlw)

One Of Us Is Lying - Karen McManus (mlm)

Six Of Crows - Leigh Bardugo (mlm)

Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo (rep not given)

The Last Sun - Author Not Provided (rep not given)

Romeo and/or Juliet - Ryan North (rep not given)

American Gods - Neil Gaiman (mlm/gay/bi) 

The Mage Wars Series - Mercedes Lackey (gay)

Scott Pilgrim vs The World - Bryan Lee O’Malley (mlm/gay/wlw)

Boyfriends With Girlfriends - Alex Sánchez (mlm/wlw/bi/gay)

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - David Levithan & John Green (mlm)

This Is Where It Ends -Marieke Nijkamp (lesbian/wlw)

Carry On - Rainbow Rowell (mlm)

Stranger Than Fanfiction - Chris Colfer (mlm/trans man/gay)

The Reader Trilogy (The Reader, The Speaker, The Storyteller) - Traci Chee (mlm/wlw/nonbinary)

I Was Born For This - Alice Oseman (trans)

Heartstopper - Alice Oseman (mlm)

The Broken Earth Trilogy - MK Jemisin (trans woman/poly/pan/mlm

A Boy Worth Knowing - Jennifer Cosgrove (mlm/bi/gay)

The Rifter - Author Not Provided (mlm)

Snapdragon - Author Not Provided (wlw/ trans woman)

The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (wlw/lesbian/mlm/gay)

Tipping the Velvet - Sarah Waters (wlw/lesbian)

Fingersmith - Sarah Waters (wlw/lesbian)

The Paying Guests - Sarah Waters (wlw/lesbian)

I Am J - Cris Beam (trans man)

Little And Lion - Brandy Colbert (bi)

Autoboyography - Christina Lauren (bi)

Felix Ever After - Kacen Callender (trans)

Birthday - Meredith Russo (trans)

Stay Gold - Tobly McSmith (trans)

You Should See Me In A Crown - Leah Johnson (lesbian)

Girls of Paper and Fire - Natasha Ngan (lesbian)

The Henna Wars - Adiba Jaigirdar (lesbian)

Let's Talk About Love - Claire Kann (ace)

The Lady's Guide To Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzi Lee (ace/aro)

The Vanishers' Place - Aliette De Bodard (wlw)

Ash - Malinda Lo (wlw/bi)

The Little Homo Sapiens Scientist - S. L. Huang (wlw)

Everfair - Nisi Shawl (wlw)

Dread Nation: Risse Up - Justina Ireland (wlw/bi/ace)

The Gilda Stories - Jewelle Gomez (wlw/lesbian)

The True Queen - Zen Cho (wlw)

The Devourers - Indra Das (genderfluid/bi)

We Set The Dark On Fire - Tehlor Kay Mejia (wlw)

Smoketown - Tenea D. Johnson (wlw/lesbian)

Falling In Love With Hominids - Nalo Hopkinson (wlw)

The Fox’s Tower and Other Tales - Yoon Ha Lee (nonbinary)

Her Body and Other Parties - Carmen Maria Machado (wlw)

Beneath the Citadel - Destiny Soria (mlm/gay/bi/ace)

Witchmark - C.L Polk (mlm/gay)

The Prey of Gods - Nicky Drayden (trans/bi)

An Unkindness of Ghosts - Rivers Solomon (wlw/trans/nonbinary/intersex)

The Root - Na’amen Gobert Tilahun (mlm/gay)

Gods & Monsters: Snake Eyes - Hillary Monohan (wlw)

Labyrinth Lost - Zoraida Cordova (wlw/bi)

The Winged Histories - Sofia Samatar (wlw)

The Weight of Stars - K. Ancrum (wlw)

Huntress - Malinda Lo (wlw)

Will Do Magic For Small Change - Andrea Hairston (bi/pan/nonbinary)

The Last Chronomancer - Reilyn J Hardy (aro/ace/genderfluid/lesbian)

A Taste of Honey - Kai Ashante Wilson (mlm/bi)

Deadline - Stephanie Ahn (wlw/lesbian)

The Read Threads of Fortune - JY Yang (wlw/bi)

Not Your Sidekick - C.B. Lee (wlw/bi)

Timekeeper - Tara Sim (mlm)

Ascension - Jacqueline Koyangi (wlw)

When The Moon Was Ours - Anna-Marie McLemore (trans)

Amberlough - Lara Elena Donnelly (mlm/gay)

The Perfect Assassin - K.A Doore (gay/ace/mlm)

Afterparty - Daryl Gregory (wlw/lesbian)

Borderline - Mishell Baker (wlw/bi)

The Cloud Roads - Martha Wells (bi)

An Accident of Stars - Foz Meadows (wlw/bi/aro/trans)

The Last 8 - Laura Pohl (aro/bi)

Failure to Communicate - Kaia Sonderby (wlw/bi)

The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling (wlw)

The Wrong Stars - Tim Pratt (wlw)

Full Fathom Five - Max Gladstone (trans)

A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine (wlw)

Silver In the Wood - Emily Tesh (mlm)

The Raven Tower - Ann Leckie (mlm/bi/trans)

Ariah - B.R. Sanders (mlm/bi/nonbinary)

The Raven and the Reindeer - T. Kingfisher (wlw)

Planetfall - Emma Newman (bi)

Black Wings Beating - Alex London (ace/gay/mlm)

The Scorpion Rule - Erin Bow (bi)

Inkmistress - Audrey Coulthurst (bi)

Into the Drowning Deep - Mira Grant (wlw/bi/lesbian)

Vengeful - V.E Schwab (ace)

Blackfish City - Sam J Miller (nonbinary)

Daughter of Mystery - Heather Rose Jones (wlw/lesbian)

Stranger Grace - Tessa Gratton (bi/pan)

The Brilliant Death - Amy Rose Capetta (nonbinary)

Chameleon Moon - RoAnna Sylver (wlw/trans/ace)

19 Love Stories - David Levithan (trans/queer)

It’s Not Like It’s A Secret - Author Not Given (wlw)

Picture Us In The Light - Author Not Given (mlm)

Two Can Keep A Secret - Author Not Given (mlm/bi)

Death Sets Sail - Author Not Given (wlw)

Becoming Dinah - Author Not Given (rep not provided)

Witch Wolf series - Winter Pennington (wlw, lesbian, bisexual)

Underrealm series - Garrett Robinson (wlw, mlm, nonbinary, trans man trans woman, trans, pansexual, bisexual)

A Cloak of Red - Brenna Gawain (wlw, lesbian)

 Blood Canticles - Naomi Clark (wlw)

Podcasts

Welcome to Night Vale (mlm/gay/wlw/nonbinary)

Dreamboy (mlm/gay)

Alice Isn’t Dead (wlw/lesbian)

The Penumbra Podcast (mlm/bi/genderfluid/nonbinary)

My Favorite Podcast (trans men)

Within the Wires (wlw)

The Adventure Zone (mlm/wlw/trans/gnc/nonbinary)

Limetown (wlw/lesbian)

Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness (nblm/nonbinary)

Friends at the Table (mlm/wlw/nonbinary)

LezHangOut (wlw)

Bright Sessions (mlm/demi/ace)

Queer As Fact (historical lgbt)

History Is Gay (historical lgbt)

Always Here (historical lgbt)

And That’s Why We Drink (nonbinary)

Magnus Archives (mlm/ace)

The Two Princes (mlm/gay/bi)

Girl-ish (trans women)

The Bright Sessions (gay/ace)

TV Shows/Movies/ETC

One Day At A Time (Remake) (wlw/lesbian/nonbinary)

Love, Simon (mlm/gay)

A Single Man (mlm/gay)

Brokeback Mountain (mlm/gay)

In The Flesh (mlm/gay)

Weekend (mlm)

RWBY (wlw/trans)

Jessica Jones (wlw/lesbian)

Critical Role (mlm/gay/bi/wlw/lesbian/nonbinary/genderfluid)

Pose (trans women/gay)

Schitt’s Creek (pan/mlm)

White Collar (wlw)

Lucifer (bi)

Umbrella Academy (mlm/wlw)

Call Me By Your Name (mlm)

Brooklyn Nine Nine (mlm/gay/bi)

Steven Universe (nonbinary)

Sailor Moon (wlw)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (wlw)

Sense8 (mlm/gay/wlw/lesbian/trans woman)

Doom Patrol (?/rep not given)

Good Omens (nonbinary)

Gentleman Jack (wlw)

American Gods (mlm/gay/bi/two-spirit)

Orange Is The New Black (wlw/trans)

Blue Is The Warmest Color (wlw)

Shameless (mlm/trans)

Euphoria (wlw/trans woman)

Modern Family (mlm/gay)

Daisy Brown ARG (wlw/lesbian)

Deadpool (pan)

Deadpool 2 (pan/wlw)

Alex Strangelove (mlm/gay)

Wynonna Earp (lesbian/gay/wlw)

She-Ra (wlw/mlm/gay/bi/lesbian/nonbinary/trans man)

SKAM (rep not provided)

Gotham (bi)

The Haunting of Hill House (wlw)

The Haunting of Bly Manor (wlw)

Kipo and the Wonderbeasts (mlm/gay/nonbinary)

Billie and Emma (wlw)

Carmen & Lola (wlw)

Carol (wlw)

Disobedience (wlw)

Elisa & Marcela (wlw)

Good Manners (wlw)

The Handmaiden (wlw)

Heart Beat Loud (wlw)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (wlw)

Rafiki (wlw)

Stranger Things (wlw)

Handsome Devil (mlm)

Pride (wlw/mlm)

Musicals

The Prom (wlw/lesbian)

Be More Chill (mlm/bi)

Fun Home (wlw)

Spring Awakening (mlm)

A New Brain (mlm)

Falsettos (mlm/wlw)

Rent (mlm/wlw)

Firebringer (wlw/bi)

A Very Potter Musical (mlm/gay)

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals (wlw)

Bare: A Pop Opera (mlm)

Everybody’s Talking About Jaime (mlm/gay)

Yank! The Musical (mlm)

Octet (wlw)

Ghost Quartet (wlw)

Spies Are Forever (mlm/gay)

Willow: A New Musical (wlw)

Over And Out: A New Musical (nblw/nonbinary)

Video Games

Fallout: New Vegas (mlm/gay/wlw/lesbian)

When The Night Comes (mlm/nonbinary)

The Arcana (nonbinary)

Dream Daddy (mlm/gay/bi/pan/trans)

Dragon Age (mlm/wlw/gay/lesbian/trans/pan/bi)

Smile For Me (wlw)

Undertale (trans/nonbinary/wlw/mlm)

Monster Prom (nonbinary)

Cookie Run (nonbinary/mlm/wlw/bi/pan)

The Missing (wlw/trans woman)

Fable 2 & 3 (wlw/mlm)

Borderlands 2 (mlm/wlw/bi/gay/lesbian)

Gone Home (wlw)

Prey (wlw)

Dishonored 2 (nonbinary/wlw)

Deus Ex Mankind Divided System Rift (rep not given)

Assassins Creed Series (mlm/wlw/gay/lesbian/trans)

The Last of Us (wlw/lesbian) 

Mass Effect Series (mlm/wlw/gay/lesbian/bi)

Life Is Strange (wlw)

Overwatch (mlm/gay/wlw/lesbian)

Animal Crossing (pan)

Night In The Woods (pan/mlm/trans woman)

The Elder Scrolls (trans/wlw/lesbian)

Dreamfall Chapters (mlm/gay)

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (wlw)

In the Outer Worlds (wlw/ace)

Elder Scrolls: Skyrim (mlm/wlw)

Fallout 4 (wlw/mlm)

Hades (mlm/bi)

Obviously this list is far from complete so feel free to add to it or let me know of anything else and I’ll edit the post to add it as long as you include the category it belongs to! Be sure to include what representation it has though otherwise I can’t add it!

[freedom-in-the-dark]

James Flint Is Gay: A Meta Post

[slides into the Black Sails fandom late with Starbucks]

Hey! What’s up! Here’s a post no one asked for but I wrote mostly for me. Before we get into it, I’ve got some big notices to put on the top here.

DISCLAIMER: If you interpret James as bi, and you prefer that, I am not trying to say you can’t do that or to convince you otherwise! 

You do you! If you’re not cool with seeing him as gay, please do us both a favor and keep scrolling past this post! I’m mildly aware that this fandom has a history of rough discourse surrounding this topic, but I cannot emphasize enough that I am new here, and this post is not an attack. Please do me the courtesy of not attacking me or blocking me or whatnot because I’m not trying to start drama lol. And for what it’s worth, I myself am bi (well, bi ace), so I’d like to think I’m being objective.

This post exists simply because I like to write meta out with my arguments / evidence lined up in a row; it gets things out of my head and onto a screen, and I find it satisfying. And if I’m doing it anyway, I might as well share.

So if you see James as gay, or have an open mind to that interpretation… please allow me to take you on this adventure under the cut. I’m sure it’s obvious, but this contains spoilers? Lol.

Here we go!

Compulsory Heterosexuality vs “Bi Erasure”

Firstly… to address some stuff I’ve seen in my limited Black Sails fandom travels right out of the gate: I’ve seen people imply that interpreting James as gay is “bi erasure,” or they ask “Why are you erasing that James was attracted to Miranda and had an affair with her?”

But to that I say: it’s far more complicated than that.

Gay people can have sexual relationships with people of the opposite sex, especially until / or before they identify as gay. This is how so many gay people can be married to the opposite sex and have biological kids, and then later realize their truth and come out to themselves and their families. Having those experiences or even some variation of actionable attraction to people of other sexes in the past doesn’t negate their ability to later identify as gay, once they stop burying those parts of themselves and/or experience something that “brings that part of them into the light.”

This is why the phrase compulsory heterosexuality exists. The phrase was originally coined by Adrienne Rich in a 1980 essay titled “Compulsory Heterosexuality and the Lesbian Experience.” So yes, let me make this clear: this term originated in reference to lesbians and feminist theory, and then the idea was later expanded upon to include discussions of gay men by other academics in the early 2000s. I’m not gonna dive too deeply into it here, but in essence–as the name implies–this is the idea that patriarchal and heteronormative societies are viewed as the default, so individuals are assumed (by themselves and otherwise) to be heterosexual until “proven” otherwise. Through these standards that are seen as “normal,” people are also taught from a young age–whether explicitly or subconsciously through society–that anything that deviates from those ~straight norms~ leads to negative consequences. And so, society encourages people to avoid sexual exploration, because having experiences with someone of the same sex is what can often bring their gay identity into focus.

In the case of Black Sails, this is all very much emphasized at the forefront because it’s a historical drama. Aside from racism/slavery, patriarchy and heteronormativity are what the characters are actively going to war against.

So, the point in me defining all of this? No one—or at least, not me—is saying that James didn’t have a sexual relationship with Miranda. That’s not in question. But that doesn’t necessarily make him bi, and it doesn’t mean the narrative isn’t structured in various ways that indicate otherwise.

Just keep this in the back of your brain, because I’m going to circle back around to it.

Anne, Flint, & Gay Rage

In the wise words of an old pirate captain: “Fruit, fruit. Tits, tits.” This show thrives on parallels, and gives us lines / scenes that apply to more than one character; it’s partially why the themes are so consistent, and if you ignore that, you can miss a lot of the nuance. Our resident angry gay gingers are one of the paralleled sets of characters.

This is not a meta about Anne… but talking about parts of Anne’s story can help to highlight some things about James’ story.

I tweeted this once: “Flint and Anne’s sexualities paralleled to show struggles with compulsive heterosexuality, fighting for the sake of fighting, bringing parts of themselves into the light, wrestling with being told they’re monsters and their distorted senses of self, etc.” and really, now I’m just here to elaborate.

-----

The word “monster” is a recurring theme in this show. It’s tied mostly to Flint and how he is told he is monstrous for loving a man, fears being “the villain” or “monster” in everyone’s stories, and eventually embraces that monstrous portrayal in service of his goals–even as the violence is slowly devastating to him. But the other character the word “monster” is used in reference to? Anne.

A quote by Max:

“Idelle, how would you feel if the one man you thought would never betray you did? If he purchased for himself a future through that betrayal? If you were told by a world full of men that that betrayal confirmed for them that they were right to see you as a monster to be shunned? She's not mad. She is adrift.”

In some ways, this quote is also the story of what has happened to James in his life, over and over. (Not to say this is what Jack intended to do to Anne, but the parallels inherent in Max’s line itself cannot be denied.) 

James is repeatedly betrayed by those he trusts: Admiral Hennessey; Peter Ashe; Hal Gates. All of them try to get him to conform to heteronormative society–including Gates, because even if he didn’t know it, that’s what he was doing by trying to get James to take a pardon. That’s why James reacts with such instinctual panic and kills him; the idea of being forced to apologize to and assimilate back into heteronormative society puts him at a breaking point. (It can even be argued that Miranda “betrays” James in this way too by trying to get him to take a pardon and go to Boston–which is where his “and they called me a monster” speech comes in–and that also contributed to how James later panics and kills Gates for trying to force him to do the same. Miranda tried in a well-meaning way to get James to move on, because she isn’t fully understanding what James wrestles with; but I’ll go back to that.)

Again, these parallels are deliberate. Anne and Flint are the two main gay characters who wrestle with their supposed “monstrosity” in the eyes of everyone else, because they don’t fit in. They are “othered.” It’s not simply about their violence; for these characters, it’s about what their violence is in service of achieving, which is tied to their sexuality.

Anne is seen as a “monster” for slaughtering the men who abused Max, who is not only a fellow woman but also a fellow lesbian, in a way that Anne is undeniably drawn to even before she lets herself acknowledge the feeling. We as viewers are meant to see this and understand this, and we do. Anne is ostracized for violence that was motivated by her sexuality, which is partially why Max tells her that she understands her violence and will protect her–because Max is not only also a woman in a patriarchal society, but she is gay too.

Flint is seen as a “monster” first and foremost by England, for his sexuality… and then, later, by everyone else for the actions he takes because of his sexuality. Again: the violence he commits cannot be divorced from his sexuality because it is the reason for it. It’s what informs it.

I tweeted about this once too, but in many ways Anne and Flint’s kindred displays of brutality and anger and “fighting for the sake of fighting” (a quote by Miranda which applies to them both) are informed by their desire/need for gay tenderness. The world has too often denied them that tenderness and their expressions of their sexualities, or demonized them for wanting it, and their violence is the result. 

Here’s a quote from Deborah Tolman with regards to how compulsory heterosexuality affects men, which she calls “hegemonic masculinity”:

"These norms demand that men deny most emotions, save for anger; be hard at all times and in all ways; engage in objectification of women and sex itself; and participate in the continuum of violence against women."

The anger and hardness is a huge part of the personas both Flint and Anne have to put on for survival. I include Anne in this because she uniquely lives her life in a “male” role to survive the male-dominated world of piracy, and she’s clearly not immune from these unspoken masculine guidelines: she refers to Max as “the whore” half the time as a defense mechanism. Flint and Anne lash out, they’re hard and angry and violent for the sake of their personas, and it’s all because... inside, they just want to be soft and gay with who they love.

Anne, Flint, & Compulsory Heterosexuality (Not Bi Erasure)

In Black Sails, we are shown the story of a gay person who has a consistent sexual relationship with someone of the opposite sex, but is running from internal truths about themselves in some ways in the process. That person is Anne.

Struggling with compulsory heterosexuality is explicitly Anne Bonny’s prime storyline in the show and that is not up for debate (and I’ve rarely seen people disagree); but I argue that it is also part of James’ storyline, and he is paralleled significantly with Anne to make that clear. It’s just overall more subtle because it’s not the prime focus of James’ story the way it is for Anne, because James’ realizations happened largely in the past and we’re seeing the aftermath of it. The parallels are there, and I’ll be breaking some of them down.

----

From episode one, we are told that Anne has a sexual relationship with Jack…. But later on, she tells Jack that she “can’t be [his] wife,” even though they’ll be partners forever. Why? What changed? The answer is that she’s been with Max and realized that she’s gay. It doesn’t mean Anne didn’t have sex with a man in the past and even enjoy it on some level, but it does mean that she knows now that she was using that sex partially to distract from things about herself that she was doing her best to ignore.

Multiple lines by Max (to Anne) tell us this:

3x03: “When you and I began you did not choose me. Something that lives inside you beyond choice made it so.”

2x01: “But perhaps there is something else underlying it. Something hiding in a place not even you can see. Perhaps… we would do well to bring it into the light.”

Before I continue, let me remind you of something: when writers decide to show viewers something on screen, that is done with intent, especially in a show like Black Sails where not a single moment is wasted. Remember this. What they show us, and what they don’t show us, are both deliberate choices.

So what are we shown about Anne’s sexual relationship with Jack? We get exactly one scene of her having sex with him. We are shown Anne riding Jack in a way where neither party was particularly enthused. Does this mean they definitely never had sex in the past that they both enjoyed on some level? No. But they showed us this one scene on purpose: to emphasize the stark difference when Anne has enjoyable sex with Max, an experience that forever changes her.

So what are we shown about James’ sexual relationship with Miranda? We get exactly one scene of him having sex with her. It is the most depressing sex scene of all time, James is just lying there to try to be helpful for her to chase her own pleasure, and he doesn’t even touch her. Does this mean they never had sex in the past that they both enjoyed, especially back during their affair in London? No. But we are never shown any of that. We never see them have sex in London before James’ relationship with Thomas; we never see them having good sex with each other after it all goes to hell. And that is a deliberate choice.

Why? Because all of the above info about Anne and her compulsory heterosexuality journey also applies to James McGraw, and his relationships with Miranda and Thomas.

“They paint the world full of shadows... and then tell their children to stay close to the light. Their light. Their reasons, their judgments. Because in the darkness, there be dragons. But it isn't true. We can prove that it isn't true. In the dark, there is discovery, there is possibility, there is freedom in the dark once someone has illuminated it.”

The realizations James came to about his sexuality (just like Anne did) inform much of his tangled story with the Hamiltons, and much of the tragedy of Miranda and James’ situation after the loss of Thomas. We are shown the way James and Miranda are no longer perfectly aligned after that loss, and grief is undeniably a part of it… but it goes beyond that. It’s more complicated than that. 

That sad sex scene is not solely about grief; remember, that scene takes place ten years after they lose Thomas. It takes place during a time where Miranda is already thinking about and will soon actively try to tell James that they need to move on, without understanding why the loss of Thomas affects him in a profoundly different way than it affects her. I am not minimizing her loss or her grief whatsoever; but it is undeniably more complicated for James, and it’s why he can’t move on.

In episode 1x07:

James: “Have you no memory of how we got here? What they took from us?”

Miranda: “What does it matter now? What does it matter? What does it matter what happened then if we have no life now?”

James is, of course, appalled by this. I’ll talk about why momentarily.

The next time James is in Nassau (2x03), he goes to see Miranda and tries to apologize that night, but she’s otherwise engaged. So he stands outside of her window looking in, surrounded by darkness, while she’s playing the clavichord with children in the light. It is symbolically the domestic version of a heterosexual ideal. He is “othered” by the camera angles / framing, and the dark / light aspects. James is relegated to being an outsider literally because as Flint he’s a pirate, but metaphorically because he’s gay; the reason we as viewers are given that scene is to underscore that he feels he has no place in that display.

Ultimately, James is misaligned with Miranda after the loss of Thomas (shown in both the sad sex scene and arguments) in a way that goes beyond grief. The implication is that things cannot ever be the same for him again since the loss of “his truest love” and the truths he learned about himself.

If James and Miranda were simply at odds with one another because of grief, it would be far less of a “tragedy” in some ways. But James cannot heal the way Miranda slowly finds the way to over ten years, because Thomas signifies things for James that Miranda cannot relate to. In London, when Thomas is taken from them, Miranda even yells to James, “He is my husband!” Her grief and rage are shown as equal to James at the start and have extreme validity; the two of them are partners in the plan to kill Alfred Hamilton for revenge; but then she is able to somewhat move on, whereas James is not.

Why? Because, for James, Thomas was not just his (truest) love; Thomas was the awakening of his fullest self as a gay man.

In the same way that Anne can’t be Jack’s “wife” after she’s been with Max and realizes she’s gay, James cannot content himself with fulfilling the role of Miranda’s “husband” after he’s been with Thomas and realizes he’s gay. Neither of these facts minimize Anne’s love and devotion to Jack, or James’ love and devotion to Miranda; they are undeniably two sets of partners. But Anne and James are forever altered by their experiences with same sex lovers, and the truths about themselves that were brought into the light as a result.

----

Another part of the tragedy of James and Miranda is what happens right when we see Miranda grasp the significance of all of the above. Whether or not she grasped it before in the past, we are shown it only once on screen, and that’s in Charlestown. 

Peter Ashe says this in 2x09:

“You will tell them about the affair with Thomas. You will tell them how it ended. You will explain to them what it drove you to do. You will reveal everything. And when you do, Captain Flint will be unmasked, the monster slain. And in his place will stand before all the world a flawed man, a man that England can relate to and offer its forgiveness.”

This is James’ worst nightmare; we know as such from what he told Miranda back in 1x07, and from when he killed Gates. And yet, here and now in 2x09, he is exhausted from pushing back against heteronormative society, all he wants is to retire the mantle of Flint born of gay rage, and he actually contemplates playing by their rules and giving into their judgements of his sexuality... until Miranda comes to his defense.

In season 1, Miranda didn’t seem to fully understand James’ thoughts on this, but here–in combination with her realizations about Peter Ashe’s betrayals–she finally does. And she’s not having it.

“What forgiveness are you entitled to while you stand back in the shadows pushing James out in front of the world to be laid bear for the sake of the truth? Tell me, sir, when does the truth about your sins come to light?”

And the moment she is yelling in rage on behalf of James, and their combined loss, and how Peter would dare to force James to experience shame about his sexuality again–she is instantly shot for it. A woman who’s yelling on behalf of a gay man? In a patriarchal heteronormative society? It has no place. England makes that clear.

It all further underlines James’ sense of “otherness”... and now he decides to embrace it, even at his own emotional detriment. He will no longer try to fit in or reason with them; he will no longer accept their halfway measures of pardons. He can’t, because in the eyes of England, all that he is as a gay man is abhorrent.

2x10: “Everyone is a monster to someone. Since you are so convinced that I am yours, I will be it.”

3x05, to the Maroon Queen: “...England takes whatever, whenever, however it wants. Lives. Loves. Labor. Spirits. Homes. It has taken them from me. I imagine that it has taken it from you.”

The Way James Views Miranda

And here is where I simply give you more food for thought–or further “evidence” of James being gay, if you will.

All of Flint’s lines about how he views Miranda are worded very, very deliberately.

Here’s a minor one, from 1x05:

“So you can probably guess it isn't as much fun to tell stories about how your captain makes a home with a nice Puritan woman who shares his love of books.”

There is nothing overtly romantic or sexual about this. It’s said in a one-on-one conversation with Billy, where Flint neither has to make the relationship sound like something it isn’t nor refuse to give any info whatsoever. So he goes with what is the seemingly-mild truth.

But 3x01, convincing the men to forego pardons:

“But what price surrender? To beg forgiveness from a thing that took my woman from me? My friend?”

“My woman” is what Flint says for the benefit of the men… these men who are part of the heteronormative world they all live in, and still value sexual relationships with women above all else. It’s about hegemonic masculinity, remember? (“Objectification of women and sex itself.”) He’s doing his best to speak their language. 

But “my friend” is a secondary line that was not needed for the purposes of this speech, but James could not keep himself from adding it in a quieter tone–because that’s who Miranda was to him. His friend. Not his woman, which drips sexism and sexual undertones. Not his wife. Not even his “love,” which he could’ve used if he wanted to be ambiguous and sneak a Thomas reference in; he said “my woman” to appeal to the men, and then he added “my friend” because in the face of her memory he couldn’t help it.

And lastly, in 3x03, we begin to hear from “ghost Miranda.” 

But what is ghost Miranda? She’s a voice from James’ traumatized mind. Everything she says to him is about truths he already knows and/or things he is hiding from himself. So what “she” says here is a voice from James’ mind; it’s about how James sees her, and subtly elaborates on his sexuality in the process.

“When I first met you, you were so... Unformed. And then I spoke and bade you cast aside your shame, and Captain Flint was born into the world... the part of you that always existed yet never were you willing to allow into the light of day. I was mistress to you when you needed love. I was wife to you when you needed understanding. But first and before all... I was mother. I have known you like no other. So I love you like no other. I will guide you through it, but at its end is where you must leave me. At its end is where you will find the peace that eludes you, and at its end lies the answer you refuse to see.”

This does not diminish Miranda’s importance to James in the least! In fact, it emphasizes it, and it is all part of why he is so ruined over her! But it is also, in the oddest way, an elaboration upon how he isn’t bi: Miranda was his partner in many things, including shared grief and revenge and some semblance of life for ten long years; and she was also was instrumental to his formation of himself as a person (“mother”), and his acceptance of himself as a gay man (“love” and “understanding”). This is how he sees her. Mistress and wife were roles she filled in his life, but above all, she contributed to the birth of Captain Flint–the personification of James’ gay rage.

Of course, the “answer” that ghost Miranda (the depths of James’ brain) alludes to here as well as her later words of “you are not alone” are all about James needing to recognize that Silver is a newfound partner and love for him… but that’s a whole other meta entirely.

Closing Thoughts

Look, did I consult a couple of specific scenes and look up transcripts to put quotes in this? Yes. But have I still only seen the show in its entirety once? Also yes. My point in mentioning this is that, if I did a full rewatch, there might even be more evidence I haven’t mentioned here. This isn’t meant to be comprehensive, but I do feel that it... certainly conveys the gist of the mood.

You may still agree to disagree if you prefer to see James Flint as bi; I’m not here to fight you on it and what queer characters mean to you personally. 

But for me, when surveying all available evidence, the narrative screams that he’s gay. In that sense, my thoughts on this matter are similar to my thoughts on the ending; sure, you can interpret it one way if you look at certain details, but if you take in all the evidence and the big picture as a whole… there’s a specific conclusion to be drawn.

Last thing I’ll say is this: Steinberg himself has said that Flint is gay, which I found out way after watching the show and forming this interpretation. And like... not that if I wanted to hardcore argue he was bi I wouldn’t disregard Steinberg’s words, because in my experience the narrative speaking for itself is always more important than than creators’ words, but... in this instance (as in all Black Sails instances I’ve come across), his words just underscore what the well-crafted narrative is already telling us, because the creators wrote this show with intent. They knew what they were doing.

And thus, I will quote him (from these GIFs) below.

“When we were trying to build the story, we wanted whatever this thing was that made [Flint] feel alienated to be so deeply tied into who he was that there was no way he was every going to dismiss this thing that happened to him. We wanted to make sure we understood what the reality was in England in terms of how homosexuality was perceived. In some ways it was more tolerated, in some ways it was significantly less tolerated. I think in terms of Flint being gay, it’s about the fact that it is a tool that is used politically when convenient to make somebody be a monster… and it isn’t even really about the relationship.”

(If you buy the series on iTunes, you get an “inside” look at every episode, including this one from 2x05.)

EDIT: I had no idea Toby Stephens basically confirmed my thoughts that James' relationship with Thomas was his actualization as a gay man, so excuse me as I lose my mind for a moment:

“I think his relationship to Thomas Hamilton, the initial friendship and then becoming lovers is sort of like the realization of himself. I think he became himself with Thomas Hamilton. His potential was unleashed with Hamilton.”

And just for fun, since I’m here anyway, here’s a piece of a Steinberg quote about Anne from the Fathoms Deep podcast.

“In terms of Rackham and Bonny, I think that was another thing that I assumed for a long time could never go away. That they were essentially, you know, that they were married. You know not legally, but they were functionally married. And then this story happened in Season 2 with Bonny, that I think with like with a gun to my head of things that I’m proud of with the show, probably at the top is this story of this woman coming out and understanding that she’s gay. . . And so when we got to a point where it was like, I think she’s gay? Like I don’t think this is something we want to be wishy-washy about. It required getting over that hump with Rackham of, ‘Well like what am I going to do with this relationship? I don’t want to split them up?’ And I think it became something way more interesting.”

Thanks for coming to my TED talk. I love James Flint and his gay rage, I love you if you read all of this, and I love my friend @sunbardy who dealt with me yelling about this in DMs and then proofread the doc.

Hit me up on Twitter @gaypiracy if you want, where I do most of my Black Sails related yelling. And shitposting. Because I contain multitudes.

Know No Shame, my friends.

[olreid]

Would high key read the three thousand words you wrote if you ever felt like posting it. How would you have ended the show/rewritten the last season? If that’s too broad, would love more of your thoughts on the maroon storyline and madi

omg... i mean if i were to do s4 over it would be like. we spend 90% less screentime on the romantic lives of imperialists and give all that screentime to the maroons and/or julius’s people once they rebel, less pointless torture e.g. teach’s death onscreen and more emphasis on like. the political organizing both billy and the maroons/flint and silver were doing to try and win back nassau.... 

if i were just rewriting the finale i think this person does a pretty good job of giving a coherent ending but i honestly barely even know where 2 BEGIN because the finale is really just the most extreme manifestation of recurring ~bad political takes that i think were avoidable, and which more than how any one character’s storyline ended is really my issue with black sails as a show. 

bc basically for the finale or really any of season 4 to work, you have to buy in to silver’s framing of the war on england as just a big ‘cycle of violence’ with little difference between violence done by england and violence done by pirates or maroons. (silver’s not the only character to put forward this framing -- eleanor and max also have s4 monologues about how they want an end to violence no matter what.) flint and jack/anne/max’s endings are framed as wins because they have achieved “peace” and left violence behind them, bolstering the implicit claim that all violence is essentially the same. to [sorry] quote marcuse, “we should have the theoretical courage not to identify the violence of liberation with the violence of oppression”!!! and what’s so frustrating is we DO see that distinction being made at other points in the show! flint says he will do GREAT violence to england, and that is seen as a justifiable position within the narrative. and so for them to go back on that by THROUGHOUT season 4 having max, eleanor, and silver be giving these monologues about how the most important thing is not who triumphs in the england vs. rebels conflict but the fact that the violence ends.... like CLEARLY you failed to contend with the political stakes of the conflict that YOU SET UP, because that conflict -- which is at the root of imperialism -- cannot and WILL NOT go away just because a couple people decide that they’re tired of getting hurt ! that violence doesn’t go away because one pirate says so... there IS no walking away from that fundamental struggle between oppression and liberation; either you see it passed down to those who come after you or you turn your back on it at the expense of others. and instead of showing in any way that the struggle against england continued on -- which it DID in real life with more maroon wars, revolts on plantations, etc. -- they elected to show all the main characters walking away and calling it a day. and not with any reckoning as to what it would mean to choose one’s own freedom knowing that others are still in bondage, but this wasn't really given any consideration or airtime. i certainly think there’s space to reckon with the huge losses that come with revolutionary struggle, and i think there was a place for it in the show, but to do it in a way that falsely equates the violence of anti-imperial struggle with the violence of imperial oppression is i think really irresponsible, and ultimately just made me not buy any of the ~wrap-up they tried to do in the finale. even as a tragic ending i think it falls short, because they're trying to tell me that the stakes are something different than what they are.

re: madi and the maroons,, i just think it sucks that madi was basically brought on to be this love interest for silver because we really didn’t get to see much of the maroons’ story or politics outside of that, especially in s4... and the parts we did see didn’t come until after silver “died” in the bay of nassau... like literally madi’s best scenes are when she thinks silver is dead and is like negotiating with billy and flint and then when she’s talking with the governor first in prison in the fort and then on his ship... any time silver’s with her it’s just like about how scared he is of losing her or about whether she or flint is closer to silver and like if it was a different character okay, but the fact that she is the only representative of the maroons on the show and she was just essentially someone for silver to project his fears of loss onto... insulting... and that his posture to her all season is just like i know better than you what this war will cost and i’m not going to let you pay that price... even if i have to manipulate you into having to give up the war... HELLO? i just think they could have done a lot more with her and with adding the maroon alliance in -- which was a twist i was super excited about !! but it just ended up being like Silver Finds a Wife featuring 2 really cool monologues. hard 2 watch.

[llycaons]

hxh royal guard and jack/max/anne from black sails

OHH black sails!! 

 hxh: 1. neferpitou im in love with the catperson design and the emotional arc of like, being very callous and cruel to learning other creature's love and feeling empathy and saving a life vs. destroying one...kite was FINE too lol....also like I said, sexy 

2. shaiaipouf. I used to hate pouf for being murderous and annoying but those are actually his best traits. smart, dramatic flair, jealous, funny, i do love him as a villain and his death gave me genuine feeling 

3. menthuthuyoupi. i never got into his arc? I didn't get it. he looks like he's made of clay. he is funny though 

 black sails: 

 1. max and anne are both such great characters but it's got to be anne in the top spot, she is exactly the type of character I love and that scene with her wearing the dress and saved just in the nick of time by idelle still haunts me. i love when women murder people. complexity, fearlessness, vulnerability, vengeance, love, etc. 

2. max is like. one of the best-written characters on the show like her journey and her mindset and her relationships have been fascinating to watch I really do love watching her on screen 

3. jack is very funny, got some iconic monologues (to rogers in the carriage), and is not as lesbophobic as he could have been. I like him best when he's a partner to the women in his life and least when he's going on about legacy or whatever. fashion sense rocks. glasses rock. facial hair, eh. still one of my favorite male characters on that show thank you!

[the-roci]

The Roci Crew somehow come up against the Black Sails Crew. How do they measure up? Holden vs. Flint, Amos vs. Vane, Naomi vs. Max, Alex vs. Jack, Avasarala vs. Eleanor, Bobbie vs. Anne.

Aw man, I’m literally the worst at these. My brain short circuits and I forget how to process characteristics lol I tapped in @silver-89 to get her opinion, too.

Flint vs Holden

Flint for the win. He’s too good at always being steps ahead of his opponents and whatever situation is going on. Holden is too good of a man to properly go against Flint and win but that’s not a bad thing.

Vane vs Amos

At the end of the day, so long as both of them are alive, they’d end up having a drink together. @silver-89 gives it to Amos but I think I’d give it to vane.

Naomi vs Max

They wouldn’t fight. They’re the reason everyone else survives. And they own shit. Man, what a force to be reckoned with. I’m shivering.

Alex vs Jack

Jack is more conniving but they’d end up similar to Naomi and Max. They wouldn’t fight. They’re about to but it just ends up in a weird standoff until they relent and realize they’re better off on the same side.

Avasarala vs Eleanor

Stealing this straight from @silver-89: Avasarala's been playing this game longer than Eleanor's been alive and she's damn good at it but I would also like to think Eleanor has more to learn from her than being adversarial.

Bobbie vs Anne

*Nervous sweating * Oh man, I don’t want to answer this one. They’d fight. They’d absolutely fight and I want to say Anne but I’d likely be Bobbie. Bobbie is just....a tank. But they’d make it out okay and while shit would be t e n s e they’re both deal with it (outside of a few tense words here and there). If Max and Anne weren’t a thing, they’d fuck.

@whenimaunicorn thoughts? Lol

[maremote]

Black Sails Monologuolympics BR6.2: MAX: QUARTER FINALS 🙂

1/4: 302 vs 408

Max, to Jack, in 302: "Of course she will choose you. The fort is going to fall, tomorrow, next week, someday. And I do not believe for a moment that you are stupid enough to let yourself be buried beneath it when it does. It will pain her to leave me behind… what we have shared these past few months, it will be very hard. But you… without you, there is no her. I am here in part to secure my own future. I will not apologize for that. But that is not why I'm asking you to cooperate with me. I am asking because though I know we have our differences, I know there is one thing we share. We both love her. Let us make sure her future at least is secure."

Max, to Anne, in 408: “I remember when I first met Eleanor, how stunned I was. A woman who spoke the way she did, who had no fear of the world or the men who reigned over it. When I became her lover, I watched the decisions she made…and resolved to learn from them. When I became her rival, I watched the mistakes she made and resolved never to repeat them. But at the end, when I felt I had surpassed her in every way, it seemed as though there was something she was still trying to say to me. Surrendering everything she had sacrificed so dearly for, because it would have come at the expense of the one she loved. She was trying to tell me, I just could not hear her, about what is truly important. I said no to Marion Guthrie's plan… despite having no alternative and at the risk of losing the entire endeavor because I refuse to situate a man in a position where he might interfere one day with my ability to repair things with you. You are the bravest person I have ever known. The truest person I have ever known. And I betrayed you and it sickens me. I am so sorry for working so hard to protect the wrong things. For failing to see that there is nothing important that does not include you.”

polls tagged #bsm62

[lairofsentinel]

Seriously... I finished watching Black Sail and had several thoughts I want to keep in one post.

Spoilers ahead, of course.

Flint's ending: It's queerly romantic, in the most broad sense of the word. But it felt a bit odd to me. Not because I don't like it, I find it a good smart ending that doesn't imply “bury your gays”. But it felt unrealistic for the context of the series. Through the show, we saw Miranda telling Flint that she could not recognise herself in the way she had changed compared with the woman she was when Thomas was alive. Flint agreed in that respect, and made the same comparison with the man he was in that time. They wondered if Thomas could ever recognise them both now. The scene meant “we both changed too much”.

The message along the series is that loss and pain change you, transform you. Life is a painful continuously changing process. Even the characters that were “written in stone”, like Charles Vane, changed! So, with such reinforcement of the narrative related to “change”, Flint's ending feels troublesome.

How can Thomas, such a naïve and over-idealist man, embrace this Flint, so distant to the man he left in England? The level of tragedy and horror and blood that Flint's wake spread in those years in the real world can't be overlooked, not by Thomas who was a man who cared so much about the manners and the procedures.

Flint also killed Thomas' father. Imagine that scene where he knows this news... I don't know exactly if this news could be problematic for Thomas, since we did not see him too much to infer what kind of reaction he may have. He could be disappointed for his father, but that's different to wanting him dead, specially due to his lover's hand. How much of this event can hurt Thomas' love?

And Flint, in the end, abandoned Thomas' war. Flint himself, in the first time he is asked, said that Thomas would never put aside this war due to all what it means. In the second time he is asked, when he hesitated, it was more his own desire .

After all, Flint is so fucking tired of all this war and blood. I think that letting Silver get closer to him showed that; he was tired of fighting, he was tired of killing his closest partners just because the war demanded it. When he and Silver talked privately, and Flint disclosed his story to Silver, they joked about how they would end. Silver even joked that Flint should not worry to fear to be killed by him. And Flint's response was one of a such tired man. It transpired that he was in peace with the fact that, if Silver ever attempted against his life, he was going to let him do it. Flint is a man so alike to the one that belong to England and Thomas. How the hell this Thomas would see this man? I wonder.

So, for all that, even though I think this ending is nice and Flint truly wanted this [his idea of a Pirate Kingdom to have a place where all pirates can retire and live in peace was always in his plans even though he never allowed himself to be part of it, probably because Thomas was not in that Kingdom]. Flint has changed so much, that honestly, I think Thomas would be completely horrified of him. I don't know how much Thomas could look aside or forgive. This series is also about how forgiveness has limits too... so I wonder.

Sure, Thomas probably changed a lot, but his experience was far less violent and less mutable as Flint's. I don't know. I have mixed feeling with this ending. Maybe too cheesy and open for the deep darkness it hides.  

Madi's ending: This was super sad to me.  We saw in this series that all women had always been controlled and manipulated or coerced by men. Eleanor's story is exactly this, reflected in most women in the narrative. I thought Madi was going to be the exception... but it was not. Silver, the white man, decided for her what was best for her.

I know, war is not a solution in general... but he denied her anger. He decided for her. He did not allow her to make her own mistakes. And she ended up accepting it just fine. It felt odd. I suppose the best way to describe it is “it felt grey”, like most things in this series.

Sure, war was not the solution of anything... but this whole ending of never doing the revolution and taking comfort in half-measures that can be changed so easily without much consequences.... I mean, as long as Max lives in Nassau, there will be no slaves.... once she dies... what?. I suppose the series has the answer in several repeated scenes: “nothing lasts”. I suppose the freedom of the black people is something that “would not last” either. I felt a bit weird with that idea floating in the last episode.

Eleanor’s ending: Another woman in the series whose ending was so fucked up. I would not mind her story if she were the only woman whose narration is about how fucked up men control women's lives. But sadly, her story was just taking this narrative to the extreme... since her story is the reflection of the life of most women in this series. Anne is controlled by Jack and/or the guilt or gratefulness she has for him, Madi by Silver, Miranda by Flint... most women dancing to the whims of their men. Eleanor thought she was in control of everything, she was the independent strong woman... and yet, her control jumped from man to man, from his father, to Charles Vane, to Flint, to Scott, to the governor. She was never truly free of a man's control, and this is such a devastating truth for her. Her story is so sad... and a lot of her most disgusting betrayals were fuelled by those men. Super sad her ending.

John Silver ’s ending : He is my fave char. Probably his ending is the one I like the most. He was always smart enough to avoid death in the most disastrous situations. But in the process, he started to become darker. Over days, he became closer to Flint, to his thinking process, to his darkness. I understand he saw that he was getting close to become Flint at some point, and Madi put a stop to that. She changed things in his life. Flint also helped him to stop that process, opening himself to him. It's sad to me that Silver could find a way to take control over his own life by deciding over Madi. I know, breaking the cycles is a nice narrative... but I'm not so sure I like to see it when a white man decided such a thing, when you have a wise smart black woman there to do it.... But again, this series is all about grays. It was a nice but at least, realistic shade of gray.

Max's ending: Probably the best ending of all chars. She fought so much to be in control of her own life... and she finally could do it. With a level of intelligence that it was a pleasure to see. She was not even under the control of a man... she was men's toy. Her story is so fucking painful. And somehow, she survived thanks to her intelligence. In that regard, she is like Silver: both hard survivors thanks to their brains. At least she could overcome that fate of being in control of a man. She denied that chance of marry an idiot noble because she wanted to have control over her life and her decision of trying to retake Anne. Lesbian love in gray shades.

Anne's ending: I loved her char. But again, I felt so weird when her life is, once again, restrained to what she feels she owes to Jack. I thought I was going to find a scene of relief when she fought those men that saved her crew's lives. But no. It was just more of the same... the bodyguard of Jack. I don't resent it much though, because Jack truly loves her and cares for her in beautiful ways... but that scene of Anne resenting her own feeling of being in eternal debt with Jack stuck in my mind.

Billy's ending: this char was so surprising to me. He went from one extreme to the other... and he, more than any other char, showed that life, events, tragedy, pain, and loss, change people. And it changes them in ways from where there is not return.

Charles Vane ’s ending : He was a beast. There is almost nothing to say in his favour, he was evil-chaotic to the core. But his vulnerabilities were unbelievable when you contrast them with his personality. How such evil-chaotic man could do such gestures of (twisted) love? Sure, he did a lot for Eleanor in his wickedest ways, but the most surprising love I saw in him was for Jack and Anne. And honestly, being he the symbol of the beginning of the revolution is such a gray thing that this series used. It felt, like all things in this show, wrong and good at the same time. There was probably no other char in this story more “free” and “animal-savage-like” than him. He dismissed domesticity, he hated “peaceful” times. He was a char born in battle to die in battle. Revolution had to be born from this savage to be effective, so he being hanged was a reinforcement of that sentiment that had to be inspired in the revolution. But at the same time, he was absolutely random, selfish [in the beginning] and his behaviour was mostly the confirmation of all the demonization that the stories tell about pirates. He being the symbol that starts the revolution was also a way to tinge the revolution with cruelty and dirt.

I don't know, this series is fabulous. It's so gray that you can be thinking in each char, in each concept... and nothing is sacred, nothing is clean, nothing is pure.  Nor good nor bad. Just a disgusting mixture of dirty and evilness and humanity. Masterpiece.

I loved this story, because its complexity makes the watchers think, and that's such a feat to do. But on the other hand, I felt the ending in general not very inspiring, tending to a moderate solution that, through history, we know it changes nothing. Moderate solutions [in times of slavery and empires] are absolutely prone to corruption and to return to the previous state of things.

The only thing I did not like was the unbalanced display of naked bodies or sex scenes when it came to women vs men. We saw all actress naked or having sex with other women and/or men in many, many, many times. In the whole series, only 2 men were displayed naked, and never was shown any gay sex scene. We only had 2 kisses between two men, very chaste, and almost hidden.  I mean, I can't care less about nakedness in general or sex scenes, but I'm always annoyed when I see such a big unbalance when it comes to women vs men or straight sex vs gay sex vs lesbian sex. It made me feel that this serie was done thinking mainly in the male gaze. Hell, considering how most female chars are controlled by men [mostly in their endings, showing that their stories are not exactly stories of emancipation] made me confirm this.

But putting aside that, it was a hell of a story, and I loved it.

[absolxguardian]

How Flint’s war could have been won

A while ago I made a post saying that I believed that Flint and co could have won the war to drive Europe out of the new world. I didn’t want to do a whole big write up, unless someone was interested. But @artsymoth is, so here you go. It’s very long, so the rest is under the cut

Terminology

For the colonial rulers of the New World, I’m generally going to use the term “Christendom” rather than Europe. When it comes to the motivations of the war, things will get religious very quickly. Also, the Ottomans will be very important, and their Empire will be very important to the war. 

I’m going to refer to Flint’s allies as the Alliance, even before I think they’d come up with the name. The full name would be the Alliance of the Americas (translated to whatever their language’s word for the continents are for their various native allies), since that’s the least relative to Europe name they could come up with. And it really will be an alliance, not a single army or would be nation.

Shortly after the show ends

Let’s just say that Madi was able to convince Silver to continue to prosecute the war is the change in the timeline. Just like in the show, the conflict between one’s own personal emancipation and freedom for all of their people will be the biggest threat to the success of the war. Because with Rogers dead and the cache secured, Jack becomes the immediate threat.

Jack Rackham 

Without Silver, Jack has no hope to kill Flint. Beyond the status of wealth, he was born into, Jack is privileged and not invested in the war for ideological reasons. We see time and again that he cares more about safety for him and the people he loves than helping those like him. Either Flint is forced to kill Jack, or Jack, changing with the winds like he always does, never mentions the deal he had with Marion Guthrie. If Jack is spared, he will remain the biggest liability the Alliance possesses in the early days of the war. Featherstone is loyal to Max, but he lacks the shrewdness and will to do anything other than follow Jack when he’s the length of a continent away from Max. If Jack plays his hand, since Featherstone is known to be unreliable, he’ll be killed with Jack. As for the individual members of the crew, it will depend on each man’s reputation and temperament.  

As for Anne and Max, Jack has no chance to outsail the news of Flint’s war. Two scenarios are possible. One, through the use of their new and less recognizable allies, Max and Anne are smuggled out of Boston. However, with Jack dead, Max and Anne would be assumed to be traitors as well. It is also possible that the Alliance simply doesn’t have the resources to spare. Marion’s patience towards Anne and Max will quickly tire when she realizes Jack is either dead or a traitor. But she seems to respect Max, so it’s possible that Marion will train Max as a protegee, well until Boston is economically destabilized.

Barbados

After regrouping on the Maroon’s island, the Alliance will next set their sight on Barbados, as it was already described currently revolting. With the massive disparity between the enslaved and white populations, the Alliance would simply need to help them take out the few entrenched positions and prevent any outside navel support.

As Barbados was one of England’s most successful sugar colonies, this would greatly bloody England’s economic nose and attract its ire, much more than the loss of Nassau. But England is currently defending against Spain in the war of the Quadruple Alliance, and so long as Flint doesn’t announce his true intentions, not only would England be distracted, but they’d likely still only be seen as a blip.

Julius arguing that the Maroons should fold to protect what they already managed to protect would likely dissolve when seeing an entire island of his people freed.

The Alliance would also have the chance to make another vital connection in the aftermath of the liberation of Barbados. Jewish merchants started the sugar trade on Barbados, but were pushed out by the English when the venture became established and profitable. As long as Flint made his intentions for a New World free of any racial and religious restrictions (a much better offer than England’s or any at the time) and a Spanish Empire humiliated, a fair amount of said Sephardim would join the Alliance, providing vital connections.

In that same episode, other pirates were talking about how easy it would be to take Jamaica, but if the Alliance were to bide their time, as the Sephardim from Barbados would explain, Jamaica could be handed to them even more easily. So I’ll discuss it in its appropriate section.

Nassau

With the Spanish gone and Roger’s dead, taking Nassau would be more of a symbol to Flint’s pirate allies than anything more The crews left would know the winds were turning, and would side with the Alliance instantly. I think the sheer fact that the Alliance needs sailors is the only thing that would keep Silver from fulfilling his threat to destroy any former pirates who took the pardon. Mapleton has likely filled the power vacuum and in return for Hudson’s assistance, sent the handmaid away to London. Mapleton would remain the governor equivalent of Nassau, although she is another liability to Flint.  If at this point Max has rejoined the Alliance and totally wasn’t planning on betraying it a few months ago, she’d be who the Alliance actually appoints, with the assumption that she could bring Mapleton under control. Nassau would also become the Alliance de facto capital, if only because of how hard it is to reach the Maroon camp. This is where all the important meetings would occur.

Allies

Corsairs

What do you need for a pirate alliance? Well more pirates. The corsairs of the Barbary Coast and Medditerean are natural allies for Flint. Corsair crews also contained more Africans (especially former slaves) and Muslims than Caribean pirates, so they’d be more prone to accept Flint’s radical ideology. It’s likely that a handful of corsairs end up on pirate crews, and they certainly knew about each other, especially crews that hunted closer to Africa. So someone would be there to offer up such an idea as a suggestion and provide a way to meet them. 

These pirates, especially the Barbary corsairs would, if they all worked together, cause the transatlantic slave trade to become unprofitable. And despite the language barrier (historically Caribbean pirate crews sold slaves just taken from Africa but recruited second generation slaves), many of those Africans could join the crews. The rest would obviously be returned, gaining the trust of their tribes. But I don’t think they’d be of much use, because given my understanding the level of colonialism at this time in Africa was simply of the “taking slaves” variety. But the economy of the Americas would stall even before the Alliance took each location because of part of the triangle trade no longer worked.

Many corsairs were privateers under contract from the Ottoman Empire or Morocco, and well, that’s going to be the biggest ally Flint gets, and the one that allows him to win the war.

The Ottoman Empire (also Morocco)

While the Ottoman Empire may not agree with Flint’s anarchist ideals, they just want to take away their biggest enemies’ economic advantage. It’s just not practical for the Ottoman Empire to have New World colonies. The Ottoman Empire can provide the Alliance with all the resources of a great power. 

Morocco (and any other independent North African states, Morocco is just the one I know about) can provide all of their privateers. At the time, Morocco was threatened by Spain and the Ottomans. Now with the Ottomans on their side against Spain, they’d have a secure position.

And this is where it gets religious. Once the alliance with the Ottomans is made public, this isn’t some insurgents against England, it’s Christendom vs the Muslims (propaganda wise). I’ll discuss what that would mean for Europe itself later. But as a quick teaser, especially if Flint is openly bi and makes his promises of freedom for all regardless of race, religion, or gender, Christendom is going to paint him as literally the Antichrist. And I don’t mean propaganda and general hatred. I mean people are going to break out millennialism and revelations again. Jesus is going to come down from Heaven and fight Flint. But I’ll discuss if this inherent threat to Christendom will be more of a First Crusade or a Fourth Crusade later. 

Jews

Now, this is how the Alliance will take Jamacia, almost the same way the Brittish did a generation ago. For a variety of reasons, Jamacia was full of Jewish/converso colonists. They provided the fifth collum the Brittish needed to take Jamacia. Cromwell offered them the right to practice their religion openly, but not protection from prosecution nor equal rights. With the help of the Sephardim recruited from Barbados, those same connections could be reestablished. If Anne and Max are part of the Alliance, their connections in Port Royal could also be used. The interior of Jamacia was also full of Maroons allied with the native Taino. An assault from both sides, accompanied with the usual slave revolt (the Alliance’s general tactic for the West Indies) will hand Jamacia to the Alliance. Jamaica is vitally important as a port because it is the best port to stop by when entering the West Indies. 

Many of the Jews of the Netherlands (although those who hold a lot of stocks in the dutch west India company wouldn’t) would defect in their merchant ships to the Alliance. I could also see the Ottomans offering their jews (and other ethnic minorities in the Empire) the same rights as the Alliance would (the restrictions on Jews in Muslim nations did exist but were generally better than anything Christendom had) to prevent defections. Although as I’ll discuss later, this alliance may not be the best for the Jews of the rest of Christendom.

Natives

Most of the natives of South America would be too genocided to provide much assistance to the Alliance, but the survivors can provide information about the interior and help begin a guerrilla war to take colonies. The fact many of them are already allied with Maroons means their help would be easy to secure.

But in North America, the natives are the key to taking the 13 colonies. If they’re armed with European weapons and all working together, they can push back against the Brittish and the French. If the alliance is kept secret at first, France and England would be too busy fighting the Alliance War to provide much assistance. Then Alliance ships are in Boston Harbor. At this point, if Jack is with the Alliance, Max and Anne would be able to join them. 

Defectors

Once the war really gets going, defection from Europe would be made almost impossible. But from captured ships, especially with how England is going to be impressing more people, defection will occur at a higher rate than previously. Crew members, weather navy or merchant, will be executed if they don’t defect, rather than set free without their goods. Because this is now a war. And it’s not a war between “respectable” Christian powers, but a war against savages and infidels. Christendom won’t follow the rules for PoWs at the time, and neither will the Alliance. 

But queer people, protestants living in Catholic countries, Catholics living in protestant countries, and Jews will reliably defect when given the chance. I could even see them joining ships with the hope that they will be boarded. “Mark” Read was also part of the royal navy in the war of the quadruple alliance (in Black Sails), and given the chance, she would defect.

Trading

The cache won’t be of much use if the Alliance can’t find anyone to trade with. The same goes for Columbus’ secret gold mine (if it exists and is found) and Peru and Mexico’s silver mines once they’re captured (with the Urca de Lima in possession of gold, there has got to a gold mine in some spainish colony in this universe). Without slave labor, their output will only be a fraction of what Spain could manage, but still. Who can they trade with? The Ottomans are already providing them with resources as allies and the sugar plantations are being converted into food-bearing farms by those not interested in fighting. Some of the cache and silver can be used to stimulate the Ottoman economy and their trading partners, but I think they could probably cut some side deal with Russia. Since this is a big important war for the fate of Christendom, they can’t openly support the Alliance, but economically they’d want to hurt their western neighbors. They’ve also been Orthodox for centuries, so they’re not as religiously bound. The Jews living in Russia would provide the go-betweens. The same goes for the Holy Roman Empire, except the HRE is in the most danger from the Ottomans. But the HRE was notorious for not being able to control its princes, so a few lords more concerned about the short term could be swayed as well.

The biggest threats  

Infighting

Oppressed groups can easily end up fighting each other. Pirates just want money and freedom, they aren’t concerned about the Africans and natives fighting their own war. The protestants could end up fighting the Catholics. Minority Christian sects might not be able to put aside their hatred of Jews and Muslims despite the promise of their own freedom. Different native tribes won’t work together because of their grudges. People start questioning the authority held by Madi because of their sexism and Flint because of their homophobia. People try to turn the Alliance to their own ends because of their own selfishness. The biggest threat to the Alliance is that some groups are promised amnesty in exchange for betraying the Alliance. Or they could splinter into different factions and Christendom picks them off one by one. As the war gets harder and more losses are sustained, the odds of this happening increase. The same factors that stopped the war before it began in the show could easily bring it all crashing down.

Christendom gets it shit together

Earlier I referenced the crusades. Those didn’t go well because, despite the political power of religion in the middle ages, people are still selfish, xenophobic, and more concerned about the realpolitik than ideals. Now the powers of Western Europe’s entire economic system is under threat, but they still might not work together. Fighting two enemies in a war is a lot easier than fighting an alliance of two enemies. Especially since Spain just finished going to war with the other European powers. Various armies may get distracted fighting over newly reclaimed land instead of continuing on. And despite the Ottomans, this would mostly be a Spain, France, England, and Dutch affair. Eastern and northern Europe would be less likely to get involved. 

And unlike during the crusades, the protestant reformation now divides Christendom. The Pope can’t even try to unite everyone under his banner. Especially if the Ottomans use their navy rather than army to the support the Alliance, the HRE won’t feel too pressured to respond. 

The main advantages that the Alliance has against Christendom are the benefits of defensive guerilla warfare, especially when it’s the “stand in a line a shoot” time period for warfare and this fact. If Christendom’s entire resources were to act in parallel to each other, Flint would stand no chance. But they probably can’t. 

Reactionary Conservatism 

It is a known principle that when challenged, a society will double down on its oppressive elements to defend itself. Just like how the slaves of the other plantations on Nassau were used as hostages against the slaves of the Underhill plantation, something similar will happen across the world. The cost will be high.

Slavemasters will become more paranoid about revolution. They can’t kill their entire stock, it just won’t work, but punishments will become worse. Once the news of alliances with native tribes gets out, the colonists will preemptively renew the efforts against their native neighbors.  

Even if the Alliance didn’t offer total religious freedom and have Jewish allies, pogroms would still happen. They wouldn’t be organized, but the increased anti-semitic violence during the Crusades proves that it doesn’t matter. The destruction of the Holy Specluche resulted in the massacre of a Jewish community in France. But with Jews accepted by the Alliance, it’s even worse. The governments wouldn’t even bother with exile, those Jews would just run to the Alliance. Spanish ire towards New Christians would return, remembering how once conversos cost them Peru and then Jamacia, and are doing that again.

The same heightened religious persecution would effect Catholics in protestant countries and Protestants in Catholic countries. Such persecution and atrocities could also keep the Protestant and Catholic countries from playing nice with each other. This increased fear against the other could also turn Protestants against each other. I feel like the majority Protestant religion in each country would become more state-controlled, just like the Anglican Church. But such tightening would turn even protestant countries against each other. Fearing the other gets pretty inconvenient when you have to team up to fight the greater other. But I don’t know enough about each individual country’s religions, and also there would be a difference between the ignored hate crimes committed in rural villages and official government policy. Maybe this outside pressure could cause the reformation to end, but I’m not sure? Depends on how much Christendom gets its shit together. It’s much easier to hate someone who’s beliefs are a bit to the left of yours than those that are radically different. The Quakers probably won’t make it out of this alive, the pacifism and lack of accepting central authority will do that to you.  

English discrimination against the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish would increase. This is just after the most recent Jacobite rebellion and the Alliance might not be offering them their homeland, but it’s offering them a place to start over free. The white allies found in colonies would most likely be poor non-English.

To add to the list of how Flint fighting this war makes things worse for the people he’s trying to help trapped in Christendom, the Alliance’s open acceptance of queerness would be matched by increased persecution in their enemies. Low key wealthy queer people, especially male ones, wouldn’t be given the benefit of the doubt anymore. Places who didn’t bother with enforcing their anti-sodomy laws would do so again.

Because the war is a threat to society itself, paranoia will reach Red Scare levels. And the government doesn’t have to pretend to respect free speech this time! The newborn Enlightenment would be strangled in its crib.

After the war

But then the war ends. It’s too much for Christendom to take. The high taxes they must raise to fund this war has probably caused at least a few internal conflicts. Maybe a civil war knocks some big player out of the game. Who knows?

The entirety of the New World is surrendered to the Alliance. The Ottomans get a few of their own concessions. Other than an initial agreement that any Jews/crypto-Jews remaining after the latest round of Inquisition get to travel to the Alliance, movement between the Alliance and Christendom will be restricted tightly. One's best bet would be to manage to get to the Ottoman Empire and go from there. America really would become the mythic land of freedom only spoken of in whispers. There probably isn’t an explicit ban against the African slave trade, but without the New World, it isn’t profitable anymore. Trade with the east either has to go through the Ottomans or around Africa. That trade is stopped by “oh those totally aren’t privateers who raided you, those are pirates” raids and those pirates who want to remain on the account move to the Mediterranian.

The Americas

Flint was never interested in nation building. But since no one wants to be delivered from one monarch to another, the resulting small allied states probably run on a combination of the pirate crew system and the Iroquois’ great law of peace. After that, I don’t know what will happen. Without Europe and with slave labor, can western style soicety remain in the New World? How long until they break out into war with each other? What culture is created by a blending of native and European culture without the oppression? Will interconnected soicety fall apart or will commerce continue? I don’t know. But a happy ending is only happy because of when you end it. 

Europe 

The scenario I have for Europe is very dark, literally. It’s another dark age. I’ve considered it being like the French being inspired by the Americans on a larger scale, but there aren’t any Enlightenment texts to inspire it and no one in Christendom was taking notes and listening to ambassadors.

The economy of Europe will collapse. There was a direct challenge to soicety, and it succeeded. Unless someone starts the Industrial Revolution, and fast, capitalism’s rise will be halted and slowly fall. And the horrors of war has marked everything. The ideas of the Renaissance are looked at with a new suspicion. Things like Thomas Hamilton’s saloons won’t happen anymore. Civil wars will flare across the Christendom. Russia, and to a lesser extent the rest of Eastern Europe will get out of it fine, but they will not tolerate any sort of subversive ideas. The HRE was already declining, and the war might have provided the last push in this timeline. 

Despite things getting worse, the Alliance can’t go on the offensive. They won’t have the home field advantage “just wait them out” guerilla warfare tactics available, most of the Alliance just wants to secure safety for their people, and if they were to move against Christendom, the Ottomans would want the land for themselves. Driving royals out of some of their land is also a lot less messy than getting rid of them altogether.

The Ottoman Empire

It’s time for the Islamic Golden Age 2. Unlike Christendom, they won’t get the clock turned back when it comes to ideas. The Enlightenment, especially with the good trade relationship with the Americas, will happen here. But I doubt the Ottoman Empire will become as radical as the Americas. It’s still an Empire. They’ll move into a weakened Europe. Perhaps it will become a constitutional monarchy, partially modeled off of how the American states govern themselves. Perhaps, especially with how Sultans have to kill all their brothers, it will get so big it will just break into smaller states.

Africa and the East

Colonialism wave 2 will hit Africa sooner, at the hands of the Ottomans. Colonialism in the style of the scramble for Africa conquest, or perhaps, since there won’t be that much racism involved, Africa will be treated like other parts of the Ottoman Empire. Maybe the resultant states will scrabble for it themselves and take bits out of China. Or maybe since it doesn’t have enough seeds of capitalism, the industrial revolution will take much longer. At this point, I don’t know. Maybe some Maroons will suspect this and make sure the African tribes have European weapons. Will anyone ever bother to gunboat open Japan? How long until tyrants rise again in the Americas and they’re the ones to conquer the east?

The Inherent Randomness

Maybe there’s some lesser factor that would most certainly have a much bigger impact in this timeline that I don’t know about. I’d love if someone could tell me. I have a lot of spots in my knowledge here and would love to discuss and add on to this idea. 

But there are things that can’t be predicted. Flint could get fatally shot securing Barbados and that’s how things end. Maybe elements and people that are irrelevant in our world are important in this timeline. That why I didn’t outline how I think they would win in the military sense. That would require responding to things and I don’t know what those things are. The farther and farther one goes through this essay, the less certain I am about these things. One thing I do know for certain, is that the TLDR for the war is an alliance with the Ottomans. They’re the only state powerful enough who’s own capabilities means they’ll actually ally with Flint.

Silver is right. The cost would be so high. It’s a war, and entering into this war is double or nothing.