#after black sails silver ended the war to save madi (and flint if you believe the savannah story) but she justifiably resents him for it

[kvetchinglyneurotic]

watched muppet treasure island to emotionally recover from the black sails finale but instead it also made me sad about muppet treasure island somehow

[blerdeblerdeblerr]

Ambiguity in Black Sails:

One of my favorite things about Black Sails is its ambiguity. I'm sure I'm not coming up with many new insights here but this has been on my mind a lot lately and wanted to write down my ruminations. So many of the relationships in Black Sails have blurry outlines. James and Miranda, Miranda and Thomas, Jack and Anne at times, Silver and Flint, etc. I love how the show leaves so much wiggle room in these dynamics for us to project our own insights. Same with a character's sexuality, or a character's ending (gulp).

They are defined just enough for us to feel invested and satisfied, but just vague enough for us to apply our own interpretations to parts of it. I think it was Jon Steinberg who said something like 'the story demands that you feel something.' It requires us to fill in gaps based on how we feel about a character, a relationship, an action. And it's incredible because it means that we will love it more for the spaces it leaves us to fill in. Making it partly our story, too.

To you, Flint might only like men, and that is why his relationship with Miranda seems so distant and stale. Or maybe he loved both her and Thomas both romantically, but the loss of Thomas created such a void between them that they could no longer connect with one another. Maybe Thomas and Miranda were a marriage of convenience, great friends with real love between them but no romance. Maybe they all shared one another in a truly polyamorous relationship. The beauty is that it's never explicitly defined, so we choose based on how we feel and our own experiences. How I read those relationships doesn't invalidate a different reading.

Or, how you interpret Flint's ending has almost everything to do with how you feel about Silver - as a character, as a partner and friend to Flint, as a storyteller, as a man who refuses to share his past, as a lover to Madi. Do you feel for him? Does he annoy you? Do you trust him?

Silver's Choice:

For me, Silver's choice at the end, whichever ending you believe, is driven by love. But it's a selfish form of love. Taking away the choice and agency of the people he cares about the most while simultaneously destroying their life's purpose, their causes that they were willing to die for. To me his crime is not killing the war to save them, but taking away their choice entirely. He chose for them, knowing full well it was not what they wanted.

(Also worth noting that I think Madi is far more altruistic from the start. To me, Flint's motivations are dubious and debatable for a long time, as I believe he was fighting from mostly rage, revenge and grief from S1-S3. But I think post-cage / post-fireside / S4 Flint is a far more settled and integrated version of himself, finally fighting for more altruistic reasons - after unburdening his past to Silver and eventually becoming more closely aligned with Madi.)

But I cannot hate Silver for wanting to protect the woman he loves, just as I cannot hate Flint for killing Gates to keep his fight alive, nor can I hate Eleanor for hoping to gain her father's respect and despising Vane for stealing that possibility from her.

Jon Steinberg also said, "It is genuine and it is complicated, the way it is always complicated when you love someone."

[bring-it-all-down]

Much has been said about the Black Sails finale and its statement of the show’s themes, so I’d like to focus instead on the penultimate episode, specifically the following speech Jack gives as he’s headed back to Nassau with the goal of killing Flint:

The result ahead of us promises to be a victory of a different sort. A true victory. Freedom...in every sense of the word. How many men in the history of the world have ever known it? How remarkable a moment is this? How fortunate are we to be standing on the threshold of it?

I think this speech really gets to the heart of the show: it’s ultimately about what it means to be truly free. While this notion of freedom is discussed in Flint’s unparalleled final speech about dragons, it’s perhaps in 4.09 that we get the fullest exploration of freedom.

There has obviously been a lot written on the subject of freedom throughout human history, and rather than foolishly attempt to summarize thousands of years of philosophy, I’m going to refer to one of my favorite understandings, written by W.E.B. DuBois:

I dream of a world of infinitive and valuable variety; not in the laws of gravity or atomic weights, but in human variety in height and weight, color and skin, hair and nose and lip. But more especially and far above and beyond this, is a realm of true freedom: in thought and dream, fantasy and imagination; in gift, aptitude, and genius—all possible manner of difference, topped with freedom of soul to do and be, and freedom of thought to give to a world and build into it, all wealth of inborn individuality. Each effort to stop this freedom of being is a blow at democracy—that real democracy which is reservoir and opportunity” (The World and Africa: An Inquiry into the Part Which Africa Has Played in World History, pg. 165.)

DuBois here notes three central elements of freedom: the physical (“to do and be”), the mental (“thought and dream, fantasy and imagination”), and the generational (“give to a world and build into it”). The first two components of freedom are understood by much of Western political philosophy through the terms “negative liberty” and “positive liberty” (coined by Isaiah Berlin), freedom from external threats and freedom to engage in philosophic activity. To these conceptions, DuBois adds a third that all the white dudes who conceived of the other two wouldn’t be concerned with: central to achieving them is the recognition that every individual owes prior and future generations their efforts to maintain liberty, that liberty is not just a theoretical principle but an action.

Turning now to episode 4.09, I think we can begin to understand how each of these three types of freedom overlap.

To start, the conflict of the episode deals with negative liberty. Silver and Flint to some degree know that if one catches the other with the chest, there is a chance they will be killed, and Silver wants the chest to ensure that Woodes Rogers does not kill Madi. In short, they are fighting for their survival, their physical freedom.

Moving on to the flashbacks between Flint and Silver, we begin to see the connection between negative liberty and positive liberty. First, because Silver and Flint are equals without the same political obligations to each other as they have to the crew, the people who serve them and who they serve in turn, they can be honest with each other. Silver recognizes this in telling Flint: “The men...I have to manage how they see me...But for pride to be an issue between you and I, well, I think we’re playing past that by now.” Because they, at that point, have physical/negative liberty with each other, they are then allowed to pursue mental/positive liberty, that being the revelation of their true selves. 

However, Flint becomes aware that this physical liberty is an illusion because Silver is unwilling to meet him equally in their pursuit of positive liberty: 

You know my story. Thomas, Miranda, all of it. Know the role it played in motivating me to do the things that I've done, the things I will do. It has made me transparent to you. Not only that, but when I told you this story, you insinuated yourself into it. The latest in a line of ill-fated partners, situating yourself such that...were you and I ever to come to blows, I'd be forced to hesitate before doing you any harm.

Thus Silver actually has a physical advantage over Flint, negating any semblance of Flint’s physical liberty in their relationship. Through Silver’s attempts to kill Flint in this episode and in the finale, we see that without both physical/mental (or negative/positive) liberty present in any relationship, neither will exist; you cannot have one without the other.

This brings us to what I’ve decided to call generational freedom, though I suppose it could also be called communal freedom. In this episode, the concept of generational freedom is brought up in relation to both Jack and Madi. First, we see it in Jack’s conversation with the man he chose to navigate him to Skeleton Island:

Jack: You sailed with Avery.

Old man: Long time ago.

Jack: 20 years? More, even, maybe?

Old man: More, aye.

Jack: Mm-hmm. You do know where you're going, yes? No, seriously, I've got quite a lot riding on this.

Old man: One day, you'll leave the account. Take a wife, father children. See less and less of the sea until she becomes like a painting hanging on the wall, static and irrelevant to your daily existence. But she'll keep on calling you. And when she does, you'll step into that painting and feel the swell beneath your feet. It'll all come back as if it were like yesterday.

Jack: Is that so?

Old man: I've watched you and yours handle the account since I and mine left it. Accomplish things that no one I ever sailed with could dream of. From what I've overheard, if you reach Skeleton Island, might mean the end of the governor. Maybe keep the account alive a little while longer. Is that so?

Jack: That and more.

Old man: Then I'll take you to it. Hold on to this for as long as you can, for all of us who once had it...and walked away.

In this conversation, we see the generational connections within piracy. The old man sailed with Henry Avery, the person most responsible for establishing the current status of piracy in Nassau, and he is conversing with the person who will usher Nassau into a new era. He is careful to remind Jack of this link and of how unseverable it is; no matter how far away Jack gets from piracy, he will never be able to leave it fully behind. There is some sense of owing his existence in this world to Avery and all those who came before him, a debt he must repay with his actions (namely, removing Woodes Rogers and continuing the life of piracy in Nassau).

Immediately after this conversation, we get Woodes Rogers’ bargaining with Madi. He offers her an ultimatum: accept his treaty or he will kill Silver and all of Silver’s crew, which includes many of Madi’s people. Madi rejects his ultimatum with one of the most poignant speeches in the show:

The voice you hear in your head, I imagine I know who it sounds like, as I know Eleanor wanted those things. But I hear other voices. A chorus of voices. Multitudes. They reach back centuries. Men and women and children who'd lost their lives to men like you. Men and women and children forced to wear your chains. I must answer to them and this war, their war, Flint's war, my war, it will not be bargained away to avoid a fight, to save John Silver's life or his men's or mine. And you believe what you will, but it was neither I nor Flint, nor the Spanish raider who killed your wife. That, you did.

Because of her existence as a former slave who had lived in hiding for most of her life, Madi most fully understands generational freedom. She knows that the supposed freedom Rogers’ treaty offers her and her people is not actual freedom because it fails to address the unfreedom of her ancestors, of the rest of the enslaved people in the Caribbean, because she knows that freedom will never be achieved on the terms of the oppressor. She knows that she owes this war to every victim of England’s empire and that it is the only way to achieve what DuBois calls the opportunity to “give to a world and build into it.” 

This episode thus introduces the idea that “freedom every sense of the word” depends on one recognizing one’s duty to one’s community that consists of not just its current members, but its past and future members. Complete freedom is achieved when one begins to fight to protect the freedom of those who do not yet exist. Madi understands this about freedom, as does Flint, but despite Silver’s insistence that he and Flint are true friends and equals, he is incapable of grasping the generational component of freedom and he therefore ensures that physical and mental freedom, too, will fall outside of his grasp.

[im-the-punk-who]

Hey because I'm not sure we've talked about her yet, but tell me about Madi? 💜

YES! I will talk about Madi. 

How I feel about this character

Ugh so, like all the female characters, I LOVE her personally, but I hate her ending, how her character is written, and how she differs from her historical counterpart. 

I really love Madi as a character. Especially as such a well rounded, beautifully acted, IMPORTANT character, she is so important. I was watching Black Sails with a black friend of mine, and he said that, even with the ending, even though it’s not good, he could forgive Black Sails because of the things he’s so often used to seeing that they didn’t do. Madi lives. LOVE for Madi is what makes the revolution fail(and yeah, it sucks that it’s against her agency, but the point he made was that you NEVER see LOVE for a BLACK WOMAN be the thing that stops the world.) Black Sails without Madi is a completely different story, and I love that she is an active part of the plot as well as important enough to other characters(not just Silver, Flint, her mother, the alliance, all rely on her at some point. Even Rogers recognizes her value.) That, as low a bar as it is, is an important one.

I love that she’s smart and hopeful and determined. I see her very much as a parallel to Thomas, even moreso than Flint, in that she believes in things with her whole being. She has that line from Don Quixote to Flint, but I think it’s as much a dig at herself as it is at Flint. 

“Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be.”

Flint has just told her exactly what could be accomplished if they are successful. He’s not dreaming, he sees the world in terms of if/then. But she sees the future beyond that. She sees the possibility and she’s drawing the parallel(unknowingly) between herself and Thomas and I LOVE it.

But she’s also SMART, she’s WHIP fucking SMART and she KNOWS how to lead her people and she is confident in herself. She is tough, there isn’t an ounce of self-doubt in her and the way that shows the LOVE she must have known growing up??? Just. I love Madi because I love how much she is loved. But also like, she is allowed to be naive in some ways, to be over confident and over trusting. She’s allowed to have flaws that I don’t think detracts from her value as a character, but are the natural progression when someone who, by her mother’s own admission, has been sheltered but still knows of injustice.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Pre-finale I LOVE her and Silver. I thought there was such potential there for her to become his rock, to show him that there were rewards, to be his Thomas, in a way, to love him surely enough that he could take the chance to crack himself open and start healing the hurt parts. And I think then he absolutely would have been ride or die - part of what I hate so much is the parallel between Thomas and James, and Madi and Silver, is that Thomas and James were able to have the time to build that and Madi and Silver weren’t. And the tragedy is that it ends in so much more heartbreak than just personal ones, because of who Madi is, what she represents, and when it happens.

Post finale I ship Madi with whoever and whatever makes her fucking goddamn happy and that probably isn’t John Silver at this point.

BUT my two crack ships are Eleanor/Madi bc i’m ALL about that girlhood bromance and the POWERSHARING dynamic between them??? Magnifique. and Madi/Joshua because Joshua is a fucking dumbass but also has a great heart and seems like a good guy and cares and makes connections and has dumbass false teeth and Madi deserves someone who will be loyal to her and understand her and make her smile.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

GIVE MADI HER GAY UNCLES JAMES MCGRAW AND THOMAS HAMILTON OR I WILL RIOT.

Like my absolute ABSOLUTE non romantic OTP to END all OTPs is Madi and Flint. Because I do think she and Thomas are so similar in so many ways, and honestly just because Flint and Madi get along???? so well?????? like when they do become friends, and they connect, you can tell like, Flint’s just like YES. ANOTHER DAUGHTER. GREAT. THIS IS MORE THAN FINE. and just penguin waddles his way over there and like???? and then Madi - who for all she has HAD Mr. Scott hasn’t really ...experienced the True Dad Energy like that? And she finds in him a partner too, someone who sees the possibility and the freedom that she has been searching for on her island and never finding. Her mother has that line 

“they are dangerous, their ideas are dangerous - especially to you.”

Madi didn’t become a revolutionary when the pirates found their island. I get the feeling this has been something she’s been arguing with her mother for a while, and now, with Flint, she’s FOUND that kindred spirit and I just???? love them???????? So much?????????

And especially post finale. Just....just give Madi her gay uncles, James who is like, so chill??? Now that he’s away from having to lead people and be responsible for people’s lives, and he’s FUNNY and she’s never actually seen him smile like that before?? And he plays with all the kids wherever he is and they NEVER mcfucking want him to leave. And Thomas who will talk to her from dusk until dawn about treaties and British Law and how to circumvent this clause or extort this particular weakness. 

And at first she’d been weary - after everything with John - of trusting another group of white men. But from the first moment it’s been clear that here, her word will be respected and her wishes upheld because she and Flint share that vision and so does Thomas, and the reports she gets back from the escaped slaves who have reached freedom through the encampment that now sits where Oglethorpe’s plantation once was. 

And while she is learning from her mother she is also learning from Julius, from Eme, from Flint, from Thomas. She learns, and learns, and when it’s finally ready for her to step into her mother’s shoes it is a seamless and peaceful thing, like one exhale flowing into the next inhale, it doesnt start or end with violence and wailing, but with laughter, and joy - bittersweet but there all the same - and okay this kind of got away from me give MADI NICE THINGS OR I WILL RIOT.

My unpopular opinion about this character

Huh I don’t....honestly know enough about the popularity of opinions on Madi to know what’s unpopular but I feel like ‘Silver doesn’t deserve her’ is at least a somewhat controversial take? I don’t know OH. Wait I know what my unpopular opinion will be:

She shouldn’t have existed because she exists solely to be a love interest to Silver where the real person she is based off of was an old matron Queen who is basically the Maroon Queen in BS just with Madi’s actual drive and she so badass we STILL use the guerilla tactics she developed to use against the British today but Steinberg was like ‘No, I think a black, 60 y/o Xena is boring, let’s make that part of the character basically non-existent and give her role to the 20 y/o daughter and also make her in need of saving from the white man. That’s hot.’

Cool. I will expect your assassins at dawn.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Eleanor/Madi WHEN

MADI/JOSHUA WHEN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also that her storyline hadn’t been shoved aside for the emotional angst of the white men, that we had seen more of her in the aftermath, that she had been given agency in her own future and in the future of her people that she clearly believed in. I just wanted good things for Madi and for her to be respected as a character.

To that end, what I wish WOULD happen is that she teams up with Thomas and James at the Savannah BnB to basically completely ignore the treaty with the British, funnel slaves off the islands, and, while they don’t restart the war, they still help to undermine slavery in the Bahamas and the Colonies and uhhh basically everything i said up under the non-romantic OTP. xD

Assuming the assassins don’t get to me, ASK ME ABOUT MY OPINIONS

[phenomenal1500]

The Blood In My Veins | Black Sails

Chapter 60: XXXIII

For Chapter 59: Actions Have Consequences click here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Find her? I have her." I immediately smiled at Charles before giving him a shoulder bump to give him credits for his amazing guessing skills and he playfully grabbed me by the hip to push me against him. As always I let out an embarrassing squeak and gasped for air as Charles placed his other hand right under my breast to secretly outline it.

"Then show us!"

~~~

Slowly, the day had almost passed just as fast as a human could blink and see the world again and I had settled myself at the shoreline to watch the sea come closer and pull back again every few seconds followed by the small clear waves. The pirates under Billy Bones leadership were prepared to hold the beach against Woodes Rogers' redcoats and as I examined them they seemed to be ready for every possible strategy and their minds were open for every option that could happen. However.... of course the fighting spirit was soon over when we all noticed that only Silver was returning from the fort and with one of my eyebrows raised I wondered where he had left Flint. Had he killed him?

I didn't have to do much to hear that information because the news was already spreading across the island in less than a second after Silver and Billy had discussed it.

The deal had been done; we were buying Nassau back, in exchange for the cache of the stolen Urca gold.

How weak it sounded for us to choose this outcome.... it also sounded way too easy if I thought about it.

A woman would be rowing out to Rogers' ship to persuade him to sail to Port Royal and await Eleanor Guthrie's arrival with the gold that we had to hand over to regain Nassau. It all sounded too good to be true and I immediately knew there was something off about the deal. Besides, Rogers would never retreat until he had Nassau. I've seen his true self.

Of course I had to warn one of our most important leaders, the one that was now stuck as hostage in that fucking miserable fort.

God, how many bad memories were linked to that place? The war between Flint and Charles.... Abigail's captivity.... my captivity.... Jack's captivity.... Charles' captivity for the second time and almost certain death twice. Slowly I pushed myself up and sighed while letting all the memories flow away as I walked to the hard surface to get a better grip under my feet before I made my way towards the fancy building it had all started in. The Governor's Mansion. I remembered that Jack had made it his salon after he had conquered the L'Urca De Lima. The citizens of Nassau drank, fucked and gambled in the parlor, while Jack had moved into one of the bedrooms to claim it as his own with me moving in for a week or so after Charles had left off to sea, tricked by Jack into capturing a slave ship.

Those weeks had been calm, no enemies to deal with and no problems. Well, that was before the rumours had spread about the imminent arrival of Woodes Rogers.

Jack had then gathered the most important people to discuss the defence of Nassau, but some had tried to refuse before Jack had shown his newly grown backbone by threatening their crews directly.

That was also the first place where I had met Charles' mentor, Edward Teach.... who had at the time announced that Flint had died by the hands of Captain Hornigold. The news had ripped away my faith. Of course I trusted Jack and Charles with my whole life, but I somehow already had felt it in my bones that the show of force wouldn't work out. Because of all that we had now ended up here and to get Nassau back so easily after all the effort we had to put into our forces to regain it would perhaps lure us into a massive trap.

I dragged my tired body up the few stair steps and leaned against the door frame as I watched Charles puzzle out the best strategies with two other men I remembered as his loyal crew members.

I didn't want to disturb them and stood there until one of the men turned around to share a gaze with me. "Captain, I think someone needs you."

Charles didn't even have to think about who the man was talking about and still stood ahead of me with his back my way, leaning over the big table in the middle of the room.

"Naida.... something's off and I can't get it out of my mind." He ran his hands through his long hair, being completely honest with me about his feelings in a long time again, and I hooked my foot behind the leg of the chair on the opposite side of Charles to pull it back and sit down on it straight in front of him.

"I know." I sighed while closing my eyes, afterwards watching the ceiling as I leaned my elbows on the table we had once used to discuss the future and defence of Nassau.

"You heard about it as well?"

"Mhuh." I hummed and looked Charles straight in the eye as he straightened his back and shook his head.

"I can't believe Flint would agree to this, you?"

"I don't know, perhaps he was done with everything, wanting to secure the island and the people within it."

"He would never give up his war." Charles reminded me, but I was still deep down hoping that all of this would be over one day, just so that maybe he and I could one day live how it should have been.

I didn't know how quickly it happened after I had found Charles, but suddenly the room filled with familiar faces who really had no business here anymore.

I was completely lost and I, confused, gazed at Silver who hopped in last after the room was full as I was trying to figure out what the fuck just happened.

"A ship was spotted on the horizon, approaching the rendezvous beach from the south and flying no colors. Kofi and his men are returning. The wind is dying out. The cache will be on the sand in a few hours, at most." Billy coughed a bit to clear his throat while letting his eyes scan the room.

"Who knows they've arrived?"

"So far? Him, you, them...." Billy pointed at me and Charles who calmly walked their way. "And I. That's it."

"But sooner or later, people are going to know." I whispered to the men as we had approached the two and I leaned against the desk to support myself while Charles sat down.

"And we're going to have to give them instructions about what happens to that cache once it lands." Charles went on talking as he rolled a coin through his fingers while resting his boot on his upper leg. He didn't let his eyes drop from the coin so he wouldn't make a mistake, but we all knew he was concentrating on thinking about the best options.

It was always something Charles did to think harder about an important strategy or subject. He was a man with a lot on his mind and by focusing on the coin he could always concentrate on one particular thing.

The reason why I sang was the reason why he rolled a coin through his fingers.

"There's no more putting off a decision. Giving up that money is an impossibility." Silver clenched his jaw as Billy leaned more forward to the four of us so that nobody would suspect what it really was about. "Flint will just keep pushing for these things, costly things that we pay for with our own suffering, with our own lives. You know this. You've always known this." Silver had softly shook his head and sighed while Billy lowered his voice even more so I had to really focus on his lips to understand what was going on. "Sooner or later, it has to end. You send word to the fort and tell them it's here. Arrange for them to come out. I'll have men waiting there. I'll end it quickly. All you have to do is look the other way."

"I don't want it happening in full view of that beach."

"Yeah..." I noticed that Billy looked very tired because of the red glow and bags under his eyes and Silver didn't look so good either, probably both struggling with the former 'friendship' that had been lost by the war.

While I was examining the two men, Mady walked through the door and closed it behind her with a stern face expression as usual, softening a bit as she walked further in and spotted Silver. Charles and I smiled at each other and greeted the unknown red-haired man before my lover got up and offered me his hand to leave the Governor's Mansion with me, clearly a sign to leave the two lovebirds alone.

~~~

Me, Charles and Mady with a few more companions of her side had been ordered to wait for Eleanor and Flint to emerge via the secret tunnel that had led to the fort because Silver had notified that he didn't want the exchange to happen in full view on the beach. It somehow sounded weird and suspicious, but I didn't have to complain about such things. Our only job was to escort Flint and that bitch to a secluded beach which wasn't that far away from the center of Nassau and.... I got to see Flint again. As I heard the insects chirping, I peacefully played with a white butterfly that had landed on my leg and took in a deep sigh as I spotted the blond woman stepping into the light, followed by the redcoats that tried to both.... kill.... Charles.

My heart suddenly started to beat faster and I couldn't hear my surroundings because of the blood pounding in my ears that blocked the other sounds.

I saw nothing but red and squeezed my hands until my nails had torn my soft skin, leaving small moon shaped cuts into my palms.

That whore had stripped me from almost everything, twice! I clenched my jaw in full hate and tears of hatred filled my reddish eyes. It wasn't long before I pulled a knife from my boot and longed for nothing but her death, but instead of actually cutting her to fucking pieces, I had been stopped by the careful and gentle arms of the man I loved and I gazed at him in horror. Why didn't he feel the same way as I did?

"She would have killed you if I hadn't saved you from that fucking fort.... and you are stopping me from the one thing we all fucking want!!"

Before I knew it, I was pushed tightly against the muscular man and bursted into tears without even realizing it. I no longer cared about how my reputation crumbled down at the moment, these people didn't even notice any of this happening as they had already put a pace behind their walking and Flint was the only one waiting for us. Slowly a hand was moving up and down my back to keep me calm and little kisses were left on my hair.

Luckily for the blond whore it helped because the red atmosphere quickly turned gloomy and l became a calm and tired mess.

When Charles got up and hoisted me up with him, he knocked the dust off my clothes and dried my tears before I started doing it myself, taking a deep breath as I did so.

Eventually I managed to stay calm around the demon and we walked through the dunes behind Mady.

Of course I walked next to Flint and Charles who were both always on the lookout if I had any tendencies to turn that whore's neck around again, but for now I would leave her alone until I found the right time.

We actually walked to the coast for the price of the L'Urca De Lima, however, the only thing waiting for us was a delightful Jack with a small crew; the ship that was seen approaching was Jack's and not the one sent to retrieve the gold.

"STAND DOWN!!! JUST WAIT!!!" The clumsy, but highly intelligent man pointed out at his crew as he noticed who stepped his way.

I hadn't seen Jack for maybe a month and a half, and he didn't know the news about Charles who hadn't yet given up his life at the gallows.

With full joy I pushed Charles and Flint to the waterfront and the three of us walked to Jack at a high speed.

It seemed like I wasn't the only one happy to see him.

"Flint?" He furrowed his eyebrows until he saw us. "Naida! Charles!"

"What are you doing here?" Flint questioned the man as Charles and I took turns giving Jack a tight embrace and he was amazed when he saw Charles and me healthy and well. He also immediately changed his gaze to my stomach and I smiled, confirming the kid and I were also okay.

He had cared for us both when we were captured so it was normal for him to question its health.

"Thank you, Jack, for keeping me safe from the governor." I thanked him as I thought back to the day when Jack and I were imprisoned together in Nassau. He had offered himself to go free willingly with Rogers if I was allowed to walk freely around Nassau, unharmed, as long as I did nothing that had something to do with conspiracy against civilisation.

"You're welcome, Dear." He smiled back and then watched Flint. "We escaped the governor's men. Came back to rejoin the fight, but didn't know if the harbor was safe to enter. What are you doing here?"

~~~

"You want to trade it? You want to trade the cache, my cache?"

"It was the only way we could avoid a fight we were more than likely to lose. And it guarantees us control of the island today and for certain."

"All it guarantees is we no longer have the cache that we all agreed was critical. And who decided this? You and Mr. Silver? Because I can't imagine Naida and Charles committing to such a thing." Flint had stayed quiet as he knew Jack was right and I watched the ground. We could have stopped them, but it was too late when Charles and I figured out their plan. "Ah... It won't work."

"It's done. It's already agreed to."

"She agreed to it. Her people agreed. You've agreed. Naida and Charles and I probably didn't. But it's all meaningless unless and until he agrees. Woodes Rogers."

"He left the island for Port Royal as she asked to await her arrival with the money. He's already agreed to it."

"No, he hasn't. I watched him defeat Edward Teach in battle...." I gasped as it occurred to me that Jack had just declared Teach as dead and right away my thoughts went to Charles who had lost his father figure. I gently pushed myself against Charles's side as I wrapped my arms around him and I noticed that Charles weakly embraced me back. "Outnumbered and through sheer force of will. I saw his bloodlust with my own eyes. That man will never surrender his position here. He will never allow himself to be defeated by you or I. Not because we bribed him, not because Eleanor Guthrie told him so. He simply will not allow it to happen. I don't know where that man went or what designs drew him there, but this I know.... Woodes Rogers will be returning.... and this fight isn't nearly over."

[silverflintdaily]

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1. running is a victory Skeleton Island holds the greatest and most ancient treasure the world’s ever known—not that anyone’s ever actually seen it before. Captain Flint and his crew sail through treacherous seas full of English ships, freak storms, and at least one large monster lurking in the deep, desperate to find the island and obtain the Urca gold. That all seems simple compared to dealing with the charming yet duplicitous John Silver and the alleged Urca curse. [Black Sails meets Pirates of the Caribbean!] 2. A Ship is a Republic Flint and Silver train relentlessly on the cliffs of Maroon Island. Silver begins to realise how much he enjoys obeying Flint's instructions. Swordplay gives way to foreplay. 3. Elijah's Violin "A mage, a sorcerer, and a warlock walk into my bar,” says a woman behind the counter. “Have you heard this one before?”

The city of Venice is in turmoil: someone has been turning people to stone. Years after the events that landed them both in hot water and separated them, Flint and Silver are thrown together to solve a dangerous magical mystery. They are joined on their mission by Thomas (who may or may not have a pet Hellhound). The three magicians must work together (and try not to kill each other) before the Carnival of Venice devours them as well. 4. title tbd Or, James Flint, state park employee and firebrand, discovers that someone who broke his heart is back in his life, and that someone is miserable. That this someone is miserable makes James Flint very happy! Except for how it really does not make him happy, whoops. Modern au, angst, slow burn, mutual pining, happy ending. 5.  Don't Say I Didn't Warn Ya John's a drag king, making friends with Thomas and his drag queen troupe. They all perform at the bar that Flint and Gates own and run together - The Frigate.

Trans!Silver, Poly!Flint. ships: silverflint, established flintgates & flinthamilton, possible eventual silverflinthamilton (if I have it in me to write that far) 6.  call to war When the Maroon Queen gets a letter from Woodes Rogers indicating that Madi is alive, she makes the executive decision to have Flint rescue her without telling Silver. When Flint does find Madi, she tells him not to tell Silver she is alive--so that he will want to continue to fight the war he so desperately hates, all so Madi's "death" wasn't for nothing. Against his own judgment, Flint agrees, leading to a series of events that spiral out of control, bringing Flint and Silver closer together, even as Flint is wracked with guilt over his deceit. A s4 canon divergence, heavily focused on Madi, Flint and Silver, as well as the Maroons.

7.  the life that we chose All of Silver's schemes and machinations screech to a halt when he locks eyes with Captain Flint across the deck of the Walrus and the world explodes into color. Flint's cold and indifferent behavior towards him in the weeks that follow makes no sense until he learns that the captain first saw colors ten years ago, in London.

(Flint's been able to see color since he first met Thomas, it's true, but - has Billy always had blue eyes? Was the spine on that book always such a deep green?)

note for artist claims: silverflint au where when you meet your soulmate you can see color. thomas and silver are both flint's soulmate: he saw most colors when he met thomas, but once he meets silver he can finally see the full spectrum. of course he doesn't realize this because ANGST 8. To Be Rid of Temptation “What would you suggest we do instead, then?”

Maybe it was the way he said it, the way Flint was sitting with his knees sprawled out, or the secrets he guarded so closely; Silver didn’t know what it was, but somebody’s Devil took ahold of his tongue then and he said, “I think we should fuck.”

Set around the start of season 3, *spoilers* they do fuck. 9. Chasing Sea Foam Once upon a time, there was a pirate Captain whose moods controlled the seas and whose grief over his missing Lord drove him to wreak havoc in the West Indies.

Once upon a time, there was a merperson who saved the pirate Captain from drowning and who longed to be a part of his world. One day he was faced with a terrible decision: to see his Captain bring death and destruction onto the world and himself, or to stop him and reunite him with his missing Lord. The merperson made his choice and disappeared into the sea.

Years after his Happily Ever After, Flint sets out to find answers about Silver guided only by tall tales and a longing in his heart.

supernatural AU (not a Supernatural the show AU, it just has supernatural elements), features Flint/Thomas and Silver/Flint/Thomas as secondary ships, and past Silver/Madi)

10.  the long waves crawl Nassau sang with magic in a way that Silver hadn’t felt since his childhood, not unlike the hazy memories of a tiny house crowded with herbs and all sorts of books that smelled of cedar smoke and sage.

Only here he was not hidden, nor was he safe. He darted through the streets, avoiding the hungry looks that other magic users gave him. Felt their eyes on his skin and knew they could smell the magic in his blood.

In which Silver is a witch, and in an already complicated world magic is a dangerous thing. 11. Fire Light Silver is a new University professor who starts his job by stealing research out from under Flint’s nose. To get access to the research, Flint steals Silver.

12. Birds Of A Feather A Black Sails/Pride and Prejudice crossover, featuring John Silver as a victim of Mrs Bennet's match making escapades and James McGraw as a lieutenant on sick leave who just wants some peace and quiet.

13. the whole estate of mortal man Silver has a limited memory, an unlimited lifespan, and a need for human souls. He spends four seasons trying to buy Flint's.

14. "On the Banks of the Lethe" Waking after a head injury with no memory of the past two years, Flint finds himself a stranger in a strange land. Faced with the politics of a war he doesn’t remember, and a Walrus crew he hardly recognizes, Flint must reconcile what he knows with what has transpired: Gates’ betrayal; the discovery of the Urca gold; the aftermath of Charles Town. All preceded by the rise of a quartermaster he doesn’t trust—a quartermaster he only knows to be a liar and a thief. Uncertain of his newfound loyalties, Flint suddenly finds himself standing in the shadow of a monster of his own inadvertent making: Long John Silver, Nassau’s newly christened Pirate King.

Amnesia!fic. Set right before Season 4. Angst. Confusion. Gross abuse of tropes. Stupid men in love (even if one doesn’t quite remember). AKA: What if Season 1 James Flint met Season 4 John Silver.

15. a beautiful, sinuous thing; a terrible, treacherous thing Driven by grief, James Flint leaves the city behind to become the caretaker of a lighthouse in a small coastal town. But despite his desire for solitude, he finds himself drawn to a man who seems to have simply strolled out of the sea one day. Silver expects the new lighthouse keeper on his shores to be easy prey - quiet, isolated, sad. But he may have more on his hands than he expected. Modern fantasy au influenced by works like Daisy Johnson's Fen and Victor LaValle's The Changeling 16. The Return of John Silver Seven months after leaving Savannah and the war behind, Flint and Thomas are doing their best to leave the past where it belongs. But the past is never quite past. When the arrival of a wounded pirate on their doorstep threatens to shake what little foundation they've managed to build together, Flint finds himself at a familiar crossroads. Does he allow himself to admit that John Silver belongs in his life, (and in Thomas's) or will he continue to deny the truth even to himself? 17. gonna need a bigger boat The not-quite-Jaws AU where Flint is a perpetually irritated sea captain, hired by a perpetually irritating quasi-con man Silver, both to hunt a shark that has supposedly killed seven people in the last few months. Only they stumble upon a crime in action, end up trapped on a small boat in the middle of an ocean, and they figure out that they're going to have to work together to stay alive and collect that shark bounty somehow. (Featuring the use of thinly veiled shark metaphors, shark fun facts, and two people who cannot believe that their relationship is hurtling towards - something). 18. Loose Lips Sink Ships Rewrite of Black Sails S4. Billy Bones tries to kill Silver, fails, and Silver starts his revenge quest. Woodes Rogers is dead, Nassau is in chaos, and Silver finds his whole world changed. Mostly silverflint and it does become silverflintham. Happy ending! Very, very violent beginning.

[beanabouttown]

black sails characters rated by how they treat james flint mcgraw

eleanor - 7/10 - true gay/bi solidarity. helps lead a war against him, which isn’t great. but the moment they share a scene together again there’s instant trust and care between them. also, she doesn’t slit his throat out of spite. one of the only people to call him a good man 

miranda - 9/10 - she fucking. loves him. 100% all the time. one of only two (2) characters to actively hug him in an attempt to comfort him. i knock one point off bc of that terrible, terrible sex scene in s1, and bc she Showed Richard Guthrie Meditations. Why Would You Do These Things Miranda. Why. 

max - 2/10 - they. literally never exchange two words to each other. @starz why do you hate gay/lesbian solidarity 

gates - 8/10 - b a l d   d a d. james is his most problematic son but he still loves him 

rogers - 0/10 - he can fuck right off. takes james’ island. gets eleanor killed. takes madi prisoner. worst of all, HE TRIES TO USE THOMAS’ MEMORY AGAINST JAMES

anne - 3/10 - pretty much the same as max, only she isn’t happy about jack being asked to go off and kill james. also, ginger solidarity 

charles - 7/10 - 1x01 to 2x08, he’s trash. end of 2x09 he makes a huge speech about how they have to rescue james, and from there i love him completely. saves james’ life twice. ‘not bc i like you or anything. don’t make it weird’ 

jack - 2/10 - j a c k   w h y 

peter ashe - 0/10 - WHAT THE FUCK DUDE. I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU. WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU. HOW DARE YOU

madi - 8/10 - IF NO ONE REMEMBERS A TIME BEFORE THERE WAS AN ENGLAND, THEN NO ONE CAN IMAGINE A TIME AFTER IT. THE EMPIRE SURVIVES IN PART BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ITS SURVIVAL TO BE INEVITABLE. BUT IT ISN'T. AND THEY KNOW THAT. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SO TERRIFIED OF YOU AND I. IF WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE NASSAU, IF WE ARE ABLE TO EXPOSE THE ILLUSION THAT ENGLAND IS NOT INEVITABLE, IF WE ARE ABLE TO INCITE A REVOLT THAT SPREADS ACROSS THE NEW WORLD? THEN, YEAH I IMAGINE PEOPLE ARE GONNA NOTICE. "TOO MUCH SANITY MAY BE MADNESS. AND THE MADDEST OF ALL, TO SEE LIFE AS IT IS AND NOT AS IT SHOULD BE.” 

billy - 4/10 - honestly. given the way that james treats him. he treats james better than he deserves 

silver - 0/10 - tells james that thomas and miranda’s deaths were his fault. finds out that thomas is alive and then keeps it a secret for no good reason for at least a week. sends six men to kill james. hears the ‘freedom in the darkness’ speech and is completely unmoved. literally condemns james and thomas to a lifetime of slavery. also uses thomas’ memory against james 

thomas - ∞/10 - JAMES. MY TRUEST LOVE. KNOW NO SHAME. no one loves james more than thomas. no one 

[imperatorreyes]

Ever think about how Black Sails is, in its core, a tale about a conflict between ideals and love? Now this is of course oversimplification and the ideals might be closer to ambition in some instances, and love might look just like a “simpler life” in others. Sometimes it’s Nassau vs escape somewhere else. But this has proven right in the last season especially, becoming clear with Eleanor’s words directed at Max, about not repeating her mistake, because after all it’s true that “this place is just sand and it cannot love you back”.

Flint and Silver were at completely opposite sides of the conflict, and thus their choices were always going to be different.

Now we might argue that what motivates Flint is mostly an anger over Thomas, but I honestly believe that he was an idealist. His ideals are the reason he started working with Thomas in the first place and their shared ideals are why they fell in love. Kindred spirits. And so when Flint fought it was not simply to have vengance against England for what it did to Thomas, to Miranda, to him, and how it destroyed their lives, it’s because he honestly believed it is a corrupt system that needs to end. He believed in a war against England with his whole self.

Silver on the other hand had never fought for anything in his life - the life we get to see at least - except for his survival until he met people he chose to be loyal too. And it’s not just Flint and Madi. We can see the way the crew changes him. They were loyal to him, they counted on him, so he chose to repay with the same. Loyal to the point he lost a leg (granted it was a play that ended badly but he never named even one pirate to be killed and he could have stalled). Now if he sacrifaced so much for the people he never felt particulary close to, it seems there must be no end to things he would do for the people he loves. Even if it means loosing them in the process. Because in the end he lost both Madi and Flint, believing he is saving them from the war that would cost them their lives. He never believed in this war. He said so himself multiple times: do not make me choose between a war and a wife. Silver chooses people, he chooses love, because he knows no ideals besides these.

Now said that, I think Silver had no right to make their choices for Madi and Flint, both so similiar in their belief they are fighting the good fight and it’s bigger than their lives. Silver thought he is doing right by Flint, finding Thomas and “undoing” captain Flint in the process. But this is not what happened, this is just a story Silver wants to believe in. It’s not possible to get James McGraw back just by taking away James Flint’s anger because these are not two separate beings. As much as I love Thomas and Flint together, I don’t think this life that Silver imagined for them, for James, is going to be enough for him (and not just because it lacks Miranda who both Flint and Thomas loved deeply, but because they both have changed and you can’t just fight for a cause for years and then simply forget about it). Just as the life that Silver constructed for Madi on the island is not going to be enough for her. Silver’s love proved to be selfish and was in fact his undoing.

You can’t have just love without believing in something first, because your love is then all you can offer and sometimes it’s not what other people want.

I believe that James was happiest when he was doing what he believed in with Thomas and Miranda by his side. I think it’s going to be hard for him to find that happiness with just one part of this equation. I think Silver is not going to be happy with Madi but without Flint, but I also think he wouldn’t be happy being with both of them because he would be fighting for ther cause, not his own. I think Madi is never going to forgive Silver for taking away her chance at changing history.

So yes, Black Sails in its core is about a conflict between ideals and love, but most importantly I think it’s a story about how there should be no conflict. Perhaps choosing between your ideals and love is not the answer. You should just find people who believe in the same things you do.

(The happiest ending went to Max, Anne and Jack and this is because they learned that lesson, no?)

[redwhale]

Black Sails/American Gods & Captain Flint.

Er, S4 Black Sails finale spoilers & minuscule setting spoilers for an episode of American Gods. I can’t even be free of Black Sails whilst watching other TV shows! re: American Gods, Ep.7, the setting of 1721, The Carolinas... my first legitimately logical thought at the mention was, oh, I wonder where Thomas and James are at in 1721? I hope they’re happy and well-fed. Thanks, Black Sails, for worming your way into my brain to the point that was my immediate logic leap. ...this above train of thought led to contemplation of silliness where Black Sails exists within the world of American Gods. (Hey, it’s Starz continuity, it could work, though not that Black Sails exists in the Fullerverse.) It hilariously could pay off the almost supernatural nature to Flint that Silver muses on at the end of S3. Also, you know, being James being improbably lucky and unkillable, considering the ludicrous amount of dangerous shit he’s survived. Has James turned himself, and therefore Flint, into Something by sheer force of will, also effecting the world around him? Or is it other people believing in Flint, giving him power? Even within Black Sails itself, it is kinda explored that ‘Flint’ is a joint creation of James, Miranda, Silver, and the crew. They all contribute to the legacy of ‘Flint’ - it’s not much of stretch to think their joint will gives Flint power and immortality. Does Flint fail at the end because of the lack of belief? Silver/Jack/Max didn’t want Flint to turn into a martyr, as then they couldn’t easily stop the war. There would soon be such a loss of belief in ‘Flint’, all those people thinking Flint has walked away from the cause: Flint’s men, Silver’s men, Jack’s men, Madi’s people, the people of Nassau, etc. James is ultimately returned to Thomas, and without that direct sustained belief from all the crews, eventually returns to just being a mortal man. The infamous Long John Silver ends up replacing Flint, created and feared by Billy, and sustained by his crew until he goes into legend. (I’m sure there is a joke in there about Silver almost god-modding Black Sails’ S4 narrative to his own ends, not that Silver was particularly happy about doing it at the time, nor particularly all that delighted about the aftermath.) It could be that it is Thomas unknowingly with all the power! There have been countless sacrifices and blood split by Flint in Thomas’ name and memory over the years, after all. Flint never stopped believing in Thomas or Thomas’ legacy through all that time. Thomas being turned into a (unknowing) god by Flint would be fitting considering Thomas’ role in the Black Sails’ narrative. Meanwhile, Thomas himself has no idea, and just spends his years frowning at sugarcane. On the other hand, is it Thomas that has been praying, over and over, for ten years - that one day James and Miranda will come and find me here. I guess everything Thomas had, alongside the man he once was, was completely sacrificed and ultimately profited from by others (Peter Ashe becoming Governor, the pardons and plans for Nassau being used by Rogers/kinda Eleanor, later Guthrie/Max/Featherstone/Jack). Maybe in Thomas losing so much whilst giving so much, that James is returned to him in trade, though bullshit on the lack of Miranda. There is also a version where the Greek gods go, well, this Flint fellow is tenacious and very reminiscent of Odysseus - considering that tragically separated lover and all that, lots of trials, excluding the fact he’s quite ginger - maybe we should keep an eye out on him? (Calypso wonders, ooh, can I keep this ‘Flint’? Hermes says no. She keeps him at sea for ten years anyway.) At least Gaiman has talked about the finding of Roman coins on American soil, so a few incarnations of the gods might be hanging around.  ...hell, maybe the original Mr. Flint was something or someone, purposefully sowing the seeds for what was to come. Some of the gods in American Gods seem to be omnipresent, it could work. Who were you, Mr. Flint? Again, a jolly fuck you to whoever/whatever dropped the ball in protecting Miranda from harm in all of this! Saving the most depressing variation for last, it could also be that James, Thomas, Silver, Billy, etc, were all very mortal men with very mortal deaths. The myths of Captain Flint and Long John Silver were carried on through the decades, though. Passed from sailor to sailor, ship to ship, port to port. After Treasure Island is written by Jim Hawkins as a young man, and the book becomes so extremely well-known and utterly beloved alongside the stories of the real men themselves, the echoes of Captain Flint, Billy Bones, and Long John Silver are eventually created. Not accurate reflections of the original men themselves, mind, but created as the public view and speak of them. In a cruel irony, the fears that James expressed to Silver on Skeleton Island in the finale come to pass. The Captain Flint that is summoned up by belief is conceived to be as feared and monstrous as he was in Treasure Island and not a true reflection of the man himself. Plus, a penchant for rum. The truth behind Captain Flint - James McGraw, Thomas Hamilton, Miranda Barlow, Nassau, the pardons - is all lost, and the terror that is Captain Flint is all that remains. The shades of Bones and Silver are a tad kinder, as they are written with more affection by Hawkins from when he knew them, as opposed to Hawkins writing Captain Flint out of hearsay. People grow to think on Captain Flint when they want the blood of their enemies, Billy Bones when they want directions at sea, and Long John Silver with his parrot when they want a touch of charm and cunning. (The above could also apply to Avery, Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and Charles Vane, shades of true people, contorted by memory and history. I suppose a beloved phenomenon like Treasure Island elevates Silver, Flint, and Bones to something else again.) ...er, this post wasn’t supposed to happen. At all. I think I’ve probably completely mangled the internal logical rules of belief and creation in American Gods, oh dear. In retrospect, there is an interesting synergy between BS and AG on myth, legend, history, the lasting power of belief, and the stories that live on.

[loco4scandal]

How propping Flint hijacked the Madi and Silver love story...

So it seems that I entered that special place in fandom... You know the place? When you realize that you love a character, couple or show and the writer has a different vision than yours. I always reserved that place for other fans. I would complain. Why won't they just let the writer tell his or her story? It's their vision not yours. Of course they "get" the character they created. Oh and my personal favorite... Why would they want to undermine, destroy their own character? They clearly have a plan, right? Shit, talk about a dose of comeuppance. Because here I sit writing this and pissed the entire fuck off at the last two episodes of Black Sails. Okay, correction! I wasn't pissed the entire fuck off, at first. I wasn't enamoured with episode 4x9 and the Series Finale, but I found joy in them. I embraced the parts I liked and made excuses for what I didn't. Most of that was fueled by the realization Queen Madi Scott was indeed going to survive the series. In my mind, as long as Madi lived and her and John were together, I could deal. Well, I was wrong and I have so many questions.

At what point did Madi become Flint's biggest supporter? Listen, I know that the Queen is compassionate. I know that she cares about people, but in the Series Finale when Madi thought Flint was dead, she teared up. Madi stood their with tears in her eyes over Flint. The same Madi who stood strong and watched Kofi's execution. The same Madi who stood strong at her father's funeral. The same Madi who turned down Woodes Rogers offer even after he told her he would raze Maroon Island to the ground and put her people back in shackles.  Madi Scott stood strong. She felt the pain and loss, but she didn't show it. However, I'm expected to believe that the mere thought of Flint's dying reduced  her to tears. The writers expect me to believe that the woman that the Black Sails Twitter account stated "has no weakness" would save that emotion for Flint. A man that she's said repeatedly she didn't trust. A man that the only common ground they have is books. That shared love of literature has somehow led us to Madi crying over the thought of him dead. This wasn't about books though or a friendship that was never shown on screen. This was about the writers need to humanize Flint. They needed to show someone caring, defending, siding with and worrying about Flint. They needed that to sell this Happily Ever After they had planned. How else was the audience expected to believe that he deserved it? Who else had the moral ground, the honor, the all around goodness to sell his redemption story? Only, Madi Scott. Remember, when Eleanor Guthrie was loathed? Of course you can. She was loathed the entire series, up until her death that is. Her redemption was build on saving Madi's life. Just as Flint's was. Who better than the most humane person on the show to humanize you? It doesn't particularly have to make sense. It just has to work, which it did. Never mind that it compromised Madi's character in the process. Remember, Flint knowingly signed Madi's death sentence when he stole the treasure and buried it and yet I don't remember him crying about it. So, why in the hell, was she being emotional over him?

At what point did Madi decide the safety and survival of her people was less important than this war? This is probably the biggest issue that I have with the writing for her over the back half of the final season because this was completely out of character. In Madi's very first scene with John in 3x4, she challenged him on why the Walrus Crew would turn down the Pirate Pardons. She expressed to him that as much as her people hated the English, if they were given the opportunity to truly be free, they would not so roundly reject it. Well, Madi was offered exactly that by Woodes Rogers twice. Twice and both times she turned him down flat. Not only that but in the Finale she ends her relationship with Silver because he brought the offer to the Maroon Chiefs and all the rest agreed to it. Her people have their freedom. That is all she ever wanted. Madi told Silver once that a leaders job was to serve his or her people and sometimes by serving them you have to do the hard thing. Signing a treaty with the "Evil Empire" is certainly a hard thing. However, if it stops death and destruction wouldn't that be the right thing to do. How does she serve them by getting herself and them killed? What was the endgame here? Was the entire purpose of having her obsessed with this war to make Flint's cause seem more noble that it actually was? 

At what point did loving a good woman become a sign of weakness?

Seriously though, how many references did we see citing Madi being Silver's weakness. At first, it felt romantic. Like here is this powerful, intelligent, fear inducing man, but Madi is his everything. It makes him vulnerable. I loved that because isn't that what love does? The idea of surrendering your heart to another and trusting them with it.? So why is it that Silver's love for Madi became a character flaw? How many times did we see his love for her used to paint him as irrational or weak? Mind you Flint is trying to set the world on fire for a lost love, but I've yet to hear anyone refer to him as weak for that. Jack gave up a damn Man-of-War and got Teach keelhauled to save Anne, but I never once heard him described as weak. Stupid yes, but not weak. Yet, John is repeatedly referred to as weak for having the audacity to want to save his wife. How dare John Silver not let his Queen martyr herself. She wants to die for Flint's war. Why won't he let her?

At one point were we going to get Long John Silver because I missed that shit? What I didn't miss however, was Flint still being in command and running everything (including Silver and Madi's relationship) until the last 30 minutes of the series? Do you know how disappointing it is to see Luke Arnold be a damn badass on one leg and have it all be for naught. Like really! Silver was fighting damn battles on one leg and a crutch. Killing folks left and damn right, out smarting everyone in the room all while looking good as hell and yet... it still wasn't enough to feel like "The Rise of Silver". Why? Because the writers refused to sideline Flint. Oh, they said Silver was King, but guess what, they still allowed Flint to co-lead. They even made it Silver's idea by having him repeatedly question whether he could lead alone. That doesn't describe the only man that Flint ever feared? What's the point of being a Pirate King if the writers refuse to let you wear the crown?

There are so many questions I have regarding the OOC writing that Madi especially, received in the last few episodes. The biggest question however is why would the Black Sails writers kneecap the most exciting couple on their show? They purposely undermined the foundation of their Canon couple. All in the name of propping a character who honestly, should have been able to stand on his own?

[silverlovesmadi]

My interpretation of the Black Sails series finale

Why do I feel like Flint being reunited with Thomas is his version of the afterlife? I mean looking at the same (or simular) grey-ish cinematography, just like the death dreams Flint had about Miranda. On the other hand the flashbacks had the same cinematography as well. And Flint’s reunion with Thomas not being true would mean that Silver lied to Madi and even though I guess that is the only thing he considered worth lying about, because he was concerned for her life, it still feels purposely vague. If it is true, then I am happy for Thomas, but not Flint. I will stand by that sentiment. I guess the ambiguity of it all is fitting and in true TI fashion? It just saddens me that Madi never got to see the other side of Flint, the monster, because if she did, she wouldn’t be so defensive about him. There is SO MUCH Madi hasn’t witnessed. Will she ever know? Will she ever truly know? The lives he ruined? The countless of people he betrayed because of his extreme selfishness? All the lying, the deceit, the secretiveness etc. Forcing men to do his bidding by inciting fear through terror. The monster he created in Billy because of it? Will she ever know that Flint just wanted to watch the world burn? And how tragic an end for Billy to be the one end up marooned, knowing it is Flint’s actions that led him to that point.

That fight scene was really hard to get through, like it legit took me over ten pauses or something, because ugh, I was really hurting for both sides. I think it’s so hard for Madi to hear what Silver has done, on the one hand, ofcourse, because the man you trusted the most, love the most, the one you believe to be completely on your side, the only one you can be truely vulnerable with, was the one who took away the one thing you wanted the most, fought for the most. But most importantely, he planned it, which means he knowingly didn’t let her in on it. They usually tell each other everything, they’re a duo, a team, so for him to leave her completely out on such a huge decision must’ve come completely out of left field. Don’t forget, Madi is a proud woman, she is used to being in control, managing and deciding the situation. On the other hand I also think it’s hard for her to hear, because if she’s to admit to herself that what Silver told her about Flint is true, that would mean she’d had to admit to herself she too made the mistake of putting her trust in Flint. And that must be something incredibally difficult to make peace with. Madi is a fighter by nature, she has a very restless spirit knowing the practice of slavery is still thriving, and the brutalizations inflicted on it’s victims are still happening. I think, next to Silver’s “betrayal”, Madi was crying because of so many other things (her cause “failing”, humiliation and her pride being wounded, being outvoted by her own people about the treaty, the loneliness of being the only one who wants more for her people and the world, feeling like no one is in your corner, feeling like you’re not being taken seriously, not being used to be undermind in this way or at all etc.), but ultimatily underneed it al I think she was crying because of this very deep seaded frustration of knowing that, because of the colour of your skin, you can’t EVER go wherever you wanna go because the world only views you as a slave and nothing more. They don’t care that you’re so much more than that, they only care about how hard you can work to make them money. Just like Silver always wanted to find someone to see and love him for he is, Madi wants the world to see and accept her for who she is. To let her truely live free in it. This is what she always wanted for herself and her people. To not have that, is like living in a mental prison. And for someone who is that brave and is so curious about the world and has such an adventurous spirit, that must be terrifying.“She wasn’t made to be hidden away from the world”. It’s like, because she was born free, she’s thinking; I have this privilege, this luxury of being fearless, because I didn’t face oppression. Therefore I’m strong enough to take on the weight of the goddamn world, to take on the weight of all the ghosts of the people who died in chains and to take on the weight of the ones who are living in chains now. But the problem is, she is only one person, and that’s a colossal burden for one person to bare.

But Silver has been living in that world, therefore has seen more of it, is literally shaped by it (which made it easier for him to be on Julius level of understanding) so he knows the scope of the enemy she wants to defeat is so much bigger and larger then she can comprehend. He’s like: Madi I love you, with all my heart, I really do, but I’m not gonna let you continue to carry this unhumanly immense burden, I’m gonna save you from yourself and if you’ll hate me for it so fucking be it. Silver has never been apolitical imo, because if you would ask him what he wanted to see different in the world, I have no doubt he’ll have an entire list of answers. He’s a pacifist at heart, doesn’t always act like one, reluctantly, but he is. He is down to fight for the right cause, just not in the destructive way Flint intended and Madi wanted to follow. And he’s happy for it, because it means he didn’t turn into Flint. Sidenote: Look at Silver’s eyes throughout all his emotional scenes, only his eyes, the sincerity and emotion he evokes with just his eyes when he speaks, Lord, they’re so communicative.

I remember Luke Arnold saying in an interview that Silver became a man trying to do right by Madi’s mother and her people, because of his love for her. So him caring about Madi meant him caring about her people and her cause by default (freeing slaves, not the violence or war that required it). The Similarities between him and Julius are also undeniable. How many times have we heard Silver questioning this war, not just because of Madi, but also because the casualties it would undoubtedly take. When they finally defeated Eleanor in taking over Nassau, Silver pretty quickly told Flint that he didn’t expect it all to happen so violently and chaotic. Even Dooley was shook.“ But Flint continued with his, it’s al normal and part of it in the beginning. Silver “admired” his optimism. This was BEFORE his one on one with Billy. And in episode 9 when Silver long put his exit strategy in place, he questioned Flint again on his war; What next? After all the chaos and distruction? Did you actually think this shit through? And again with all the downplaying and romantizing the outcome.

In a way Flint, a mad man with no intentions of fighting for the same cause (but probably even convinced himself that he was), was Madi’s only hope to realize her dream to fight all this injustice and oppression and to actually prevail in it, and that is just so very tragic. It makes me so angry that Flint gave her all this false hope that they could win. I hope she finds an other way, a better way to fight for this cause, her cause.

Okay, now that scene with the scared cook was such a good callback, because it makes you pause and reflect again on how far this Silver is from the man who he used to be in the first episode of season 1. That was just downright CHILLING, from the menacing “Are you a fucking coward?” to the terrified man telling him that he was just the cook, which made Silver stop in his tracks for a second (and probably realize how ironic it is that he of all people called him a coward). And when he screamed “IS SHE STILL ALIVE??!!!”. All of that was some straight up LJS. Man I am still astounded by the profound change this man has went through throughout this entire story. And I just knew that in whatever state he was gonna find Madi in he was gonna be absolutely gutted and heartbroken. I was completely with him through all his emotions, from the absolute fear of being too late and the devistating grief and disbelief of her possibly not being alive after all, to the snapping out of it when she turns her head towards him. God I just love how Silver always breaks down and changes from LJS the pirate to just John Silver, the person, the man, when he sees her, it’s downright magical. She’s just so incredibally precious and invaluable to him. When he held her head and pressed is head to her head, in that moment they both didn’t need to be strong anymore and Silver sat there like he was already home and never wanted to leave.

In their last scene Madi looked like she was finally ready for that first conversation since their fight, like she was ready to dip her toes in the Silver pool again and talk to him, not fight. And I admire her for it, because it shows that despite what he did, she was able to acknowledge why he did it. It speaks of true character on her part. I hope that she realizes and will come to appreciate that her alliance did have a big impact and that she did make a difference by creating the opportunity for the slave communities in Nassau to escape and aiding a big part of them to making it to Maroon Island. But also causing the mobilization of the Maroon leaders from other island communities who were inspired by what her alliance achieved and might pick up where she left off. The defeat of Rogers which allowed for Featherstone and Max to take over, two people I’d much rather deal with regarding resources from Nassau then Rogers. And yes, the treaty that guaranteed safety for the largly growing community on her island, that too. The abolition of slavery took milions of tiny and big steps throughout history, because it was that difficult to defeat. Even if the alliance could’ve achieved such an impossible feat, then it would still take a really long time for things to get better for Black people. But I get it, you don’t know until you see it with your own eyes and Madi is a really curious woman. In the end Madi has started to found her way back to Silver and that is all that matters to me. Silver, I swear to God, his stubborn faith in the power of his love for Madi and his unwavering dedication to her, uggh. I understand Madi’s anger completely, but I still love that Silver did what he did. That deep, passionate, emotional and intense connection that these two have, I’ve never seen anything like it portrayed this way on television. Realistic, organic and true, despite being such opposites on the inside and out, not giving a shit what the world thought of them daring to see each other for who they truly are. I swear, Romeo and Juliet could never! I’m really gonna miss them.

So yeah, I ugly cried a lot this episode because Madi and Silver are such painfully HEARTBREAKING characters, in who they are, what they went through and everything they stand for. All in all, this episode left me semi-satisfied / semi-conflicted, because there are still some emotional bruises for our couple and not everyone got their due imo.

I loved the way they ended the episode, because it didn’t feel like an ending. Just because this was the last episode of this show, just because Madi and Silver settled down or Flint is “gone”, it doesn’t mean the story is over. And the intro to Mary Read, I kinda screamed, because at first it was clear you heard a woman’s voice, cut to her face, then I thought: Jim Hawkins? Because she so specifically asked about LJS. Then I immediately thought, naaah, waaay too soon into the story. So the only thing I was left with was that actually made sense was Mary Read, because not only did she sound like a woman, but her boyish looks gave her away as well (Hence I thought she was Jim for a sec.). And when she introduced herself as “Mark” Read I was like OMG I knew it! The show introduced her character anywaaay (because the creators said they wanted to earlier in the show or at least thought about it, but eventually thought better of it in the end). And the way Anne immediately disregards her, boooy if she only knew, the two of you are in for a treat lol.

[twilight-sparx]

Madi and Silver rant and my Treasure Island thoughts with Black Sails in mind.

All this talk about Madi and Silver's relationship. It is so confusing. Seriously i'm beginning to think people don't exactly know how marriage works. Marriage requires commitment, commitment requires compromise, compromise means forgiving your partner their flaws and their traits that are different from yours, even those that are disliked by you. It isn't a one way relationship, both parties are equally involved. This doesn't mean that you aren't allowed to be angry, hurt or feel betrayed. Time and an open mind is what is needed to work things out. If a person truly loves someone, yes they would respect them and their wishes. But don't expect them to just sit around and do nothing when they see their loved one walk on burning coals to reach their dreams no matter how valid those dreams may be. They are going to do everything in their power to protect the one they love even if it means going behind their back. And that is exactly what should be expected! What is the point of having a true partner if they can't figure you out and save you from yourself. No body is perfect. People saying that even though Madi accepted Silver back into her life, she wasn't able to truly forgive him or they were never able to get over their differences, I have a hard time believing that and ALL YOU PEOPLE sound like Squire Trelawney. I'm done reading TI. And now i have head cannons and thoughts with reference to Black Sails. First of Silver owned an Inn in Bristol, that he ran with his POC wife AKA Madi. Why would Madi willingly live in Bristol if their relationship was that broken or irreparable. She could have easily stayed behind. The Maroon Queen did when Mr. Scott worked in Nassau to provide for the Maroon Island. Wouldn't Madi(like MQ) be safer on the maroon island instead of in Bristol. Anway, so This is what the squire said about Silver, "I forgot to tell you that Silver is a man of substance; I know of my own knowledge that he has a banker’s account, which has never been overdrawn. He leaves his wife to manage the inn; and as she is a woman of colour, a pair of old bachelors like you and I may be excused for guessing that it is the wife, quite as much as the health, that sends him back to roving." Thoughts: Truly! A couple of bachelors like you have no idea what Madi means to Silver and this trip has nothing to do with getting away from her. Then here is the conversation between Silver and a ship's hand, ‘Well,’ said the other, ‘but all the other money’s(the money Silver saved throughout his life) gone now, ain’t it? You daren’t show face in Bristol after this.’ ‘Why, where might you suppose it was?’ asked Silver derisively. ‘At Bristol, in banks and places,’ answered his companion. ‘It were,’ said the cook(Silver); ‘it were when we weighed anchor. But my old missis has it all by now. And the Spyglass(the inn Silver owned) is sold, lease and goodwill and rigging; and the old girl’s off to meet me. I would tell you where, for I trust you, but it’d make jealousy among the mates.’ ‘And can you trust your missis?’ asked the other. ‘Gentlemen of fortune,’ returned the cook, ‘usually trusts little among themselves, and right they are, you may lay to it. But I have a way with me, I have'. After this Silver talks about himself and Flint and his crew, totally ignoring the trust question. Thoughts: I love how he called her Old girl(always loved this part, even before Black Sails). Yes, you idiot, he totally trusts her to handle all these things. And then meet him back at Maroon Island. Also Silver said that pirates trust little among themselves and we all know Madi is not a no-good-pirate. There is also this paragraph at the end, "Ben Gunn was on deck alone, and as soon as we came on board he began, with wonderful contortions, to make us a confession. Silver was gone. The maroon(Ben) had connived at his escape in a shore boat some hours ago, and he now assured us he had only done so to preserve our lives, which would certainly have been forfeit if ‘that man with the one leg had stayed aboard.’ But this was not all. The sea-cook had not gone empty- handed. He had cut through a bulkhead unobserved and had removed one of the sacks of coin, worth perhaps three or four hundred guineas, to help him on his further wanderings." Thoughts: If Silver was only after the treasure, he would have taken more, but i think at this point he only wanted to leave with enough to be able to get back to Madi. It seems Ben Gunn always knew what madi means to Silver. My head cannon is that Ben Gun helped him because he remembered the fate ful day they defeated Rogers and what Silver did to end the war and he knows he wants to go back to Madi and would do anything to make it so. This is what Jim Hawkins says at the end, "Of Silver we have heard no more. That formidable seafaring man with one leg has at last gone clean out of my life; but I dare say he met his old Negress, and perhaps still lives in comfort with her." I hate the use of that word. But Yes, that is also what all us Silver x Madi shippers believe as well. There is also this littlw tid bit, "Wait is what I say; but when the time comes, why, let her rip!’ ‘John,’ cries the coxswain(Hands), ‘you’re a man!’ ‘You’ll say so, Israel when you see,’ said Silver. ‘Only one thing I claim—I claim Trelawney. I’ll wring his calf’s head off his body with these hands." Head Cannon: Silver claimed Squire for his own because the squire disrespected his wife. He may have shared his thoughts that Silver wanted to leave for an adventure because of her. Silver can't stand anyone disrespecting Madi. Anyway these are my intial thoughts regarding TI.

[arzani-fuchsia]

I rewatch the 4. season of Black Sails at the moment, and all the time I wonder when Silver decided to go through with his plan to find Thomas and send Flint to Savannah.

I know he send a man straight after he had his conversation with Max. But he wasn’t sure if Thomas was there. He couldn’t. So when did he form this plan? Was it a rushed reaction, done out of need to put an end to it, or was if planned a long while ago.

And you see him so differently when you realize that all his actions were done out of one reason: To save Madi and Flint. YES, also Flint. I still believe he valued Flint the same he valued Madi. You see it in so many things he does. In the way he betrays Billy. In the way he wants this war to stop so both of them stay save.

And it makes him in a very weird way both absolutely selfish and selfless. I can’t put it into words, but John Silver will be the most complex character all time. Ever. I will never truly understand this man, no matter I connect with him on so many levels.

[slowlyandrogynousmiracle]

Black Sails 4×9 Thoughts

God Bless Hands for reading this shit correctly. You gotta love that he calls Flint out on all his bullshit. He knows Flint has been playing Silver like a fiddle and that the man is persuasive. It’s a talent, I will give him that. But guys seriously can you not see the way he fucks over Silver. It’s horrible. He immediately gives him this hurt look to disarm him when they meet and I'm like....oh no no no. He cant kill Silver obviously because how the hell will he cover his own story, particularly at the Maroon Camp where Silver’s army awaits. Explain stealing the cache and killing the King. Hmmm. And then he used Madi’s name to bring him to heel. He literally used the thought of losing her against him!!! How awful and "if" I help save Madi??? Omg Flint really.

What was the problem with letting Rodgers have the cache THEN attacking him if you were just going to take Nassau? Silver promised to make it right. FLINT made this shit worst because you KNOW deep down Silver has surpassed him on that boat and the cache is the only card he has left to play

Because CLEARY whatever he’s preaching, no one gives a fuck about other than the plunder. The pirates are thinking of sacking as spoils...not freedom. He knows that. And these are the men he wants to lead a revolution….people who want a revolution just to loot?

Am I the ONLY sane one!!!! Silver knew exactly what and why Flint did what he did. He knows that despite their “friendship” he’ll still never let Silver do anything that isn’t supported by him and straight up, that’s not healthy. It’s not nearly as true a friendship as Silver has been to it. Fuck all the selfish motivation noise, everyone is selfish! Silver broke it to him last episode that despite him not agreeing or understanding or supporting he did it and Flint cannot return the favor? Just this once even if he don't agree? And now he’s clearly using Johns insecurity about Madi believing he’s enough to play on him because he thinks he’s that good and because he really can’t do this without Silver. That’s not a sentiment. It’s a fact.

If anything this episode truly exposed the unequal balance between these two and how dare ANYONE say Silver is acting crazy. No, he’s realizing some truths and even then he paused at the thought of killing him. HE didn’t want this to happen. Flint made this happen. I’m sorry but I would not find giving up my most cherished loved one via a battle for something you don’t believe in even if they do. And all that Madi talk was supposition on Flint's part. Yeah we know what she said but Flint and Silver have no idea. And who's to say she can't after hearing everything understand Silvers stance?

And I get Silvers desperation because he led her to him. Imagine the guilt if she’s slain while Flint used her story to continue his own destructive path for again no altruistic reasons. And no, I think Silver telling Madi about Flint's past wasn’t inappropriate. It’s his lover and wife in his eyes. Honesty is something that exists between them and they trust each other enough with the secrets. She shares his burden with him as a tether. She's never told so this anger Silver trusted her with this is just stupid. Flint didn't make him pinky swear. And he obviously told her to get her to understand his loyalty to Flint when SHE was the one completely distrustful of him. She was right to be worried and he convinced her otherwise. Her dying because of that...yeah I'd be feeling some kind of way too.

I wonder if he told her his backstory. The flashbacks looked incomplete. And what the hell happened Silver? Seems like a loss he never got over. A mother or family attacked…omg what if it’s by pirates lol no seriously though something BAD happened and him not telling Flint was that part of Silver that has always remembered who Flint is. I feel like Flint would have had a huge weapon against him and if you feel the need,again, to protect yourself from someone it is not a good sign of friendship.

I have a feeling his backstory is obviously connected to why he will burn it all for Madi though I felt cock teased we didn’t get it. WTF Starz.

Billy was Billy. He better not hurt my Madi!!!!was that his arm in the preview with the knife ?

Lastly to Madi. I loved her dragging Woodes for filth and speaking her truth. What she said was absolutely correct and valid…..buttttt….some observations.

A. She looked terrified. She has resigned that she will die and she’s clearly out of her depth with the real world.

B. Everything Woodes said to her was true. Hate Woodes all you want. She was right in placing Eleanor’s death on the correct door but she is lucky! That he is choosing to have her brought to his cabin and talk to her is more than anyone else would do personal feelings aside. Everyone on that Island was raped or killed. She is in the eyed of the law property but speaks to her like person. He could have had her tortured for info. He could have given her to the Spanish in angerm Yeah she truly is lucky and she DOESN'T know it. >Yes as a black woman I was totally clapping when she told him about her people’s suffering. But again this is where her sheltered life becomes apparent as she says she is doing it for her people when she hasn’t spoken with her people. Things have happened that she remains unaware of.

Does she even know Flint stole the cache? She is speaking on half info so her remaining her stance does not equate her siding against Silver or means she may side with Flint against Silver. Oh no. If anything the speech gave us clues to her own wavering as well as the obvious emotional state she is in. She’s resigned that she’ll die. She will accept the martyr role if it sparks the cause. But she said, “Flint’s war” and “my war” They are as aligned as their shared purpose which we all know looking in is not exactly the same.

I mentioned it in another post but how can one person choose for a group of people? You know I love her but I feel like in fairness to her people they should get to decide what they can and cannot live with it it willing to sacrifice for. Julius understands this because he’s been in those chains longer than Madi and as smart as she is she isn’t street smart as they say. I hope this is brought up. Because imagine it like this. What if Germany offered a peace treaty days before D-Day and the president never told the American people? Wouldn't you have at least considered or even after all the horrible things done if it avoided bloodshed? Even if it didn't comes with everything to avoid that many men? Dictatorship on any level even for the better of her people is still not ok and that's not just in the show but I'm life as someone issuing out ultimatums recently learned.

Both she and Flint are dictators and Id be remiss in pointing out that both are wrong in believing they alone can dictate the course of this "war" but Zethu was right. Silver has to reign wifey in.

I wanted more of her of course.

And I can almost pinpoint where Flint fucked up in his speech. “ you cannot tell a story that will make her forgive that ” Did you just tell the master storyteller who even fooled you he was an orphan for the past however long? to come up with a tale Ha. That’s LJS speciality right there and he learned from the master! He may think Madi is dead right now or worse since Woodes has no use for her now, at least that’s what Silver is thinking and where does that leave you Flint?!.

Look at Jack lol He’s going to be the rescue plan but so many things will go wrong for him. The stroke guy should have been the sign to turn back

Ben Gunn’ s tragic marooning.

Who has a knife to Madi? Really, Flint is going to keep with the Koolaid. Dude. Dude. Duuuuuddddeeee. DeGroot is dead. Have you no soul man! He thinks making it mean something gives him a pass on all the death he’s caused. Poor thing. I almost want to hug him and then snuff him out for his own good.

Woodes wants Flint alive? Why? Why do I suspect Flint ends up with WR as Billy has to get the map? Omg I hope Billy and Flint don’t collaborate to use Madi to get Silver to back down though why Idk…

Great episode overall. I don’t get the complaints. The story was consistent with everything and its playing out beautifully. The sword teaching was awesome. R.I.P. Walrus.

[constructedstories]

“eughhh why is silver being so ooc?!?!?!”

“what happened to the silver whose world revolves around flint?!?!?”

       okay first off. no. n o. now, don’t get me wrong, I love flint as much as anyone. he’s a fascinatingly complex character, a villain whose motivations have been so convincingly written and compellingly played out by toby -- he’s done some fucked up shit, but we all kinda root for him regardless because we understand him and empathise with him. I also, believe it or not after reading this, understand the appeal of the silver/flint ship and I can see why people ship it, even if I’m never gonna stand here and say that it’s my ultimate otp. I love silver, I have done since his very first scene of s1 and watching his and flint’s relationship develop has been fascinating, but I think a key mistake people make when characterising this ship is to look at it too much from flint’s perspective and not enough from silver’s ( this also lends into my salt about the fact that half of the fandom only seem to appreciate silver for his dynamic with flint but I digress )

       silver and flint’s relationship is not healthy, particularly for silver. we have a guy who entered into piracy out of necessity and opportunism, who wanted a share of the urca de lima treasure and was prepared to throw anyone under the bus in order to get it, but eventually won the loyalty of his men and found a place to belong. honestly, up until s3, I don’t interpret silver as really holding any fondness for flint at all. the man is a fucking liability; silver had already witnessed him killing gates, didn’t know for sure whether billy had been pushed into the water or had fallen, repeatedly disregarded his crew’s lives to pursue his own agenda -- but silver recognised that flint was his route to the urca treasure, so he hitched his star to flint’s out of necessity -- just as silver says during their exchange in 3x10. he then found a place to belong in the crew, literally sacrificed a limb for them and was granted power and authority over them because of it. all of this is COMPLETELY independent of flint. flint wasn’t even on the fucking ship when silver made that sacrifice -- although he did plant the idea in silver’s head with that whole ‘where else would you wake up in the morning and matter?’ spiel.

      enter s3: billy and silver are working together to prop flint up as captain because they believe it’s in their best interests. they’re both united in their lack of actually caring for flint, although silver IS beginning to empathise with him because he’s been granted some access into what’s going on in the man’s head. after 3x03 they ditch their rivalry for a partnership, and from then on silver grows to respect and value flint as a friend. however, his friendship/whatever you want to call it with flint is downright toxic for silver -- it enables his darkness, puts undue pressure on him to manage flint and temper him for the BEST INTERESTS OF THE CREW, and it’s only with madi acting as a tether that actually allows silver to survive under such pressure -- hence why he falls for her. now yes, I do think silver and madi’s development was rushed, but this is someone who loves silver for him and who he has a genuine connection with. madi is to silver what thomas was to flint, an idealist whose ambitions are admirable and inspirational to silver and has actually given him a vested interest in this war ( because he literally has no other reason to be in this war than to exploit the power given to him by billy ).

      he then believes that she DIED. just after being told by billy that flint would consume her and ultimately cause her end ( and silver knows of the pattern of people being killed due to flint -- thomas, miranda, gates ). upon finding out that she’s alive, can you really blame him for wanting to do everything in his power to save her? also, it’s been established in 4x05 that silver no longer understands the path that flint ( and madi, to an extent ) is on -- a part of him genuinely wants out at this point, and considering that long john silver of treasure island is fucking married and owns a tavern in bristol, it’s clear that he and madi WILL make it out and, when all is said and done, be together. we know from history that they don’t make it to fucking boston in this war of theirs, and all of this IS coming to an end. absolutely none of this is out of character for silver. in s1 and 2 he is a character who will betray anyone and everyone to get what he wants, and just because he now has madi and the crew and a place that matters to him, doesn’t mean that he won’t do this again in order to keep them. he’s also not thinking rationally at this point -- he’s just been grieving the woman who is being pitched to us as the love of his life.

      no, I don’t believe that silver wants to betray flint. do I think that this is how the ultimate betrayal will go down circa treasure island? probably not, I’m sure there’s more to this. but this is GOING to happen, one way or the other, and blaming madi for splitting up flint and silver is just an excuse to hate on a female character for interfering with a non-canon m/m ship and I’m honestly not even fucking surprised since this always happens in fandoms like this. silver and flint are not going to sail off into the sunset, happy and together and in love. black sails is a story about tragedy, and on top of that they have to honour treasure island. is flint dead in TI? yes, but of course the writers could take a different spin on that. but he’s not with silver and they are no longer on good terms. silver names his fucking parrot captain flint in order to mock him. that much is extremely unlikely to change in how they end this show.

[st4rlings]

Black Sails Ending: It's not happy vs. tragic or true vs untrue, it's Silver vs. Flint

I've seen a lot of “happy ending” vs. “tragic ending”-discussions now and I seriously don't understand this distinction because think it's not about happy vs. tragic, it's about finally picking a side. What the show did (and why the open ending is so immensely clever) is that it gave us the choice between Silver's and Flint's perspective. It literally put us into their shoes and let us decide ourselves which side we're on. 

Do we choose life or do we choose an idea?

Silver believes that the war against England is pointless and that it's more important to save your loved ones and to live a relatively happy and peaceful life with them than to be free. (This is a point Miranda also made and Flint ultimately tried to follow her down that road, which ended with her death in Charleston.)

Flint's agenda however has never only been about taking revenge for Thomas' death, which Silver seems to suggest when he describes his rage. Flint also wanted to continue Thomas' legacy (“The New World is a gift, Lieutenant, a sacred opportunity to right our wrongs and begin anew.” 2x02), not exactly how they envisioned it together, but in an updated version that was largely fuelled by his experience of injustice. He wanted to change the world.

Silver makes his own decision in reference of the feelings of getting Madi back when he believed her dead – and how the pain over her loss was cancelled out by the relief to find her alive. Which works in his value system of being mostly concerned about his own well-being. But I refuse to believe this would ever work for Flint who has spent more than a decade fighting for his cause and made unfathomable sacrifices (Gates, Miranda) in its pursuit.

Flint wanted a revolution (which isn't too far fetched btw; the later 18th century saw the French Revolution and American Independence after all and there had been all kinds of upheavals and rebellions before, so...) – he wanted to liberate Nassau from English rule and see the slaves of the Caribbean freed from their chains. I don't think if you gave him the choice between Thomas and the war, he would not have chosen his personal happiness over his political goal. Just like Madi would not have chosen Silver over a peace treaty!

Here is what she said to Rogers:

But I hear other voices. A chorus of voices. Multitudes. They reach back centuries. Men and women and children who'd lost their lives to men like you. Men and women and children forced to wear your chains. I must answer to them and this war, their war, Flint's war, my war it will not be bargained away to avoid a fight, to save John Silver's life or his men's or mine.(4x09)

I think we can safely assume that Flint would have given the same answer if he had been in her place.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Silver's reaction isn't understandable, on the contrary, that's why so many people side with him and choose to believe Flint was reunited with his truest love.

I would love to be able to share that vision and see Flint and Thomas together BUT I have to agree with what @viceindustrious said (here): I find it more depressing to imagine Flint abandoned his fight. I just can't bring myself to believe he could be convinced to give up.

In the end I don't think there's any possibility to know “what really happened”. I'm aware, people have come up with tons of reasons why one version is supposedly truer than the other but tbh I don't find the arguments convincing. The writers balanced it pretty evenly and even their meta-statements seem extremely ambiguous. For example planning over several season on bringing back Thomas does not mean he is alive in canon and the no body-no death rule is also not mandatory, these are self-set rules the narrative can abandon at will. You can interpret that in favour of your interpretation of course, but it doesn't mean your interpretation is in the strictest sense canon.

We will never be able to tell what is true or not but as they have Jack say so brilliantly, as time goes by it matters less and less and that it’s more about the stories we want to believe that stay with us.