the absolute titanic balls (gn) of this show to look its queer, neurodivergent audience in the eye and say, “I know you think you’re unlovable. I know you think if you show your true self to someone, they’ll reject you. but it’s not true. none of it’s true. there is someone waiting for you, desperately, loving you more than you have ever believed, more than you could know.”
of course stede is getting high on the attention he's receiving he was an outcast all his life and his dream of becoming a pirate was always taken as a joke so him getting praised over blackbeard? his crew cheering him on before killing ned? getting fans among the very people who used to make fun of him? i fucking hate it here but ugh love it when characters are consistent and well written like fuck yes gimme flawed and stupid decisions that are made according to their backstories and personalities
Y'know what else I love? How damn much Ed loves and wants Stede. Like, no one outside the crew can believe it. Izzy thinks Ed's brain has broken. Zheng straight-up keeps saying that Ed dumped Stede. Archie is flabbergasted that Stede is "STEDE Stede?!"
The Revenge crew all get it, though. They went from plotting mutiny to defending him with all their might. Lucius watches Ed and Stede fall in love in real-time. Jim, the most deeply critical of Stede from the start, tells his stories to Fang and longs for when life had meaning on the ship. Olu stays up all night with him and later follows him everywhere. The Swede owes him a life debt. Buttons, probably the most experienced sailor of the group, declares him a pirate with his whole chest.
Stede just showed up one day with his fancy unicorn boat and fancy clothes and depth of human kindness and promptly seduced the most feared pirate of Caribbean without even trying.
They're like the Roger and Jessica Rabbit of pirates.
Yeah, they're so lovely together. I mean, they've known each other for twenty years, but they've never acted together in this way. The chemistry was there immediately. They made the other one feel safe. [. . .] Rhys has a wonderful vulnerability. He's a very good listener, and I think it makes Taika really comfortable. Taika gets very vulnerable and they're just very sweet with each other.
THE FOOL: innocence, freedom, spontaneity, new beginnings
so i know it's incredibly unlikely, but if any of y'all are in South Australia, these are available to be tattooed (non-repeatable, a one-and-done situation.) bookings via Panko Tattoo. B&G, best suited to thigh and calf. 10% of all proceeds will be donated to the entertainment community fund to support the writers, actors, and creatives currently on strike. come get stabbed, sluts.
thank you so much to everyone, especially @transgenderpirate, who helped with these alignments!
Stede to Anne and Mary: “I’d been gut stabbed and Ed just **happened upon** the ship I was bleeding out on”
ummmmmm Ed??? Eddie???? Babe???? Sweet jellybean???? Have you never told him you were fuckin following him around cuz you were already fascinated with him…like you were down bad just cuz he one upped Izzy…like……