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yoyo-inspace · 8 years

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Black Sails 4x02 - 4x03 thoughts

This is late. Sorry about that. It’s because I was waiting to see the episodes with a friend of mine.

I had some thoughts I wanted to get out before 4x04, and some of you seemed to enjoy this last time, so I thought, why not do it again?

Two brilliant episodes overall. I’ve already talked a bit about my thoughts on especially 4x03, which you can find here, here and here as well as in all of my tag rants in Black Sails posts on my blog.

Going to follow the formula and do a character by character/group by group break-down below the cut. This got really long. Look forward to me having long ramblings about narrative techniques, being angry about Black Sails making me care, being very worried for everyone’s future and what’s really the deal with Berringer’s locket.

Spoilers, obviously.

John Silver A pirate king coming into his own is something beautiful to behold. I thought Silver actually took a bit of a backseat these two episodes, except for the very last part of ep3. He was, quite literally, tied up, and didn’t get as much of a chance as before to be an active player. But that won’t stop him. He just keeps on talking, and how beautifully he does it. He realizes while being held by Hands that embracing his role as the next Teach is his only way out of this, and after that, I think the power it gives him is quite intoxicating. He didn’t start out like this. He didn’t want that man to die in his name. But Silver is morphing in front of our eyes, morphing into becoming Long John Silver.

He’s also more and more taking over the narrative from Flint. This has up until now been Flint’s show, and it is turning into Silver’s. He’s even taking over the entire Odysseus metaphor with his ‘no one’ stuff going on!

I don’t want to believe his pseudo-friendship with Max is completely over, though it definitely took a pretty bad hit these episodes. I totally understand them both here, really. John have obviously no idea about Max’s intentions. He still thinks he’s the same as he’s always perceived her. He’s getting caught up in this cycle of vengeance and violence that he can’t understand that she’s not up for playing that game anymore, something that we see is quite constant with all the ladies here.

His reunion with Madi was beautifully done, from both actors. Like, some A+ filmmaking there. I was actually really happy to see them reunited.

I really enjoyed his banter and relationship with Hands. I’ll get to that more a little later, but damn, I didn’t expect to enjoy it that much. His reunion with Flint was a bit cut short for me, but it kind of made up for it with all the “we” and confidant-type talking, and bringing another grumpy ginger onboard and trying to make them get along. All these grumpy gingers and princesses and random townsfolk falling for Silver. He needs to stop being so damn charismatic or this is going to turn into a harem anime

His entry into Nassau was basically him being pirate Jesus, and I quite enjoyed that. He was super badass in the fight, and in the end, he’s the one who gives Israel the nod to cut Berringer’s throat. Again, with a look he can get someone to kill for him. He inspires loyalty in people, something I don’t think he ever expected. I’m really worried however where this road is going to take him, and those closest to him.

Israel Hands DAMMIT BLACK SAILS, YOU’VE GONE AND DONE IT AGAIN. FIRST FLINT AND NOW ISRAEL HANDS? STOP MAKING ME CARE SO MUCH ABOUT RANDOM CHARACTERS FROM TREASURE ISLAND.

Now don’t get me wrong. Israel Hands is a terrible terrible person. He slit the throat of a nine year old. I mean yes, we can argue all day back and forth that Flint attacking Charelstown/the fort probably killed quite a lot of kids (actually, we saw it do so), but we have to keep in mind that this is fiction. If we were going to judge all of these characters on actual real life moral standards, we should probably not be behind anyone. The narrative of these things are set up to get us to sympathize more with Flint, and there is something more horrific to most people about the calculated murder of a nine year old by slitting his throat than a bombardment of a beach with casualties. I think those are important things to take into calculation (though I mean, still all horrific, you know).

And yet. AND YET. Black Sails somehow manages to make me intrigued by this murderous, old, sad man. Why did he stay? Did he really hate Teach, or was he still waiting around for him? He’s clearly one of those people who feels like he needs a leader. He wants someone to follow, to believe in, who tells him what to do. Silver was able to win him over with words.

As I see it now, he still hasn’t become that Devil on Silver’s shoulder that they talk about in interviews. But I can see how that’s going to play out. His murder of Berringer was very symbolic. He’s creating a new pirate king, and a new Nassau, just like last time.

What fascinates me, is that ten-twenty years down the road, Israel Hands is still with Silver. Still somewhat loyal, if questioning. He’s still there. It’s curious.

They’ve done a marvelous job either way of mixing the historical Israel Hands with the fictional Treasure Island one. He welcomed John Silver to step into their legendary roles, and he’s going to guide him through it.

“I’ve never seen good come from goodness yet.” This man has one messed-up way of looking at the world. And I can’t wait to see it impact the rest of our characters.

James Flint Oh Flint. He’s mellowed out so much, hasn’t he? Like yes, he had his thing with Billy in episode one, but here all his arguments are rational, he’s calm, him and Madi are getting along so well, which makes me so happy. When she quoted Don Quixote at him I nearly died, okay?

I was so glad he realized the risk to the slaves when taking the Underhill estate. I live for Flint being rational and logical. Also how he spared that lady and her child, and didn’t mortally injure Underhill. That probably all went out the window later, but still. I’m so glad.

Then on the other hand, without his anger and hatred to lead him, with him letting Silver take the lead, what is left for him to fight for? Is he in the end going to let Captain Flint return to the sea? Is Captain Flint going to bring James with him? Who knows at this point.

I think it’s a really valid interpretation to say that he’s in love with Silver at this point. I think it’s also valid to say that these are not romantic feelings. It could be both at this point. At the same time. The point is, Silver means a lot to him, and this is acknowledged by everyone. Would I like them to go in a silverflint direction? Yes. Do I think it would damage the story if they didn’t? No.

That look he gives Madi and Silver when they reunite is interesting. Or rather, it’s interesting that they focused on it. I didn’t see it as sad, per say, more melancholic. Bit happy to see them reunite. Maybe sad that he doesn’t have that anymore. But I think it’s really just as valid to read in any kind of emotion in that scene, Toby Stephens plays it very ambiguously.

I think my favorite Flint moment from these two episodes though, is his little speech about England, and how no one can remember the world before it, so no one can imagine it after it. It was really nice. And I sat there, and I was thinking “You’ll never see it, but slowly, slowly, the New World will revolt, England will go away. Others will take its place, but slowly, the world will become a better place.” (Which, really, I know we live in a scary world and there are scary things happening. But we have never been better off. And we need to hold onto that as well as we can, because we don’t need to move backward.)

Madi She really is the one holding all of this together. When she whistled to her men to draw their weapons I actually went “YES” out loud. Her concern for not only her people but all of the slaves on the island is touching and so important. Her talking with Eme was great. Just. Madi speaking with other ladies, with Featherstone, with Idelle. Madi making way for Silver to go into Nassau. Madi keeping the peace between Billy and Flint for as long as she could. Madi defending the pirates that stayed loyal to them, defending Flint. Love it.

Speaking of her talking with Eme, what a great scene. Both her talking about how much both her and Flint has lost (I mean, whether or not that’s ever going to be canon, on a fanfiction level? I’m all for this ot3) when Eme questions why she’s still with the pirates. And when she finds out Silver’s alive? Such a great scene.

I mentioned above, but her reunion with Silver was amazing. The slow turn, the running. Yes. I like. Though someone should give Flint a hug in the process. I don’t think Israel Hands is volunteering.

I’m still worried for Madi. I don’t think she’s completely safe just because of her most likely being John’s future wife. My mind actually most go back to that shot from a trailer with John looking completely destroyed. But who knows what causes that? But with Billy bringing up that Madi could be in danger, that feels like such a Chekov’s gun that something is bound to happen at some point. I’m just worried what.

Billy Bones *Sigh* Where do I start with you, Billy? I mean, I know you don’t grow up to become the greatest person, swindling a kid for money and stressing a man to death, but still.

No but, to be fair, I get where Billy’s coming from, how he’s putting his men first. But from the viewpoint of myself, I just can’t empathize with putting the slaves’ lives at risk like that. And if he really killed the Underhill family (even though that could be a lie by Berringer), that has basically killed most hope I had for Billy to pull through this in any way a likable character for me. However, I was glad to see him join with the rest of the pirates in Nassau when the big battle went down.

I’m pretty sure he’s trying to sow distrust between Silver and Flint, and I am not liking it. I don’t approve, Billy. I’m gonna sack Dr Livesey on you soon.

Max I really just want to put Max in safety somewhere. Out of all the ladies right now, who are all being the voice of reason, she’s embodying that most of all. Violence breeds more violence. Oppression breeds resentment. She is fighting for civilization, but she’s fighting for the type of civilization we should strive for. Because let’s not fool ourselves, while it’s all fun to joke about war against civilization, the pirate world is far from perfect.

The civilization they’re fighting is oppressive, but that’s not the civilization Max is fighting for. She wants to be safe, she wants to be loved, she wants to be respected. She’s a lesbian, a woman, and a woman of color at that. She’s everything English civilization would deem unfitting. And yet she’s on that side. Because she sees hope in civilization. She doesn’t want the world Rogers or Berringer represents (and really, their version of civilization is just a thin layer covering up more brutality, on an even larger scale than the pirates). She doesn’t want the world of pirates to return either. What she wants is a world where she, as she is, can be respected. And I’m sorry Max. It’s going to take a very long while until the world going through that kind of change. And yet I hope that by the end of this, Max will escape and get out unharmed. She’s trapped in the middle of a war she wants no part of, between two versions to view the world that she doesn’t agree with and doesn’t fit with. And I think now more than ever, Max is one of the most relatable characters in the show.

Berringer I’ve seen a lot of complaints that by having Berringer look sadly at a portrait of his wife and child, the show was trying to force some sort of sympathy on us for him.

I disagree.

I think what they did with Berringer was actually quite brilliant. He’s an absolutely loathsome person. He’s by no means supposed to be seen as anything but the villain. But just like with Peter Ashe, a despicable human being, we’re still giving a glimpse of that they’re people. With lives, sorrows, losses, dreams. That doesn’t make them any less villainous. It just makes them human. It’s not meant to give us sympathy for them. But it’s there to show us that there are no black and white villains in this show, just as there aren’t in the real world. Yeah, there are characters they haven’t done this with, like Alfred Hamilton or Ned Low. Because there are just straight up butcherers out there.

But with a character like Berringer, they showed us that, hey, yeah, a character can be a human, everyone has a past, everyone has relatives and a background and a story. This story wasn’t relevant to our understanding of this character - but he had it. He was a person. With a life. And who knows what kind of life drove him here. That’s not meant to give us sympathy for him. That’s realism. We still hate him. It still feels like a triumphant moment when he dies. But to have him drop that locket in the moment of his death - it’s reminding us that we’re not cheering on for the death of a cardboard cut-out. We’re cheering the death of a person. However loathsome he might be.

By that I don’t mean we should feel sorry for it. This is, after all, fiction, and as I said earlier, we are allowed to have different morals in fiction or else we wouldn’t be able to consume any fictional media whatsoever. I’m currently in a production of Medea, and to be able to discuss, say, the feminist implications of that play, you can’t treat Medea as you would treat an actual human being that you knew who killed her children. That’s not how it works. You need to be able to separate two different realities and sets of morals in your head.

But I do find it interesting that they choose Berringer to do this with. Unlike with Peter Ashe, were we learned of his ‘good’ sides before the bad, we are completely overwhelmed with just how brutal and awful Berringer is. The show does go out of its way to show us that we should loathe him. And I don’t think the show is trying to tell us not to. But no one comes onto this show, this narrative, as a blank slate. They all have stories. Berringer’s story isn’t something we are told, it’s hinted to us. We can still cheer his death. We don’t have feel sympathy for him. I barely think think we’re supposed to. But he didn’t come here as a blank slate to spread terror among the people of Nassau. He came from somewhere. And in his mind, he was going somewhere. All these characters have their own stories. We just happen to focus on some of them. And to show us that so blatantly, in a story that’s ultimately about stories, I think was perfectly fine, and actually just shows how much thought is put into every character they bring onto this show, even though we will probably never know the half of it.

Eleanor Guthrie Oh, Eleanor. It feels so fitting that it’s Max who makes her see clearer. She tries more than Max to hang on to this idea she has about what civilization is supposed to be. She’s willing to make so many compromises, because she feels that in the end, that’s how it’s supposed to be. But men like Berringer doesn’t factor in to her idea about civilization. She presumed that monsters were something kept to the pirate side of things. But monsters are everywhere. Very human monsters, but monsters all the same. And then it doesn’t matter if you have civilization at your back. These are monstrous actions done in the name of civilization. And I think Eleanor is slowly starting to realize that while she wants to play the game, in the civilization she’s fighting for, there is hardly any room for her.

I do think she honestly loves Rogers, or rather, what she feels he represents. I think she wants to distance herself from the person who loved Vane, who was to her eyes, brutal and uncivilized. But I think Eleanor is about to realize, that there’s no line drawn between when a man is civilized and uncivilized, it just depends on where you put them, in what situation. She inspired Vane to brutally murder Low. It was to protect her that Rogers brutally killed Teach. It’s a circular story. And I am starting to doubt that Eleanor is ever going to be able to escape from her own narrative, that seems to be just running in circles, trying to find a way out.

We shall see how her escape from the fortress (because that’s what I assume will happen) goes, and if she does manage to appease her grandfather. Even if she does, I wonder if that’s going to turn out to be the world she has imagined it to be, the world she wants. Out of all the ladies, Eleanor is the one that I think is most likely to die. Not that she necessarily will, but she’s a character so closely tied to Nassau. And if Nassau perishes, which we know in the end it will, what is left for Eleanor?

Woodes Rogers Woodes Rogers have finally shown his true colors, and it’s not quite what we were expecting. I think we as an audience made the exact same mistake as Rackham (I’ll get to that). We assume Woodes is who he presents himself to be. But he told us already. We just didn’t listen.

“But there are things you leave out of the book. Things you leave out because if it got around polite society what you’re capable of when pushed, they might stop inviting you to their dinner parties. All you know about me is what I want you to know.”

We mocked him, along with Rackham, saw the polite civilized facade of a British gentleman, representing the system but not quite sure what he’d gotten himself into. Yet Rogers proved to be better at managing his story, the story people told about him, than nearly everyone else has been. This show is ultimately about what story you build around yourself. And Rogers has crafted a pretty good one.

He is the perfect symbol of civilization. He’s the British gentleman when he has to. But when dark times calls for dark men to do dark things? He’s there. Surrounded by violence and fear and anger, he exhibits those exact traits. Yes, he did it to protect Eleanor. And yes, Blackbeard would probably not have been much kinder to Eleanor had he gotten hold of her. Yes, the pirates have done terrible terrible things.

But I think the key is in how this scene is presented, and also the context of it. Woodes is trying to present himself as the civilized option to the pirates. But what he did was such a display of cruelty, showing a planned, calculated approach to torture, which I think is what for us, as an audience, sets what he did apart from things we’ve seen the pirates do. It’s very classical narration, in that sense. We have a much easier time seeing the horror of this, and being terrified and disgusted with it, than to see the horror of the people of Charlestown dying or fleeing for their lives as Flint attacked, because we felt Flint’s anger at Miranda’s death, at Peter’s betrayal. We felt justified in cheering for Flint at that moment, even though we logically know that what he’s doing is terrible. This is how storytelling works, when you have these types of protagonists.

I think also what sets what Rogers did apart, is how proud he was of it, how he saw this as his ultimate display of power. He didn’t have to torture Blackbeard. He was making a point. Which in the end, turned out to be his mistake, as I’ve talked about at great length here. He loses this fight, because the narrative is taken from him by Teach. His display of power becomes a display to his men of what kind of person he really is. It becomes a display to the pirates what they’re up against. Because who would side with someone who refuses to give a man like that a simple death? By trying to show that he too can be monstrous, to make an example and to make them fear him, he became the worst monster himself, and at that point, people won’t be scared, they’ll rise up.

By showing is the crew and the pirates horrified reaction to his actions, the show’s creators have very clearly stated that “This is not something you’re supposed to be okay with”. That’s the story they’re telling. Whatever his reasons where, and I understand them, it was motivated by pride and he fell into some sort of manifestation of hybris. I’m not saying don’t keep on liking Woodes as a character, because the show is saying he did something awful. I like my fair share of characters that have done far worse. But whatever your opinion on Woodes is, the narrative they’re telling is clearly saying with everything it can, that this was wrong, and that Woodes lost that fight.

Jack Rackham I’ve always liked Rackham. But I think this season more than anything, I’ve come to care a lot for him. It might be because he and I share that weakness. Of wanting to be remembered for something. Anything. Even if it’s just a footnote next to someone like Charles Vane or Blackbeard.

What he and Anne wants are so different, and while I feel for Anne, and I want them both to get away to safety, I identify more with Jack. And I felt so sorry for him here.

I was confused at first as to why he raised the white flag. But then I realized, he fell into the trap we all also did. He thought Rogers was not much more than he appeared to be. He thought that by giving up, he could save the woman he loved and the idol he looks up to. I think he just couldn’t see himself killing them. Because that’s what he would be doing if he attacked. While not the strategic choice to make, it was definitely the emotional side of him. And it hurt. Because he must feel so guilty. He didn’t know what would happen. And every time Teach was dragged out of the water, you bet he thought it was his fault. He underestimated Rogers’ capacity for cruelty.

And in the end, once again, just like when he lost Charles, he’s left standing at the side-line, being saved by the people he admires and looks up to. I’m scared for Rackham. I don’t think he’ll make it out of this season alive. And I think that to see that happen a second time, he’s going to become more reckless than ever. He wants to prove himself, and now he feels guilty not only for Charles but for Teach, and I think his promise to Anne of a simple life is going to be left in the dust. He admire Teach so, so much. And to see him die and saving him in the process, while also feeling that it’s his fault, it’s going to mess him up big time.

Don’t get me wrong, Jack has done some horrible things. When I say I identify with him, it’s mostly for that specific reason. But I do feel sorry for him. He tries so hard to do what he feels will help, but he’s constantly having that instinct competing with his need to be remembered. He wants to be brave and be remembered, and he keeps failing. In the end, the bravest thing he ever did was slitting the throat of Anne’s abusive husband. But no one will remember him for that except for Anne, and he doesn’t realize that that could be enough.

Anne Bonny Anne is stuck. And I’m scared what it will take for her to get out, if she even will get out alive.

She’s this brutal killing machine to the outside world, which is why I find it so fitting that once she found herself in s2, her goal has simply been to settle down. To live a normal, happy life. And she wants to do that with Jack (and I bet with Max, if she actually knew the truth of what had happened).

Speaking of Max, I loved Anne’s conversation with Jack in the dark. This island makes you do things you don’t want to. She doesn’t want to kill Max, but I think she also starts to realize that maybe this island made Max do things she didn’t want either. And I want them to reunite but I’m worried that might not actually happen.

The moment she and Jack promised to retire after this was all over, I knew that that would not happen. I think her happy ending with Jack is not possible anymore. The question is if there’s still a chance that she can get away on her own. Jack can’t figure out a way to prioritize his life with her over his own legacy. In front of Anne are two roads, as I see it: Be destroyed with Jack and his quest for legacy, or leave him. And I’m not sure what she’ll choose in the end.

Edward Teach RIP Dadbeard.

Of course, Black Sails managed to make me care for Teach just as he was about to die. Because why not?

I mean, I find all the jokes about Blackbeard being boring funny, but I never saw it like that. I wasn’t as invested in him as the others, but I saw his pain and anguish about Charles and I felt sorry for him, I did. But it was even more at the front in her conversation with Jack. And I admire those two men being able to take their feelings of wrongdoing and vengeance and place them into something that is productive to their cause. They both loved Charles, and in the end, I was impressed that for two characters that are so focused on this kind of toxic masculinity ideal (one in upholding it and one in achieving it) were able to think about what Charles would have wanted, and that he would not have wanted them to take revenge on the woman he loved.

I actually really loved the story about Charles and the bird. I thought it was a nice bonding moment between Jack and Teach, because they are more similar than they think. It reminded me of Gates and Flint talking in the storm in s1. I don’t quite know why.

But back to the point, it is their decision to follow what Charles would have wanted that what leads both of them to their ruin.

Or is it? Again, I’ve talked at length about how Teach, even in this darkest hour, takes the narrative away from Rogers, and turns into a martyr for the pirate cause. And that’s a victory in the end, just like Charles’ hanging. He followed in Vane’s footsteps. Which makes his death shocking, yes, but not for shock value, just like Vane’s.

I do have to say that I got very fond of the Teach-Rackham-Bonny dynamic, and I’m going to miss it.

Quick notes

I loved all the people of Nassau coming together to revolt. Such a good scene. An angry mod is stronger in the end than a few soldiers.

Especially all the ladies that you could see.

I LOVE IDELLE AND FEATHERSTONE

The Flint-Silver-Madi parallels with Thomas-James-Miranda is killing me.

I have so many fanfic ideas

Israel waiting for Silver to give the command is so important to me and DAMMIT I care about Israel

#black sails #starzblacksails #james flint #john silver #madi #billy bones #israel hands #bsmax #captain berringer #eleanor guthrie #woodes rogers #jack rackham #anne bonny #edward teach

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