#mirror their arcs in s02

[alrightsnaps]

My thing with Eloise plot, is that despite knowing that a privilege woman in her position still in very unprivileged position, the only "choice" the "lucky" ones can make is who to marry, who because not to, is not a choice most can't make and most also can't make that choice only by heart, they have the pressure of having to garante a good life for herself and her family and all the things u and other point it out how that time, like all times, is unfair to women, even a privilege one....but I roll my eyes in anticipation because we know what is been set up, Marina already been used to push Colin to P, is going to die after been treated horrible (and P will be forgiven so no justice for M), that the "right man" will change her mind about marriage, that she jabs the women around her and I don't think that is a plot for her to realize that they are in the same predicament as her and most are trying to do the best out the situation they are, she hates kids...but his kids will change her mind...that the show has other women in "worst situation" than her that don't get the same treatment on screen (Sharma's struggle for $ for ex should have been a bigger talk between the women on the show, Mama Sharma wake the F up, Violet teach your daughters something about the real world) but she gets this whole "learning" that will amount to "meet the right guy will change her mind".... For me, this is what makes this plot a bit tiring because the way we know is going to end I would prefer to see women in another situation to getting point it out the hypocrisy of that society...better use Eloise, but use more women in different situation then her also questioning that bring them together, Marina is right there, Sophie not on the show, but her struggle is on the back of our minds, what better character to hold a mirror to that society....to use the rich girl, all the cliches, the lines that look like it taken out of the twitter thread, who has out the whole show maybe the most privileges and we know how is going to end...Makes turns me off, not the plot itself but way they are handle this "awaking". I don't hate, but I also don't love, I wish like a lot of things on the show was handled different

Oh there are certainly a whole lot of things that are extremely frustrating with the way they've handled Eloise's character and merit criticism. I mean, they're trying so hard to present her as this feminist icon but for the better part of the show she's been idolizing the writer of a gossip rag about the British aristocracy as if LW is the epitome of women's rights advocate or something. (Don't get me started on how Shondaland literally had a fucking man point this out to her that maybe she should try reading some real feminist literature 😭). When LW exposed Marina's pregnancy we didn't hear a peep from Eloise about the struggle of a pregnant woman who's all alone and faces social ostracization, let alone see her approaching Marina and try to help. Even Daphne showed more female solidarity than Eloise.

My issue with criticism of Eloise is that it often goes from valid critiques re the performativity of her supposed “feminism” straight to complaints about how annoying she is for not wanting to participate in the season, marry, have kids etc which... out of all the things to criticize in the way Eloise is written that's just not it

But I absolutely agree about the element of hypocrisy in her arc and it's annoying that they insist in presenting her as a feminist when she barely engages in actual issues re women's rights (though there have been some crumbs in s02 that could indicate some growth and I really hope they don't abandon it?). And we know that soon all her talk about not wanting to get married and have kids will fly out the window when she meets the “right” man which makes the whole thing even more sour.

I agree that Marina and Sophie would be better candidates to explore women's oppression in a realistic way in that historical context! Edwina could've been that too, they could've further explored her book characteristics and have her pursue her academic interests for example, with all the difficulties that entailed for a woman. Or focus on a woman's struggle to find a husband regardless of her personal wishes and aspirations, because her family's financial security depends on it (most of the s02 problems would've been solved if they'd kept that part of the book and had Edwina almost marry Anthony out of duty rather than infatuation and they wouldn't have ruined her character in the process). Instead they turned her into another delicate debutante with none of the individuality that could've served to explore feminist issues.

[mc-critical]

How do you perceive witchcraft as a theme in the series? I find it fascinating that the women who uses that are Hurrem and Halime mostly. Of course we also have the endless prophecies that surround the dynasty, starting from the first episode (Hafsa's astrologer predicts Suleyman's great reign) and until the last episode (the witch reads for Nurbanu and the Venetian symbols).

I always had the impression that the franchise, but especially MC, loved magical realism in general and, predictably, witchcraft wasn't an exception. Its usage had its amount of depth - it was used to either spice things up in the plot, either foreshadow things, or could simply tie it to a motivation of a character and what they want to do in a long run. (this also applies to Hatice, aside from Hürrem and Halime)

The way they were going to portray this theme was also a point of interest for me, especially when it came to the rumors of Hürrem being a witch and using witchcraft. While we had the high-ranking women brushing off the rumors (not only Afife when she said that she isn't one to listen to rumors and the women who visited Hürrem for her fondation in E73, but also Aybige who became a friend by her side and Şah Sultan in E81 or E82, but I'm not sure whether she called the rumor back or not after fully standing against Hü?... just haven't rewatched S03B in a while), it's like it wasn't completely discarded when we see Hürrem wanting to use magic for SS to be fully hers in E09 and the entire Yakup Efendi debacle in S02. It's not shown as an inherently bad thing per say, because especially the S02 case had motivation, but it says something and it is a point of nuance I liked. It mostly makes us think and drive conclusions by ourselves.

That said, the show wasn't really consistent on how well witchcraft worked and how effective it was in the end.

The only witchcraft in the series that pretty much worked everytime without question was the prophecies by the fortunetellers and they only showcased the disaster that would follow after awhile or after someone's victory, accommodating a big theme of the franchise. (yes, the fortuneteller that said that Cih would suffer from Hürrem's sins in E54 has these implications, too, more or less, even though it's ridiculous to say that a deformity of a child is bacause of the sins of its mother. It would be far too cruel.) Halime's witchcraft, which wasn't a subplot of hers, but a vital aspect of her character (which is a part of Halime's uniqueness!), had the purpose of her getting rid of her enemies and yes, in theory, she succeeded, but that happened rather because of separate actions than the effects of the witchcraft. Her abortificent that aimed for Mahfiruze to miscarry also didn't work. (though that could be counted more as a poison thing than something from the witchcraft, but since we're talking Halime here, oh well..... She wouldn't use some simple thing that looks like poison! 😏) Ibrahim's poisoned diary that was supposed to kill him in a way no one would figure out (that's why it could be counted as witchcraft kinda, since Yakup was also a fortuneteller that found something extraordinary that could kill outside of his prophecies?) also didn't work because of a special medicine that wasn't known in the Empire. Hürrem's infamous "charmed mirror" was put into question with all the concubine arcs but I guess it ended up working overall, because their love couldn't be properly destroyed and SS was still reminded of Hürrem everytime he looked at it, just as she said, and that was its primary purpose. Hatice giving these herbs to Hürrem worked actually, but also wavered after a while. Both Firuze and Sanavber had "magic healing hands" that always did wonders. {I'm not sure how much Firuze poisoning SS was only through a potion that was simply designed to act slowly just like Yasemin or we had some "magical" stuff added into it or along with it, because the magical realism was otherwise an important part of her mystery as a character and it complemented her mystical "outlandish" nature. + it was revealed the poison wasn't known to them all, right? If I'm right, and it is some kind of a witchcraft, then that didn't work so well, either, even though it could've pretty much killed SS.}

One time the witchcraft could be a completely relied on force not to be debated, the other time it could be the characters leaning on it by chance, questioning its effects. That doesn't stop from it being a widely used theme with a different purpose for each time it's used. I felt they took the most out of it and when it was involved, it always made a difference.

[scorchedhearth]

Character ask: Pick between Andy, Booker and your fav/least fav from Black Sails idk I'm undecisive lol <3

Undecisive besties, let’s go <3 Thank you! Black Sails is still very fresh for me so my opinions are very messy and rough rn but this was a great exercise to try and put words on my feelings!

So far my fav is Captain Flint, obviously since he’s the main character so here we go:

How I feel about this character

I think he’s one of the best morally grey character I’ve seen in a while, and morally grey as what it really means, someone with ideals that sees his methods blend right and wrong to achieve his goals. I also love how he dominates the entire narratives from season one til the very end, how even when he’s not in the scene he’s everything the characters are talking about, he’s always at the center of everything happening even when not there in person, you really feel how imposing and how heavy he weights on the mind of everyone and the fate and the story of Nassau and new providence. The design of the character is also really great, the small details in the costume, especially when turning from s02 to s03 and how his physic represent his state of mind. And the actor does an incredible job too! I love how his arc is written and how he evolves and changes, and especially how his and Silver’s relationship grows and what it becomes. Also love the s02ep05 reveal and how up until that point (aka 1.5 season which is a lot) you have no idea what is the main drive and the backstory of the main character, and how it unlocks everything. Up until then he’s just, very rough and unlikable and he still is after but you understand why and it’s just so satisfying from a storytelling point of view

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I don’t really ship him, I said a while back I didn’t want to see that show in a fandom lense I think I won’t do it, and in the show he has value because of his lack of relationships, the fact that he has nothing to loose anymore is what drives his character until the end and he doesn’t let romantic matters and things like that influence him. But lbr, Flint and Thomas are the only ship I can see for him, or the two of them with Miranda

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Flint and Silver all the way. The way their relationship evolves over the course of the 4 seasons is just perfect I think. It feels so real, how they slowly earn each other’s trust and respect and friendship and how it ends. The fact that they are the same, and the show makes sure to show and tell us that. They are a mirror to each other. And if not Silver, then Madi, if only for the way they work so similarly and the few scenes where you see how they share a mind toward their goal, even if not for the same reason they often agree and do thing together, and she’s one of the few to go up against him and stand her ground (or even make him back off)

My unpopular opinion about this character

Don’t know if it’s unpopular or not, I haven’t dipped my toes in the fandom’s pool, but I actually like his ending, it’s the total opposite of what you were expecting for this character and still it works. Because of how unexpected it is, it works really well and even if a part of me wanted to see him carry on with his devouring rage and grief, the fact that they choose to give him a kind end where he can find peace again (which he could never have reached with the war he was planing) despite how obviously set up it was for him to go down in battle/being betrayed, it feels like a good and satisfying twist

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

I can’t really think of anything yet, I really liked how they used the character and what he’s done in the show. Maybe, just out of curiosity not really wanting to see it in canon the ending was really good for me, what would have happened if Silver hadn’t stopped him and Flint had carried on his war, how he would have ended and if he would have succeeded and how that would have impacted all the characters around him

Send me a character!