#then Stede told Izzy that his boss can suck eggs in hell

[blue-b-bro]

Izzy and the candles

(kinda about Izzy's arc)

So I’ve finally sat down and looked closely into the candle scenes and after analyzing them, I’ve came to the conclusion, that they’re about the state of Izzy’s feeling towards Ed, how he deals with them. (if you have other ideas please share)

Let’s look at the scenes, shall we? (it's Izzy's POV, not what I think about his actions)

S1e3:

- He's not interested in meeting. - What? - 🕯️I explicitly told him… Blackbeard desired his company.

- But does he know who I am?

- Seemed to, yeah.🕯️ - And still, he said no. - You can "go suck eggs in hell" was his response, I believe. - Fascinating.

Why at that moment? Well, I think he didn’t lie, or at least he didn’t think he did. So he’s not punishing himself or anything. It’s about the whole conflict in s1: Izzy desires Ed’s company, wants Ed to desire his company. Izzy thinks, he knows Ed, but it turns out, he doesn’t know him so well.

He’s burning his hand by getting too close, just like his possessiveness ultimately only hurts him and Ed in the process. His feelings are so intense it’s actually destructive.

S1e7:

“🕯️Bonnet comes along, and he's like, "Oh, Oh, Blackbeard, I really love... I love the way you dress. I love the way your hair, your beard, and all that." I tell ya, I would've ripped his fuckin' head off. And I would have had him, too, I would have had him…🕯️”

And what is he doing just after that? Making a deal with the English. Proving that his selfish desire only makes it worse for both of them: Ed leaves him, Izzy made him work for the king.

S2e5:

Now, we need context. After Ed’s visit in s2e2 Izzy realized, that his selfish actions harmed not only him, but actually Ed too. That he was actively helping Ed kill himself, that Ed expected him, to just go with the plan, because he was his boss. That he was a bad first mate, because he almost killed his captain instead of protecting him, and that his way of love was bad, because it made Ed so miserable. So he metaphorically killed his old self (by trying to actually do it), stopped Ed, freed from his orders, and saved the crew.

He kept it mostly together until the crew was saved by Stede and then, there was nothing for him to do, no use for him. He may have did that big gesture to become his new self, but that didn’t erase his regrets. He felt responsible for Ed’s state, felt it was his fault for not doing his job, for making Ed hate him, for being useless, everything mixed in one miserable mess. He expected the crew to just let him die from overdrinking, because why would they care? They’re safe now, they have Stede. When the crew made him the new leg, he decided to give himself a second chance, stops drinking and tries to find a way to be of use (see? He didn’t get over it at all)

In e5, right after Ed’s apology (“And whatever that nasty, dark stuff was that brought us here, it's in the past. Which is all I want to say, at the end of the day, is we're trying to move the culture forward.”) he starts whittling the shark. The whole episode is about moving on, but Izzy doesn’t do that. He just buries his feelings deeper.

“Well, this is a pirate ship and I'm a pirate, so, yeah. I'm good with it.” He tells himself that that’s how it is, just like Archie said: “They get away with it and we move on”. Izzy doesn’t expect any apology, doesn’t think he deserves any, but he’s still hurt, he’s still unmoored, without any clear direction in life.

- So this is where all my candles went. And you've used the good ones. - Yep. I'm having to relearn the basics with one leg. [🕯️] - The basics? I think my basics might be a bit more basic than your basics. Actually, it recently occurred to me that... - That you know nothing? That you're a shitty Captain, yeah? - I don't know about that. But Blackbeard did say he credited you with a lot of his skills. - Yeah, well, Blackbeard says a lot of things. But what did he say about me specifically? - Well, specifically, he said you taught him everything he knows. Made him the Captain he is today. Perhaps I could learn at the feet of one of the greats. - Foot. - Oh, yes, foot. Sorry. - Ya know, maybe I could teach even you a thing or two.

“I'm having to relearn the basics with one leg.” He’s basically saying he’s starting anew. He decided to forget the past, to kill his feelings for Ed, all that hurt and sorrow and guilt, just move on.

“Don't know what you're talkin' about. A shark did this. Dangling my legs over the side of the ship. Served me right, too.” It was all his own fault, so he doesn’t need any apology. It was to be expected, so there’s no need to feel hurt or betrayed.

S2e8:

Izzy was telling himself it was his fault he got treated like that by Ed, it was just how pirate’s life worked, everything's fine, but at the same time Stede was happy, grateful and nice to him all episode, showing him, that no, it doesn’t have to work like that, it didn’t have to work like that. His relationship with Ed didn’t have to look like it looked, he could have had better relationship with Ed, if only he let him.

In e6 he’s drinking again.

they both know it’s not about the weather. it’s about Ed’s feelings, Ed feeling it was all too nice and something has to go bad eventually. And Izzy’s on his new track, trying to keep Ed in this better place, the one he so desperately tried to get him out of in s1. He now knows his relationship with Ed and Ed’s life was so miserable because of him, and he tries to fix it, to help Ed get rid of bad habits.

Izzy probably didn’t know how to respond, having mixed feelings about it since he was all about how it was his own fault and Ed apologizing actually contradicts it, forcing Izzy to acknowledge his suffering that he so strongly tried to repress.

“Turn the poison into positivity” it’s kinda like a response to s1e5 where Izzy was opposed/shocked by open culture on the Revenge and now, knowing his old ways were wrong he actually stops, asks what’s that about and tries himself. Izzy sings about looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses, and I think it’s about him wishing Ed and Stede well.

Izzy decided to focus on helping Ed and Stede in their relationship. He realized he was the reason for Ed’s unhappiness, it was him, who made him worse by trying to keep him to himself, and so his own feelings don't matter. His feelings for Ed don't matter, his love doesn't matter, and that’s why he’s all helpful, but at the same time looks tired. After Ed leaves Stede, Izzy finds him at the bar, (always with Stede when Ed isn’t around). He tells him he thinks they’re good for each other, comforts Stede, is ok with talking about their feelings for Ed. He tries to protect Stede from his auto destructive behavior post breakup (not just going along, like with Ed).

Now we’re at e8 finally:

- 🕯️Can't believe I have an audience with the great Israel Hands. That's absolutely astounding. I've always thought you were underrated. I mean, it's absurd, isn't it? Isn't it? That Blackbeard, he gets all this praise, when you are quite clearly the brains of this operation?🕯️ (playing with fire in a safe way, calm) - Ya don't know the first thing about piracy, do ya? - Don't I? - It's not about glory. It's not about gettin' what you want. It's about belonging to something when the world has told you you're nothin'. It's about finding the family to kill for when yours are long dead. It's about letting go of ego for something larger. The crew.

“when you are quite clearly the brains of this operation” Izzy feels responsible for all the bad things that happened to Ed, for his unhappiness. He wanted to follow and serve Blackbeard, not to replace him. He and Ed created Blackbeard, why would he want to have something that was already his? When Blackbeard got all the praise, Izzy was proud. The only praises he needed was those from Ed. (I don't mean he didn't care about being respected by others but appreciated)

“It's not about glory. It's not about gettin' what you want. It's about belonging to something when the world has told you you're nothin'. It's about finding the family to kill for when yours are long dead. It's about letting go of ego for something larger. The crew.”

It’s about Izzy abandoning his selfish desire to be with Ed, to have Ed’s full attention, to have his love, and focusing about caring for others, for his family (Ed and the crew), about their happiness.

And you know what? I think it could’ve been Izzy’s idea to go with Ricky, to be on the front line. That’s very like him and I don’t see other reason for it. The crew is protective of Izzy, it wouldn’t be their idea.

- Ed, I'm sorry. I've been terrible to you. - No, I'm sorry. - No. - What are you apologizing for? I should be the one who's apologizing. - I fed your darkness… Blackbeard. For years, I egged him on, even though I knew you'd outgrown him, but the truth is… I needed him. Blackbeard... it was us. You, me.

I’m happy he said that, I’m happy they finally talked. I’m happy Izzy finally said out laud how unwell he is inside.

bonus:

(⚠️ here comes finale criticism, you’ve been warned ⚠️)

But him dying there was as if Ed died in e5! Oh, he realized his mistakes and started to fix them, but still is very messed up inside. That’s Ed in e5-6. And somehow he got to live after apologizing to Fang, hmm? Yeah, it was very in character for Izzy to get himself killed for Ed, to apologize for his great crimes of *checks hand* misunderstanding, being confused and selfish and being in love with Ed. Understandable. Ed can realize he’s actually worthy of love and forgiveness, but Izzy isn’t? Izzy would agree, but that’s not the point. He wasn’t on the arc towards healing. He was on the arc of realizing how bad of an influence he was and then dying . He was marinating that thought since s2e2. How fun.

Like, yeah, he realized he was selfish and fixed his wrongdoings. But he also thought he was worthless and, ekhem, defiled his captain with his love, wait where did I hear that...

[something-about-sunflowers]

It's framed as a character experiencing trauma, yes, but i really think that character is Ed. He just said he doesn't want to do fucked up things like that anymore, but now he has to. If you saw the scene by itself, you might think Izzy is the victim, but in the context of the series he is definitely not. Izzy is an abusive sub.

Anon, tell me something, what power does Izzy have over Ed? I have some things to say about the rest of what you said but I really feel like we gotta focus on this 'abuse' allegation.

What power does Izzy hold over Ed? Socially? Physically? Emotionally? He may have some level of societal power over him, given that he's a white man and Ed is not but, like, so's half the ship. So's Stede. And Izzy doesn't use that power over Ed anyway.

'Oh, but he sicced the navy on him!' Ed wasn't supposed to be there. Izzy tried to get him off the ship before they got there.

Also, Izzy is a pirate. A known pirate and Blackbeard's first mate. Do you think, white man or no, he'd have had any bargaining power over Ed's fate at the hands of the navy if he wasn't doing Chauncey a favor by giving him Stede? The only reason they were willing to let Ed go is because Chauncey was in charge and he wanted Stede more than he wanted Blackbeard. If Chauncey hadn't been there, or had seen a bigger picture, they would have all been hanged. All. Including Izzy.

Other than that? Izzy has no power over Ed. The crew like Ed and hate Izzy, even Fang and Ivan. Ed is the only reason Izzy isn't anchored at the bottom of the ocean by the end of ep 9. He didn't even have to do or say much of anything, just ask Izzy for tea, and the rest of the crew let Izzy go. They like Ed.

Physically? Ed's bigger than him. Izzy may be 'the world's best swordsman' but like, in a fight? I'd put my money on Blackbeard. Hell, I'd put my money on Ed. In a swordfight I'd put my money on Ed. Izzy doesn't want to hurt Ed. He doesn't want to kill him. The whole point of everything he does is to keep him (and himself by proxy) alive.

Emotionally? Probably the closest to be honest, but still, not quite. Cause, here's the thing, Ed ignores Izzy. A lot. Even (and especially) when it comes to important stuff. He's dismissive over Izzy's frustration and confusion over their lost crew and of Izzy's concern about the Spanish intending to kill them. He fully could have told him he already had a plan but he didn't because he wanted to re-assert his own authority and genius. He wasn't trying to impress Izzy (Stede and crew? Yeah, not Izzy tho.) he was reminding him why he's the boss.

His insults don't hold weight. If Ed was being emotionally abused by Izzy don't you think he might have had a different response to Izzy's 'You're just an insane, unpleasant, shell of a man who's merely posing as Blackbeard'? Like, it might have cowed him and he'd be apologetic? Or it might have triggered him into anger and violence instead of a teasing smirk and a 'That's Blackbeard, I'm Stede, remember?'?

He can't even manipulate Ed because Ed is gonna do what he wants regardless. 'I don't think he's worth your time.' 'He doesn't want to meet.' 'Seemed to [know who you are], yeah.' 'You can "suck eggs in hell" were his exact words, I believe.' All attempts to get Ed to not try and meet this guy, all failed.

So how, Anon, with this extreme lack of power in all aspects with regards to Ed, is Izzy in any position to be his abuser?

He's an asshole. They all are. They're fucking pirates.

He's toxic. They all are. They're fucking pirates.

But he is fundamentally incapable of being an abuser to anyone aboard the Revenge, let alone Ed, because he doesn't have the power to be an abuser.

Now, as to the rest of this.

You think Ed, who 'loves a good maim', who is depressed because he's lacking 'drama and chaos' in his life of 'being the best at piracy', who is upset that, when they see Blackbeard's flag, people surrender, that Ed, is the one who is traumatized by that experience? Not, say, the person who the traumatic violence is being inflicted upon?

Anon, did we watch the same show?

'To be honest it can be a bit of a drag. I don't know if I wanna go back to the old days. Just, drinking rum all day and biting the heads off turtles, making some poor bloke eat his own toes as a laugh.'

That's not 'I don't want to do fucked up things anymore.', Anon. That's 'I find these things boring now.'. It's kind of why 'What makes Ed happy is [Stede]' is important? Because Stede is novel. He's new. Ed isn't bored with him. Even the things he's used to that feel boring now don't when he's with Stede because he gets a new perspective through Stede. Anyway, I digress, the point is: Ed's not traumatized by the 'fucked up things', he's bored by them because they've become monotonous and he doesn't have to try anymore.

'Now he has to.' Says who? Izzy? The man who was about to get tossed off the ship tied to an anchor before Ed came back? The crew was perfectly fine with turning the ship into a damn traveling circus, no maiming/murdering/plundering required.

Anon, I get it. I get it if Ed is your favorite character, and maybe you project on him a little, so it hurts to see people say he's a bad person but like, he's Blackbeard. He's a bad person. Doesn't mean he's not relatable. Doesn't mean he's not likeable. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy him as a character. But relatability and likeability and being a good character does not a 'poor abuse victim' make. He's responsible for his own decisions. He's responsible for his own actions.

'If you saw the scene by itself, you might think Izzy is the victim,' I have seen the series, several times over, in its entirety, Anon. I have the context, Izzy is the victim in this scene. And Ed is not a victim of Izzy in any context.

[kajaono]

If Stede knew that Izzy works for Blackbeard, would he also told him his boss can suck eggs in hell? Or would he reacted differently. Because when he was listening to Black Petes story Stede was oviously a fan