#yes this is about ofmd lol

[bougiebutchbitch]

ANYWAY. If an actor has publicly made it clear that they support Palestine, and continues to visibly Do Activism for LGBT+ causes near and dear to them, then you try to cancel them for 'not doing enough activism for Palestine!1!!' it starts to look like you are simply looking for reasons to shit on that actor.

Ditto with people on Tumblr. This isn't my main blog. People who follow my other blogs know I reblog A LOT about Palestine. I won't say about stuff I've done offline, but there's a few things there, too. People who only follow this blog might think I'm being 'Silent!!! >:C' on this issue, when they're only seeing a fragment of what I do.

Can we stop trying to tear each other apart for online kudos when we're all fighting for the same cause. It's such blatant outrage bait, and is only playing into the hands of the people who are actually enabling this genocide.

[dickfuckk]

somehow i’ve never really picked up on how they’re all turning away from stede. he doesn’t even look like he’s part of the family and he’s also the only one not wearing yellow nuances. The blue is such a stark contrast

[saltpepperbeard]

*laying facedown on the ground* how is it going to be 30 minutes. it can’t just be 30 minutes can it (🤡)??? because, from what all we’ve seen in bts vids and the like, we have to fit (ofmd finale spoilers beneath cut)—

- Ed fishing and coming to the realization that Stede/the crew are in danger, and doing whatever he has to do in order to get back (fishing up his leathers, emerging from the ocean, etc etc)

- The crew getting captured, or maybe just something with them jailed already

- The crew devising some kind of fuckery where they dress up as naval officers

- Whatever sort of hijinks goes down in the forest where some of the crew are battling/tripping up (literally) the actual naval officers

- The actual beach battle sequence itself where Ed and Stede are both fighting through it

- The both of them reuniting and having some kind of romantic moment (I would really like them to aPOLOGIZE TO EACH OTHER BUT Y’KNOW SKDJWJD)

- Ed and Stede teaming up with Zheng and Auntie

- Some sort of sequence where Ed appears to be dressed in some sort of extravagant white outfit and also appears to have been stabbed (or is otherwise in contact with a lot of blood. please see also: that one bloody hand shot)

- Some sort of VERY suspicious looking sequence where the crew seems to be near a makeshift grave of some sort. So if someone dies, we’ll need time to sit with that/allow that moment to breathe (but also I can’t see how because everyone has died numerous times and quite literally just Can’t Be Killed DKWKD)

- That other sequence where the crew is all inside and Ed and Stede have the “it’s a suicide mission/only if we die” exchange. Which…I can’t tell where that is in the timeline?? Because I would assume Ed and Stede dramatically reunite on the beach but maybe not depending on time?????

- Some sort of scene where the crew all seem to be running towards a dinghy/trying to get away from danger

- Some sort of scene where Ed and Stede are looking at that one little house that has appeared in the background of a few shots and more than likely having some sort of discussion about their future/their relationship

[sherlock-is-ace]

fandom will see the most interesting deep and nuanced character and reduce their entire plot and portrayal to "slutty sexy slut needs to get railed" and it's honestly so tiring

[darkshrimpemotions]

Ed Teach + TSwift Albums, Part 3 (Edward's Version)

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Thank you for offering your askbox. I've been thinking that Izzy being just a side character whose story wasn't main plot thread makes even better proof that not everything was well planned? If I was a writer and this would be easily the most discussed topic about the finale, I'd reflect on storytelling decisions I made. There's a good reason why Izzy's fate overshadows everything despite that he wasn't the point of the show.

(Post posted 10/31/23) Feel free to comment below if you agree or disagree, we're all here for discussions.

Thank you so much for this amazing question!! [If you're seeing this and want to discuss some aspect of S2, or my thoughts on OFMD overall, SEND ME AN ASK! I love doing this]

TLDR: Vague characterization from historical records means Jenkins is free to bend history without a lot of guilt. During early days of casting and during scene changes Jenkins got inspired by Con's audition tape. Con was told to play this shit as a Jesus/Judas relationship. An amazing performance in S1 keeps the character relevant in fandom spaces in the hiatus, and in Jenkin's mind for S2. The S1 season finale accidentally reveals a really interesting dynamic in Ed/Izzy's relationship. [Speculation from this point on] Jenkins feels like he needs to explore, with little plans to fully explore it. Fleshing out both Ed/Izzy abuse and love.

Jenkins realizes 'Oh shit, Izzy wasn't supposed to be this' midway through S2. But he still follows his original plan in killing him off, because he's not needed for the story in his outline, leading to him accidentally killing off a character as they're growing and healing. Leading to what some consider a move SO off-brand for the show, they are leaving the fandom.

[*Tin Foil Hat On*] I expect the original cut of S2 to include more scenes of the crew. I bet for every other Izzy scene, we got a crew scene. So when 'extra' not plot-relevant scenes had to get cut, they kept the Izzy scenes due to Izzy's stable arc, the fact that he'd die at the end either way and Con's amazing performance.

EXPLINATION AND DEPTH BELOW! It's a long one. A lot of this post will be speculation, interviews from Jenkins, and highly dependent on if you were in fandom between seasons 1 and 2. If you need me to hunt for sources, I can do that for you.

I'll separate everything into a chronological timeline as much as possible.

Before we touch on why Jenkins wrote Izzy to stick out in the story, we need to assume how he outlined this entire show.

Pre Con O'Neill:

I am of the personal belief that Jenkins likely wrote out an imagined arc for Ed and Stede. Including a lot of cool set pieces, fights, etc. for the three seasons he wanted vaguely based on the real lives of Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach(watch a YouTube vid documenting their history, it's a wild ride) turning it into something explicitly romantic. This is easy enough to do, as most of what we know about them was written YEARS after their deaths.

Next was filling in the cast. This is where we get our crew, mostly characters Jenkins made up, as very little is known of the men either sailed with.

Izzy Hands being a pirate under the age of 18 whose notable actions with Blackbeard include- Captaining his own vessel, running a ship aground, being Blackbeard's first mate, and getting shot by Blackbeard maybe on accident.

[THEORY] So. If you're any writer you see that and think 'cool a side character we know almost nothing about'. You slot him in as being Edward's one thing keeping him to the pirate lifestyle. Not necessarily romantic, but a serious Boss/underling relationship. This is a bit of how Izzy was written in S1 UNTIL-

Con O'Neill is cast as Izzy.

In interview, Jenkins has admitted that Con's audition tapes influenced how he wrote Izzy. As a writer, this shouldn't necessarily be ringing red flags. But he has gone on record as admitting to changing the script before shooting to suit Con. IN SEASON 1. My guess is Izzy at the end of episode 10 was meant to be more of a side character. Another Frenchie, or Wee John, who serves their purpose and then gets pushed to the side by the plot.

But at some point, Jenkins wrote how important the dynamic was between Ed and Izzy. Describing Izzy/Ed to Con before filming S1 of a 'Jesus and Judas' relationship like in Jesus Christ Superstar.

If you tell a (then closeted) queer actor who has been playing queer roles since the 1990s that his leather daddy character was having a Jesus&Judas JSC dynamic in a TV show that respects and celebrates queerness? 🤩 MY GOD.

[Speculation] That's how we get an Izzy Hands who is watching the man in front of him slip away, trying to dig his heels in. Hell, if I were Jenkins, I'd be adding a few more lines for Izzy to be pissed just to see Con have fun in the role. Let him be mad. Let him be in the background of scenes just glaring. Let us see a man slowly lose something he's built up his whole life.

[As mentioned from Comic Con- From Con O'Neill] This was important for me to bring up as Jenkins could have said 'henchman' but he didn't. Hell, when Taika and Con did hair and makeup they'd listen to the JCS cast album. It was a choice on both their parts.

[ovservation from here on out] Con plays it up, and a lot of queer fans saw this and grabbed hold of a man so desperate to keep the man he loved close that he sacrifices almost everything for it (Izzy also signs the Act of Grace to get Ed out of there).

Izzy, in a show full of openly queer people, is still on the fringe of society. SO MANY queers saw this and said 'OMG me'. ME INCLUDED. With a super supportive actor who genuinely is respectful of the fandom? Of art, and fic and meta? The Izzy 'Canyon' became so loyal because Con is a Queer Elder we didn't know we all needed in our lives!

Jenkins accidentally wrote into what could be an amazing story of a queer character living in a homophobic society where he learns to open himself up. All without ever writing a 'coming out' scene for Izzy. Jenkins knows this. Hell, since S1 Izzy fans have been telling him how cool that type of arc would be.

Now here comes the issue of where to take a side character, when you have loose plans for them.

S1 IS TIGHTLY WRITTEN ONTO ITSELF... S2?

Something we might forget now is HOW tightly written Izzy's falling out with Ed is tied into Stede and Ed falling in love. Beat per beat, Izzy is shoved away as Stede takes his place. That's really fucking smart. So smart, it was planned in the writer's room. The fact that some took it as romantic, that Ed could ever really love him back? Well...this is where Jenkins had a decision to make.

So he dips his toe. Let's make Ed even more violent than at the end of S1ep10. Let's include the bit where Blackbeard shoots Izzy Hands. Let's have Izzy confess his love for Ed and have it not be enough for Ed to change his mind. Let's show Izzy rising like a phoenix reborn after a failed suicide attempt where Izzy chooses to mutiny on Ed to protect the crew. Let's see Izzy growing. Because Jenkins loves Con's performance. Everyone in the cast enjoys him as a person. Let's give Izzy one last hurrah.

Jenkins knows this character meant a lot to Con. It's obvious in the way Jenkins recently confessed he told Con about Izzy's death midway through shooting. Sadly we likely will never be told when Con was told. But imagining Con filming the AMAZING character change of S2eps 1-2, then AFTER being told Izzy would die anyway? Oh. I wouldn't be alright. Not after all his fans had spent the last year telling him how much seeing a character like Izzy 'being accepted because they are worthy of love'.

This is the 1 thing that fucks me up. Not telling Con until midway through shooting, Versus his belief that writing Izzy's death was a fitting way to end his story. BOTH CAN'T BE TRUE. Right? If Jenkins felt the need to take con aside and go grab a meal to announce Izzy was dying but then market the ending as a 'Good Idea'. Then...What? If Con felt it fit the character, then he would have likely guessed Izzy would die. But that wasn't the vibe in the fandom at the time. It feels like a decision Jenkins made this season.

Because yes, some general audiences predicted that Izzy would die. But when your core fanbase for a character don't expect it, you didn't plan the death correctly. Fuck, I thought Izzy was trying to RECOVER this whole season. Not that Izzy was hiding how hard he was struggling. That's not a good sign when I've ALWAYS called Izzy as some brand of suicidal/depressed.

[Quote from Jenkins Entertainment Article: Oct 26 2023] 'What's the best journey we can give him(Izzy)? And what's the most interesting thing we can do with Con, who can do just about anything?'

That is not the quote of an author who has planned everything out. That's a writer who knows points A and E and is fighting to find everything in between.

The Fly in My Ointment

There's a point most writers know when a character or story slips out from under you. You didn't mean for this to happen. Hell, I write Scene by Scene outlines. My stories change. When Izzy Hands' growth arc became the most interesting part of S2, Jenkins had a choice.

How far was he willing to bend his idea to keep a character that wasn't 'essential'? Not that fucking far apparently. Because for some reason, Jenkin's labeled Izzy in his mind as 'Blackbeard' and tied Ed and Izzy's fates together. Ignoring how this season Izzy died to separate his old life with Ed from his new life with this crew.

Your question poses it perfectly- If I was a writer and this would be easily the most discussed topic about the finale, I'd reflect on storytelling decisions I made. There's a good reason why Izzy's fate overshadows everything despite that he wasn't the point of the show.

That's a trick they teach you in some writing podcasts. That in the end, you are telling one story. You can have twenty side characters and a romance arc, but in the end, you are telling one story. Each side character is going to show what happens when you fail or succeed at the central thesis.

What do we have in S1? What does Frenchie sing to set up where our story STARTS-

"A pirate’s life, [it’s] short but nice,” -“we won’t live long,”  AND “to death we go, a certain death we go.”

Our characters expect a short simple life of what most pirates EXPECT. In my mind, this story has ALWAYS been about survival. From the extravagance of Stede's ship, and a crew ready to throw him overboard, to the barebones Shark eats Shark type of survival described in Ed's own fleet. OFMD is about living in a world that doesn't want you there. About surviving and thriving. About these two men from different worlds coming together and forging a life of kindness for them and for their family.

Saying fuck you, I'm here, I'm still alive, and I'm going to THRIVE. I deserve kindness, happiness, love, and a fully lived life. I deserve to spend my short time on this Earth happy.

IN S2? The ONLY character that matches this thesis is Izzy. After scenes of Izzy struggling. Of finding himself. Of crawling up from his own personal hell, Izzy dies. He dies from a random bullet wound in the same spots that didn't kill Stede or Ed in the previous season. Breaking the one established rule for wounds in this universe that the left side is the safe side so that Izzy can die.

Even if Izzy spent this entire season wanting to die, he tried to live. For a few days after a breakup of over 20+ years of casual intimacy. Of a bond where Izzy was the murderer, the brawn. The dangerous right hand. Where Izzy dying meant not just his death, but likely that of Ed. Given the man's constant depressive moods, crews that didn't like him, and reoccurring suicidal tendencies. Ed didn't need Izzy Hands anymore. Ed had Stede now. He was ready to finally leave Izzy for good. What will Izzy Hands do now?

He gave up. He tried to move on. He listened after being told he was too rough, too loud, too mean. He tried. He tried to survive this new way of life surrounded by people who supported him. But he was tired. After so many years of putting up a mask, tearing it down was too much work. So he wanted to die. In the end. Izzy died in the arms of Edward surrounded by his family.

Buried on a plot of land Jenkins has already told us Stede and Ed will leave when things get boring. Left behind like the corpse of a pet the family has forgotten. Buried without his ring and cravat, items Izzy is only seen without when he's naked. Without the prosthetic gifted to him by a family that cared about him.

Izzy wasn't mourned for more than five seconds, before Stede and Ed were making jokes on his fresh grave, and then the episode moves on to a wedding.

RIP Izzy Hands- a man who loved more than he was ever loved in return.

Was this the right message? FUCK No. But for those of us who believed that theme of queer survival and community- We saw framing Izzy's death like this as a fucking betrayl.

Izzy Hands isn't buried with his most prized possessions- they're left out to be stolen or rot in the front yard. With only one man crying over his death and a silent funeral. He leaves this world without more than a 'he was intense'. Which...isn't great coming from the man Izzy loved for most of his life.

The reason why we're mad about Izzy isn't that it's Izzy. It's that when we boarded this flight we were given a set of rules to follow. It's a comedy about men falling in love on a boat that sometimes gets serious. That's it. To watch a character start to grow only to die for NO PLOT SPECIFIC REASON. Is insulting. If your death has no tie to the narrative (sacrifice or it comes with a revelation) it's a death just set up for shock. Izzy and Ed could have had that deathbed confession talk at the start of episode 7.

A REASON WHY I'M MAD BEYOND THAT SPECIFICALLY. [Very Personal Gripe]

A SALUTE TO CON O'NEILL -AGAIN!

I had the privilege of hyper-fixating on this show from the entirety of S1 ending to S2 beginning. During this time I explored the catalog of Con O'Neill's work on Tumblr under the tag 'Conography'. I watched this man play queer roles since the 1990s. Genderqueer/somewhere on the Trans spectrum, Gay, Bi. This man loves to play a queer story, even if it's sad. If it's tragic. He will breathe new life into their lungs and express their moments of Joy. Of love. Of community.

After the filming of S2 at a con, Con he felt comfortable publicly coming out due to the love and support he felt from our fandom. Do you know JUST how crazy that is? That Con KNEW Izzy was dead, yet he loved our fandom so much he let himself be vulnerable, and come out as queer? It's fucking INSANE to me, and shows just how much this show means to him.

He's not just Queer. He's a Queer fucking elder whose been protective of this entire community since S1. This 57-year-old man has proudly stood up in the name of Trans rights this entire time. Treating everyone, but especially Trans Izzy fans with so much fucking respect. Trans Izzy is a common headcanon partially because of how comfortable people feel knowing they won't get harassed because they interpret Izzy a certain way. That trans people feel at home seeing themselves as a misunderstood character with a chip on their shoulder.

I'm pissed for every in universe thing listed above AND NOW THIS. Because our Queer Elders are dead. There is a generation of Queer people we can never get back. They died from a mix of society pressuring these people into the closet or an early grave. Of disease running wild in communities unchecked. Of media ruining the careers of anyone who dared to come out. To see Con O'Neill So Fucking Happy and having it cut short because Jenkins thought Izzy was better dead than being an actual background character makes me see fucking red.

No. Jenkins probably didn't know Con was Queer when writing S2. But I'm assuming he still saw how happy Con was at Izzy fans before S2 was written which still makes it feel shitty.

Sure. Give Izzy all the amazing speeches about family and belonging and rip that right from his hands as soon as Izzy realizes it's something he might want for himself. Let's have Con O'Neill say all the prominent lines that are a blatant metaphor for why the Queer community needs to stick together.

Izzy's arc isn't just overshadowing the conversation because it was mismanaged and feels unplanned, it also just feels cruel to the central arc of this series. Add that to an actor who was so vocal about loving this community, it feels pointed to give him a tragic ending.

Jenkins doesn't need to consider why people hated this finale. Because there are SO MANY Ed/Stede fans who just don't care. They put Izzy in the box with every other side character and decided to put their effort into the protagonists and point and laugh when we suffer. Jenkins won't rethink anything because he can just say the 'Izzy community was passionate and are sad their favorite died'. Ignoring how this season made Stede into a shittier, less sympathetic captain and gave Ed an interesting arc only to give up before the finish line.

[here-there-everyfuckenwhere]

Okay no hate to Heartstopper and the people who like it at all, but I don’t think I’ll ever watch it. Like yes it’s an important show and I understand why it’s so important and so loved but I seriously just can’t be bothered with all this twee baby gay shit about “””””coming out””””” in high school. I want to see old gays going on adventures and committing atrocious acts of violence.

[lumiilys]

Should I be brave and go to a local con on my own?

[ofmdee]

gifs 🔞

this is why i need to learn to stop writing scenes before i do the animations, because i've written stede riding the hell out of ed, but then this animation came on random and i was like oh..... ohhhhhhhh heck 🥵

so i think ed's gonna take over halfway and mount stede instead which is great and all but now i gotta rewrite stuff 😂

as always, i have a whole series about these guys on ao3 😉

[nyxronomicon]

Trick or treat!🦇🎃🍬 What are your monster thoughts on Choso?

Ooh I have a lot of them!!

Firstly I really liked thinking about him as a water nymph, I think it suits his personality. It makes me want to put him in a Cthulhu-esque tentacle monster... Like idk maybe it's just the tentacle kink but I can totally see him in a goth little pirate outfit growing tentacles out of his back you know??

Also not to werewolf all my blorbos but god he would make such an adorable werewolf... He'd be so cuddly and affectionate and protective! And then when he goes into heat... 🥵🥵 Omg he's wagging his tail when you get home...... So cute omg I'm gonna cry

Send me an ask with trick or treat & your blorbo and I'll turn them into a monster 🖤

[bougiebutchbitch]

every time I see a take that flattens Ed's character into this boring perfect angel who can do no wrong and has 0 agency because literally every choice he makes is determined by the actions of white men, I add another sentence to my stories where he's a sympathetic, complex and multifaceted trauma victim - but also an abuser who made terrible mistakes of his own volition, who seriously hurt people he cares about and left them traumatised, who feels crushed beneath the terrifying hypermasculine persona he built for himself (which he is still figuring out how to escape/incorporate into his new self/define himself around). A desperate, affection-starved, suicidal man who struggles hugely with his mental health, who deserves a loving support system (just not from his victims unless they want to be a part of it), who can grow and change and do better, who can work on himself and explore himself and find love and happiness.

but y'know, maybe I'm the one who 'hates his character' lmaoooo

[thisis-an-original-name]

i know that season 3 is going to be the last season and I’m totally cool with that but it would be so funny if our main man Neil kept releasing short stories or minisodes for the sole purpose of keeping the Angel/demon trend going. Season 1 set up Aziraphale and Crowley. Season 2 was Gabriel and Beelzebub’s turn. Next season? Michael and Dagon. After that…. Uhhh fuck it (sound of Neil spinning a wheel) Hastur and Sandalphon. After that, uhhh… Muriel and Eric the Disposable Demon?? Shax and Uriel because they’re both the fucking worst.

I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL I GET TO WATCH METATRON MAKE OUT WITH SATAN

[saltpepperbeard]

Yuri on ice 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

WE WERE BORN TO MAKE HISTORRRRRRYYY

[alexwilltellyouthings]

Ok I have so many thoughts about painland ending up canon or not and I. Just.

Listen I AGREE that their bond goes beyond being romantic or not. It's obvious, it's beautiful, I love it and I love them and their friendship and I truly do think it is important that media has this kind of relationship portrayed.

But.

But.

I would be lying if I said I wouldn't be disappointed if it doesn't turn romantic. It involves a lot of things.

1: I want Edwin to have that. He'll still be happy without it, yes, but god can't he have that? He's been through so much. He had a speedrun through his sexuality issues and confessed in hell. Like wtf. Can't he have that???

2. Bisexual Charles would actually be so important to me. And yeah he can be bi and not in love with Edwin but come on lol. The thing is, there's not many bi men in media. Even less bi men figuring out their bisexuality. Even less bi men figuring out their sexuality when they were raised in the 80s and knowing their best friend is in love. Do you see how many layers exist here? How amazing his story could be? Charles has so much we still don't know about him. And yes, I would like that one of those things could be something I relate to. Besides trauma. Call me selfish. And like he's so bisexual coded it would be offensive for him to be straight I'm sorry.

3. They exist in other universes. Let them be platonic there. Let them be romantic this one time.

4. I know falling in love with a straight person is a very common story and I don't think it's wrong for it to happen in a show, but honestly, it's not what I sign up for when I'm watching queer stuff. Think Our Flag Means Death. It probably changed my brain chemistry because anything less than that gets really hard to swallow. I know, we all have queerbaiting trauma, and I know this wouldn't be the case, and it never claimed to be something as queer as OFMD. But I got so attached that... Well, I wouldn't stop watching if this happens, but it wouldn't sit well with me. It's a bitter feeling, you know?

5. They didn't have anything be explicit, but come on, they did set us up. Charles got jealous at Monty, and only Monty, for that matter. I wouldn't say his thing with the Cat King is necessarily jealousy, more like protectiveness, but that can be disputable. And both George and Jayden said more than once that Charles' response to the confession let things open. So I mean if that door wasn't closed, then please don't close it now! The road until things happen can be long, dramatic, tortuous, whatever, there's many ways to tell a love story. But if I'm sitting for it, then I don't want to get shot in the face later on (unless it's for plot reasons which ok).

6. Have I mentioned that bisexual Charles

Anyway I feel kinda bad for wishing so much they get romantic because I see and agree with the whole platonic discourse. But yeah those are all the reasons why I can't stop myself. Have a good day everyone

[batsarebetterthanpeople]

also while I'm making posts about the Stucky poll I've learned that Stuckies are under the impression that Taika would not have been able to make OFMD popular like that if he wasn't The Thor Director, so the MCU made him which. Lol, lmao even. Flight of the Conchords made him in Aotearoa and What We Do In The Shadows made him in the world. Disney doesn't just go to New Zealand and pick up random nobody directors off the fuckin street. He was a popular director in New Zealand and he teamed up with some of his work buddies from FOTC and made a mockumentary about vampires who are roommates which got picked up for a TV series in the US and he became a household name. He's half way to an EGOT and it wasn't Thor that got him those awards it was fucking Jojo Rabbit. Did Thor improve his career significantly? yes. Could he have leveraged an HBO original series with only WWDITS, Jojo Rabbit, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy, Reservation Dogs, and Flight of the Conchords under his belt? Yes absolutely he could have that's still academy award winner Taika Fuckin Waititi.

[allthinky]

Ed Won't Hurt Stede

I've been thinking about this since I first started reading "fix-it" fics last summer. There is one school of thought about Ed's "Kraken era," that he is so angry at Stede for leaving him on that dock, and that if Stede comes back and tries to reconcile, Ed will try to hurt or kill him.

At first I was happy to just enjoy the drama (and pathos) of it all, but eventually it dawned on me that this is a really fucked up narrative.

I am an academic, do some gender analysis on occasion, and one thing that's pretty much a rule is that if a woman wants to leave a hetero relationship, she gets to do that. So many women are killed by their partners, or ex-partners, because the man in the hetero pairing just cannot stand to be left alone, cannot stand his "wife" or whatever showing that kind of autonomy. He owns her, he tells her what's acceptable, etc.

I'm obviously gonna keep this short, and overly simplistic, but it struck me just how awful it would be if Ed (Blackbeard, the Kraken) assaulted Stede when Stede returns. Yes, Stede's not a woman, and yes, these are pirate-y contexts where violence does a lot of communicative work (LOL). But fuck it. I know we get Olu suggesting that Ed will murder Stede, and Stede is clueless and the thing gets played a bit for laughs. (That's a "Friends" call out? I wouldn't know.)

If we know one thing, it's that Ed and Stede love each other. They don't always know it themselves, but we get to know this as the audience. I don't know whether Ed will want to hurt Stede in the show, to express his anger and hurt that way. But I hope he doesn't.

Ed didn't take up violence as his tool in response to Stede's disappearance until the confrontation with Izzy. Shoving Lucius overboard and marooning the Crew were horrible, but are maybe the pirate equivalent of avoiding your ex's friends after a break up. And, of course, the only way he can maintain his Blackbeard persona, which seems like his only choice in the aftermath of the Izzy confrontation.

But "punishing" Stede for leaving him (which, we know, is not really what Stede did but Ed certainly assumes that it's what happened) is the epitome of ugly, toxic, patriarchal, masculine bullshit that I think Jenkins &Co. are trying to critique.

A lover/partner who leaves their lover/partner should not be punished, despite the fact that it's a kind of betrayal. And here's hoping that however Ed and Stede reunite, OFMD will make that as clear as possible, on the way to making us laugh and cry some more.