[Image: Digital art of Ed and Stede from Our Flag Means Death. Stede is looking forward with a contented expression, holding a cup of tea. Next to him Ed is leaning forward and looking at Stede fondly. End ID]
ofmd ship name should be steddie. i’ll tell you why.
it’s not blackbeard in the relationship. after the kiss, he wants to be known as edward, ed. the crew call him eddie, right before izzy breaks him back into the kraken, right when izzy turns everything that should be seen as open and welcoming, a kind touch, into things that are to be hated, into something mocking.
that’s the last straw for izzy. “his name is captain, or blackbeard!”. no, it’s not. ed himself corrects that.
a theme of the show is finding yourself, creating something worth keeping, something you can hold onto, something of value, being allowed to be who you are without threat. having steady support, not hate and violence forcing you into things that aren’t sustainable, things that wear you down, not fickle and mocking that sounds polite but offers only pain.
