I think it’s worth exploring that in Our Flag Means Death, there are specific tethers to toxic masculinity.
For Ed, that’s clearly Izzy and Calico Jack, whose adoration and support is conditional on Ed playing his role as Blackbeard.
To Stede, it’s his childhood bullies– his father, the twins– all of them dead.
And the inverse seems to not hold.
Stede was expected to fill his role by his social subordinates– Mary and initially his crew– to the point of them attempting violence against him. But their expectations barely seem to nudge him. The drastic actions are always accompanied by the voices of those childhood bullies.
Ed’s father influences him still, but it seems more that Ed is haunted more by the act of murdering his father than by the man himself. The dead can’t harm him. It’s Izzy and Jack who have that power over him, and who keep dragging him back to the mire of his own violence and away from healing.
And I think that has something to do with their healing: Stede could escape his bullies and build a community of love and support around himself, even bringing Mary and her community into it to aid him. But Ed keeps Izzy close and welcomes Jack with open arms. They build him up even as they tear him down, and he knows it. But their acceptance is intoxicating.
ok I’ve been avoiding saying this for a bit cuz I didn’t wanna ruin anyone’s fun and I love the whole “ed tries to kill stede when he returns in s2 via dramatic gay swordfight” as much as the next girl but the thing is that I REALLY don’t think there’s gonna be this whole deal about ed being furious with stede and unable to forgive him like I really don’t think that’s where this is going. stay with me on this one please <3
This is just me but I also hope in season two that Izzy has a small backstory and continues to be the antagonist. I think we all notice how the villains in shows or movies often get sympathisized by some fans and honestly, it’s tiring. Like just let villains/ antagonist be the antagonist without having to excuse them. Yes, we can sympathize and understand why they’re the person of who they are now, but to go through such lengths to excuse their wrong-doings is a lot. Or go through such measures to want the antagonist a redemption arc like Zuko.
Like no, Izzy should lie in the bed that made for a while longer. I want to see him plot many downfalls on Stede just to fail in the end. I pray the revenge crew + Ivan & fang successfully throw his ass overboard. Or do a vicious evil laugh when stede and ed are fighting each other, he’s thinking ed put an end to stede but it’s the opposite. Instead, he watches ed just grab stede by his shirt and kiss him roughly because of how much he missed him and fall into a complete heartbreak.
It’s coming off as cruel towards izzy but the man brought it on himself when he didn’t disclose to stede that his boss was the legendary blackbeard. It was over from that point on.
With all those husbands and you mean to tell me that Spanish Jackie never considered a wife? Not one?
We all know a percent of them are washed up or dead. I just hope if we get a season two, Jackie wanna get her a wife who’s a badass like her or a softie. It’s only right ya know.
And how ironic that both relationships consist of a big, long-haired, bulky man with a dark past and a plump, understanding, caring tiny man as they could just melt into each other’s arms but life sucks and unfair so now they’re dealing with a breakup/ distance from each other.
Hey everyone, It’s been a while. I have gotten the Pirate brain rot XD And am running a short KS for OFMD Blackbeard flag pins! (And free sticker pack) Follow the link below if you wanna pledge. And I’m mainly on my Instagram now! Check there for updates (And all the art I’ve mad)
“Some of us are tryin’ to bask in the light of the Celestial Temple!”
[Image description Runabout from Star Trek about to enter the Bajoran wormhole. Buttons from Our Flag Means Death is on top of the runabout naked with his arms outstretched]
Still thinking on a title but, this print will be included! In addition to the usual Open Edition standard sizes (8x10", 5x7") I’ll be offering a run of ✨Limited Edition✨ 11x14" prints as well! These are the size of the real-life artwork and I’m delighted with how they came out. More details to come on other things included in the update, I’ve got one original artwork that’s making it’s print debut in open and limited editions as well, and am going to try and finish a few more things this week. - Patreon|Etsy|Instagram
Ed and Stede are the embodiment of the “looks like he could kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll” and “looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you” trope.
