#and it's to a GOOD HAPPY PLACE WITH STEDE BY HIS SIDE

[serpentarius]

I'm on my S1 OFMD rewatch before I dive back into S2, and I'm only now realizing something.

So, we can pretty much all agree that Ed's transformation into the Kraken by the end of Episode 10 (and leading into 2x01) is an intense one, especially considering he's only known Stede for a few weeks. (I know the descent into detached violence is primarily egged on by Izzy, but for all intents and purposes, the pivotal trigger is Stede leaving Ed.)

Here's the thing though. Ed's depression and subsequent spiral into the Kraken isn't just about Stede the person. It's about all the things Stede represents.

Sure, Ed's fallen hard for Stede. And for any of us who have gone through a particularly hard-hitting breakup (or been ghosted by someone we really liked), we can easily understand the deep heartache. But there's so much more to it than just Ed's feelings for him.

When we first meet Ed in Episode 4, he's already at wit's end. He's fed up with life and searching for a new purpose. He's already reached legendary status as Blackbeard, so of course the question is: what's next? He even toys with the idea of dying ("Haven't done that before, have I?"), and actively acknowledges that his physical presence on a ship has become obsolete. Just the name and flag alone instil the fear of God into other sailors/pirates. And at this point in Season 1, it doesn't even seem like Ed's super keen on pillaging and plundering, except for when he and his crew get to go into teaching mode when they're showing Stede's crew how to raid. But even that scene goes to show that he only enjoys it when there's some larger purpose at play.

Ed wants to be known for more than the reputation that's currently out in the world. ("Is this what they think I look like? Fucking viking vampire clown with.... nine guns all over him?" & "I'm a ghost. There's no chaos, there's no drama, there's no fuckin' life!")

He's itching to be more than this. He doesn't want to be a ghost, or the "shell of a man" that Izzy later accuses him of being.

And Stede—Stede is the person who sees something more in him. Who allows him to be softer and sillier. A human; not the larger-than-life Mad Devil Pyrate Blackbeard. Ed feels seen, perhaps for the first time in his life. And he proceeds to spend a glorious, genuinely happy few weeks with Stede.

So then cut to 1x10 when Ed's staring into the flame of the candle, eating marmalade in his blanket fort and crying while wrapped in Stede's robe. He sees everything he's lost. He was on the cusp of something new, a chance to break free from the Blackbeard persona - but it was ripped away in an instant, ripped away before he even had a real chance to explore this path.

He desperately wanted to distance himself from Blackbeard, from the Kraken, and thought Stede was his ticket to this happier future. One filled with excitement (and warmth, and good food, and possibly even orgasms). Ed told Stede that the last few weeks were the most fun he'd had in ages, years, maybe ever. And now it's all gone; and he's mourning the loss of that hope.

Where does he go from here?

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Too often, OFMD metas have to focus on proving Ed's in pain or suffering so we can actually talk about his feelings. There's a startling sympathy gap in this fandom when it comes to him, but it makes me sad sometimes that I see more of Ed hurting than I do of him thriving, especially since this is a show so much about queer joy. So, fuck it, happy Ed Teach appreciation post!

When he's having a good time, he's so bouncy!

The best thing we got out of s2 was seeing him smile without the beard, because so often his smiles are so sweet and shy!

Look at the absolutely lovesick way he looks at Stede when Stede can't even see him. Like five minutes after he'd been so mad at him.

At the end of the season, Ed's come so far! He's getting to actually plan out a future for himself, with his boyfriend by his side.

Look at their smiles when he tells Stede he loves him! He's so happy and relieved!

I love how he ends this season compared to how he felt at the start. He looks so calm and happy and peaceful as he and Stede talk about their new place - they both know they're talking about them. They're fixer-uppers, the pair of them. But the bones are good. Their relationship has a strong foundation.

Ed had a rough time at the start of this season! It was so heartbreaking! But he's in a much better place by the end. He's made so much progress towards unlearning some of the awful things he's been told and believed about himself, and he's looking forward to building a life together with the man he loves. He's happy and he fucking deserves it.

[beansprean]

Izzyhuahua is the most insanely accurate characterization yet. Thank you @batsarebetterthanpeople for your post.

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Ed, in a modern black tee shirt and jeans, walks in a door that dings when he opens it. He has a square shaped cloth shoulder bag strapped over his chest that is decorated with skulls and embroidered with "Izzy" at the top. Popping up from inside is a dark brown long haired Chihuahua with white on his muzzle, spots on his head that look like angry eyebrows, and a spot on his cheek that looks like an x. 1b. Ed from the back as he holds up dog Izzy with both hands, saying, "you're gonna have to sedate him." Lucius, dressed as a vet tech in peach scrubs and a red kerchief, holds out his hands to take him with a smirk, responding dismissively, "Haha, don't worry! Dr. Bonnet can handle this little guy." Izzy growls softly. 1c. 10 minutes later. Lucius reappears, hair missed, clothes torn, and a bloody bandage around his left pointer finger. He holds out a form on a clipboard and says, "Yeah, we're gonna need to sedate him."

2a. Close up on Stede, dressed in teal scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck, on a bubbly yellow background. He looks up, eyes widening and cheeks turning red, mouth soft as he fumbles through an introduction, "Hello, I'm Dr. ...uh.... Stede..." 2b. Reverse close up of Ed in a similar state, staring lovestruck and blushing as he responds dazedly, "...Ed..." 2c. Close up on Izzy as he furiously launches himself upwards, growling and snarling! Offscreen, Ed screams, "Ahh, fuck, Izzy, no!!" and Stede shrieks, "Oh God!!" and calls for Lucius.

3a. Later, Izzy is now out cold on an examination table, snoring and tongue sticking out but somehow still looking angry. Text nearby points to him and says "extra extra drugs". Ed and Stede stand on either side of the table, Ed gently petting Izzy's back with a smile as he explains, "He has a lot of separation anxiety... I'd just like him to stop biting people, haha." Stede, arms crossed, looks down skeptically at the dog and just replies, "Right." He thinks to himself, 'Diagnosis: complete asshole.' 3b. Ed looks down, blushing a bit, and continues, "Makes dating kinda tough, heh." Stede immediately perks up but tries to keep it casual, looking everywhere but Ed and sweating at his temple. "oh?" he ventures carefully. "You're single, then?" Ed sighs, replying, "Yeah. Iz here has run off my last two boyfriends." 3c. Ed looks up at the ceiling, playing ignorance, and taps his chin facetiously, wondering aloud, "But maybe if I found someone good with animals...who understood-" Stede, looking sweaty and panicked, interrupts him at top volume with "Do you want to have dinner with me?!" 3d. Stede drops his tomato red face into his hands, mumbling, "I'm sorry, that was so unprofessional..." Ed just beams at him from the other side of the table, clearly having gotten the invite he was fishing for. On the table, Izzy starts to twitch and wake, one angry eye cracking open.

4a. Stede and Ed on a black leather loveseat in Ed's home, mismatched candles the only source of light on either side of them and music drifting sensuously from a speaker. Both are clearly dressed for a date, Stede in a button up and khakis and Ed in a purple henley and gray trousers. They are leaning close, knees interlaced, Ed's hand on Stede's thigh and the other cupping his cheek, Stede with one hand stretched on the back of the couch and the other expertly cupping a wine glass. Their faces are an inch apart, eyes closed, about to have their first kiss. 4b. There is a happy "yip!" as Izzy suddenly jumps up into Ed's lap and places his little paws on his chest, breaking the moment and causing Ed and Stede to jerk back from each other in surprise. 4c. Ed laughs and wraps his hands around the little dog, hearts floating up as he coos, "Aww, Izzy! Did you need some attention?" Unnoticed by Ed, Izzy turns to look at Stede over his shoulder to aim what can only be called a triumphant smirk at him. Stede jerks in surprise and looks immediately offended and angry. /end ID

[lightbluetown]

looking back, i'm still really happy with izzy's death. a lot of different opinions have been floating around and, hey, this is mine. hell, his death is one of the main reasons i love this season so much

because season 2 is about ed reclaiming his own identity. he has to become the worst version of blackbeard in order to eventually become the best version of ed. ever since the very beginning he's been yearning for blackbeard's death. yet "blackbeard" isn't just ed's dark side-- it's a two-man-team with ed as the face and izzy holding the reins

in his final moments, izzy admits that he saw the façade of "blackbeard" as a shelter for his relationship with ed. a place where he was guaranteed to have control, where someone would always need him. he did everything in his power to protect "blackbeard" so that nothing could get in between what he had with ed

but "blackbeard" was always a ticking time bomb. not only did izzy not listen to ed, he didn't let ed listen to his own self. he used ed's weaknesses to serve his own interests. it was just a loop of izzy hurting ed and ed hurting him back, but izzy desperately needed to maintain this. it was all he had

and here's my favorite detail in this scene: right after he says this line is when stede comes back on deck. the weird fancy man who came out of nowhere and freed ed from the shackles of "blackbeard", who inadvertently destroyed izzy's world, silently walks in the background as izzy says:

he sees it now. as he told stede at jackie'z, he sees that stede is good for ed and that they balance each other out. he sees that loving stede is the best thing that's happened to ed. the darkness in ed that created "blackbeard" died during the storm and ed slowly started finding himself thanks to stede. sure, their relationship is awkward, but it's looking promising. izzy doesn't have a "blackbeard" to guard or to guide anymore. as he lets death drag him away, he's happy to take the last bit of "blackbeard" with him so ed can be completely free. having received so much love from his new family aboard the revenge, izzy is able to give ed and stede his blessing. it's a beautiful declaration of acceptance, repentance and encouragement

izzy, as a character, serves ed, who himself isn't even the main protagonist. for a supporting character to have an entire season build up to his death, all while allowing him to grow into the most comfortable and confident man he's ever been... getting to have closure and make amends... in my opinion, that's the greatest honor

[follows-the-bees]

Stede's journey wasn't centered on finding (romantic) love at the beginning. He set out to find himself, to find a community. (And it's beautiful that he gets that.)

But along the way he finds not only a best friend, but the love of his life: in that same person. Stede's journey is a blatant queer allegory: a man who has never fit into society, who is treated poorly for not fitting into *pick your societal norm*, who finds himself through community, fixing some of his past relations, but also discovering his sexuality: gay and demisexual.

Ed's journey is also about finding himself. About leaving a life that doesn't make him happy anymore and he too along the ways finds the love of his life.

Their journey together is about finding that person who gets them down to their neurons, first as a friends, then as a lover. Their journey is of being in love for the first time and all that that entails.

I mentioned above that Stede's sexuality can be read as demisexual; there are many beats along the way in canon that I think make this a strong read.

But I want to talk about the read of Ed as demiromantic. And this is just an interpretation, not canon fact.

We see that sex on the ship is casual. "Non-stop knocking ship." And we see that Ed is no stranger to sex. The marks on his skin during the stabbing skin alluding to past "stabbings."

But there's also an underlying touch-starved intimacy; he wants to be held by Stede so badly, that he gets him to stab him.

We see in the next season, stabbing as sexual again between Mary and Anne. But we also see that underlying loving affection between them later. The stabbing is also tied to emotion with these two couples.

We see more of the emotional intimacy between Ed and Stede, their friendship leading to a more emotional connection with the bathtub scene. Ed opens up to someone for the first time and then gets intimate physical touch, even getting more of it by placing his forehead on Stede's hand.

In the gravy basket Ed asks for the most basic of things to survive. And it's honestly sad when you remember that he is fighting to live, he wants to live, but he only gives himself the basics of it. Warmth, good food, and intercourse — with orgasms. This qualifier makes it clear that Ed has had unsatisfying sex. Him looking for emotional connections fits into the reason, especially since his entire journey is about emotional intimacy.

This episode with Anne and Mary is what really started to cement the Ed is demiromantic reading for me (again not canon, just an interpretation.) Ed and Stede are very private about their romantic/sexual lives. (Can I also take a sidenote to talk about how it's a breath of fresh air that their relationship is based on friendship!)

I know it's prevalent to say that Ed fell at the on-start but I don't think that's quite true. He was fascinated by Stede. Someone new and interesting and they connected emotionally right away, two sides of the same coin. Their friendship is what truly ties them together before their romantic relationships and certainly before sexual.

They both push back when anyone tries to bring up the sexual side of their relationship. Ed states "our private lives are our private lives" to his old friends Anne and Mary, which yes is funny, but is also very telling that Ed doesn't want to talk about those things. Stede is special, Ed is older, this thing between them is more than just idle gossip about sex lives between friends. When Spanish Jackie brings up the Swede as a "jackhammer," Ed also has an opportunity to bring up Stede if he wanted to chat, but he doesn't cause "our private lives our private lives."

This happens a third time when Izzy unceremoniously opens the curtains the morning after. Stede responds as he normally does to Izzy: offended, Ed looks annoyed but not surprised, since this has been established — Izzy getting into personally spaces — from the beginning.

After Ed and Stede are reunited, under the moonlight, the biggest time in season one we really see Ed looking at Stede with pure emotional vulnerability on his face, they kiss again. And Ed stops it, wanting to take it slow. I think this moment also adds to demiromantic Ed! He gets to hold hands, cuddle, talk about his day, both their days with each other. Cuddles and talks, romance and intimacy over sexual at this stage in their relationship.

Overall, Ed and Stede's relationship is built on their friendship. They like each other. They love each other. And I think both can be read as ace: Stede as demisexual and Ed as demiromantic.

Ed wanting emotional connection, romance his entire life, but just like the fine things, not thinking it's for him, that he gets that, only to find out he does! He gets to have romance! He gets to hold hands just to hold hands. He gets to take it slow without judgement! He gets to have sex with romance! And that man is going to be romanced! Good for him!

Their connection and journeys about being emotionally vulnerable with each other, being able to grow close with one another is beautiful.

If you disagree with this reading, cool. The amazing thing about this show is that sexuality is left open. Is Ed gay or bi? You decide! Is Frenchie ace? That's my reading! It's all up to interpretation.

[londonspirit]

Our Flag Means Death’s season-two finale has it all. There’s a declaration of true love between our favorite criminals, Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Ed, a.k.a. Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). There’s also a heartbreaking death (RIP, Con O’Neill’s Izzy Hands), a pirate wedding that ends with the words “You are now officially mateys,” and some big-time fight scenes. “Mermen” packs a tight punch in only 30 minutes. The episode is both thrilling and satisfying, so even if Max makes the grave mistake of not renewing the series, fans will feel closure in a way that they didn’t with season one’s sendoff. And Our Flag Means Death creator David Jenkins already has some fun ideas brewing for a third season (and beyond!). The A.V. Club spoke to Jenkins about his plans to evolve Ed and Stede’s relationship, potential spin-offs, and how everyone on the show is handling its passionate fanbase.

The A.V. Club: First of all, how dare you kill Izzy Hands? Was that always the plan when you mapped out season two? 

David Jenkins: [Laughs] Yes. I felt that Izzy had reached a point where he broke through a lot of his major patterns. It was fun to give him a season where he got to do everything and where Con O’Neill got to do everything. Well, I won’t say everything, because Con can do light years beyond what I think he can do, and I do think he can do anything. We wanted to show the depth of that character. Izzy is one of my favorites. He’s like middle management who is in a sort of love triangle [in season one]. He got his wish at the end of the first season by breaking up his boss and his boss’ lover. He got punished as a result, and he had to come out on the other side, which felt like a good journey.

AVC: Despite everything that happens in season two, including Izzy’s death, the finale ends on a happy note with Ed and Stede living together. Why was it important for you to show that?

DJ: Season one ends on such a tough note for them. As you said, after what they’ve been through, they should get a moment of happiness. I won’t say however fleeting. They are going to have challenges ahead. They’re both not the most mature yet. I think that’s the fun of it, to leave them in a place where it’s a good kind of stasis. They’ve sent the kids off in the car, so to speak, and now they’re going to have to really grow if they’re going to start an inn. It won’t be easy, but I like that they’re going to try.

AVC: “Mermen” has all the elements necessary for a season finale. Did you partly add all that as a way to provide closure in case this is the end for OFMD?

JD: What’s important to understand is that you never even know if you’re going to get a second season. Maybe if you get picked up for two right away, and even then, but especially right now, who knows? I think with season one’s end, it was a gamble to leave it the way it was. Everybody stomached through it. Now if it turned out they didn’t want us to make more, I just didn’t want to have another story where the same-sex love story ends in tragedy, unrequited love, or if one or both of them are being punished.

AVC: I actually love that about Our Flag Means Death. It reminds me of Schitt’s Creek in a way because the love story just exists and is perfect; there’s no questioning it as right or wrong.

JD: That’s such a nice compliment because I also think Schitt’s Creekdoes that really well.

AVC: You’ve previously said you want Our Flag to have only three seasons. Is that still true or do you feel like the show has scope to continue beyond that?

JD: I feel like Stede and Blackbeard’s story is a three-season story, but the world of the show could go beyond that. It’s a really rich world with so many stories to tell and really good performers to tell it. I do want to see how Ed and Stede become a mature couple in the next season. They’re a couple who is like in their late twenties right now as opposed to being teens at the end of season one.

AVC: So if OFMD continues in some other form, are there characters you’d like to focus more on or other historical references you’d like to include?

JD: Yeah, a lot, because it’s such a rich ensemble. How do you not want to see more of Joel Fry, Samson Kayo, Ewen Bremner, Nathan Foad, or Vico Ortiz? Any one of them could carry their own show. It’s fun to think about that and the storylines we can do with them, mixing and matching all our characters. Vico is incredible, for example, and I especially love watching them in an action sequence. This is a weird comparison, but there’s a Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver vibe they put out. I’m such a fan of what they do.

AVC: You also really like parallels and coming full circle as a storyteller.

JD: Yeah, I do.I knew I wanted to start season two in the Republic of Pirates and end by coming back there. Stede goes on an amazing journey between the episodes. He’s thrown out of there initially, but then he comes back as a hero. I like the symmetry of that. And then the Republic of Pirates gets destroyed; it dies. It’s not just Izzy; it’s the place too. It was important to have a home, this stronghold for everyone, be destroyed. But the characters are not crushed. They’re going to try to move on.

AVC: One of season two’s new characters is Zheng Yi Sao, played by Ruibo Qian, who quickly becomes an integral part of the crew. What was the casting process like for her?

JD: Ruibo is an amazing find. One of our incredible casting directors, Cindy Tolan, she had Ruibo in mind immediately for that part by the time it got to her. And we had looked and looked before talking to Cindy. Ruibo has her own fascinating story because apparently, she had a couple of strong premonitions that she’s going to play Zheng Yi Sao. She had a modern take on the part without it being strained. She’s incredible. She’s a trained theater actor with a lot of chops. She has to go toe-to-toe with Taika and Rhys. She did it with such grace.

AVC: Season two takes Blackbeard on an interesting turn of denouncing being a pirate. But in the finale, it’s almost like he’s reborn as one, especially with that gorgeous shot of him coming out of the water. What was the thought process behind this arc?

JD: Thank you. Blackbeard is a guy in recovery when he comes back to the ship when he’s wearing the jumpsuit. He’s trying to hang on and find some kind of footing. Who is he if he’s not a pirate? Meanwhile, Stede is on his way up and wants to experience the rockstar life of a pirate, while Ed as Blackbeard is over it. It was an interesting tension of, which one gives up their dream? A lot of times in relationships questions can come up, like who is going to give up on their dream to take care of the kids? Obviously, no one wants to, but someone ends up giving up more than they want to at some point. What’s wonderful about a mature romance, and what I’d want to see more of in season three, is Ed and Stede making these tough decisions.

AVC: Stede and Ed’s relationship has led to a passionate, vocal fandom, which you didn’t have as you were writing season one. While working on season two, how did you avoid doing fan service and focus on meaningful storytelling?

JD: I never anticipated the strong reaction to season one. It’s incredible it happened. Everybody is buoyed by it in the cast, crew, and the writers’ room. To be perceived on that level with such enthusiasm makes us want to make more of it. A lot of the things the fans love are not different from things the writers love. We are fans of the show. We’re writing fanfic, but it’s called fic when we write it. The big thing for us is to make sure we’re writing beats for the characters that feel true and have moments where all of us go, “Ooooh, we have to do this.” If the beats stay true, it won’t feel like we’re simply pandering.

AVC: How do you break down those beats for Ed and Stede’s relationship as they go from wanting to take it slow to sleeping with each other this season? And where do they go next?

JD: It’s challenging with them because most rom-coms end with couples getting together. They don’t then stay with them and say, “We’re together now, but it’s turbulent; how is that going to work out?” We thought, “Okay, let’s look at our relationships in the room. What have we encountered? Who’s been dumped? Who has had to forgive somebody?” These questions were fun for the second season. I think for the third, it would [be], “Okay, who’s had a relationship for over 10 years? What things do you have to work on?” It’s fun to watch two people like Ed and Stede go through this experience.

[avastyetwats]

I've Got You

@izzyeffinhands

Gone again.

Stede lets out a quiet sigh upon finding an empty bed inside of Izzy's quarters, but the Captain isn't surprised. Israel Hands was not the type to stay in bed even when ordered. Even when it was what he needed after having been shot. The first several days that followed he had no choice but to stay in bed, but now that he was able to move about, he made sure to move. Far too much than he was allowed to and should, Stede thought with another sigh before he turned and exited the room, determined to find his First Mate and make sure he was alright.

Because with his injury, overdoing it was still a high possibility. Exhausting himself to the point of collapsing, causing the wound to come open with enough strenuous activity (though it was healing beautifully, thankfully), and causing himself so much pain he couldn't even make it back to bed. All of those possibilities filled Stede's mind and filled his gut with dread and fear. He'd almost lost the man he came to respect and care for and he didn't want to go through that again.

More importantly, he didn't want Izzy to go through that again.

The crew had done an incredible job taking care of him and though Stede was captain, he was often found helping take care of Izzy in whatever way he could. Checking in on him, helping to change his bandages, even annoying the man with a story or two while he sat in bed, but there was one night where Izzy admitted to enjoying Stede's company and that made him feel good...happy, really. Very happy.

Because he enjoyed Izzy's company just as much. He found himself wanting to be around him more, wanting to be close, in the same way he once wanted to be near Ed... especially seeing a softer, kinder side of Izzy.

Perhaps a part of it was also because he had saved Stede's life. The gun had been aimed for him, but Izzy took the hit. He got injured because of Stede... could have died because of him, or so he felt and so Stede wanted to do everything he could to help him in return.

But having nearly lost Izzy...

Stede has to take in a deep breath to stop himself from becoming emotional about it again. He's alive. He's here. He's okay. That's what matters.

Along with finding him and convincing him to rest and Stede had just the thing in mind for him. He'd be taking care of Izzy tonight, had it all planned out and everything.

Thankfully it hadn't taken the Captain long to find him. In fact, it was the first place Stede looked - at the front of the ship with the still headless unicorn statue. It seemed to be one of Izzy's favorite spots, Stede came to notice. Their current unicorn with the ship's former.

"Ah, here you are!" Stede exclaims, announcing his presence so he doesn't startle the other. "Had feeling you'd be out here when I went to your room and, surprise, found it empty." His words sound like a scold, and in a way they are, but there's also a bit of playful sass to them. "I know you don't want to hear this, Izzy, but you really should come in and rest. You've been moving around since this morning and I think it's time to come tuck it in. Come with me, hm?"

There's concern in his voice, and in his eyes, as he looks over the man perched on the side. Stede's eyes look him down and up as though making sure he's well and tonight, well... he just really wants to take care of him. Because Stede knows this hasn't been just physically tough on Izzy, but emotionally and mentally as well.

[iris-in-the-rain]

Stede's father's associate is getting married and his father has made him come to the wedding. As long as he behaves and doesn't bring shame on the family. Stede tries to put his foot down about not going, but when that doesn't work he insists on bringing his best friend, Ed Teach. Bonnet Sr hates him, but eventually relents, but warns Stede that if either him and Ed do anything that embarreses him, there'll be hell to pay.

Stede is worried, but Ed promises him everything will be okay. The wedding takes place at a picturesque resort, with a lake and woods around it. If anything happens, Ed says, we will stage an escape.

'Stede, trust me. It'll be okay.'

And Stede does trust him.

The wedding goes okay, but afterwards, Bonnet Sr tries to parade Stede around, taking him away from Ed. Stede is becoming increasingly unhappy and uncomfortable, so when he temporarily breaks off from his father's company, Ed pounces, and they go outside.

They wander into the early night, sun just setting and they just keep walking. Stede is silent. Ed turns to him.

'Hey, you okay?'

Stede lets out a shaky breath.

'I hate it, Ed. I hate it.'

Ed takes his hand and gives it a sqeeze, silently urging him to continue.

'I hate this job, all of it. He parades me around like I'm some kind of a trophy, and not even a good one at that. He thinks I want the company, but he doesn't accept me as I am. He just wants me because I'm his only son, but he never wanted me, you know?' Ed knows very well. He's quite familiar with elder Bonnet's cruel ways.

'I don't know what to do, Ed!' Stede's eyes start to glisten.

'I know, Stede. I know. I'm on your side, always. You know that, right?'

That earns him a timid smile.

'I just wish I was better at this.' Stede sighs into his hand, the other one still clasped with Ed's.

'You are better. At this. Than this. I know you'll figure it out. Stede Bonnet is the best guy I know!'

Stede laughs then sobers again.

'Thank you for coming with me. You didn't have to. I'm sorry he's such an ass to you.'

'Stede, it's okay. I wanted to come with you. And we got some free food and booze out of it!'

They keep walking, when Stede suddenly stops. Ed follows suit and then they're staring at a big trampoline. Ed raises his eyebrows.

photo: mine

'Yeah?'

Stede smiles wistfully.

'You know, I always wanted to. I saw one once when I was a child. I really wanted to go on it, but my father slapped me and said that no son of his would behave in such a way. That it's unbecoming. God knows what he'd say now.'

Ed grins.

'Come on then!'

Stede stares back in disbelief.

'Ed, we can't!'

'Why not?'

'I'm... it's... I'm not...'

'Did you ever end up going on one?'

'Well no...'

'We're doing it, come on!'

Ed's smile is so earnest now that Stede just can't say no to him. He never could. He lets himself be pulled towards the trampoline and they both climb in, wobbling and Stede giggles, as he barely avoids toppling over and pulling Ed with him. His best friend looks at him with unbridled joy in his eyes and Stede knows his own face reflects the same.

'Ready?'

Stede grabs Ed's other hand and they stand facing each other.

'Now I am.'

They start jumping, slowly at first, until Stede feels his legs lifting him higher and higher and Ed's hair frame his face as he laughs and Stede laughs, too and he's never felt so happy and so free and he knows that he doesn't want to do this, any of this, without Ed.

And he needs to tell him.

He slows down, but the imbalance pulls him to the bottom of the trampoline and Ed falls with him. Then Stede is on his back and looking into the night sky, face flushed and breathing hard and next to him Ed is grinning.

'This was so fun!'

'Right??' Ed turns to him and they just look at each other for a few moments, as they catch their breath.

'Happy looks good on you, you know'

Stede rolls over to face him, and then Ed leans in, and Stede's eyes flutter closed, but then some loud whooping noises from the direction of the wedding venue startle them both. Ed clears his throat and starts to pull away, the joy on his face fading, and no, Stede can't have that. He came here against his better judgement, unhappy and quite honestly, terrified. And then Ed, his lovely, patient best friend, Ed, came with him and made things okay.

And he loves him. Oh, he loves him! Here he is, 2 months until his 46th birthday, wearing a tux, lying on a trampoline in the middle of nowhere, and he's never had more fun in his life. All because of the man next to him. He reaches his hand up to Ed's cheek and gently scratches through his beard.

'Hey'

Ed smiles.

'Hey'

'I think I want to do more of what makes Stede happy.'

Ed's voice drops to a whisper.

'And what makes Stede happy?'

The kiss is gentle, almost a ghost of a kiss, but it feels like coming home, like an exhale, a relief that you're finally okay. Like a promise of tomorrow that you want to be a part of.

Ed is very much okay with that answer.

[camillescreations]

FINAL PART of my ofmd season 2 teaser analysis!

The last thing I want to talk about before I get into my predictions for the order of events is the constant "Ed wants to murder Stede" imagery and dialogue. We get Olu asking Stede "Do you think Blackbeard's gonna murder you?" And several other hints, like the knife throwing shot

And this shot, where it's clearly meant to represent Ed pointing a gun at Stede (near his heart?)

And then we get this shot of Ed holding the groom cake topper and saying "Fuck you, Stede Bonnet."

So clearly, there's some serious tension on Ed's side. I don't think their reunion is going to go very smoothly, at least at first. But I don't think it'll go bad in the end, as it's super clear Ed still loves Stede. Like, a lot. He's just mad at him for breaking his heart.

And, I'll add, while we are getting all of these hostile vibes from Ed, on Stede's end, there's NOTHING but love. He says he loves being near Ed, breathing the same air as him, he's always thinking about him (okay poet go off). Stede is so smitten and it's so heartbreaking and adorable at the same time.

Okay! On to my very loose prediction for a possible order of events, simply based on this trailer and the images Vanity Fair released.

So we will likely open with Olu looking through his telescope, spotting Stede approaching. They all reunite, and Stede asks where Ed and everyone else is. They explain what Ed did, and then Stede decides that they're all getting off the island and finding the Revenge. I'm guessing they all row away in stedes little boat (is it big enough for all of them?). They go to the nearest land mass, and end up on an island. I'm thinking this is the place where this picture is from.

And we get the scene of Stede grabbing the Wanted poster, telling his crew that Ed isn't a bad guy, etc. I'm guessing it's here that Stede asks around for information on Blackbeards' whereabouts. Maybe Stede doesn't find anything out, so he assumes Ed could be sailing to China, like they discussed on the beach. So they're off to China. But before that, there's a scene of Stede throwing his message in a bottle into the ocean. Also, my guess is that he wrote the note on the back of the wanted poster. Maybe he crossed some things off on the other side, like crossed out all the bad stuff and rewrote good stuff. All sappy-like.

Then, I'm guessing still in the first episode, maybe the beginning of the second, we see our first scene of Ed's crew. It starts with the wedding scene, and then we cut to Ed saying "objection" and the chaos ensues. Ed grabs the cake toppers and then later on we have the scene of Ed placing his painted bride topper next to the Stede one. Also maybe when he says to the stede topper "fuck you Stede Bonnet," he'll throw it overboard? That would be another symbolism of "Ed is gonna try and kill Stede, or at least he feels like he wants to in the moment." We can get a nice ominous shot of the topper sinking into the murky ocean.

So Stede's group is on their way to China, and stop at the floating market maybe? And maybe thats where they meet Anne Bonny. Not sure how that will go down. But later on they arrive at China, somewhere along the way meet Susan, and we get the scene of Olu asking Stede if Blackbeard will murder him, and also we'll get Stede's crew in their Chinese outfits. Also probably the scene with Buttons and the Chinese pirates.

What I'm wondering about this image in particular is what are they so surprised/happy about? They are probably seeing a familiar face(s). If it's the crew of Ed's Revenge, this could be where they all find each other again (without Ed, because he's on a beach somewhere). Or maybe it's just Lucius somehow?

So at some point in the middle of all this we might cut to the knife throwing scene with Ed and Izzy, and then maybe after the big storm will hit. That will throw Ed overboard, and the Revenge will be left without a captain once more. Izzy will be very concerned and determined to find Edward, but maybe he will unwittingly lead the crew back to Stede's group in the process?

Okay so once everyone is reunited, Izzy isn't on great terms with Stede, but he could use his help finding Ed, so they form an alliance. Stede gets his ship back, and they are on their way to find Ed. Along the way, we see the "I did a punch!" scene, I'm guessing that happens because the Revenge stormed another vessel? And Izzy agrees to train Stede, hence the sword scene with the candles. Maybe they're training for an upcoming battle? The Vanity Fair article did mention that two armies would be present during the season, one side being Chinese pirates and the other side being navy officers.

And of course we will get scenes of Ed on the beach, having to fend for himself. His makeup will be gone and his beard will have grown a bit longer, which is how we know a bit of time has passed. I wonder if Ed's time on the island will be good or bad for him. Maybe the isolation and time to think, and cool off, will allow him to warm back up to Stede? This could lead to him finding the message in a bottle, too. It would be a pretty funny coincidence.

So I'm thinking that Stede and Ed reuniting happens after a few episodes, maybe episode 4? It would parallel the first season, as Ed didn't show up until episode 3/4. And there's some animosity at first, but they still love each other, so they make up again. Hopefully with that "major romantic moment" Vanity Fair mentioned! And then there will be a build up to the final battle.

And then there's this image, where Ed is wearing Buttons' jacket and sitting next to Spanish Jackie, who looks to be dressed up.

This seems like a potentially sweet scene. Ed has no makeup, his beard is longer (like this photo)

So its obviously later in the season, and he appears to be staring at something/someone lovingly. I'm guessing he's looking at Stede, and this is near the end of the season where everything has calmed down and the whole crew is having fun. Maybe they're finally doing their talent show?

Then of course we have the "Izzy loves Edward" plot line that will surely tug at our heartstrings. I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out!

Ok, so that's all I've got at the moment. Feel free to tell me your thoughts/predictions in the comments! Here's hoping we get a full length trailer before October so I can analyze some more!

[asoulwithadream]

ANALysis and THEORIES- OFMD EDITION #1

Objective: PROMO GIFS

Time to analyse these bad boys, because I think I may have figured out what they are. They're lines from the show. Each individual little subtext to the official gifs are something which someone will say in the new season, and I'm determined to find out what, when, where and who (I determine that 3/4 would equal success).

I) "I've never seen Blackbeard like this."

This is the same shot from the trailer, possibly either before or after the infamous "Fuck you, Stede Bonnet." However, there may be a Clue in the second shot which may be able to somehow place this on a timeline (not by myself—this has drained my powers). I can't really tell, because of the low quality and high contrasting shadows, whether or not the side of the Stede topper has been smudged with Ed's make-up yet.

It was clear in the teaser when Ed played with the toppers that he'd caressed fake-Stede against his cheek as if he were some rather exquisite cashmere because of the smudges, but we couldn't tell during the teaser if this has already happened by this point because of the angle of the toy. But if anyone manages to get a better picture or spots something I missed that may contradict or strengthen this little thought, do let me know.

I'm pretty sure though that the person who says "I've never seen Blackbeard like this," is someone who has seen Blackbeard enough to know how he was. Someone that perhaps served by his side? So I think that the speaker in this context may be Izzy. There are two options of who he's saying this too: either Stede, once they team up, or to the crew of the Queen Anne's Revenge, this being the old Revenge crew (Frenchie, Jim, and we count Fang). Maybe even Lucius in the walls.

II) "I should have just told him how I feel."

I just want to take a moment just to appreciate the fact how much this gif resonated with me personally. This was the entire basis of all stages of grief I went through after the season finale, the bottomline of all my thoughts: "why couldn't he have just told him how he felt?". Brilliant delivery and shot planning from the designers of OFMD.

Anyways, let's get on with it. This gif is similar to the first one, in it having the potential of being also shot before or after the Vanity Fair picture with the crew (minus Swede) standing under the bridge(?) in the rain. I do think it's before the scene where Stede takes Blackbeard's poster and very confidently elaborates on Ed's goodness. He has his red cravat on, and is looking so pathetic in the rain looking at a wanted poster of his ex-boyfriend, that the scene is loveably laughable in it's entirety.

It's a bit obvious as to who is the speaker for this line: our very own Stede Bonnet. He's regretting on his actions back at the sailor academy, where he chose to keep quiet about his own opinions on Ed's willingness to leave to China, fast, because of his own deep-rooted issues with speaking up about what he thinks about serious, possibly life-chaning topics. Or maybe he's thinking of why he didn't tell anyone, especially not Ed, about the happiness he felt around him, how great he felt in his company, and how much love he felt for the man.

I can imagine this pretty early on in the season (as we know they reconcile or at least get a long decently early, from the leaked promo), and for some reason I have a picture of Stede laying slumped down on some form of furniture, ragdoll-style, whining about this to someone he knows: either Oluwande (probably the most probably option) or, hear me out, Spanish Jackie. I think she's going to become better friends with the Genital Pirate this season, and be a prevelant character to the narrative.

III) "Feel's like a storm's coming."

This happens during the rapid, quick scenes which we were just able to catch from the teaser. Where Jim is half submerged in water trying their best to reach for someone which I may think might be Ed, and Frenchie working the capstan for whatever purposes needed to hoist something heavy in a storm (don't look at me, I don't sail 18th-century ships). But look, Edward has his cravat on, the cravat given to him by Stede. Why he's kept this eludes me, since this should in theory be before their reconciliation, but we all know that Ed still loves Stede, and perhaps this is his way to hang onto him close to his heart while still matching his new aesthetic.

I would like to think that Ed is the one saying this. After all, he is an expert navigator and weatherman, proving his skills during his first appearances in the previous season. (However, I don't particularly trust his date-keeping skills. He messed up the first one, and then let his other date be held at gunpoint and scared into leaving. Tut tut tut) Another reason as to why I think this is because there is no pronoun indicating that he actively feels the storm, but more passed as a backhanded quip just thrown onto the crew and/or Izzy to alert them.

This could also be interpreted as a metaphor: symbolism for something, foreshadowing to the main plot or villain of the series, which will most likely result in some form of cliffhanger at the end, I tell you that.

I wonder if they're going to have another cloud scene though, talking about how they might show signs of storm. However, instead of shape I'd assume that they'd be commenting on a rather large-scale, dark rain-cloud, and connecting it to perhaps winds stronger than usual.

I also saw someone saying that it was possible that Edward, when he falls off the ship, looses the cravat amongst the waves, and that is why he doesn't have it to what I'd assume is after this scene.

IV) I love a good pirate's tale We can see from this scene that Stede is currently fighting on the beach in the same outfit which he had during the teaser, and if one looks closely you can see that he's excellently accessorised with a beautiful looped earring. However, what we've also learn is that the shot where Ed washes up on the beach is probably in the same scene as this, and by the look on Stede's face (probably augmented by the surrounding chaos) this may be the first time that he's seen Ed in a long time.

I think, as I've said before in previous posts, that Ed has been thrown off the ship in the storm mentioned above. He's been thrown off, and has happened to wash up on this same beach where Stede is fighting, which we know to be possible because of the automatic gaydar in OFMD. (What would be funny though is that he spotted Stede off the shore and decided to make his entrance super dramatic and kraken-like, but ends up just swallowing a shit ton of sea-water and gets his leather ruined, which is why he gets new clothes.)

Why he's fighting? I don't know. But I'm still sure that it's Ocracoke that they're on, because I'm convinced that it'll make an appearance this season—it has too, or else I will send in a formal complaint with our dearest Mr Jenkins.

Now, back to the main bit. The text. Who is it that says "I love a good pirate's tale?" I think that it's either said genuinely, but by someone like Stede, eager to hear about the adventures of experienced and famous seafaring pirates, OR flirtatiously, to insinuate something directed as a romantic quip to get Stede or someone else (a pirate) to talk more about himself. By who, I can't be sure, but I have a list of possible speakers:

Edward Teach

Spanish Jackie

Anne Bonny

Anne Bonny's campy friend

Lucius Spriggs

Stede Bonnet

If there's anything I've missed that you want me to add/change, which I find suitable, do tell.

I'm not sick at all. I'm a normal functioning member of society. I have a life.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Got a 1k fic prompt over on ao3 about Stede getting worried about Ed and shaking him awake in the night to make sure he's okay and Ed reassuring Stede that he's okay and not going anywhere! Just the sweet thing I needed to write about right now. 💕

I'm still taking prompts to write 1k word fics about! If you need to read about something sweet or healing right now, don't be afraid to ask!

--

Alright, yeah, Ed shouldn’t have snapped.

But he was kind of at the end of his fucking rope. They’d been living at their new place - “the inn,” they called it, even though it was slowly just starting to look like a regular house built for two - for about a week, and Ed hadn’t had a single full night’s sleep the entire fucking time.

The problem was this: Stede kept shaking him awake.

Every night.

Ed loved sharing a bed with Stede, mostly. He loved cuddling with him, waking up in his arms, feeling Stede all around him. He loved how their bed smelled like both of them, how he felt so safe.

But every night, right about as soon as Ed was finally getting some good, deep sleep, Stede kept shaking him awake.

Ed wouldn’t mind Stede waking him up, if there was some real reason. He’d be happy for Stede to wake him up even if he was just feeling a little lonely and needed someone to talk to.

Every time, though, Stede looked frantic as he was shaking Ed awake, but then he’d kind of sigh and pretend that he hadn’t just looked scared half out of his mind, and Ed would be left frustrated and exhausted. 

And Stede wouldn’t fucking tell him why.

The sleep deprivation was finally getting to him, because that morning Stede had commented that he looked tired as Ed was stumbling blearily through their kitchen, and Ed had snapped back, “and whose fucking fault is that, Stede?”

Stede had looked like Ed had just punched him in the gut.

That was the frustrating thing, Ed thought, as he took a quick walk around the edge of the garden Stede was plotting out in their front yard. He couldn’t stay mad, not really. He knew Stede was keeping something from him, but he just didn’t have it in him to even maintain a state of any real annoyance, because Stede was obviously worried sick about something.

He just wished Stede would share it with him. Wasn’t that supposed to be part of your partner’s job, to share the weight when something worried you?

Ed went back inside, and apologized, and Stede promised to stop shaking him awake at night.

“I just wish you’d tell me why,” Ed said.

Stede’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m just being stupid, you don’t have to worry about it.”

That night, Ed got a blissful full night’s sleep, but Stede still looked tired in the morning.

Ed wasn’t terribly surprised - Stede had slept that night with his head on Ed’s chest at what seemed like a bit of an uncomfortable angle. 

The days passed, and Ed was able to sleep through the nights, and he felt better than he had in years.

He still didn’t think Stede was sleeping very well, though. He didn’t sleep with his head on Ed’s chest at that uncomfortable-looking angle every night, but he always kept his hand, at least, on Ed’s chest, or on the side of Ed’s neck, right under his jaw. Ed didn’t mind it, he loved nothing more than a good cuddle with Stede, but it didn’t quite match Stede’s usual cuddling style (which seemed to be mostly centered around using Ed as a weighted blanket).

Then, one night, Ed realized that the strange angle Stede slept at, with his head pillowed on Ed’s chest, put his ear right directly over Ed’s heart, and he got it.

Ed didn’t want to scare him, but in the interest of checking his theory, he took in a breath and held it.

Stede had seemed like he was almost asleep, so it took him a moment to notice, but the second he realized Ed’s chest wasn’t moving, he darted upright, frantically shaking Ed’s shoulders.

“Ed? Ed, are you-” Stede sighed, loud and relieved, when Ed sat up, grabbing for his hands. “Thank God, Ed!”

“Were you making sure I was still breathing?”

Stede’s eyes widened, and his mouth opened and shut a couple times.

“Do you think I’m just about to drop dead, man?” Before Stede could start getting cagey, Ed took his hands, pressing Stede’s palm over Ed’s heart. “I’m okay, Stede, but please, man, just talk to me.”

Stede let out a little frustrated sigh. “You’ll think I’m just being stupid-”

“Will not,” Ed promised. “Never.”

“Do you remember that time you died?” Stede pressed his mouth into a line, a sure-fire sign he was trying very hard not to cry. “You were gone. I thought I lost you. And I get so scared, thinking that I might just wake up and you’ll be gone.”

A few tears spilled over, and Stede scrubbed a frustrated hand across his cheeks.

“I just get so worried I can’t stand it,” Stede went on. “I can’t lose you, not right after I just found you, not now that we’re together.”

“Aw, babe, c’mere.” Ed held out his arms in invitation, and Stede threw himself into them, letting Ed pull him close to his chest. “I’m not going anywhere, I promise. You’ve got me for good. No getting rid of me. Already threw away the receipt.”

Stede huffed out a little watery laugh, and Ed kissed his forehead. 

“What can I do to help?” Ed asked gently. “Aside from letting you shake me awake every two minutes, that was not fuckin’ sustainable.”

“I am sorry about that,” Stede said. “Maybe just…is it okay if I always touch you while we sleep? Just so I can know you’re alright?”

“Of course,” Ed promised. “You can touch me all you like.”

That got him a fond eye roll, and Ed laughed, leaning in for a sweet kiss.

They fell asleep that night with their fingers laced together and resting on Ed’s chest, right over his heart.

And, yeah, Ed didn’t blame Stede for being jumpy. But he hoped they could both look forward to waking up like this together, for the rest of their forever.

[bakasara]

oh, they are Addams couples. Aziraphale and Crowley, and Ed and Stede, are both a flavor of Addams-type couple. Hear me out--

We tend to associate Stede and Aziraphale, and Ed and Crowley, right?

Aesthetically, you have Stede and Aziraphale both looking like posh Blonde White Man Who's Trouble, while Crowley and Ed both got the Edgy Goth aesthetic going on.

By character traits/narrative role, Aziraphale and Stede are the Covert Bastard who can and will be a bitch; they have both long dealt with living in oppressive systems by way of painful compromises and self-repression, always teetering on the edge of desertion and, sooner or later, called to make a choice to disavow those systems for good.

Crowley and Ed are these brilliant and vibrant minds frustrated by hurt, both betrayed in life by a social system outside their control that cast them down without a choice; they take a Flint-style "this ends when I forgive the system, not the other way around" approach to it in that they openly shun the system back, but the original rejection and its cascading effects still left them traumatized and fragile around the matter.

(Then there's all four of these characters being soooo dramatic and such a Theater-Kid-type person, so they all have that in common.)

However, there is a place where the parallels switch, bringing Stede and Crowley far closer on one side, and Aziraphale and Ed closer on the other. And it has to do with the fact that in both these couples there's a character whose job often tends to be Beach, just Beach Husband, just Husband, opposing the other character who's prone to going into High Maintenance Diva / Mermaid With Melancholy modes.

Aziraphale is quite capable of taking care of himself, but he'll literally fold his arms and play princess in the castle waiting for Crowely to rescue him, because Enrichment. He'll do it in life-or-discorporation situations, like when he's about to get guillotined. He'll do it with minor inconveniences - like with the paintball stain, where it's obscenely obvious he's just waiting to be indulged, wants the satisfaction of seeing that Crowley will treat him. He'll pretend he was reading when Crowley comes back from an argument and make Crowley ring a bell to get his attention. "Pleeease, Crowley, do the bullet catch with me even though you've never used a rifle". "Let me take the Bentley while you look after the bookshop". Et cetera. And Crowley takes to all this like a bee to honey. Follows him around the neighborhood, indulges his every caprice, dreams of Alone Time at the Ritz where they can just treat themselves to brunch and, I guess, where he can watch Aziraphale eat some more, which is his idea of this Absolutely Great Activity that just makes his day.

Ed will lean on the helm and sigh like he's Ariel, yes, but it's more than that. Painting the bride cake topper in kajal to look like him sits at the (narratively fucking ingenious) intersection of "I'm making it me because I'm never there, it's never me" and "I'd really like for once for someone to treat me like I'm precious and worthy of pampering" which reflect feelings we've known about since the beginning of s1, at least since he touched the piece of cashmere in Stede's cabin. He also genuinely swings fast between energized/manic and low energy/feelings of hopelessness, and his brain goes Faster Than Yours, and he gets genius-slash-crazy ideas on the reg. When he needed to call to all of his strength he imagined it as a giant sea creature with huge, all-encompassing arms. Florence Welch Big God Behavior. It's a big personality, and you're either enamored with it or not, you're either happy to follow him around basking in it, or you're not strong enough a suitor to his heart and should abandon pursuit. But luckily Stede's also a crazy maniac whose life goal is riding or dying for that in his Boyfriend Era until he can ride or die for that in his Faithful and Realized Husband Era.

So yeah, there's a lot to the dynamic between these duos - more than this, don't get me wrong! - but I'm VERY appreciative of this facet of them that gets all tongue-in-cheek kinda

[winterrain-11]

Our Flag Means Death 2.08 Spoilers Ahead

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Okay so. Let’s talk about Izzy’s death because as much as I’ve tried to give some of you the benefit of the doubt, some of you are projecting a bit too hard onto Izzy to understand how perfect this narrative was for him.

And before I get into it I’d like to preface that, yes, of course the season is rushed, the finale is rushed, the pacing is off. That is not the fault of David Jenkins or Taika or anyone else on set — it is budget cuts and it is HBO’s decision to provide them with a slot of only eight 30 minute episodes and little to no promise of a season 3. A lot of people’s issues with the finale and Izzy’s death are due to how rushed it was, the crew’s lack of mourning, Izzy’s character development not being fleshed out enough. Those are all valid things to be upset about, but we have to remember that production gave us all they could with what they had. Would you have rather had full fleshed out episodes but got the show canceled on a heart-breaking cliffhanger? Not like season one where there were less stakes and a good chance for season 2, but a full cancelation rather than, albeit very rushed, a happy ending in a world of sad queer endings??

Now that that’s out of the way, Izzy’s death narratively was so well done. As a writer, and from a writer’s perspective who, I remind you, created these characters and knows what they mean to the story and their place in said story, Izzy is there to represent part of our main protagonist (at least, for season 2), Ed. So is Stede in a way as well, but Izzy is a representation of piracy and the toxic parts of it. Izzy WAS, in a way, Blackbeard, they state this in the show. Stede, is the part of Edward that is Ed — the part of him that wants to be loved and live a fulfilling life.

A lot of people are mad about Izzy being “just a symbol”, and I don’t think that’s right at all. Yes, his character was a symbol for the toxicity of piracy and Ed’s abusive relationship with it and himself, because that’s how good writing works, but that’s not all Izzy is and season 2 showed us that. Izzy spent the entire season learning that he, even though he was a pirate and represented all of these bad things about piracy, doesn’t have to adhere to these toxic things anymore; he doesn’t have to be Blackbeard or need Blackbeard just as Ed doesn’t need to be Blackbeard. He spent this season learning now to love. And yes, of course we all wish he had more time to go on that journey, but with the time we had that journey was well spent and conveyed what it needed to.

Izzy is a beautifully fucked-up and complex character. Though it sucks to accept, he was written to die. He was written to be the part of Ed that kept him from loving himself and accept love and Izzy being gone allows him to do that. At the end of the day, Ed is the protagonist, the story is written in his favor for his hero’s journey, especially in season two. Izzy, thought deeply beloved, is a side character whose main hall narratively is to assist in the hero’s journey. And guys, he gave us SO MUCH! The fact that we all loved Izzy so much shows how well he was written, how so many people went from hating him to loving him in season 2 (myself included) because they gave him a character arc! They didn’t need to give him a redemption to fulfill his part in the story, but they DID!! Frankly, I think they could have done MUCH worse, but they gave Izzy a goodbye, closure, reconciliation with Ed, and let him die happy. He died happy, guys. All he wanted was for Ed to be happy, for them to both escape Blackbeard, and he dies happy knowing that he’s escaped Blackbeard and now Ed will too, because Stede has provided Ed that escape.

In this season, Izzy was shown real love for the first time in his life. And he died surrounded by the people that he loved and those whom loved him so much back. He’s ‘their dick’, their unicorn. He said earlier this season, “we’re born alone and we die alone.” But he didn’t. Against all odds he didn’t. Izzy lived his life and he went out HAPPY. Buried and mourned by the people who loved him which is so rare for a pirate.

I love you guys, I love this fandom, but you aren’t Izzy Hands, David isn’t targeting you directly by killing Izzy — it isn’t bury your gays, it isn’t queerbaiting — it’s writing. We can’t punish writers and directors for writing what they saw what best for their characters, THEIR characters. Not yours. You can love and cherish a character without them having the perfect ending.

I know I’m going to get a lot of hate for this and called a lot of bad names, but it needed to be said. Oh, and by the way — I’m queer. I have abandonment and attachment issues and I DEEPLY relate to Izzy. I am SO devestated about his death but I understand it narratively and I am content. I was a destiel shipper, I’m obsessed with good omens. I’ve been queerbaited so many times before and Our Flag Means Death is not that. This show has given us so much, and just because your favorite guy died doesn’t mean the writers are evil and homophobic and burying their gays. Lets think critically, guys.

[finethingswellworn]

So my two favorite shows are being discussed in conjunction with each other and now I'm trying to figure out why the ending to Good Omens 2 has left me significantly more distraught than Our Flag Means Death.

They ended in similar places, after all. And Our Flag went much, much darker with it's main character's breakdown. (Lucius going over the side and the toe scene, anyone?) So... why did Good Omens completely wreck me, then?

Both shows have comedic and dramatic elements. Both end on a somber note, with our beloved leads separated and pining. Both shows have a critical lack of communication and a tragic misunderstanding between the two partners where one (or both) assume what the other wants or is feeling, directly leading to their falling out.

Well, I think it's because the conflict between Aziraphale and Crowley is so much deeper and more irrevocable than that of Stede and Ed. Or it feels that way.

Stede doesn't fully realized his love for Ed, not until he's separated from him, until Mary describes what it's like. And then he finally gets it. Immediately he comes up with a scheme to get himself declared dead so that by the end of the season, we, the audience, as well as Stede know that there's no more ties to his old life keeping him. He's free to pursue Ed and win his love and trust back again. I've written on here a lot about the complications they're going to have settling into their life together. It's going to be a long, rocky road. I am ABSOLUTELY NOT trying to minimize that. It most certainly will be. And a painful one, too, more than likely.

But between Stede's realization of his newfound love and Ed's miserable tears at the end of ep10, the viewer knows that it's only a matter of time before Stede tracks Ed down and makes his true feelings known. And only a matter of time before Ed forgives him.

But the sting in the Good Omens finale isn't that our two main characters are or ever were unsure of how the other feels about them. It's clear to me that they've known at least since 1941, even if they've had ups and downs since then. The care, the devotion, the love is not really what's in question here and that makes it a million times more difficult to resolve because there's no easy assurances either of them can give to mend the breach. It's that they have reached an insurmountable impasse as to how they can be together.

Good Omens fans have said for a long, long time that Aziraphale and Crowley FEEL married. And i see their issues in season 2 as the culmination of many, many things left unsaid and unresolved for so long that they "inevitably end in a (metaphorical) divorce. It's the constant push/pull of tension lying just below the surface of their relationship that neither really want to face head on.

And it's so utterly gut-wrenching because we are essentially witnessing two beings who love each other more than anything else in the universe watch each other make choices that they believe will ruin them and their relationship and there's nothing either of them can do to change the other's mind. Seeing loved ones make terrible choices and being unable to stop them is one of the most painful fucking things in the universe. Knowing that they will be unhappy, knowing that they will suffer, knowing that if they would only reach out you would be right there to help them but also knowing that it's far, far too late to help now... knowing that they would refuse your help even if you confront them about the danger they are in... that's what that ending was.

And both Crowley and Aziraphale feel that way.

Of course, Aziraphale thinks Crowley has needlessly chosen to damn himself and their relationship and doomed himself to be unhappy for ever. And Aziraphale remembers how happy Crowley was as an angel. Why is he purposefully choosing unhappiness when it's wholly unnecessary? He's watching the love of his existence condemn himself a second time. It's devastating to him.

But Crowley knows the truth about heaven and the angels. He also knows just how unhappy Aziraphale will be in heaven. And he's helpless to stop him from going. He can't and won't force him to stay. He never has and never will. He waits. He always, always waits, watches from afar as the other angels mistreat his angel over and over and over. And he doesn't understand. He's so, so angry that Aziraphale would go back to them but there's nothing he can do. Not anymore.

How can you love someone so much and still misunderstand them so fundamentally after so very long? How can two beings want the exact same thing and still hurt each other? How can ideology and indoctrination so effectively manage to drive a wedge between two people who have one-hundred percent trust in each other? How is that possible?

Those are the questions Good Omens Season 2 asks.

And it doesn't give us any answers to these questions. Not yet. Because true love is not enough in this case. A confession from either party is not enough. Both characters knowing how they feel is not enough and accepting it is not enough.

So what would be enough? What could fix this? I honestly don’t know. 

That's why it hits so hard.

So, even though Good Omens will probably end with the Ineffables happily living together (I can't see it ending any other way,) there is a distinct lack of hope or optimism for the future in the season 2 ending that Our Flag somehow manages to retain.

[goayda]

After the Party

This was supposed to be a short Stizzy drabble, a sequel to my already short fic about Izzy's birthday (link here), but it got a bit out of hand. Anyway, I just wanted to prove everybody that the fic was Stizzy, as I said. Because it was. It was just too subtle, it's not as if it was all in my head and I forgot to actually write it into the story *coughs*

So Stizzy fic, set right after 'Happy Birthday, Izzy'. As usual, no warnings needed.

----

When the party was finally over Stede helped Izzy to carry all his presents to his room.

Just as they reached the door, Stede smiled and leaned down to kiss him thoroughly and Izzy, who had been waiting the whole party to do just that, returned the kiss with as much enthusiasm.

Izzy was grateful to Stede for understanding he wasn’t ready to show affection in front of the crew, even though he was mostly sure they all already knew about them. Still, whenever he spent the night in the captain’s cabin Izzy kept going back to his room before dawn, but he wasn’t completely sure why he did it. To keep appearances in front of the crew? Or to keep pretending this was still a casual arrangement between two lonely men?

They eventually broke apart for air and then finally walked into Izzy’s room. Once inside Izzy truly noticed for the first time that the place was quite small, something that Stede had complained about many times before, but until then Izzy had always disregarded his comments without giving them much thought.

He had never needed much space since he had never owned many things that were important enough to be kept around. Actually, having his own room was a privilege that he had only earned after many years of fighting and surviving at the sea by Edward’s side and it was a luxury that not many had so it shouldn’t matter if it wasn’t too big, he thought.

Now, after taking a look around he felt the place was a bit… crowded. The problem was not only the presents he had got that day, it was the many things that had somehow made their way into his room in the last months.

There was a shaving kit on the table beside the basin, with a razor and brush that were ridiculously ornate, but the blade was good and it was something that Stede had proudly chosen for him from the spoils of their first successful raid so he had kept it. They were useful things after all.

Above these, on the wall there was a mirror, bigger than Izzy would need, but Wee John had given it to him with a wink and well, his mirror had already a crack on it so Izzy guessed there was no point in waiting until it would break completely and then rush to find a new one so he had accepted it with a nod.

On the shelf, aside from his usual tools for sharpening the blades and the ointments Roach had given him to help when his stump hurt, now there were a few books he had borrowed from Stede’s new and slowly growing library. He had said Izzy could pick any of them to read, even though he had insisted the lighting in Izzy’s room couldn’t be very good and that he was more than welcome to do some reading in the captain’s quarters any time he wanted. Izzy had eventually borrowed one or two, or well, maybe three or four, and somehow he had forgotten to give back some of them.

Pete had added some wooden hooks to the wall by the door where he could hang his clothes instead of dropping them on the only chair in the room every night, but the chair wasn’t empty either since there was a big spare blanket neatly folded on it because Stede had complained that Izzy only having a thin, old rag in his room was ridiculous and had given the first mate the softest blanket he had ever seen. It was usually there on the chair, because really Izzy was doing just fine with his old blanket, but occasionally, when Stede decided to stay the night, they would wrap themselves in it, mostly so neither of them would fall off the tiny bed during the night.

There were other things around, Izzy noticed, and there weren’t many places where he could put the presents so he simply let them drop unceremoniously on the bed, but Stede, who was carrying the sword still wrapped in the silk ribbon, stood in the middle of the room looking around with a frown.

“I thought you could hang the sword on your wall, but I don’t see where exactly,” he said. “This place is really cramped.”

So Stede had realized it was a decorative sword, Izzy thought with relief. The man was doing much better lately, but sometimes he still showed a shocking lack of skills for a pirate that Izzy thought was quite dangerous.

“Maybe-maybe you could, I don’t know, move to a bigger room,” Stede added.

That was said in a nonchalant tone that was almost convincing, but Izzy’s eyes had immediately noticed the tightness on his jaw and the way Stede was clearly avoiding making eye-contact with him at any cost.

“Actually, there’s plenty of room on the walls of my cabin to hang your present,” Stede said then. “And the bed is much bigger anyway…”

Stede finally turned to look straight at him and Izzy could notice the blush slowly turning his cheeks a light shade of pink.

Stede simply looked at him and waited, but Izzy could only stare back at him, still trying to wrap his head around those words. Stede was asking him to live in the captain’s quarters, that much was clear, but Izzy’s shocked mind apparently couldn’t move past that thought.

Stede started fidgeting with the ribbon under Izzy’s blank stare. He bit his lower lip nervously, still waiting, but eventually he cleared his throat and averted his gaze again.

“But this place is nice too, of course. You don’t have to move if you don’t want to,” Stede said, deflating. “It was just an idea.”

He hesitated for a moment and then left the sword carefully on the table and when he turned around to look at Izzy again he was clearly struggling to keep a smile on his face. He didn’t look angry, though, he looked just sad, and that, Izzy realized, was much worse.

“I’ll think about it,” Izzy heard himself saying.

And he meant it. He was too old and too stubborn to jump blindly into new things and they both knew it, but he wasn’t as scared of showing his feelings as he once was. Or so he hoped.

Stede’s smile broadened and Izzy let out a sigh of relief.

“Of course, dear, take the time you need,” Stede said softly. “There’s no rush.”

Stede’s expression was caring and honest and Izzy started thinking that it was probably going to be the easiest decision of his life. But that wasn’t going to happen that night, because it was still his birthday and he was going to allow himself to be greedy.

Izzy smiled at Stede, grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down for a kiss. And then another one. And then another one…

[avastyetwats]

The Place Where We Began

The Bell and Anchor Tavern.

The place where he and Charles met so many months ago. Where they - quite literally - bumped into each other. Where sparks flew, and not necessarily the good kind. At least not with James. His sparks had been more like fuses being lit, short fuses, because he certainly went off on Charles, which the other man had been amused by and even aroused. And later that same day, they ended up meeting yet again at a Rusty Anchors concert, their lead singer being that exact same man James Flint had gone off on hours prior. His ticket number had won the on-stage meeting and had it not been for Izzy and Stede practically forcing him to that concert and onto that stage, he would not be standing here with the love of his life. That very same man he went off on for bumping into him. That very same man that both embarrassed and defended him on stage. That very same man that changed his life for the fucking better.

He never thought it possible to love again. He never thought it possible to be happy again. And then he met Charles and suddenly, everything was possible. And everything did happen. All of that and so much more. He fell so deeply in love and though he was terrified of it and any thoughts of their future because of what happened to his first love, Thomas, Charles, as always, calmed any fears and any worries. Once a man that was unsure of marriage and parenthood, he was now completely sure of it and knew, without a doubt, he wanted it all. He wanted all of it with Charles and he could see it so clearly. Meeting his nieces certainly helped with that, and oh, he loved them dearly. He grew attached to them rather quickly and it only made him want children of their own even more, something Charles had been wanting for a long time. James had once been afraid of being unable to give that to him, but he was afraid no longer.

He wasn't afraid of anything thanks to Charles. So long as Charles was by his side, as long as they were together, he felt as though he could do anything. They could do anything. And they were certainly doing just that. They were living their life and enjoying it. James Flint was truly the happiest man alive, despite the argument that came from Izzy and Stede when saying that. All in good fun, of course.

The day they became engaged was certainly one of the happiest moments in James's life, even though what lead to that moment wasn't exactly the happiest. But James was able to get everything off of his chest, he was able to lay out all of his fears. All which had to do with losing Charles and the thought devastated him. It shattered him. But he knew he needed to stop living in fear and living in the past and start living in the present. He needed to focus on the now, on their life together and their future and in that moment, that's exactly what happened. Because he proposed to him. Not in the most romantic of ways, but it was romantic for them. He told Charles how he wanted to marry him, how he wanted a family with him, how he wanted everything with him and he meant every single word. They made love soon after and, well, that was some several days ago. They were engaged, except... James didn't have a ring in that moment. It wasn't how he wanted to propose, not that he planned one out anyway, but now... now he did. Now he had a ring.

So, he brought his unsuspecting fiancé back to the tavern where they met for a drink and dinner date, but he stopped just before the door to go inside. His heart was fucking racing. He didn't know why he was so nervous, since they were already engaged, but this time he'd be doing it with a ring and with other people witnessing. "This is where it happened," he starts, smirking. "Where you came out of those doors and bumped into me, spilling your drink all over," yes, he still blamed him. Jokingly, of course. "Fuck, I was so angry." He laughs, shaking his head. His smile is wide as can be. "And you had the nerve to fucking flirt with me, Charles." God, he was laughing harder now. At the moment, it wasn't at all amusing but it was now. Now that they could look back on that moment and smile and laugh.

"But I'm glad. I'm glad you ran into me and spilled your whiskey all over my trousers," he smirks, turning to face him. "I'm glad those two dragged me to your concert and that my number was called, despite how fucking embarrassing it was to be up there," but he'd gladly join him on stage now. "and I'm so fucking glad you invited me backstage because I would not have had the courage to ask you out." He admits, blushing and smiling. "Because you have changed my life, Charles. In ways I never thought possible. You've made me feel things I never thought I could feel again. You've made me... see a future, something I'd been unable to do. Afraid to do." Now he was tearing up. Fuck. "I don't feel afraid when I'm with you. I just feel so... fucking elated. All good and nothing bad." He drops to one knee and reaches into his pocket, then, pulling out a small, blue box. "I know we're already engaged, but I didn't have a ring at the time," He chuckles. "So now that I do, I thought I'd do this again. Without punching a wall this time..." Another laugh. "Charles Vane, will you make me the happiest fucking man alive and marry me?" He pops open the box. "I'll let you ride me like a stallion again." He couldn't help himself with that one. @fornassau