#he's in love with izzy but not in a romantic relationship kind of way in a i need him under at all times and with me every second of the da

[usercelestial]

is no one gonna talk about how ed knows izzy by the smell of his rotting flesh

[cuculine-nelipot]

One way in which OFMD exceeded expectations this season is the emphasis they placed on the need for personal growth, especially in the pursuit of relationships - all relationships, not just romantic . Buttons laid it all out for Ed, and then turned into a bird just to prove that it is possible if you believe enough. They repeatedly drew attention to Ed's and Stede's flaws, and why they need to work on them in order to become better people not only for each other, but for everyone around them

Lucius told Stede that he was selfish and self-centred, that despite his self-proclaimed love, respect, and kindness, his actions made him anything but. He and the other crew members told him that he was wilfully ignoring reality so that he could believe in the fantasy of Ed/Blackbeard that he had constructed for himself. These are all things that prevent him from being both the captain and the romantic partner he wants to be. The main thing he needs to do to change is listen actively. This has been true since season 1, when we saw him refusing to engage in an honest dialogue with Mary, and several times when he ignored his crew. However, throughout season 2 he is given ample opportunities to listen, to grow as a person, to become a better leader and partner, but he doesn't. At all. He tells Lucius that he can talk to him about his bad experiences, only to quickly tell him that it's too much, talk to Pete instead. He lets the crew vote as to whether Ed should be allowed to stay, only to invite him back shortly after they decide against. After much arguing, he begrudgingly accepts that the crew believes his red suit is cursed, but he does not get rid of the shirt. He agrees when Ed tells him that he needs their relationship to progress slowly, only to initiate sex with him soon after. When Ed expresses his anger about that, he does not understand, and he does not take responsibility. He murders Ned Low even though he knows how desperate Ed is to leave violence behind. In the final episode when everyone tells him that his plan is terrible, he does not listen and insists that they do it anyway, and Izzy dies because of it. He does not take responsibility for that either. In fact, throughout the season he happily comments on the fact that despite his staggering incompetence, things always seem to work out for him specifically, not acknowledging that the same is not true for anyone else. He has remained just as self-centred and self-serving as he was in the very beginning.

Ed too experiences a similar state of arrested development. His core motivation is still to be a different person, and like in the first season he swings from one persona to the next, never reconciling the disparate parts of himself. The closet he gets to reckoning with himself is when he admits that he does not think he is worthy or capable of being loved, but that he wishes he was. However after being "reborn" every attempt he makes to that end is at best superficial and half-hearted. When he addresses the crew he does not say he's sorry, and the only thing he does that could be framed as an attempt at reparations is when he gives them money to throw themselves a party. At that same party he (at Stede's encouragement) congratulates himself for dispelling the poison, disregarding the fact that it was the crew's idea, and the crew who put all the effort into it.

Like in season 1, each of his personas comes with a costume change. There's the kohl smeared face of the Kraken, the cleaner crisper Blackbeard, and the neutrals of Ed - a blank canvas. He does not know who Ed is yet, and he is prevented from finding out by his unwillingness to accept that he is the Kraken and Blackbeard, to sit alone with himself. Fang points this out to him, but instead of anything meaningful coming from it, we get two separate scenes of Ed thinking about being quiet, about being present. Just for a laugh. Because, like with Stede, it's funnier (apparently) for him to stay exactly the way he is.

So he does not grow, because despite the writers putting him in positions to do so, their idea of comedy is for him not to. His brief stint as a fisherman is shockingly reminiscent of the end of season 1, where he's so focused on being zen and chill and being a totally new person that he neglects the basic functions of his job. Unlike then, he does not have the excuse of being burnt out. There is no commentary on toxic masculinity here. It was just 'funnier' to show him being incompetent, and apparently the only way the writers could think to get him back to the main narrative. By which, of course, I mean Stede. Because despite it's ensemble cast and the seamlessly integrated character-driven storylines on season 1, this is the Stede Bonnet show, right?

In spite of his very real, and understandable frustration with Stede a) initiating sex despite his explicitly saying he wasn't ready and b) killing Ned Low right when he was trying to leave violence behind, he makes a beeline for him. He rows back to the Republic of Pirates, sees it on fire, and immediately thinks of Stede. Not the crew (because despite Izzy's quite frankly insane last words he has not done anything to build a relationship with them) and not either of the two men he's sailed with for years. Only Stede. For Stede all of his development (as little as it was) is undone. He kills some naval officers despite his previously established desire to avoid violence. he dives to retrieve his Blackbeard outfit, simultaneously completely undermining the significance of him tossing them in the first place, and of his swimming upward towards a new life.

In season 1 he left Blackbeard for Stede and in season 2 he reclaims him for the same reason. But that's not growth. That's not character development. In both instances he is simply being reinvented in the context someone else. He pursues Stede simply because Stede enables him to imagine that he is a different person, he becomes the version of himself that exists in Stede's mind. If this were real life, it would be an extremely unhealthy way to live. In terms of fictional media, it's just lazy writing. Putting him next to Stede is the easiest, least meaningful way for Ed to change. Despite insights into his interiority, he is not being written as a character with agency.

This becomes especially obvious when we look at Izzy's dying words, and at David Jenkins own thoughts about their relationship. Jenkins says that Izzy fed Edward poison and ended up eating it too. Izzy says that he fed Edward darkness because he needed Blackbeard. There is exactly one instance where this is true. That one instance does not in anyway serve as evidence that Izzy was responsible for every violent thing Ed had ever done. Izzy was not responsible for Ed killing his dad, Izzy was not responsible for the joy Ed admitted he took in maiming people, and it certainly does not in anyway justify the violence Ed enacted on him. That one instance also does not change the fact that Ed very clearly had all the power in his and Izzy's relationship. He ignores Izzy continuously. His reaction to Izzy's anger is violence - he chokes him, he maims him. Izzy has no power. Ed chose violence - for a myriad of complex reasons, yes, but it was his choice. But the writers are framing it so that Ed is simply a puppet - he can either be filled with "Izzy's" poison, or Stede's "goodness." He has no agency, because it's too hard. It's too complicated. It would be too much for Ed to be a complex, morally flawed character who grows and changes for the better, and it would be so hard to write him having his happy rom-com story. So it's better to just simplify all that complexity, right? Forget the trauma Ed endured, forget the trauma he inflicted, forget his depression and his mania. Izzy fed him poison. Izzy made him Blackbeard. Let's just leave it at that. Except that's not the story they wrote, is it. If Izzy made him Blackbeard, fed Blackbeard, wanted Blackbeard, needed Blackbeard, then why does he almost never call him Blackbeard? Consistently, since episode 2, it's a constant stream of "Edward", "Ed" and "Eddie" and we're supposed to believe it was Blackbeard he was after? Speaking of Izzy, his arc is the cruelest of all. And no, I'm not salty that he died. I am beyond disappointed that he died in the arms of his abuser, that his last act was to not only absolve his abuser of all responsibility, but to take it on as his own, and that David Jenkins seems to think that this is a good end to his story.

At this juncture it's important to say that Izzy Hands is very clearly a victim of abuse - physical and emotional. It has however become abundantly clear David Jenkins and many fans of the show do not see it that way. Why? Is it because he's a man? Because he does not act like some preconceived notion of an abuse victim acts? Because it's possible that he "brought him on himself"? Is it really possible for anyone to bring that level of violence on themselves? He experiences the most growth of this season, yes, but as we've established the bar is very low, and he was not given the chance to flourish like it first seems. He does not remove himself from the abusive situation. He is confronted about it, he lashes out in panic, and he is consoled, but he still cannot admit to it. That one moment of care allows him to distance himself from Edward - just a little bit. It allows him to stop enabling Ed, and to stand up for the crew. Not himself, the crew. He is just as selfless and as blind to his own needs as ever.

When Edward shoots him in the leg he screams for death. When Edward confronts him again, he surrenders to the fact that he is not loved, or wanted, and he tries to kill himself. He does not survive for himself, or of his own volition. He survives because the crew makes him survive - they try to hide him, they cut off his festering leg, they make him a wooden one, they allow him to lean on them (physically and implicitly emotionally) for support. He begins to heal, but he does not fully get there. He still loves Edward. We see it in his desperation to know what Ed told Stede about him. We see it in the way he approaches Ed, hoping for a moment of his time. He never reckons with the fact of his own abuse. He tells himself a shark took his leg. His dying act is to apologise to his abuser, to blame himself. He lets Edward go not for his own sake, but Edwards'. He lets go of Edward, and he says he wants to die, just like he did when Edward shot him, just like he did when Edward talked to him after that. He hasn't healed. While Ed's and Stede's fatal flaw is their selfishness, Izzy's has always been his selflessness, and that is still true. He still loves the man who hurt him beyond comprehension, he still gives his life - takes away his guilt and gives him the family he earned for himself - so that man can be happy without him. He literally dies for Edward's sins. He is denied the opportunity to ever live for himself. He was given the beginnings of healing, a home and, a family; one party and a swan song.

[o-wild-west-wind]

okay, here’s my actual thoughtful post: I get why people are upset about the finale…I really do. but I want to mention that there’s a bigger picture to this story that’s missing if you’re zooming too close onto Izzy as a character, and I’m honestly so grateful that the show stuck to the thematic arc it introduced in season 1 because, as per usual, it’s about the themes 🤌 and this show never skimps on the symbolism!!

so here’s the thing: the primary themes are toxic masculinity (& it’s opposite, queer joy); trauma; love as a healing force for the above; and, title alert—DEATH. because it’s so much more than a cool title!

now, Izzy has always represented something metaphorical about all of these points; most directly, he’s always represented masculinity, and s2 has been an arc of toxicity deconstruction. but crucially, he’s also represented all that for Ed, who is the deuteragonist of this show. because—don’t forget—Stede and Ed are the show.

I’ve always doubted myself for feeling this after seeing how fandom saw Izzy as a third romantic figure (which like by all means have a blast in your fanfics I don’t care it’s about joy at the end of the day and pursue that as you want to), but after hearing something about djenks referring to Izzy as a father figure, it confirms a major point for me—Izzy is also in a lot of ways a parallel to Ed’s dad, and a representation of the trauma and guilt Ed felt from that formative killing. for so long, Izzy was an aggressive shadow in Ed’s life, and a tangible reminder of those daddy issues—someone telling him what to do, keeping him Blackbeard—and the beautiful thing is how that changed this season, how Izzy became a version of masculinity that could love and be beautiful and make good from the hurt, the literal poison into positivity. someone antithetical to his own paternalistic force, healing our daddy issues one drag show at a time. BUT, Izzy is still thematically representative within Ed’s arc—and by also representing the trauma that made Ed “Blackbeard,” it does make smart writing sense as to why Izzy died (NOT saying you can’t be sad about it—stick with me for a moment).

because here’s the thing—as aforementioned, this show is also about DEATH. killing is the root of everyone’s trauma, and reconciling a relationship with death is the ultimate arc Ed and Stede are both on, with the ultimate path of learning to live despite its inevitability. there’s a reason it was such a huge thing that Ed couldn’t personally kill, and then in this episode killed so many people with his bare hands in the name of love—and there’s a reason that was framed as a good thing. and there’s also Ed’s (and arguably Stede’s) active suicidality, which has been a huge force driving this season. these are characters who see death as this all-consuming thing, and they see their own deaths as the only solution. death is the traumatic force driving almost everything about their being for so long—and its reconciliation is everything for them, the greatest sign of growth. so Izzy’s death, and everyone beginning again with love—healing each other with love—is a cap to it all. it’s death as a positive force, for once. it’s death as love, not trauma. it’s death as something that will always happen, but this time not forced by your own hand. it’s a death to everything toxic, to what “Blackbeard” represented, and all the while a sort of rebirth. it’s kind of a death to…death? it’s functionally like the real physical moon replacing the giant romantic imaginary orb: it’s taking the thing that’s been artificially morphed in Stede and Ed’s heads and making it real this time, with all the bittersweet emotions that come with tangible reality.

and honestly, I’m glad that it was tragic and emotional. I didn’t think I’d be so devastated to see Izzy die, but it really did get to me, especially because of everything he said to Ricky and then to Ed. but think of it this way: Izzy and Ed might be romantically compelling because they were toxic and charged (and I hope people still enjoy everything they get from that dynamic in fan work), but imagine if the show had actually gone in that direction—where would it take us thematically? it would kill the thesis; it would be love as chaos and entertainment, but not healing. instead, this show gave us something so much more powerful: a legitimate, fully-fleshed trauma arc.

trauma hurts. Izzy’s death hurts. but that’s okay. that’s great, actually! it means the storytelling was effective—that Izzy’s arc made you feel something. and i know this won’t be every viewer’s experience, but honestly? I’m glad I can have this grieving process in such a beautifully framed light in the safe space ship of this show, because let’s be real—death, real life death, fucks you up. and let me tell you, I could’ve used this show during so many episodes of grief in my life. but here it is now, reminding us that our grief and trauma doesn’t define us—and WHAT a powerful thing for queer love, especially, to be presented as the thing that heals us all. ESPECIALLY when so much grief and death in this community is woven so deeply with the trauma of our identity.

so grieve as you need to, but don’t forget to turn the poison into positivity 💛 because that’s what the show is telling us—choose live, despite!

[ohmyglobwhatthefrickamievendoing]

dj saying izzy was like a father figure to ed & then trying to connect that to ed killing his actual father is insane but specially, specially, when you remember that last episode stede & izzy had a pretty obvious moment where they came to an understanding about what it's like to be in love with the same man

that's not the kind of conversation and look you share with your ex's father figure. It's the one you share with your ex's ex while you're both still in love with him

Then the episode before that they kept cutting from stede&ed having sex to izzy singing a love song?

And the episode before that izzy stuttered and hesitantly asked stede what ed's been saying about him??

I know found families can have parental figures whom you may still feel a sexual and/or romantic attraction to, but at no point did either season ever show such a relationship between the two. I guess if you want to reach for it you could say that in early S1 there are times when izzy tries to look out for ed & guide him but even stede (fucking stede) clocks them as 'old married couple nearing the final stages of their divorce'

You could on a technicality apply the 'mentor dies at the end' trope to izzy but that's only if you assume that izzy's somewhat significantly older than ed and so probably looked out for ed at some point when they were working under hornigold together, which again is never shown in their dynamic (the only mention we get of it is through stede but I'm almost certain that most of what stede said was just him buttering up izzy to get him to train stede)

I feel like rather than 'father-figure/mentor dies at the end' it gives more 'even as we try to move on our existences are inseparably linked to each other and you're the last part of my old life that needs to die before I can finally be free to change and we both know that, even as it hurts' Yeah yeah izzy deserved to live a happy life away from blackbeard's influence the same way ed deserves to live a happy life away from izzy's (and I really wish he could have) but they've been unhealthily connected from the beginning (much more obvious in S2 seeing how neither of them could bare to get rid of the other's body) and it makes sense that eventually that's the trope & ending izzy fell into

point being:

david jenkins, sir, i respect your writing and love your show but that was absolutely NOT what was going on there

Izzy wanted to get fucked nasty but Ed's a bottom so it never worked out

[bringinghometherain]

I think the whole "I had to drop my phone...and go to Costa Rica for a while" thing is very likely because Rhys has been almost entirely a comedic side character in his work for like, 25 years. He's been earning his living being funny and awkward in front of a camera, which is a different subdivision of Hollywood from being attractive in front of a camera. He probably, as he got older, settled into that identity just fine. He likes being the funny guy, he feels fine about how he looks, he married a lovely woman and therefore didn't need to fixate on his appeal in the way that people who are dating need to (or feel they need to, rather).

Being Funny as an identity (especially for Rhys's generation of comics) often means you have written off the idea of being considered conventionally attractive. Not because you're not attractive! But because you start being funny when you're a kid to get people to like you, because you're kind of weird and awkward and you have bad skin and don't really fit into your body, and nobody will like you unless you have "being funny" to offer to the group.

Being Funny also means you're probably very good at redirecting conversation away from the parts of yourself you don't want people to see, you're very good at self-deprecating jokes, and you probably feel like you need to earn your space in most situations by Being Funny (ask me how I know). And when you're in your late 40s and quite settled into this identity, becoming an overnight sex symbol and having your social media feeds suddenly flooded with incredibly detailed artistic depictions of you as a sex symbol, I would guess that is extremely hard to wrap one's head around!!! It probably feels uncomfortable at first!! If your relationship with your body is "oh that old thing, don't worry it tells jokes," then having dozens of people drawing you as a tasteful nude has gotta be weird! I get it, and I sympathize. If I had something that big happening to my identity I might also go to Costa Rica for a bit (no I would not, I cannot afford that, I would probably go to Lake Michigan for like a day and call it even).

And as for why Taika and Con have been able to embrace the fanart from the start, well. Leslie Jones has already asked the important question of Taika: "Do you know you fine as hell?" And yeah, he absolutely does. And like he says, he knew it in high school too. And I say this because he went into entertainment, he probably wanted this at least a little bit, like come on. He's funny too, obviously, but he's always been hot, and he knows that. He didn't have to fall back on being funny because he was also Fine As Hell. Before OFMD was even an idea he'd already had all these photoshoots of him being a goofball in one shot and a Brooding Romantic Lead type in another. Dude knew his range well before the first sketch of Blackbeard in fishnets dropped. He was always gonna be fine.

And Con! Con has been a romantic interest several times in his tv/film career, from the very start. He's a side character pretty often, but the man has gotten plenty of feedback that he's attractive enough to be a romantic interest on a screen. Hell, just in 2020 he was a romantic lead on a podcast drama (which was a great story, he's great in it, very fun little horror drama). So while he may not have the same Fine As Hell and Knows It energy Taika has, Con probably came into OFMD more sure of his physical attractiveness than of his comedic acting skills. And when the Izzy fanart started dropping, he probably didn't have much trouble getting excited about it after the initial surprise, because he hadn't written off his physical attractiveness in the way Rhys probably had.

[thelaughtercafe]

Duncan, Gwen, Courtney, Izzy and Heather with an s/o who loves cooking and sneaking food for them

Tea Type: Boba

Potential Triggers: N/A

Pairing: Duncan/F! Reader, Gwen/F! Reader, Courtney/F! Reader, Izzy/F! Reader, Heather/F! Reader

Length: 505

Summary: N/A

Duncan:

Pretends it doesn’t matter but gets possessive as Hell, and threatens anyone who says they’ll tell on you. 

If around others he’ll brush off the gesture but the moment he has you alone he’ll return your affection tenfold, letting his guard down to be soft and hold your hand, kiss your forehead etc. 

He’d rather die than admit it, but you make him feel special and needed, and like he matters to someone for things other than competitions. 

Definitely brings out his softer side overall. 

Honestly, I think once you guys get out of the show, he’d learn to cook for you too- he wants to make you feel as flustered as you make him. 

Gwen:

Absolutely melts whenever you show up to your cabin with her favorites in hand. Nothing makes her more whipped than affectionate gestures like that- and it makes her love you all the more.

Will try to match by doing more overt gestures herself, like offering you her clothes or accessories so you guys can match. 

Heather says something snarky and gets a muffin at her face for her trouble(one of Chef’s, not one of yours. Yours is too valuable.)

Sets up the cutest picnic dates in the forest both to hide from Chef and spend time with you. 

So grateful for you, honestly. 

Courtney:

Also loves to cook actually, so she makes it a competition to try and out-do you. 

She tends to be more private in her romantic relationships but it becomes a lot more obvious to the others when you both get caught smuggling the others favorite ingredients and snacks.

Tries to brush it off when she gets teased for her sweet actions, but she’s super flustered. 

Worries she’s not doing enough now and again until you remind her you’re doing it because she does more than enough and you just want to shower her in the same love she gives you. 

Excels at baking so lots of cute dates where she makes dessert and you make the entree.

Izzy:

Is astounded by all the different ways you know how to cook things she really just puts whatever over a fire or eats it raw.

You really help her expand her palette and she has even more energy now because of it. 

Wants to learn anything and everything about cooking now- constantly following after you and bouncing around the kitchen like a maniac. 

Teaches you her more rudimentary cooking skills too…it’s not very good, but you love her so you help her make even cooking over an open flame delicious. 

All the other campers are grateful.

Heather:

Doesn’t show it but actually really worried you’ll be caught, and is terrified you’ll get in trouble or worse from trying to be too kind. 

…blackmails and bribes other campers to give you time in the kitchen and distract Chef/play guard dog. 

Acts surprised every time even though she always sees it coming.

You’re just too kind for your own good- you can’t even help it. 

“Oh my God, for me? How did you know?”

[meanbossart]

I love Izzy so much, I feel for him tremendously.

Can you tell us something about his future relationship, whatever it might be, with Grodderick? Or is it under wraps for spoilers? 👀

Sure! The details of their relationship are never relevant to the plot, it's more of a background thing that changes some very minor character interactions in ways I doubt one can predict by simply learning about it - I'll still leave it under a cut for anyone who wants to avoid it. I'll also skip certain story beats which allow their relationship to happen in the first place that are most definitely spoilers, and only talk about the actual dynamic between them and post-ANE events, so if details feel amiss, that's because they are.

So it's probably obvious that they're meant to develop a romantic relationship lol this happens after Grodderick gets somewhat "stuck" with Izzy around through certain circumstances. Izzantar, in his predicament, happens to be far more comfortable around him than anyone else because of his predisposition to feel safe around "slave" races. Now, that's obviously not a great start to any relationship, romantic or otherwise lol but it is what it is.

They grow a little closer through Grodderick's endless patience and sincere curiosity about a culture he isn't familiar with. Izzantar, despite his experiences, considers the underdark his home, he can only properly conceptualize of surface customs by comparing them to his own culture, and Grodderick is the only one willing to hear it without judgement - with the eventual wisecrack or pushback. But the way he does it is one Izzantar comfortable with.

Likewise Izzantar would probably defy Grod's own generalized negativity around the orc-ish side of his culture (and frankly be positively shocked it has any merit at all). It's a funny little game of "no, YOU have internalized hate" they keep playing between themselves by accident.

Another major point here is that Grodderick is a) the only person who sees Izzantar as an adult and b) someone who immediately recognizes him as someone with an anxiety disorder. With time he would help Izzy to calm the fuck down and not always assume the worse out of people. His company also allows Izzantar to feel more at ease in public settings in the surface as a drow, and Izzy's brazen company and completely unfiltered perspective is a breath of fresh air to Grodderick. He thinks he's funny, he recognizes and participates in his dry humor, he doesn't offend easy, and he's the furthest thing from a drow. This makes him an apt friend choice and later a romantic interest. Being hot and having cool tats helps LOL

Also they both like to partake in a little devil🌿 which is likely how their first meaningful interaction ever happens (Izzantar sees him smoking and is like "oh boy I could really fucking use some of that right now")

They probably starting fucking kind of casually. It's entirely on Izzantar to pursue him since Grodderick isn't interested in feeding a drow's ego, which is a funny interaction of its own where Izzantar just blows up frustrated that he won't make the first move, since he's used to being a very passive partner. Something along the lines of "WHY DON'T YOU WANT TO FUCK ME" probably comes out his mouth verbatim LOL they get over this non-misunderstanding quickly and Izzantar is just happy to have sex in a way that's completely the opposite of what's expected of him in the Underdark as a popular breeder. Obviously he also finds Grodderick profoundly attractive both for his confidence, smarts, appearance, and frankly his imposing presence because he's not immune to a little bad-boy charm.

I think they catch feelings around the same time as one another, and proceed to get on a long-term relationship.

Izzantar (this is post ANE and never mentioned) eventually sets shop somewhere as a jeweler. He gets a lot of business based on the fact that he's a drow and knowingly plays up the part of someone who's mystically more knowledgeable and skilled about precious stones and minerals than most because of his race (on top of his genuine talent). His bad attitude is also hysterically seen as charming drow bedside-manner and indicative of the quality of his work to wealthy clients.

He lets his hair grow out and for semi-plot-related-reasons starts passing as a female drow (also, he just likes it) Grodderick doesn't care either way. At that point they're living together and get a cat that Izzantar names Angkacha. To his despair, Grodderick nickanames it Chacha and it sticks. Izzy wants the cat to be a vicious killing machine but whenever he casts animal speak on it the cat's just like OOOO MAMA ME LOVE MAMA and he hates it (but not really, he would kill for this cat)

aaaand here's some old doodles of him from that point of his life! The last two have been uh cropped for uh reasons

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Izzy Ship Alignment for S2

Spoilers for if you want to avoid s2 Izzy talk. (minor spoilers for the S2 teaser, and the interview Con did last December) PLEASE disagree with my rankings. I would love to know how y'all feel about this.

I saw someone online reference the tiny interview Con had last December about Izzy's direction this season. Where it's referenced that Izzy understands himself emotionally, and is a romantic in a unrequited love.

I thought the obvious, 'Oh, Izzy/Ed, Izzy recovers from that'. BUT someone on TikTok mentioned how funny it would be if it were an unexpected character he ends up with.

SO I made this outcome chart:

The vertical columns: How it would affect the story. In a Chaotic way, a neutral way, or a 'lawful' way where I feel that it benefits the world/story around Izzy.

Horizontal columns: How bat shit I would go. Evil = I will never emotionally recover, THE DRAMA. Neutral I'm having a lovely time, and enjoying the ride. Good= YES! CHARACTER GROWTH!!!!

This is not me ranking ships, but the general vibe they bring to the plot we can see from the trailer. EXPLANATIONS DOWN BELOW.

Lawful Good: Single, but happy: This is where I predict s2 will end off. It's smart. Izzy is out of an emotional relationship where he's under his boss. He's finally free. He can be happy and single, or go into S3 looking for someone.

Neutral Good: ButtHands: It wouldn't change much in the story, but overall I'd think it's fun. Purely for the confusion of it all. They don't like each other...and yet.

Chaotic Good: Blackhands: It would change a lot in the story, and I wouldn't recover. Especially if it's just an unemotional one-off that leaves Izzy devastated. I don't think it would work...but the character growth???? Unmatched.

Lawful Neutral: Ouizzy, I love it, it's really fun, and it wouldn't change all that much in the story. It wouldn't force Izzy to change too much, besides maybe being kinder. Frenchie gets another bodyguard, and the banter would be fun.

Ture Neutral: Jizzy. They are almost the same person but Jim is supported by someone in their lives. I don't personally see it, but I do see that these two would get on together. Mild changes to the story, and I'd be satisfied with it.

Chaotic Neutral: SteddyHands: COULD YOU IMAGINE. A mainstream tv show with a poly couple as leads? And it's messy as fuck? It would take another season to set up, likely introducing Stizzy this season, and ending it off in the middle in S3. But it would have major consequences in the story, and I wouldn't be well after.

Lawful Evil: Rizzy: Izzy is able to be his tired, overworked, and violent self with someone who gets that at some level. It moves the plot forward while also being a badass scary couple.

Neutral Evil: RETROACTIVE CALICOHANDS WOULD HURT. Ngl, finding out Izzy sent someone he kind of cared about would affect Izzy's story, but not the overall plot. I wouldn't recover, Izzy would have a big regret arch, and I'd write fix it's.

Chaotic Evil: Just Stizzy. A freshly 'single' Izzy leaves Ed, and goes to find Stede, but oh no. Stede genuinely wants to get better and be loyal to his crew. Izzy finds himself falling infatuated with his boss' ex. Stede still loves Ed and is going to find Ed. But Izzy just has to chew on his lip as he falls for his Captain AGAIN. Stede needs to figure out that you can love people in different ways. We get a messy love triangle and STEDE is in the center. I WANT THIS. I won't get it. BUT WHAT IF.

[I forgot Lucius/Izzy, but to me, it sits right at the True Neutral or Chaotic Neutral. It wouldn't change too much in the overall plot. It shows huge growth for both people. The only reason it would be Chaotic is how Izzy would be perceived by the crew]

[sixstepsaway]

i've had some thoughts bouncing around for a while about ofmd s2, and in light of the news, i'm going to brain dump some of them. if you don't feel like listening to me complain about HBO and would rather just go cry about OFMD not getting season 3, that's chill, go ahead, no hard feelings

so.

season 1 was absolutely the definition of lightning in a bottle. it had great acting, great writing, gorgeous set and costume design, it was great, and not only that but it was unabashedly queer

jim had a whole episode dedicated to "actually i'm not a woman i'm just jim" and then everyone - even the bad guys, even the antagonists, even their nun nana, everyone - referred to them as they/them after that, no questions asked

the main character went through an arc that was basically figuring out his sexuality and going "oh shit, i love a man" on a show that was not directly advertised as "OUR QUEER MEANS DEATH" like a, y'know, Queer Show would be

and stede and ed's romance felt like it was important. It felt like the pirates of it all was mostly incidental, background, filler, just fun to pad out the situation and give them things to be challenged by (the badmintons!) while also being fun on its own. it's the kind of show where if you pulled all the characters out and slapped them into a whole other situation like space agents or time travellers or everyone lives together in a loft runs a bakery... it'd still work. sure, the badmintons would be less murderous and run a competing bakery or something, but it'd still work, because the focus was on the characters, and on the romance between stede and ed

the first three episodes of season 3 felt that way too. the love between stede and ed was paramount and if you swapped to a mafia au or a bakery au it'd still work (with some gentle adjustments for ed's Behavior™ to be fair)

but.

season 1, they kept saying it was a rom com, and it felt like one. it was just a rom com that was set at sea! how fun!

now, rom coms have tropes. they have genre-specific things that you kind of expect from, well, a rom com. you expect mess. you expect things like ed fucking off with jack because he doesn't feel good enough

(i've recently been rewatching new girl and although some of the humor makes me cringe, it's still a great show, and one of the main things about it is that everyone is messy. no matter how much schmitt loves cece, he's going to make mistakes. no matter how obviously nick and jess are going to end up together and belong together, they're going to sleep with the wrong people, make mistakes, break up etc. it's as much a rom com as ofmd.

one of the things that makes new girl so good and makes me love the main couples so much is how hard they work to be together, how they fight adversity and the mess of their own flaws and toxicity and still get together because they love each other most, in the end)

i remember in s1 thinking how if stede had been a woman, jack would have been too, and ed would've had at least one romantic/sexual scene with jack when he ran away with him

but i also remember thinking, "yeah, but the show hadn't explicitly done the his name is ed reveal and the kiss on the beach yet, and the reveal hits so hard, it makes sense not to do that earlier", and tbh i stand by that

which brings me to s2, after the first three eps, where they tried to go back to rom com and it just felt... forced.

rom coms usually have adversity. they have other characters that directly and truly threaten the main pairing by being interesting to those characters! no matter how you feel about izzy, he was framed as a love interest or as an ex that was still complicated, but the show very much tiptoed around that

does "i have love for you" and "i loved you best i could" make sense for the characters? yeah.

do i feel like if ed was a woman, she and izzy would've had a messy rebound relationship for stede to have to contend with, for the two of them to come out the other side of wanting each other from? yeah.

ofmd s1 felt unabashedly queer. s2 felt like they didn't want to be too gay.

they put olu with a Woman™, they put jim with a woman almost like it was less queer and more acceptable this way than queering olu, they completely waved off olu and jim's relationship and dropped any concept of polyamory because that would've made it even queerer, not less queer

(i'm using queer here as a definition more of breaking boundaries and being outside of the norm to the extent it makes cishets deeply uncomfortable and the queer in question aren't conforming to society's standards. and this reading of s2 (and s1) is entirely subjective, it's just what's been bubbling here for me)

pete and lucius went from "we don't own each other" to marriage, with no footnotes of what marriage meant to them specifically, whether they were, in fact, conforming with the 'norm' of marriage (exclusivity, labels, definitions etc) or whether they were still chill about these things or whether this now meant no more penis drawings

the queerest episode was probably the party episode (which was so good), but even that was especially queer because some cast members fought to make it so (con wanting izzy's drag to be beautiful not funny has HAUNTED ME, because that means it was originally supposed to be played for laughs!!) not because it was that way naturally

the fact i read somewhere that the party and the drag was originally lupete's wedding makes so much more sense to me because yeah, they WOULD have a wedding like that, but instead they got a lame final episode wedding because it would have been way too queer to do it at calypso's birthday with drag and queer joy everywhere

it also would have been more realistic to the lucius and pete we got in season 1.

there were a lot of things in season 2 that felt... weird. we've talked about it. we have all talked about it.

the final episode, even outside of the thing i hated most, was just horribly written imo. there's big sweeping gestures and no kind of real emotional pay off for the main relationships (lupete included), and everything got tied with a neat little bow at the end

i remember when we were told s2 was 8 episodes and how much the budget had been chopped thinking, "ha, we're so not getting a season 3"

i remember when i realized how weirdly rewritten most of season 2 had been thinking, "yeah, there's not going to be a season 3"

i remember when bitching about ed's arc being totally truncated and handwaved thinking, "mm, we're not getting a season 3"

and i remember when the Revenge sailed off into the sunset with everyone but ed and stede on board thinking, "oh yeah, we're done."

just enough was left open that a season 3 could happen.

just enough was left open that if a miracle happened, there'd be something to do with season 3.

but i genuinely, 100%, hand on my heart, think djenks knew he wasn't getting a season 3

and don't get me wrong, i'm not absolving him of the poor writing choices he made in season 2, but i am saying it makes a lot more sense if you think of it from the perspective of corporate meddling and having everything taken away while he was actively trying to make season 2

we already know HBO cut the budget a ridiculous amount so they just had to make everything work with what they had. we already know HBO cut the episode number.

season 2 plays out like they prepped a good chunk of it, ready for 10 episodes, and then HBO cut the budget and cut the episodes

and so things had to be changed and chopped about. ed's arc got lots of screen time and focus for three episodes (before the cuts) and then things got quicker, and fast

characters were cut for time and for budget reasons.

and then i think towards the end of production and the end of writing, djenks learned the odds of season 3 were minimal at best, and he panicked

i think the original plan was probably for ed's arc to go for the majority of season 2. maybe a middle piece where he and stede tried but it still wasn't Right (last night was a mistake) because ed had so much to work on and so much to heal

i genuinely wonder if the finale was completely rewritten at the last minute because to me it makes way, way more sense from a narrative standpoint for things to have been more staggered out. let's consider ten episodes instead of 8:

episodes 1-5: same as they were when aired, including the gravy basket giving us set-up for what ed's dealing with internally, giving us something to latch onto and prepare for his redemption. NO KISS AT THE END OF EPISODE 5. episode 6: ed is still wearing the bell. he's sort of done his amends with lucius, but now he needs to do amends with the rest of the ship. stede is still learning his piratey ways, so there's hijinks in the background. jim and archie and olu try to decide what their relationship is after the garlic and all, and debate room arrangements. lucius and pete announce their engagement. stede and ed nearly kiss. episode 7: more ed redemption arc. he's still working at things, he's shying away from violence because violence is what took him down this dark path to begin with. maybe we get some discussion of his father. stede, blind to ed's flaws, insists he's nothing like his father! ed tries to make amends with izzy but somehow this is the hardest of all because he hurt him the most of all. izzy gets chance to apologize for what he now sees as his part in pushing ed down into the darkness (trying to drag blackbeard back) and izzy's apology makes ed feel worse somehow and gives him some absolution when he finally figures out how to return his own. ed kisses stede but says he wants to take it slow. episode 8: wedding episode!! calypso's birthday!! ed uses his loot to bankroll lupete's wedding. stede reacts with violence to ned and we know from everything before that ed is actively trying to distance himself from the violence of piracy because, yeah, of course he is. is it a good idea? nope. does it make sense to his character for him to still be putting a good chunk of the blame on piracy for his actions, rather than accepting the parts of his whole and learning how to regulate those parts healthily? yes. anyway, stede reacts to his own violence by clutching for ed, ed feels after like his boundaries were pushed. same as show. episode 9: ed is having a meltdown. he and izzy have started to heal, so izzy watching him stare at fishing boats and just chatting to him like nothing happened actually makes a lick of sense. lupete are on their honeymoon at jackie's. olu gets to hook back up with zheng and archie and jim want to go along because they're not super happy on the ship still because although ed is doing better, the past of what he does still hangs over everyone. olu, zheng, jim and archie do not discuss the poly of it all properly, and it's hilarious and a mess, and gives us something to look forward to handling in season 3. ed freaks out about stede being violent when he's the one thing he felt like wasn't violent (and thus safe for him to be with), and about taking it not at all slow, breaks things off and runs away. izzy gets stede to come back to the ship. stede gets into a fight with zheng, the bombs go off, whatever (not a fan of this for her sake but if it has to happen, it can happen) episode 10: ed is off fishing but it's not going well and he's pissing pop-pop off all the time because he's not good at fishing. stede and co are handling the ricky of it all. the episode is mostly the same at the start, but instead of ed immediately going "omg, i gotta save bae" he doesn't find out about the attack until right at the end of the episode. stede and co make it back to the revenge and escape safely, and when ed retrieves his leathers and returns he thinks they're dead! he threatens/tortures/whatever some english and they say no, stede escaped! they all escaped! the season ends with ed, all decked out in his leathers, with his sword, now in the position stede was last season: staring out over the water, planning to find the man he loves.

this sets season 3 up for ed to be on his own for a little while, for him to handle and figure out how to channel his violence into something 'good' (wanting to find his love, wanting to protect his crew etc).

maybe season 3 flashes back to baby!ed again and the fact his first act of violence against his father wasn't motivated by anger or spite, it was motivated by wanting to protect someone he loved: his mum.

then season 3 they find each other again, and maybe they meet in the moonlight for the parallel to hit even better, they finally get back together properly, for good, with maybe some comedic issues along the way, and ed finds his place in the world to be less "blackbeard, the terror of the seas" and more "ed protects those he loves."

i honestly think this is probably how the show was originally meant to go, or at least something close.

i think midway through season 2, djenks heard it was over and he (rightfully) panicked and threw together a finale that tied up as many loose ends as he could because he knew.

and i dont think there's anything that could've been done about it. i think it was dead in the water (no pun intended) the moment all the MAX/HBO/whatever reshuffles happened, I think it was too queer and I genuinely think executive meddling made a lot of the more queer elements go away, possibly right down to trying to wipe away the exes/love interests of it all with that whole father figure thing

and, again, i'm not absolving djenks of some of his more baffling writing decisions. he's a grown man and he makes his own choices. but i am saying i think it explains a LOT about why the finale we got is what we got, and i'm not sorry stede and ed ended the show together rather than apart or with their lives hanging in the balance or something

anyway these are just a bunch of thoughts i've been having, tied together by the cancellation.

[faejilly]

i absolutely love your sh meta so i was wondering what are your thoughts on Alec’d relationship with his sexuality bc i always sort of read it as him knowing that he was gay but absolutely not saying it out loud

absofuckinglutely nonny

There's an excellent post by amorverus that I cannot find the original of so have my reblog HERE that articulates it really well

I even wrote a fic about it! #shameless self promotion [tumblr / ao3] (That is, in fact, one of my favorite things I've ever written.)

I do strongly believe that Alec knew that he was gay, and felt no shame about that in and of itself. He is not offended by Magnus flirting with him, would not, I think, be offended by anyone else flirting with him, regardless of gender. (Tho prior to Magnus I also think he just... wasn't interested, but that's a separate conversation.) He knew, however, that it was not allowed in his culture and it would hurt his family and not just him if it came out.

(This is why Izzy makes me so uncomfortable in s1 regarding Alec, tbqh, because she lives there too, but refuses to see the danger to herself and, more egregiously in Alec's mind, because obviously she can chose to risk herself for him if she wants, for all he doesn't like it, but she's causing risk for their little brother if Alec is outed, and that's unacceptable. Even if I'm quite sure Max would agree with her priorities.)

I do, however, think Alec felt a lot of shame regarding his attraction to Jace. Jace was hurting and was supposed to be his brother and yet... Alec felt an attraction that he knew Jace wouldn't return. So he's got all the societal pressure on him not to be gay, and all this personal pressure not to manipulate or abuse someone in a vulnerable situation (because Jace was, even if he wouldn't admit it), PLUS all the normal human issues with feeling attraction for someone who is important enough to you that you can't lose them, and you can legitimately be terrified that if you can't get it under control you MIGHT... (Even more so for him than a mundane romantic vs platonic situation, obviously, because there's questions of command and exile and punishment, not just ruining an interpersonal dynamic in a way it never quite recovers from.)

Plus Alec's kind of also Jace's commanding officer which is yet ANOTHER unequal power dynamic, and he's supposed to be protecting an entire Institute, not just this one person, but he can't stop thinking about it because it's fucked up and he knows he should stop and he can't.

(Because, he realizes with the benefit of hindsight after he meets Magnus, by fixating on Jace he was safe, he was never going to fall in love for real with someone he might have a chance with, would never have to actually choose between his culture and his personal desires, while still telling himself that he already had, that he'd chosen his family and it was fine, he was FINE.

(He was so not fine.))

And so, even though he truly believes there's nothing wrong with being gay in general, he does believes there is something Very Wrong with him specifically being gay.

But he still never has any doubt about it. He never tries to project heterosexual interest in anyone, is very up front with Lydia about the terms of their engagement. (It seems clear, even if we never see that conversation, that they're both aware that their marriage would never be romantic or sexual unless they mutually decided to go the so-called traditional route for children.) And she agreed to it! She, unlike Jace & Izzy, had zero illusions about her relationship with Alec, and I ADORE HER FOR THAT.

And I've totally lost the thread of this rambling, I'm not sure I have a conclusion for you? 😅😅😅

Alec is, imo, refreshingly self-aware about most things, and many of his issues are legitimately external stupidity punishing him into a life of self-recrimination rather than him having internal bigotry or biases against his own sexuality in and of itself.

[suffersinfandom]

I’m still thinking about dumb discourse because my brain is broken and guys there’s so much “Ed and Stede are not as queer as Izzy” out there what the heck. 

Anyway. I said this in response to a different post:

There are so many ways to be queer and so many kinds of queer experiences. Not everyone is going to see themselves in Ed or Stede, and that's fine. Some people are going to see themselves in Izzy, and that's also fine. What's not fine is asserting that your pet white guy (who, yes, conforms to pirate standards of masculinity better than anyone else on the Revenge) is the only character with a valid queer arc.

But why do some Izzy fans (can we call them Izzy Heads? Izheads? I want a word for that specific flavor of fan) relate only to the queerness in Izzy's story? I can't stop thinking about it.

It seems that at least some people who consider Izzy the best example of queer rep in OFMD do so because they relate to the character. They don’t have a romantic partner or they’re in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same way. They’re disabled and focus on the intersection of disability and queerness. They feel as though they’re outsiders, even in a queer community (or a largely queer fandom like this one). They’re not cis men and they’re not trans in the same way as Jim is, so they don’t see their gender explicitly represented onscreen. 

On paper, most of that describes me too. The thing is? I do relate to Stede and Ed and I don’t relate to Izzy at all.

I’m an AFAB nonbinary person who’s physically and mentally disabled. I’m aromantic and asexual with the sliders all set to 100%; I have never so much as dated, and I almost never engage with romantic media because I just don’t get it. I feel like a freak in most circles, like I’m missing a fundamental part of what makes humans human. There isn’t a character in OFMD who shares my specific gender or sexual identity, but Ed and Stede are absolutely queer in ways that are understandable to me and, I think, a lot of other people in this community.

Ed and Stede both grow up and live the first decades of their adult lives in societies that don’t want them to be themselves. Stede can’t love flowers or bright and flashy fashion; he needs to dress down and become a family man. He’s forced to marry a woman he doesn’t love (and who doesn’t love him) and father children to inherit his wealth. Ed can’t fancy a fine fabric or pursue a peaceful life because his world is one that demands cruelty and violence. He has to wrap himself up in leather and layers of myth and legend to survive. They’re both GNC and wearing masks and entirely miserable.

I know -- I think most of us know -- what it’s like to suppress who we are so we can fit in or be who the people around us expect us to be. I think we know what it’s like to be miserable and lonely for ages -- to bury who we really are deeper and deeper until we barely remember who that person is -- right up until we find out that there are people out there who get us. There are places where we can be who we are, or at least experiment a bit and discover ourselves.

Even if we don’t know what it’s like to find a great love like Stede and Ed do, there are parts of their relationship that we understand. I'm sure plenty of us know what it’s like to meet someone who doesn’t ask us to pretend for the first time. We know what it’s like to be on the same silly, stupid wavelength as someone else, and we know how it feels to play with someone who gets us. I think that the friendship that Ed and Stede share, even with the romantic and sexual elements removed, is a distinctly queer one. 

So I guess I still don't know why Izheads only relate to his queer experience when Ed and Stede, in my opinion, are both extremely queer even beyond, like, the thing where they're wildly in love.

I want to think it has something to do with Izzy's status as a side character and not racism, internalized homophobia, or anything else like that. Characters without fully fleshed-out backgrounds provide opportunities to project whatever we want, you know? If you want to see your specific gender or sexual identity in a character, just grab one with little canon lore and fill in the blanks. Maybe I can be happy with characters who aren't just like me, but I don't expect everyone to be content with that.

What was I even typing about?

Oh, right.

Ed and Stede are super fucking queer. You don't have to relate to them because there are infinite ways to be queer, but you do have to acknowledge that there is nothing heteronormative about their relationship or them as individuals.

[bookishjules]

So I am rereading TMI after almost 10 years and my adult brain is processing small details that my middle school brain did not! I never realized how much Izzy has Jace’s back through the first three books especially. I’m on COFA now and Jace is having his dream about stabbing Clary but right before, he wonders if Izzy is the one knocking on his door to bother him. That got me thinking about that sibling pair. We get parabatai scenes between Alec and Jace but I would love to know what Izzy and Jace get up to as a duo? Their one-on-one conversations seem like such a mystery lol and I know you’re an Izzy enthusiast so if you have any headcanons about this please share 🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️

i have so so much love for jace and izzy's relationship, but you're right, we really don't get much in terms of content for the two of them. which honestly?? tragic. not only do they top the shadowhunting charts, but idk there's just something about how the two of them function in life that would breed such great comradery imo like there's a reason they tried something romantic at one point, yk? they're so similar and they both hold the other in such high regard.. okay i could rant about them for a long time, but let's talk headcanons

jace was always quick to include izzy in any games him and alec would play, even when the latter was going through his 'my sister is so annoying' phase. jace understood what it was like to be lonely and didn't want to be the cause of izzy being forced to find some way to play on her own (or with her baby brother) when there was a perfectly good game she could join in on

the two of them did occasionally pull pranks on their older brother too. alec got so pissy about it, but that was of course the best part hehe

along with being pranking buddies, i think they also did a lot of confiding in each other. alec would get more withdrawn (into responsibility, into big brother protector mode, into hiding his crush on jace) and there was just something about a brother that wasn't quite a brother, who wouldn't reprimand you or worry about you or tell mom and dad on you. and of course not having any real friends around kinda made it difficult to have confidants who weren't also your siblings.

so jace was the first to know about izzy's first kiss, and izzy was the first to know about jace's first time.

because jace often felt like he had to look cool and desirable (not sexually just like.. worthy ig) to alec, it was often izzy who he'd open up to. about his past, about how hard the transition to new york was from the countryside, about how left out he felt when maryse wouldn't sing to him etc.

she shared her hair products with him and he would read to her on nights when her parents were fighting and it seemed to affect her more than any of the boys.

when he told her the spaghetti story she tried to make spaghetti for him at least once a month. never with positive results, but she was teasing him for his youthful obsession, so he'd tease her about her horrible cooking <3

she shared her hair products with him and he helped her study, since he was already well ahead of shadowhunter standards for their age

i feel like they're the kind of duo who starts out having a very casual, joking conversation that devolves into hours of deeper shit that they then have to go to the training room to sweat off together

[maximwtf]

Hi there! first off, I LOVE your fics so much! Secondly, I’d like to request for Stede since I agree, there is a lack of fics for him!! I love the way you’ve written for him so far. Feel free to ignore this if you don’t feel like writing it for whatever reason, of course 💟

Though, perhaps I could request a Stede x reader where the reader sees Black Pete and Lucius’ romance blossom and they think it’s the most endearing thing ever but it also makes them a bit nervous because they have feelings toward someone in the crew (Stede) and they don’t know the first thing about how to express it. Stede noticed the reader is down one day and they accidentally spill their dilemma but they leave Stede’s name out. So then Stede is giving the reader courting lessons pretty much and then after the lessons have “concluded” and Stede’s like “okay now go get ‘em!” pretty much, the reader stands there and is basically repeating back everything they learned to him. He’s not taking the hint so he’s like yes that was wonderful practice, now go and tell the lucky person all of this! And the reader is like well…it’s you. And confessions both ends ensue blah blah💕again if you don’t feel inclined to write this, no worries! Wasn’t sure if you are taking romantic requests for him. But maybe even if you aren’t this plot could still apply just minus the part where the reader uses it on Stede, where he gives the reader courting lessons still and it’s all cute and fluffy?

Stede Bonnet x Reader

Words: 3130

Google docs pages: 5

Warnings: None? Reader is bad with emotions, they don’t know what to do with love. Is the author's inability to write non-tragic romance also a warning? Nah but fr it’s the best fluff I can offer!

Opening: You watch Pete and Lucius’ relationship blossom, becoming jealous of it. Stede notices you being down more often and tries to help, when you end up telling him of a crush you have. He offers to teach you ways to confess, though he doesn’t seem to realise who this crush truly is.

AN// Reader can be any gender ! Thank you for this request, ahh. I don’t usually get excited over fluff, but if it’s for Stede I’m here for it. I hope this came out good !^^ I’m still learning to write for him, this being only the second fic I've made for him wahh

“Go get em’ !”

There were no other words to describe how you felt when you saw Pete and Lucius be able to embrace their love, other than jealousy and melancholy. How they could so openly tell each other that they loved one another, how they could spend time together freely and knew how to tell the other how they felt. If you would have been able to do that, you wouldn’t even be in this position. This feeling wasn’t even you wishing anything bad for them, only wishing that you could have something that they had, with the person you fancied. 

But that person walked on deck, having no clue of your silent feelings and admiration. And if you didn’t soon find it in you to somehow tell him, you feared you’d miss your chance eventually. Hell, he was an attractive man and surely there’d come another if you sat at the sidelines and did nothing. But what could you do?

Your whole life, you hadn’t been the emotional kind. Showing any feelings that would show vulnerability was almost automatically forbidden for you. Far before you’d even heard of the Gentleman pirate had you been like this. A rough life at the sea hadn’t been kind, and even if it was more so now, you lived in the olden days. And most of the time when it turned out to be a fault in the new crew, you looked at Izzy and excused yourself. He was similar, so why should you try to change? Being the way you’d always been was comforting in a way, and learning a new set of behaviours sounded exhausting. Having to open up more, and be able to tell someone you cared for that you loved them felt impossible because of that. What if you came off as rude? Or even worse, if they didn’t even feel the same. Especially on a ship where you had to meet the same people every day, having to face the person who rejected you felt horrifying. And you couldn’t possibly keep avoiding this person, he was your captain after all. 

Stede Bonnet. The former rich landowner, who had abandoned his previous life in exchange for a pirate’s. An idea that you thought you would possibly never truly understand the reason for. From growing up on a pirate ship, to being a permanent member of his crew, you had no idea why one would like to become a pirate. Almost every day was a fight to win, but this man somehow stayed positive and had taught his crew manners you’d never seen on a ship. You had thought you would never be able to fit in, but so you did. Because he had welcomed you with open arms, like he had known you his whole life. He didn’t care about what you’d done, who you had been or where you’d come from. He cared about who you were now. A truly admirable person in your eyes. 

Not to mention, you had an eye for nice fabrics and clothes. You’d never been able to afford them, nor were they practical in the action you had to take part in daily, but did they look nice. And he wore them well, all the ones he’d brought with him on the ship. All the nice colours, shapes and textures were a sight for a sore eye. You didn’t know if he’d ever noticed you checking out his outfits, but you hoped not. What would he even think? If he didn’t know why you were staring, you assumed he would think you were just creepy. Another reason why you didn’t want to confess to him. 

But did all of this make your chest ache, long for something that you were almost positive you couldn’t reach. The thoughts started making you distance yourself when the time gave you the possibility. You’d spent time at the bow of the ship, or all the way up in the crowsnest. Places where you could be alone for a moment, to try and convince yourself that eventually you’d tell him. 

But during all of this, you failed to notice that your absence hadn’t gone unnoticed, as much as you had hoped that would have been the case. Stede noticed soon after, starting to note that you seemed awfully upset. He had planned to ask you about it, but never could. He almost started blaming himself, if he had done something wrong to scare you off? Perhaps you wanted to leave the crew all together for a yet unknown reason? He knew if that was the case that he would never be able to stop you, but he could always try. Which had originally been the reason why he’d come looking for you. And if you were going to leave, he wanted to say his goodbyes, as much as it pained him to even think of that possibility. 

Once more, you leaned to the railing of the ship, watching the vessel make its way forward. Sometimes you wondered if this feeling was all your fault. You were the one basking in melancholy instead of changing. Yet, these thoughts never had enough power to make you actually quit these habits. 

The sound of someone coming towards from the hallway near you brought you back from your thoughts. To your horror and pleasure, it was Stede. He noticed your quick turn towards him, giving you a gentle smile before fully emerging through the small door frame, placing himself on the other side. Though, that smile faded rather quickly as he seemed to remember the reason why he’d come to find you. “Ah, I almost ran out of options as to where you could have been!” He said, a slight chuckle in his tone as he unintentionally tried to ease the rather tense atmosphere. You gave him a shrug, keeping your eyes keenly on the water, watching it swirl and hit the ship in waves. “See, I came to ask you how you’ve been feeling? You seem like you’re keeping something bottled up?” He continued to speak, guessing you had nothing to say to his first comment. Though, this one froze you. What could have you said? That he was the reason why you’d been upset this whole time? Blame Lucius and Pete for all of this? Or were you upset because of yourself. “Homesick, you know how it is.” You lied, trying to joke off the question. But your attempt had gone down the drain, only making Stede furrow his brows in concern. He knew you were lying, knowing you viewed the ship as your home. “Please, it’s not good to continue like this. Better to talk it out.” He insisted, making you bite your inner lip in return. Like you were holding back something you feared you might slip on accident. 

Yet, that helped as much as rowing a boat without oars. “I fear the person I care for doesn't feel the same.” You sighed, ashamed of admitting to your feelings. Your gaze was tilted faintly upwards, eyes watching the water, too scared to look at Stede. A gentle hum came from his side. “Then why don’t you go ask?” The advice sounding like he was relieved it hadn’t been anything worse than that. But to you, this was as worse as it was ever going to get. Being stuck with feelings you didn’t know how to express. But even that feeling, the frustration was hard to show to him. Having to keep him in the shadow from how you felt. You shook your head, lowering your gaze. “I don’t know how.” A defeated sigh leaving you as your shoulder slumped down. If you were to guess, an empathic expression had appeared on Stede’s face. He stayed silent for a moment, before placing a hand on your shoulder. You almost pulled away, startled by the sudden touch. Yet there was something so comforting about it that it didn’t take you long to ease into it. “If you want to, I could offer you a few tips on confessing in the proper way?” The captain suggested, voice gentle as ever. He spoke with confidence, knowing that he could possibly help you. And you knew that, but that hadn’t been the reason for your reply. “Oh, I would appreciate that.” Even if he couldn’t help you, you could finally spend time with just him, as he talked to you about the subject of love, having no clue that he was that subject for you. 

And after that conversation, you collected all of the courage in you as you prepared for the first meeting of the few you would continue to have with him. And with a deep breath, you pushed the door open that led to his quarters, finding the man himself seated on one of the couches. He got up to greet you, starting the ‘lesson’ soon after. 

You sat in front of him, listening as he talked. “You didn’t tell me more about this person. What kind of confession would fit them? If it is a pirate, I’m not so sure a fancy confession is the thing you need.” He laughed the comment off faintly, a hint of doubt in his voice. “N-no! I’m sure- they’d love it.” You answered rather abruptly, thinking he might be rethinking this offer. “Well then…A confession is often considered a private matter. So you would find a place such as that to confess in. You would usually think the wording of the confession beforehand, polite and respectful.” The man started, his eyes looking up as he thought of how these tips could be used on a ship. As he paused speaking his thoughts out loud, he turned to you, as if waiting for you to have questions. But you didn’t, you looked at him keenly, waiting for him to continue. “Well- You could ask them out to eat before confessing. But I’m not so sure you could do that here, I’m afraid.” He said, tilting his head a little at the shame of that. “Thoughtful gestures are an alternative, perhaps a small gift or a letter?” He added after, clearly deep in thought as he tried to come up with something that was doable on a ship. “I’m not so gifted with my hands.” You muttered, thinking of the possibility of giving him a gift. After all, he was describing the way he had been taught to confess, so you wanted to follow those tips he gave you. “You don’t have to be, a confession on its own is good enough.” He smiled, shaking his head slightly. 

You turned to look at your feet, silent as you thought of what he’d said. Though, the moment didn’t last long as Stede spoke up again. “How about we practise the tips I gave the next time we meet?” He asked, tilting his head slightly. You turned to look at him, blinking your eyes a couple of times. “On who?” He couldn't have possibly been suggesting that you-, “on me, if that is alright with you.” He said, a friendly smile on his face, per usual. You blinked again, faster this time. “I- Of course.” You nodded, internally stunned by the suggestion, having to shake your head slightly to bring you back into the moment. You would have to learn how to keep your cool, this was practically the same thing you’d have to say to him when you actually told him. 

After that, he gave you a couple more tips, explaining the almost laughable mannerisms he had been taught or that he had read of. It amused you to watch him make fun of the things he had been taught into, giving you the slightest of ideas why he had chosen the life you’d had to live for most of your life. By the sound of it, you would have most likely done the same. 

You went to the next meeting with him, this time more relaxed. He stood in the middle of his quarters. By the way he was breathing he must have just moved some of the furniture out of the way. “Evening.” You greeted him, looking around as you walked in. “Ah, just in time.” Stede smiled, nodding his head as a greeting when you came closer.  “I thought tonight we’d try the advice in action, what do you say?” He asked after his initial comment, seeing as you hadn’t said anything. “Oh, of course. Yes. How do I start?” You asked, looking around as if exploring the cabin, a desperate attempt to hide sight of you being flustered. A light laugh left Stede before he replied. “If it’s okay, I thought I’d show an example first.” Your gaze snapped to him, soon after looking at your feet again to not seem odd. “Ah, of course.” You nodded, taking a small step back to give the man space. 

Stede cleared his throat, taking something from the table near him and stepping towards you. “A private place.” He hinted at the space the two of you were in before going forward with the example. He brought his hand towards you, handing you a nicely folded piece of paper. You took it with a slightly shaky hand, trying to keep in mind that he was only giving you an example, having no idea of how you truly felt. 

You weren’t sure what to say so you automatically opened the paper, eyes scanning over the words on it. You didn’t have to read often, so the skill hadn’t developed much, but if you read slowly enough you understood what the short letter said. A few compliments, subtly hinting at his yet hidden ‘feelings’. You looked up at him, lowering the letter. “I- Thank you?” You stuttered out, an awkward look appearing on your face as you realised how rusty it sounded in a situation like this. Stede only gave you a polite smile before offering you a hand. “Please, allow me to fetch us a place to sit.” He said, leading you to one of the couches. He allowed you to sit down first, taking a seat only after. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything to offer you. But let us use imagination.” The man in front of you explained, you gave him a nod while folding the piece of paper into your pocket. “When do you confess?” You asked, turning your gaze on him. “Well, we’d eat and maybe after or a little later you’d pull them aside to tell them.” He said, standing up and leading you to the middle of the room yet again. 

You stood in front of him, listening as he spoke. “Dear, I hope you’ve had a pleasant evening. But before it ends, I wished to tell you my admiration for you. Because I do fancy you.” He spoke calmly, knowing exactly what to say. You bit your inner lip, nodding after. “Alright.” Stede put his hands together, pleased with how it was going so far. “Do you want to give it a try?” He asked, tilting his head. You blinked a couple of times, nodding your head before even giving it a proper thought. “Okay, whenever you’re ready.” He said, giving you space. You took a deep breath, deciding that this was going to be it. You’d confess to him, and somehow manage to make him realise that you were being serious. 

You walked up to him, taking a moment before pulling the same letter he’d given you out of your pocket, handing it to him. He looked a little surprised, but still accepted the offer and looked over the letter quickly, as if he didn’t know what was in it. “Ah, thank you. Go on.” He smiled, looking back up. “It’s only the truth. I wished to show you how much I admire you, because I have had my eye on you. Stede, I fancy you.” You said, adding his name in as a desperate way to try and make this more obvious. But instead, he put his hands together, seemingly excited. “Ah, that’ll do it, almost swooned even me. I think you’re ready, go get em’!” He nodded firmly after, nothing but kindness in his eyes. Yet the longer you looked at him the more it seemed like he wasn’t so happy about what he’d just said. Like he hadn’t wanted to say it at all. You bit your inner lip for a moment, having to insist on making him understand. “I admire you, have for a long time.” You said, almost repeating yourself. Stede furrowed his brows, smiling at you a little awkwardly, now more confused than anything. “Wonderful practice. Now, go and get this lucky person!” He encouraged you. “Stede I’m-” You took a breath, not even sure what to say anymore. He hadn’t taught you what to do if the person you’re confessing to is the person teaching you how to confess. 

By this point the man in front of you seemed worried, offering a hand out to you. “Are you feeling alright?” He asked, placing his hand on your shoulder. You looked at the floor before taking a hold of his wrist, gently. Your eyes looked into his, desperate to make him understand even if you couldn’t show it properly with words or small subtle actions. “I fancy you, Stede.” You said, and as soon as he was opening his mouth again, you quickly added in, “it’s you.” This made him close his mouth for a moment, soon a softer look appearing on his face. “I love you.” You mumbled out to avoid any tense silence from forming. “Dear, did you go through all this trouble to confess to me?” He smiled, seemingly relieved yet he said nothing of it. You gave him a slow nod, afraid this was only the starting point of him rejecting you. “Because I was afraid I was losing you from the moment you started disappearing to this moment right now.” He added, gently pulling you towards himself to offer a hug, which you accepted. 

He felt warm, somehow he managed to also smell better than any other pirate you’d been close to. “I assumed you were leaving the crew and later realised I must have missed my opportunity with you.” He said, pulling back slightly, still close to you. You humoured the thought of him somehow sensing you didn’t want to go far from him at that moment. “You thought I was going to leave?” You asked, furrowing your brows, slightly amused. Though, you understood why he had thought that. He didn’t answer, only giving you a faint eye roll before placing a hand to the side of your neck, his thumb pushing your chin up slightly, making you look up at him. “I fancy you too.” He said, that being the only thing you’d ever wished to hear him say. 

AN// Yall TRUST I proof read this, but with the mindset of someone who hasn’t slept. Also why is Stede so hard to find good images of, bros making a face in like 99% of all images >:(

[kazoo-world]

Look okay I was really nervous for the finale I didn’t love the direction of episodes 6 and 7 in terms of where the budget cuts took us and I liked most of the finale (I am even on board for Izzy dying, honestly, and thats a hot take I suspect a lot of people disagree with but that’s another post). Two things, though:

Ed killed. Ed killed a lot of people in episode 8. I can understand coming back to his love being the thing that breaks in him the fear of being the Kraken, of it being so easy for him to do what he has to do, because he knows he has to do it and love is worth breaking that promise to himself. And I am fine with D Jenks thinking Ed is ready to grow in the sense that he is willing to kill for the right reasons or let go of the way he views himself for doing it/has trauma flashbacks and whatever about killing. Kind of inherently funny to have a character grow in their unwillingness to murder by having them murder more. But please oh my g-d how was there not even a little look into Ed’s emotional state, a marker of this growth or change? He didn’t blink and it doesn’t seem to have affected him at all that this change has happened in him. That doesn’t feel quite right, considering this is a HUGE step for him, that there is no character beat for it. We get Izzy’s speech on killing for a family, but I can’t stand by allowing another character to speak Ed’s thoughts when we got literal Shakespearean soliloquy from Ed on the delights of fishing.

Secondly, I am all for Ed and Stede owning an inn, but please they need to have a conversation why was there no conversation shown the reason is budget cuts but Ed even asks him if he’s having second thoughts and Stede just says no, almost implying that the growth is…their inability to be comfortable telling each other no, and that romance means giving up your dreams to share your partner’s dream. I am not happy with this. They need to settle explicitly on having a shared vision for their lives. This is a big change for Stede, someone who is presumably dealing with the complicated emotions of having chosen to be with Ed over his dream to become something as a pirate. It would be so much more romantic to hear and see Stede tell Ed that he genuinely wants the life Ed wants for himself, and for Stede to find a place for himself in that dream that appeases his own needs, so that it is a dream they build as a couple. I suspect the beginning of season 3 will get into how they deal with this decision and their relationship, mostly in terms of the comedy of errors of being domestic and trying to start a business without sufficient planning, but if it doesn’t, I will not be happy.

[carrymelikeimcute]

I've been thinking more about Izzy's death (because why not hurt myself all over again, I say) and was reminded of a scene in Uncle of all things, about parenting.

Now, I don't disagree entirely with David Jenkins when he says there's a mentorship/father figure stuff to the Edizzy dynamic - I just also think the psychosexual daddy issues there could fuel a nuclear reactor and that father figure/sexual tension/romantic love aren't mutually exclusive - but specifically, it got me thinking about this scene and being a parent to someone reckless and vulnerable.

Specifically this line, in reference to Val's daughter - "She fills my life with meaning and terror. It's the curse that keeps giving, and do you know the best that I can hope for? That I die before her."

I think Ed fills Izzy's life with meaning and terror, in so many ways.

Stripping away whose arc the death benefitted and whether or not it was a 'happy' ending for the character - I think the fact that Izzy got taken out by a shot aimed at Ed is kind of poignant in the context of the above quote. It's such an Izzy line, and not just because it's Con saying it.

The sentiment applies to all kinds of relationships but, 'I hope I go first' is so tragically tied to edizzy. The idea that a world without you in it is a world I don't want, and that being one sided, because the other person would grieve you, sure, but they wouldn't END with you? Gives me absolute chills.

(The relevant clip is at 7:45)

[izzysillyhandsy]

The saga continues... rewatching the EdIzzy eps 1 and 2 with my friend - and as I knew she would, she absolutely loved them.

She saw the murder/suicide scene combined with the end scene on deck as a "demonstration of how those two function".

"You can see that they chose this, they chose this darkness. Both are conciously in it. I love the energy and sparkle in their eyes looking at each other. You can see it. History."

"Life is hell now for both of them, actually kind of romantic, how Ed wanted company in hell. He was lonely there 😂"

"It's somehow, a scene with an undercurrent of love... For Ed, death is salvation, and he gives Izzy the freedom to die. For Ed, I guess, that's love. Right?"

"Ed loved it!! [when Izzy was coming out on deck in the end] This is their thing. Feeling alive. The way Ed looks at him is on another fucking level 😍"

"Best relationship ever ❤"

And I agree that in these scenes, although both of them were going through it, they were so close and intense and so, so familiar. For the first time you could really feel what kept them together for all those years, how it could have been before everything got boring and predictable.

Nobody can ever convice me that, at one point, they both didn't love it, the drama, the chaos, the extreme emotions of being Blackbeard, the shared excitement. The way Ed looks at Izzy when he appears on deck really is... something.

(I remember how disappointed I was with the next episodes on my first watch because suddenly it wasn't about Ed&Izzy anymore and everything felt so tame in comparison)