#like as characters i think stede and especially ed are awful and izzy deserves so much better than them

[laceratedlamiaceae]

Stede and Izzy watching the sun rise, drinking tea and discussing the plans for the day while Ed sleeps in.

Izzy and Ed watching the sun set, leaning back and reminiscing over old times while Stede tells the crew their bedtime story.

Ed and Stede stargazing, laying on the foretop and making up stories about the constellations while Izzy gets some well-deserved rest in their bed.

[gabichanwrites]

As someone who has no strong feelings toward Izzy, I still didn't want him to die and was certain Izzy wasn't going to die because despite all the things I disliked about what they did to certain characters and plots in the second season, I thought it didn't fit the show to have a central character (or basically anyone who isn't a minor character) die. It didn't fit anything it had set for itself in the previous season to kill off one of their main characters even if it WAS for a meaningful reason (which it wasn't). And yet they did it anyway, and like I thought, it was an awful decision.

Yeah, man, exactly that!

I may be quite biased because I literally loved Izzy since I first saw and heard him, all the quips, all the potential of redemption... And, you know, I've got a spot for "pathetic, wet cat" characters. As in I want to give him a towel, feed him something nice and treasure each moment he stops hissing at me.

And even with all the love I hold for Izzy, I don't think I'm not objective when I say it's a shit narrative choice and it's a death that doesn't do anything. It wouldn't serve well any of the characters in the show in fact.

Especially with the way the show handled 1 season, with the softness and historical inaccuracies in how open everyone is to the new stuff - man, people loved it. I loved it. I trusted the writers so fully that not for a moment did I think they would actually kill off anyone, not even for a moment did I believe that Lucius would die. And this was this kind of show about pirates, this was why people liked it so much, at least partially.

And now this finale... Even if we ignore how much Izzy doesn't deserve it, it's just a bad way to go. It's a generic shot in a generic setting, with the character doing absolutely nothing special, not protecting anyone, not running away, just standing there. It's like killing Pete so Lucius will realize that pirating is dangerous and bad and he should stay on land. It's like killing Jim to make Oluwande realize that this isn't safe and... I don't know, go to Zheng. Honestly, I have a hard time coming up with similar nonsense because it just... Doesn't make sense. The writer in me recoils at the sound of so much unnecessary death and cut potential for the sake of... What exactly?

. This kind of death breaks the theme we got used to seeing and it takes away our belief that we can freely enjoy the shenanigans without worrying. A feeling I just got familiar with when the curse and Calypso's birthday happened. This kind of death takes away character in a cruel, pointless way and reduces them back to side characters, there to make way for the main couple. And I like Ed and Stede well enough but COME ON.

So yeah, in short, I fully agree anon. But you probably knew that if you took a look at my Tumblr in the last few hours. I'm gonna stop here though because it's very late for me and I am several hours behind on getting some sleep. Thank you for the ask though, I feel like this finale deeply affected even those who aren't that obssesed with Izzy and, to be honest, it's our first warning sign - writers don't mind pointless killing anymore.

Or maybe it's the saving grace - the bad reception will make them unlikely to do anything equally rush and stupid in the future.

[katarzyna-]

This? This ruined me. Because you made me realise how true this statement is.

I wanna preface this by saying that under I'm in no circumstances a JKR supporter (for obvious reasons) and I'm also NOT trying to imply that Jenkins is homophobic and transphobic (so please don't send me death threats, read this or don't, block me on sight, idc, even argue with me, but please be respectful). I just know/remember a lot from my younger days.

I'm not saying that these characters have the same arc/story, but there is a shocking amount of resemblence.

Both Lupin and Izzy are shown as outcasts of their already alienated society.

You could argue that pirates and wizards are completely different, but let's think about this. While I know that JKR didn't plan on it, she created a close-knit community with their own traditions, language and wardrobe that lived in secret, hiding from the rest of "normal" society. This image just screams queer. Her portrayal of werewolves was harmful and god-awful, with Lupin being "one of the good ones" trying to conform to social norms and living his whole life in hiding (we will come back to this later on).

While Izzy is respected by others (especially in s2, with Steak Knife, Bill and Ricky, who seems like a fanboy at first, and Jackie since season one, and even the Navy), he does not fit on the s1 Revenge. He is not used to living so openly, so unapologetically as the rest of the crew. He is not used to showing his emotions. Season 2 gives him the opportunity to try that way of life for like five minutes, before he dies. And that's the hurtful part, he only just found his new family, he got accepted into it for a moment, before everything is forcibly taken from him. In these five minutes, he got protective of them, fought for them and took the blame upon himself multiple times, just to save them. And what is more, they defend him back. They risk their lives covering up the fact that he lives, hiding him from a psychotic-ex their Captain. They save his life by performing surgery even when he begs them to just end it all. They bond while making him a prothestic leg, a gift that touches Izzy so deeply, that he stops his self-destructive path and embraces his place in the crew (look at ep5 and 6, he is thriving, he jokes around, trains Stede, offers advice and the drag scene? Truly iconic. He finally allows himself a moment of softness after a lifetime of hardship).

2. Disability/ overall health

While Lupin being physically disabled is mostly fanon, his health is in shambles even in canon. The transformations take a lot of his organism, he is in his 30s during the series, but is described as looking much older, always on the brink of exhaustion. Fans found him relatable, made him a symbol, which JKR kills off without much thought.

While I myself am not disabled, I can recognise that the treatment of Izzy is hurtful. His prothestic is a part of him and using it as a grave marker is just so disrespectful and many fans already brought up this topic. Killing off the visably disbled character feels like a big "fuck you" to those who recognised a part of themselves in Izzy and took joy in his acceptance journey. Before you come to me about him not being the only disabled character, he is the only one with an arc connected to the fact. Ed convieniently forgets about his knee this season. It's like it never bothered him at all. The brace is long forgotten, he runs freely. So, great writing and consistency guys! Good job!

And to the "fans" who say he "deserved it": I'm begging you to just use your brain and think for five seconds. First of all, disability is not a punishment, it cannot be someone's fault. Please rethink your words. And in this particular instance, do you think taking his toes and eventually the leg were appropriate/proportional of his crime of... being mean to Ed in season one? Because "Ed is so babygirl, he cannot do anything wrong" he literally commited a war crime. Check your morals.

3. "Bury your gays" and fan reception

"But OP, this isn't bury you gays, everyone is queer in OFMD!" okay yes, but does anybody else have such a typically queer arc? The whole season is centered about acceptance and belonging. Izzy finds himself experimenting and finally enjoying life. He rids himself of toxic masculinity. He does drag for god's sake. He mixes in with the crew, sings a beautiful love song abot loving a man! (please read the translation from French, not only the English lyrics, bc you loose a whole layer of meaning). He admits his feelings to Ed! (tbh I didn't expect that, especially such early on in the season, but we all know what came later). He even admits the fact to Stede, so it's not like he's hiding the fact anymore.

He is the elder queer, who fought tooth and nail to be where he was. He was disabled. His love was unrequited and he still stayed with Ed for years. He finally escaped an abusive relationship. He was a symbol to many of us. And they took him away, when "he was no longer needed". They made his death a plot device and then didn't even mourn him. His death didn't serve anything except shock value. It didn't motivate the characters to revenge, it didn't help Ed with abandoning the Blackbeard persona, because he has already done that in the previous episode (with Izzy's help/blessing, no less).

And the whole deathbed confession was an apology to his abuser? Wow, what a way to victim blame, Great message, really. Nobody tries to save him, despite the fact that the crew has already done it this season. What are we supposed to think, that once was enough? That it was too much of a burden? Fuck this. Fuck making suicidal characters die. Great message to the fans. You can be happy only when you're young and healthy and a socially acceptable version of queer. Fuck it.

And the fact that they tried to last-minute change his relationship with Ed to a mentorship? Why? There is almost no textual evidence to prove it, at this point it looks like Jenkins realizing he fucked up and trying to backpedal after the backlash.

Lupin on the other hand could very much be a poster child for the bury your gays trope. After JKR found out that people shipped him with Sirius, she kills both of them off. While Sirius's death serves some kind of a narrative purpose, making Harry change, Lupin's is just... there. He dies for the shock value, leaving behind a child which he only has to emphasize that he is straight, duh. The fact that his (also dead) wife was also thought to be queer by fans must be a coincidence, right?

I know it's all a bit chaotic, but I really expected more from a show that promised to be kind and a safe space. I'm tired of having to think up my own endings, of pretending that queer charcters are treated fairly. I really believed them and I'm not making this mistake again.

I'm used to queer-baiting in shows, I'm used to my faves dying, I just never expected it here. I thought we were better than this in 2023, but I got proven wrong.

An open letter to David Jenkins

Some fans believe that we should not vent our anger and frustration to show creators. I don’t believe that. The thing about being a professional is that receiving criticism is part of your job—especially if you have done a terrible job.

OFMD went from groundbreaking to disappointing overnight.

There was a momentum to create a queer media that is smart, fun, sexy, and most importantly, respectful. In the way they are writing these queer characters. Especially older and disabled queer characters, a reflection of a generation of marginalised communities that have gone through so much. To give audience a glimpse of hope in their escapism.

But sir, you choose to Remus Lupin him instead.

This is not just about killing off a character. Hell, I might be willing to accept it. After all, I have read and even written fics with MCD in it—involving my favourite character.

But I want you to know that this is a special case. It is not just another popular character being killed off to drive plots.

I have issue with how you kill off a queer character that represents many marginalised communities in his arc.

Izzy is an abuse survivor who becomes disabled as a result of it. Izzy is a queer elder. Izzy is suicidal but manages to overcome it with the healing power of love and community.

Having him killed off just like that is a huge slap for fans who have gone through what he has gone through. Turns out, even in fiction, in our escapism, there is no joy. Only despair.

Also. Father figure? Where does that come from? Ed has never been shown to have any level of respect for Izzy. So let me ask you again. Where does “father figure” come from?

You have an opportunity to make a difference with OFMD; to be remembered in history for the right reasons. Yet somehow you choose not too. You choose to turn this into cheap, sensationalist entertainment where death and torture are thrown around for shock value.

It is like you have no idea how much power you have by being a professional storyteller.

Let me break it down to you. For you as a writer, perhaps killing off Izzy is nothing but an artistic choice. A plot point to figure out. But for audiences in marginalised groups, stories are mirrors. They see themselves in stories. That is how stories give them hope. This is why OFMD has never been “just a pirate story”. Perhaps this is hard to understand if you have never been part of an underrepresented community in the mainstream media, but this is how many are feeling about your work now. Your legacy.

OFMD has truly become an overnight failure. I don’t know how this happened. I would like to blame budget cuts, but your Vanity Fair interview makes me realise this is all deliberate choice.

So, what is next for us Canyonites?

If anything, this convinced me that queer and disabled people should write. And continue to write.

We can no longer trust major media to speak for us. We definitely can never trust David Jenkins again. Any form of progressiveness that he showed earlier was just coincidence, apparently. Even worse, it was fake.

As my friend Sam beautifully puts it, Izzy belongs to us now. We reclaim that character and give him all the happy endings he deserves in our fic, our art. We transform the works. We write about queer, disabled, suicidal characters the way the deserve to be written. If being a published writer is the path you choose, make sure you make wiser decisions than David Jenkins.

Thank you, sir. It was good while it lasts.

But this is a terrible job that you’re doing.