#like sure stede still stabbed ed

[super-who-locked-me-in-here]

Honestly, after watching Supernatural, Merlin, and Hannibal, it's kind of hard to wrap my head around the queer romances in Our Flag Means Death. I'm so used to the queer romances in shows I like being tragic and/or toxic and it taking forever for the two characters to stop dancing around their feelings.

What is this "side characters pointing out to main character A that B likes them and A just rolls with it instead of shoving it down"?

What is this "several loving canon queer characters"?

What is this "'His name is Ed' followed by a smile and a hug"?

WHAT IS THIS "ONSCREEN KISSING" YOU SPEAK OF?

[something-about-sunflowers]

ALRIGHT, *cracks knuckles* let's get into that teaser, shall we?

Should I itemize this? I think I'm going to itemize it lmao.

So:

Starting here because this is a baseline for Stede, he's got no neckerchief here. This is likely early in the season, probably the very start.

Man's got a fuckin' ARM.

This is Ed. You can see the bare right arm in both shots.

Red neckerchief. Ed's scrap of silk? Beat to shit if it is, which, he did toss it out to sea so, it would be.

Ed's not wearing the knee brace. Or gloves for that matter. I know the knee brace being an actual mobility aid is unconfirmed canon/fanon but it does make me :(c to see him without it. Either it wasn't actually considered as a mobility aid or he's lost it like he's lost his gloves OR he's going without it because he doesn't care if it hurts.

Closer shot of the neckerchief.

I just wanted to point out all the knives stabbed into the table. Also, those look like bits of paper on the windows, did they keep some of the books to repurpose for window blocking purposes?

THERE HE IS!!!!!!!! Other people have already pointed out the makeup and his ring still on his tie, along with the whip on his hip cjizzy real. He's got a new baldric but I also think his clothes look. Darker? Than in season 1? This is a darker/heavier contrast setting but it carries into other shots of him too I think? Like they're less sun/saltwater faded or something?

Other thing to note: If I have my orientation right, this is to the right of Stede's bed nook and to the left of the library, which means this shelf is the one with the auxiliary wardrobe opening mechanism. Which I bring up because:

This little guy seems to be in the place of the mannequin. Ed kept the auxiliary wardrobe and gothed up the mannequin to justify it still being there.

SO much here. This is, I'm fairly certain, Benjamin Hornigold. This camp he's set up (along with what he's wearing) looks like it was made out of a shipwreck. Ed's barefoot and missing his jacket and gloves, and his shirt's torn up at the sleeves. Definitely where he washed up from his dip in the ocean.

Note the trees and the lighting, that comes up later. Ed shoots here and Ben moves with the shot but it doesn't look like he was actually HIT by it to my eyes.

'Wanted. |Blackbeard| Villainous Pirate. Murderer, thrice over. $400 Reward for the criminal responsible for: theft - brigandry - larceny - arson - tax evasion ➡' Presumably there are more crimes/info on the back, though we see the reverse side in the next cut and it's either blank or all in very small text, I couldn't quite tell.

The poster to the right says 'Port' something which has me wondering Port Royal but that's just the only 'Port' something I know, could def be somewhere else.

(Also, just for fun:

Here's how much abouts Ed's capture would be worth now.)

Wider pic than it needs to be but I didn't wanna cut out Olu lol. ANYWAY. Neckerchief again. Also the back of the poster, see what I mean about it either being blank or very tiny?

Babygirl. . . But also that Bride Ed figure kinda slays. Little bralette with the midriff showing, I see you Babygirl. When will he be allowed to just rest and do silly little crafts WITHOUT heartbreak looming over him?

Well. Four is not nine. So. There's that. The other five could be used or out of frame though, of course.

OH. He's back to his fingerless gloves! They might actually be different from his original ones though, they look different at the wrist to me, not quite sure though.

The BOYS!!!! Frenchie looks like he's having a GREAT time. Considering he suggested they turn the hostage into a table and complained about the Republic of Pirates being a bit gentrified I'd say this is more in line with what he's used to in piracy. I 100% buy he was going along with Stede's way because he knew it was an easy ride compared to real piracy. This wouldn't necessarily be a return to form for him but definitely something he's more used to? And he gets to be kitty :3c

And FANG!!! Look at him showing a bit more skin!! Good for him!!

Everybody say 'Thank You David Jenkins'. Right now. Look at this Mad Max shit. Fuckin' Imperator Jimenez right there. LOVE that tye added the 'beard' after the 'fuck's wrong with your face?' bit in 1x10. Full 'it looked weird on you but I slay' energy.

Jim

Izzy

Fang

Near as I can tell at least. I can't make out if Frenchie is in the shot and I'm pretty positive Ed isn't cause he stayed by the cake when they charged in.

Man, yknow I know we were all kinda clowning on it a bit at the end of 1x10 but this look really is so JARRING. Like, in the dark it's menacing but in the light? It's unhinged and that reads as more dangerous imo.

Also just for comparison's sake the pre-Ed-ified version of the bride figure. He really did full on customize that thing lol.

I DON'T THINK ANNE KISSED STEDE HERE. It feels out of character of the show to pull the 'It's fine if a woman does it to a man' kind of thing with regard to unwanted kissing. This is the frame the scene starts on in the trailer. She's leaning back from him and isn't nearly close enough to his mouth to say for certain that's where she was coming from. My money is on her leaning in to whisper something into his ear, maybe under the guise of it being an advance/intended kiss, which would also explain the annoyed look when she's interrupted. She either got ACTUALLY interrupted or it's part of the act. Stede doesn't look nearly as uncomfortable as he would be if she'd kissed him or tried to, he looks confused.

Izzy going for his sword when this guy tries to get the drop on Stede. He either is starting to care or he knows how much Ed needs him alive.

Also, this is the other potential source of Stede's neckerchief. Mr, Knife right here has a red one and Stede doesn't have it in this scene. I do think this one is a little less distressed than the one Stede has though so it could just be coincidence.

See? No neckerchief. He DOES have a sword at his hip tho! So this, I think, is after Izzy's started training him.

Also, he actually looks really good in red lol.

Baby. He's definitely missing the ring in this shot. It sits higher than the baldric is covering. I want to give him a little kissie on his ouchie and then let him have a nap, he needs that.

The pants match the coat. Also, black shirt. Stede is kinda slaying ngl.

Still missing her head :(c. Isn't that bad luck?

Maybe yall didn't hear me properly with the Jim pic. I'll repeat:

EVERYBODY SAY 'THANK YOU DAVID JENKINS'.

I can't get over how Stede's just standing there politely with his arms behind his back lmfao.

Also, Izzy's got his right leg up, he's putting his weight on his left. . . 'foot'.

I SAID EVERYBODY SAY-

I know tits and all but also. The belly. I would like to. Bite.

*ahem*

ANYWAY. On the left (our left) side of the barrel you can see the tip of his right boot so he's def got that leg off the ground. Perhaps someone is trying to relearn their footwork? Now that they've got a different balance than they're used to? And perhaps a difference in sensory input in the leg he's standing on? Possibly?

This is the same beach Ed was on when he did the fuckin' RAD takedown of the other officer but it definitely looks like different times of day. Having both in the teaser is def meant to be a red herring. He doesn't have the neckerchief in this shot either.

Bra för honom. (Is how google translate tells me you say 'Good for him' in Swedish.)

Is Jackie's hair the same here as it is in the VF pic with Ed? Or like, similar enough to be a 'later in the day after some Fun™ messing it up a bit'?

Roach!!! Fully sleeveless now, added a belt, got some flowers tied to the strings/straps of his apron. Looks like he's having fun lighting that cannon lol. Pretty sure this is the same scene as that one leaked photo of him dancing with Fang and Izzy's green screen sock. He had the flowers in that, right?

[Ran out of allowed images, please hold]

[quarterlifecrisis-activated]

This line has haunted me for a while now. It was a line I overlooked but it still felt important. It’s not just about Zheng’s ship but piracy as a whole. Piracy in the show is a male dominated field run under toxic masculinity and pressures. Throughout season 1 the idea gets reinforced that piracy is just this way, and to survive and thrive you have to conform to its standards. Izzy and Calico Jack and even the Badminton twins have this firm idea of what piracy is and should be.

Let’s look at season 1 episode 1. Stede as captain and the Revenge as a whole is played as a joke pirate ship. We know that the crew is considered bottom of the barrel when it comes to what you would want for a bloodthirsty pirate horde. Throughout the season this is pointed out over and over again. Izzy says that they’re not real pirates and I agree. At least they’re not real pirates as set by the standard of piracy. The crew are kind, they do crafts and like to be read to. Pirates don’t have friends and they don’t make things they steal them. Pirates also don’t live long. Most of the pirates Ed knows are dead. Frankly, the only reason Ed, Izzy, Fang, and Ivan are probably still alive is because Blackbeard doesn’t actually have to do raids because everyone surrenders. I firmly believe that if Stede and the crew tried to be “real” pirates they would’ve all died. Stede is not a good pirate by the end of season 1. Honestly, I don’t really think he’s trying to be. He doesn’t actually want to be a pirate, I mean if you told that man that he’d be responsible for a pirate fleet he’d probably faint. By the end of season 1 you could make the argument that the way Stede runs his ship is not conducive to successful piracy. That is until you meet Zheng Yi Sao.

Needless to say that Zheng is the most successful pirate we’ve seen on the show. Her fleet is massive and she conquered China. She’s an amazing pirate and she also defies the standard for piracy set by season 1. Her crew of the Red Flag (much like the Revenge) have communal activities, good food, they’re open with each other. If being successful as a pirate means adhering to toxic ideals where you’re on your own and you have to stab each other in the back to survive, Zheng’s fleet should be like that. But it’s not. Because true success is not about if you can get the thing you want but how long you can hold onto it. The other way leads to death and mutiny because being individualistic means you cannot be loyal to anything but your own self interest. With how spread out Zheng’s fleet is it would be so easy for someone to mutiny and take some of her ships. We can see Zheng fosters a sense of camaraderie among her crew. Season 2 shows that the idea that piracy is mean and toxic because it has to be is wrong. I’m sure if they got a season 3 they’d further develop this point.

Notably, Zheng’s crew are mostly all women. Much like the Revenge, these crews are full of marginalized people. Historically, marginalized groups had to develop their own community because they were not getting support on their own. It’s also no surprise that the main advocates for the old way of piracy were white men. They were told that they could do whatever they wanted by themselves and that they didn’t need to rely on anyone. And that was true… until they couldn’t keep up and then they were chewed up and spit out. You don’t last long on your own.

That’s why Zheng is such a threat to Ricky. Not just because she has a large fleet but because she was organizing other pirates. One pirate can be stopped but all of them are too formidable. We see this in season 1 when Stede is about to be executed. Ed alone can’t stop it, even though he’s Blackbeard, but once the entire crew defends Stede things change. The system thrives on people standing alone because they’re easy to quash, but also who needs to worry about a jumpstart pirate captain because sooner or later they’ll be mutinied against. I think this is what Izzy comes to see throughout season 2 and informs his speech to Ricky. Maybe the real piracy was the collective action and community we made along the way.

Circling back to the quote that started this, men don’t fit in with Zheng’s crew because they were purposely fed the lie that reliance on each other and community building was weak and soft. They’d have to unpack the lie they’ve been fed their whole life. The crown and piracy are two sides of the same coin holding up the same status quo. But piracy is dying because it was never designed to last. The crew of the Revenge live against all odds because to them it’s not about piracy itself but community and family. And those ideas can’t be killed.

[lightbluetown]

i saw some people say ed and zheng are master strategists while stede is just some guy with ridiculous luck, but i think that's unfair. sure stede's ideas are insane, but they fit the looney tunes ass universe of ofmd perfectly. they're mostly well-thought-out, well-executed and they showcase stede's strengths and growth! so allow me to talk about them:

1- ghost of the forest - 1x02

a fuckery™ before stede even knows what a fuckery™ is! this is amateurish and stupid in every way. he's not even threatening izzy with a real dagger-- that's a letter opener. does izzy actually believe that stede has a huge crew hiding behind the bushes? doubt it! but this weird little act is enough to establish stede as a (ridiculous) pirate figure to the legendary izzy hands and to accomplish his goal of taking a hostage back

2- lighthouse - 1x04

imagine coming up with the exact same idea at the exact same time as the most brilliant tactician of the seven seas! we don't know who came up with which parts of the plan (honestly it was probably mostly ed) but this is still bloody impressive

3- stark revelations - 1x05

stede's first big success! he uses his knowledge of the aristocratic world to get a shipful of rich assholes to destroy each other, but he's also showcasing what sets him apart from them: this plan only comes to fruition because stede talks to frenchie, olu and abshir as equals. as people he can learn from, as sources of inspiration

4- duel with izzy - 1x06

this one was absolutely unhinged, but its success was far from dumb luck. only stede could think of using a brazillian cherry wood mast and ed's weird stabbing lesson to win a duel, and that's what makes this plan so undeniably stede and brilliant

5- faking his death - 1x10

i love that he just had to "die" in the most dramatic way possible. a heroic fight (tiger), a realistic accident (carriage) and the most cartoony death in the book (piano)... not only is his triple-death able to convince everyone in barbados that he's dead for good, it also allows him to have closure with his family. it's filled with stede's ridiculous unique flair, but it's designed to be a fuckery™ through and through. ed would be SO proud

6- stealing jackie's indigo dye - 2x01

quick little stealth mission. did ricky manipulate stede into trying this out? sure. did ricky also ruin it? absolutely. but it was working until then! the swede isn't part of stede's crew at this point, but his respect for stede is what gets him to cooperate and risk his relationship with his beautiful wife. also, it's thanks to his love for fine things that stede immediately recognizes the value of "blue dirt"

7- prison break - 2x03

in my eyes no scene depicts stede's growth better than this one. knocking zheng's entire crew out with tea is the most stede thing out there, and this plan uses the cherry wood mast as well! this plan relies on stede's (unrealistic) tea knowledge, overly-fancy ship and ability to coordinate his crew. what makes it breathtaking is that he secretly sets this plan into motion while actively mourning the "death" of the love of his life. he's putting his life on the line to rescue ed's "killers" because he's emotionally mature enough to look at things from their perspective and forgive them

8- inciting a mutiny - 2x06

yet another brilliant plan that could only be executed by stede. this entire episode revolves around his idea of "turning poison into positivity" and here he, well, fights poison with positivity. stede captains his pirates with respect and care (best he can) which just so happens to be the opposite of ned. he exploits this and gently gets ned's crew to turn on him. he singlehandedly saves himself and his entire crew from a notorious pirate! oh he also literally invents walking the plank right after this

9- "it's only suicide if we die" - 2x08

okay, yes, this one didn't go that well (sorry iz). but it's not like ed, zheng or anyone else had any other ideas! stede's weird suicide mission, for the most part, worked. they needed to get through british soldiers to reach their ship and they did exactly that. if only they'd remembered to check if ricky had his gun... oh well, you live and you learn

sure, ed and zheng are legends and stede is a silly newbie with wild luck. but he's also quick-witted, creative, confident and brave! he's a damn good captain and he deserves to be recognized as a good strategist!

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

So we can all agree Ed is probably really loud in the bedroom, right? We all heard him after Stede stabbed him. And I think he and Stede probably play this game where Ed ""has to be quiet"" because ""everyone's gonna hear what a slut you are, Ed."" Now this game does not actaully quiet Ed down, which is great, because its main purpose is getting Ed to be very whimpery and whiny in a way Stede finds very endearing. He's nodding all cute and turning the doe eyes on full blast and biting his lip because he's trying so so hard to be good. Still very loud tho

And, like. I'm sure the crew were very happy for Stede and Ed retiring and settling down, the relief on Ed's face is absolutely palpable. But this game wasn't not another reason they were happy for them no longer living in close proximity

[batsarebetterthanpeople]

So I was going back over OFMD in my mind because of the whole scene with Fang and I was like "I'm pretty sure Ed sits with himself canonically actually." But then, maybe Fang is right because in s1e3 hes higher than a fucking kite, in s1e4 hes either with Stede staring at tits or hes analyzing the weather. In s1e5 he's having a flashback so I guess he is alone with his thoughts but his thoughts are emo and have mommy issues so idk if that really counts, in s1e6 he sits alone in the tub after he had a full ptsd style flashback, s1e7 and s1e8 hes not alone or quiet at all really, e10 he's having a cry both times so once again idk if that counts on the same principle as 5. Does brooding count you tell me? In s2e1-3 he's either high or suicidal and he doesn't really in s2e4 so..... But then, he's folding socks in e9 and that's the one moment where you can't be like "this guy doesn't ever sit with himself."

So I guess for Fang, Ed doesn't sit still unless he's high off his ass or he's brooding, which doesn't tell us who Ed innately is, it tells us who Ed is in an environment where he's expected to be Blackbeard. But he can sit still and quiet with his own thoughts after he's signed the act of grace and he thinks he's gonna get a break from all that for a while. Which means that he's like that because Blackbeard, being Blackbeard, being on a pirate ship, puts him on edge, it makes him nervous, it makes him feel like he's about to be stabbed in the back, he talks and makes sure that other people know he's alert. Even if it's just to Fang.

[everyscreentoobeseen]

Hold on, why do yall think Stede's choice to kill Ned was a WHIM?????

First of all, this isnt the first time Stede got someone killed. Chuancy was an accident, but he did use the stun move. All of ep 2 s1 was about Stede learning how to deal with it. He still feels bad but as he told the natives. He dosen't feel bad that Chauncey is dead. His crew was under threat. So he stopped Badminton from hurting them. His bad feelings came from somewhere else.

Nighel Badminton got himself killed but it did make Stede run back home and face his problems. When he does go back home he tells the other rich guys.

"I've seen death. Been the cause of it. It changes you."

He already knows what it's like be a killer!

But everytime it wasn't his choice. The Badmintons were accidents. He never got to actually choose to be a killer.

That's why when Ned Low invaded his "safe space ship", captured his crew (family) and tortured not only them but also The Love of his Life, Making it into a fucked up PERFORMANCE! All his life bullies found fun in torturing him. Why would this guy be any different.

Hell yeah he was ready to kill him.

Of course, this time he gets to choose. This is not him using a stun move. He is now the conducter of Ned's death and he'll be damned if it's not done His Way.

He's not gonna stab him. It's not gonna be messy. It's not gonna be fast like a gunshot or a stab through the head.

He is going to make Ned SUFFER. Force him to walk the plank. Throw his precious violin in his face and let him drown. It's clean. It's poetic. It's outsourcing the big job to nature. Just like killing spiders.

But Ned continues to demean him. "You know once you kill me your a real pirate. Your not an amateur anymore." Even after everything Stede has been through. Not matter how much he's grown, the world still thinks he's playing at pirating.

The Badmintons dont count.

EVEN ED THINKS SO!

"Once you've killed in cold blood. You cant come back."

Well Chuancy's death was cold blooded wasn't it? Stede snuck him from behind. The boat fire that he caused isn't enough either. When Ed burns a boat, it's murder. But when Stede does it it's "quirky". Stede ALREADY considered himself a killer but NO ONE ELSE DOES. (not even the fandom apparently.)

Yes, he wanted to prove himself. But I don't think that was the thought process until Ned brought it up.

Stede did not hesitate on Ned's death until the others made him question himself. He was completely set on making sure Ned wasn't a threat to his ship. He was so sure of making him walk the plank. It was PLANNED from the moment he put the plank down and the other boat left. What's one more death? But then everyone was treating him like a innocent child?? Like he's doing something unlike him?

He HAD TO PROVE to everyone in that moment that he could kill Ned because no one RECOGNIZED that he was ALREADY a killer.

Him killing Ned became a point to make once he realized there was even a point to be made.

The only reason that he felt even a little bad about it was because Ed asked him not to. He felt like he let Ed down. That maybe Edward like Stede Bonnet, Landed Gentry Pretending to Be A Pirate more than Stede Bonnet, Real Pirate. Because he realized how much he's changed. No more Gentleman, now he's just a Pirate.

That's why he Sped Things Up with Ed. He wanted Ed to prove that he could handle not so innocent Stede FUCKING Bonnet. That he wouldn't leave Stede after seeing this new side of him. He gets consent and then goes on to have the man of his dreams after saving him. How romantic male lead of him.

Of course the NEXT FUCKING DAY HE GETS TOLD IT WAS A MISTAKE!!!! THAT HE'S NOT READY FOR "WHATEVER THIS IS".

How on earth was Stede not supposed to take this as "I dont like the you that isn't soft, isn't insecure, isnt in need of protection." That Ed is leaving to become a fisherman because he cant stand Stede being the messy one for once in his life.

Maybe it was trauma. Maybe it was a show of toxic masculinity. But dont pretend like Stede did it on a WHIM.

[nose-bl]

one of ed's biggest fears is stede getting hurt/dying. we've clearly seen that. he went as far as giving up his pirate life style to protect stede. so i don't think it would make sense for him to violently attack stede and/or try to get him killed when they reunite, bc he clearly still loves him and cares about his safety

ed is in a really bad place right now and there's for sure going to be conflict between them, ed will probably be angry with stede and they might have a sword fight filled with romantic and sexual tension before they make up. like, the conflict's gonna be there for sure, but ed actively trying to hurt or even kill stede? that makes no sense to me. even in the potential scenario of them sword fighting, ed would be so fucking careful not to stab stede and specially not in any lethal way

genuinely curious as to why some ppl believe ed will be on purpose extra violent and try to kill stede as soon as he sees him

bc ed is angry yeah, but he's also sad and scared and i think it's obvious that he really just wants to be happy with the man he loves. he might be trying to deny his feelings and his pain, trying to present himself as the kraken, but he wants stede around, he wants stede back so bad, he's crying all alone in stede's old room about it, so why would he want to hurt him, possibly to the death?

[black-stede]

after stede recovers from the heartbreak and they regroup and he sees that somehow there is peace, happiness between jim, archie, olu and zheng yi, that somehow something that should have been by society’s standards convoluted and messy and painful turned out quite lovely actually, he thinks

he thinks of ed. it’s always been ed, since the day they laid eyes on each other as stede laid bleeding out on the deck of his ship. it was ed when they crashed the party and watching the ship go up in flames and saying he wore fine things well and as he was stabbed through his stomach after not going to doggy heaven and through acts of grace. through the shaving of beards and miscommunications and backslides to old habits

it was ed when he threw love notes in bottles into the salty waves and when two women were poisoning each other and the house went up in flames and buttons turned into a fucking bird. as they celebrated calypso’s birthday and they were being tortured and when stede killed the man who hurt his crew and insulted ed. when he slammed him into the wall and ed nodded and they slept together under the fireworks. even when he left, it was still ed

except now there’s a man with a horse leg who he kind of loathed for months but now is something like a friend, a confidant even? who has trained greats and might even have something to teach stede. who slaps his ass to get him to rope swing and tells him like it is and guides him to be the captain he can be. who commiserates with him about falling in love with the same broken man. who sings as he and ed make love and congratulates them in the morning. who is there after ed leaves. who stays by him, watches over him when no one else does.

and the thing is, stede had never anticipated ed. even on his whim of piracy there was never anything beyond that. except then there was ed and maybe he is capable of love after all. and then there’s this annoying man that he doesn’t hate anymore and then ed leaves him and he is lost.

there is a way out, he knows. this can’t be the end for him and ed he is sure. except izzy is the only one at his side when he challenges zheng yi and he is grounding him when the attacks happen and suddenly if ed is his ship, izzy is his anchor. or something like that in this weird analogy he thinks up.

and then he sees archie’s arm around jim who is leaning on olu who is holding zheng yi’s hand gently and they are all covered in soot and blood and panting with exhaustion but together. he doesn’t know exactly how it will work, but apparently they do because they all seem content, happy to simple be in the others’ presences

and he thinks

and he thinks

and he lets himself hope

…

maybe this isn’t the end

maybe it’s the beginning

[blue-b-bro]

"we were moving too fast" (run me through scene)

tldr:

I was digging, because, well, I just find this scene kinda weird. Like, why, and also what for?

We start the episode in a very yellow way. The most yellow in this show. But the practice takes place at night, in the darkness. Like, they are in the darkness. About their real feelings. To each other. 

Soooo, the sword. Piercing your left side. Should I say more? The sword is an arrow that pierces the heart.

Stede has problems with not hurting himself with his sword. He’s inexperienced and clumsy, just like his love. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He doesn’t know what Ed’s actions really mean, and what his own mean to Ed. 

Ed spanks him with his sword in a flirtatious gesture, but Stede doesn't know it was that, proving this later in the episode.  

Ed doesn’t agree to draw, he even says he’ll never agree to that, he wants to take control over this relationship, over the direction and pace they go by. Stede, being inexperienced and curious, agrees.

Ed throws his sword away. He wants Stede’s love, but doesn’t plan of giving it back. He wants happiness, but isn’t ready for that step yet (because they haven’t eaten the snake snack yet)

Ed opens his leather jacked, his armor, bearing himself, but not fully, still in his black t-shirt. 

Ed threatening Stede to shoot him if he won’t stab him is him (Ed) jumping head first into that relationship, like taking it too fast or something. Stede panics, but feels pressured, that if he won’t, Ed will leave him. He doesn’t want to hurt him (to defile him if you will). Idk if it’s relevant, probably, why not, but we saw, that Ed’s gun wasn’t loaded. It was an empty threat. 

Ed is happy when Stede stabs him. The stabbing being something very sudden and painful, but at the same time pleasurable, because it let’s him be closer to Stede. He invites great pain, of letting someone in his heart, just to be close. Like some kind of auto destructive act. You cannot get love without hurting yourself. Like it’s the only way of receiving that love, that closeness with Stede - destroying some part of himself. (hey, what did he do again in e9?)

“You see, getting run through is an art, I’ve had it done to me dozens of times. The key is to take the blade where it does the least damage.” sure babygirl.  Tell him how many affairs you had and how much you don’t care. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean there’s no damage. 

Ed says, the important bits are on the right side, according to science. First of all, it’s Stede, who’s the science guy here, second - heart is on the left. Ed doesn’t think his heart is important, doesn’t take care of it, just let people stab him in the past, no big deal. “I don’t even know, what it does!”, yeah, but we know, you detached from your own feelings dummy. And Stede also does, but isn’t confident enough to correct him. He doesn’t know what to do and doesn’t want to hurt Ed, so he just listens to whatever he says, but Stede doesn’t know Ed’s self destructive.

When Stede asks, how to get it out, Ed says to do it gently and slowly, and it’s him, who decides when to do it. Like what he was doing in episode 7 - slowly letting this relationship whither, getting ready to just go away, denying yourself any deeper connection.

But what Stede did in episode 9? He get it out fast and violently, leaving Ed bleeding out on that beach. 

Stede has problems with getting the sword out, just like Ed had great difficulties with getting over his feelings to Stede. Stede’s still panicked and confused, but does as he’s told. He doesn’t decides on anything, doesn’t feel qualified to do it.

Hey, you know, who is in this ~darkness~ with them? Crying, probably not really sure why and what the hell is happening and why Ed would do that, and why it hurts so much, fuck it let’s kill Stede, that’s the best solution! Yeah. Acknowledging one’s feelings and communicating wasn’t fashionable yet.

.

Run me through is basically Stede not knowing what the hell he is doing or should do in this relationship, blindly following Ed, and Ed destroying himself to be with Stede. Not bloody optimal.

***

Izzy fuckin challenges Stede fuckin Bonnet to a fuckin duel, to get rid of his love rival. (and kinda sad Ed didn't do it even tho he promised) No chill on this ship. 

Ed, all smart after having first honest conversation about his deepest fears and crying, gained +1 to emotional intelligence and is brave enough to say “no” to Izzy. 

Izzy didn’t have his crying session in the bathtub, so he uses his official version as to why it’s so important to get rid of Stede, Ed’s too anxious and unsure to fight more. He’s really new to this whole processing your emotions stuff. Maybe Izzy’s right? (because Ed believed Izzy’s bullshit about pets)

Stede, sure he’s actually aceing this all relationship stuff finally, agrees. Ed’s worried, but Stede was sure Ed knows what he was doing, so whatever he learnt from Ed had to be brilliant and correct (bestie, no). 

All that confidence, but then he asks “what are those [duel rules] exactly?”. Yeah… After saying that out loud, he gets more and more tense.

Stede is surprised by ferocity and suddenness of Izzy’s attacks. He didn’t expect he was fighting against someone This stronger (devoted and determinated). He probably didn’t know one can fight so aggressively. 

Izzy’s doing everything to show Ed “look, I’m better than him, I care more than him!”.

Ed just watches in the background, anxious and worried. He doesn’t know what to do or if he should/can do anything at all. 

Stede is shit at swordfight but he makes up for it with determination and resourcefulness. (he may not know how relationship with Blackbeard should go, but he’ll try treasure map in hopes it works)

“Yield or die.” Stede throws gun powder in his face. You see Izzy, violence and hate will only blow up in your face. 

The crew wants Stede to finish Izzy, and he does that stupid spank, (love is the solution, Izzy, mate). Stede doesn’t really wants to stab Izzy, he just wants to not die (Stede doesn’t believe in Stizzy). Seriously, their relationship is basically this: Stede not wanting to fight (not even knowing why should they) and Izzy wanting him dead.

Izzy cuts Stede’s way of escape. Time to choose Bonnet: you leave my man or you die.

Ed can’t watch this. Homewrecker vs homewrecker is too much of a conflict of interests. He cannot watch his partner killing his boyfriend. 

“All right, let’s call it a draw” let’s work together, Izzy. We can solve it together, you and me. Find the compromise and all that. Fr they both want the same thing for Ed.

“Nah I’m good” and stabs Stede.

So what we have here? Izzy, right hand of Ed, stabs Stede, who does Ed’s trick, that he learnt from him. Stede’s looking at Ed, while doing that. Izzy is responsible for doing the hard jobs in place of Ed. Ed couldn’t do it, couldn’t commit. Was too scared to do it. He doesn’t look at Stede, when that happens (just as he doesn’t have the courage to look at Stede when saying “So, uh, I reckon what makes Ed happy…is…you.”, he doesn’t say “I”, distancing himself from the act of bearing his heart. He’s not talking about himself, just asking for a friend etc. He doesn’t do anything unless Stede shows any sign of reciprocation). So yeah, when Stede asks, if he did it right, that’s when he turns back and sees what happened. 

“Shut up! Don’t you ever shut up?!” Stop seducing Ed with your pretty words Stede.

Again: Ed’s processing what’s happening, Izzy's wrestling with the sword, that stuck in cherry wood (red and strong). Stede responded to Ed: I love you, and I’m here to stay. And when it clicks in Ed’s brain, Izzy’s sword’s handle breaks, removing the middleman. Ed isn’t scared anymore. Stede probably still doesn’t fully understand what a “you wear fine things well” moment they have, but he knows he wants to stay with Ed (and not die). The feeling is mutual, just that no one really understand what feeling it is. And Izzy cannot stop it. 

(Remember, when I said the stabbing was about hurting yourself to be in a relationship? Stede wasn’t ready, but agreed to run away to China with Ed)

Also, to make yourself sad, consider:

Stede getting miserable after letting himself take initiative for 1 second just to be rejected for it (in his eyes at least)

Izzy looks at Ed, completely crushed. So you breaking up with me? 

Ed only shrugs, Izzy started this fight after all. Izzy looks at Stede, still shocked, completely deflates and makes his walk of shame. 

After Izzy’s gone, Ed comes to Stede, very impressed, and it’s the first time he faces Stede when initiating the touch (tbh it kinda parallels their almost embrace, when Stede stabbed Ed). Before that, when he touched him, he was always turned sideways to Stede, not fully facing him.

“You shouldn’t’ve dueled him, Iz! We could've worked this out!” We could have invite him to our relationship Iz, if you weren’t such a possessive prick. No joke, Ed and Stede would agree to a polycule, after strengthening their relationship (like figuring out what they want etc., all three of them). Izzy, as a true tragic character, has played himself. (just like when in e9, Izzy wanted to take Ed for himself and escalated the conflict to such a unnecessary degree, that the only option was to leave him again. The harder he tries, the more it back fires)

In conclusion: Those scenes showed their dynamic in season 1, about Ed and Stede going too hard too fast, and now (s2) they’re learning to take it slow

Also:

[tizzyizzy]

Ed & Fear

As a love interest and popular character with a tragic past, it’s easy to forget how frightening Blackbeard is.

Sure, we get a sense of his reputation before he appears. A story of his smoking head and glowing eyes, ominous music playing over his flapping flag, Spanish Jackie letting Stede go because she didn’t want to cross Blackbeard.

That all sets us up for the twist once Ed is friendly, but lost like Stede, looking for some meaning in his life. We learn about Ed’s past, and his vulnerabilities, and fall for him as Stede does. He’s still that abused child trying to protect himself.

But those stories and that reputation didn’t come from nowhere. I don’t think it’s an accident that Frenchie, one of the most savvy people in the crew, is the one that asks Ed whether they’re all going to be killed while Ed’s swanning around the deck.

Blackbeard is all about fear. It’s what makes ships surrender at the sight of his flag. His trademark fuckeries are based on psychological warfare. Craft an illusion powerful enough, and no one will dare hurt you.

It’s not just illusions, though. Ed’s one fear is the kraken, i.e. himself. He’s frightened of his own capacity for violence. He can’t evening kill people directly by his own hand.

Others are frightened by that capacity too. It helps to contrast his wrath to Izzy’s. Izzy yells, and everyone ignores him. Ed raises his voice, and everyone lines up to shake Stede’s hand obediently. Fang laughs at the thought of Izzy coming in to see him modelling for penis drawings. He nearly jumps out of his skin at the thought of Blackbeard arriving. Even Lucius, who tries to communicate with Ed and be sympathetic to him, is wary in their interactions.

Cultivating an aura of fear keeps people from getting close, however. Others idolize and/or fear him. Before Stede, Izzy is one of the few people allowed to see behind the curtain to the man behind the myth (”His name is Blackbeard, dog!”).

I actually suspect Stede’s naivety is part of what allowed their relationship to take off. Sure, Stede’s heard stories of Blackbeard, but he’s still a gentleman whose one only venture into proper piracy involved him stealing a potted plant from two defenseless fishermen. He wasn’t clever enough to realize that what a dangerous position he was in with Blackbeard on his ship, so he was happy to treat Ed as a friend.

And for Ed’s part, Stede’s a bit like a child or...well...pet. A dog doesn’t know your insecurities or reputation. It isn’t a threat. You don’t need to put on a façade of ferocity because it won’t stab you in the back.

If Stede had been a proper pirate, Ed wouldn’t have been able to relax with him, or open up. You can’t admit to other professionals in your field that actually you’re bored and you like fancy fabric and it’s frustrating that they all imagine you as more dangerous that you actually are. You want them to see you as that dangerous.

[uselessheretic]

When it comes to Ed and addressing his issues around things like mental health, trauma, and anger issues, I understand the kneejerk reaction to deny that he has any of those traits due to not wanting to stereotype him, but I don't think that really solves much. Ed is someone who is severely traumatized, forced into a world where he had to take care of himself from a young age, and never given a chance to learn things like healthy coping mechanisms. He's going to develop in ways that are maladaptive as he searches for a way to just survive.

A lot of the time, people will say things like "Ed doesn't have anger issues because whenever he gets mad he's valid" and I get it, I do, but it just? Doesn't work that way? When a room full of people makes fun of you, you can't just go in there and shoot everyone even if they hurt your feelings. Not just because that's a wild ass thing to argue as correct, but because it directly endangers himself and others. Even if he's fucking Blackbeard, that's still a huge risk of him being harmed. Characters like Oluwande and Frenchie would also be at risk where maybe people can't stab Blackbeard, but it's possible someone might take a chance on one of his companions if they think they're a part of this.

Denying that these problems exist doesn't do anything. It doesn't strengthen his character and it doesn't engage with him in a way that humanizes him to allow for growth. He's not gonna marry Stede and suddenly never be angry again and nobody ever makes him feel sad ever again!

I understand that the thought process here is that men of color are stereotyped to be angry and violent, and therefore, it's racist to interpret Ed as having these traits. That doesn't really solve anything though because it doesn't engage with the problem past a surface level. Moc are stereotyped as being angry... Why? Because it's a way to justify enacting state violence and control them. Sure, you can say "Ed isn't angry though so there's no need to put him through the system" but that narrows the scope down to him as an individual that relies on him never being angry to rescue him from that.

Because what happens when moc are angry? When they are violent and you're not able to just deny that and move on? Do we just abandon them?

Obviously not. When we base a person's humanity off a prerequisite that they can't embody any of the negativity the state is seeking to control, we inadvertently justify the violence imposed onto those less able to hold themselves to, frankly, impossible standards. It's another way of trying to appeal to respectability politics.

So instead of denying these parts of Ed, we can look more closely at them.

Ed's moments of anger are often prompted by him experiencing hurt. He's made fun of, he's been tricked, a snake fell on him, he feels abandoned. He has a tendency to go from zero to one hundred very quickly, and often will react to things with the same level of intensity regardless of what is actually triggering it. This makes sense though when you remember that he's a severely traumatized person who went through substantial abuse as a child! Often, people experiencing things like c-PTSD lose their ability to accurately gauge threat levels, meaning that if they want to survive, they are on constant high alert for any possible danger. Anger is a natural reaction to this, and his trigger for going off is hypersensitive as a result. Something like this helps explain why Stede leaving him, and Izzy subsequent antagonism, hit him like a fucking truck.

When Ed expresses anger, it often comes coupled with reminders of his trauma and greatest insecurities. Making fun of him for growing up in poverty, saying he can't have friends, poking at his breakup and fear of abandonment. He has direct flashbacks to his childhood with some of these, becoming forced to relieve times when he was at his most powerless. This lack of power pushes him to try and regain that control. He's not poor! He has more riches than you can shake a stick at! You can't make fun of him for how he eats, do you have any idea who he is? He's fucking Blackbeard! Choose your next works carefully, dog, and decide if you want to bring up Stede anymore.

It's instinct. As much as jerking your hand away from a burning iron. He's being hurt, he needs to make it stop.

But it doesn't work. Not only does it not work, Ed knows it too. He may have more riches, but the French captain will still view him as something vulgar. He's fucking Blackbeard, but what does it matter if the party will continue laughing at him? "There he is..." The Blackbeard who Stede abandoned, the same as always.

In a world of cartoon violence, there's little care Ed needs to afford towards the lives he takes. That's not the problem. The problem is that the harder he tries to maintain control, the more he loses it. And the less control he has, the angrier he becomes. And the angrier he is, the more desperate he becomes to keep himself safe.

Ed is playing a game rigged against him from the start. He exists in a system meant to antagonize and hurt him while surrounded by vultures waiting for him to prove them right that he does lack discipline where no matter what action he takes he loses. How could he be anything other than furious about it?

His anger is a perfectly logical reaction to his situation, and there's no point in denying that it exists like it's something shameful. Ed needs tools to help him cope with this, a support system that has his back, and an environment that nourishes him instead of constantly putting him at risk of dying.

[izzysillyhandsy]

The more I think about it, the more my Stizzy's Revenge theory makes sense. I'm so excited about it I have to add few addendums:

It mirrors Stede's dream so well

"Stede, Blackbeard, and Izzy are on an arc together. Whether they're in stories together or not, their ultimate arc is together. I think, by the end of this season, the last episode, that first scene [in S2 E1] will be gratifying. I won't say why, but their fates are tied together." (David Jenkins in this interview)

Wouldn't it be totally unexpected but at the same time really gratifying if, instead of being an obstacle to be killed, Izzy was the connecting element between Stede and Ed? If the three of them reached the conclusion together that Stede's and Ed's path are too divergent at the moment - and that each has to do their own self-discovery for a bit?

It also would be incredibly funny to see Stede sailing away with Izzy of all people and leaving Ed behind. I mean who would have thought this was even remotely possible at the start of S2?

(what this would do to the fandom though...)

It would take Ed's needs seriously - taking it slow

I think it would be such a relief for Ed if Stede understood that Ed was (at least for now) finished with piracy and needed time away from everything and everyone to reconnect with himself.

Not a breakup, they're still in love, still together and they'd definitely reconnect later - when they're both ready.

Izzy needs a break too

As of Ep 7, Izzy is doing his best to suppress his heartbreak and trauma - and you could almost believe he's moved on. His performance of best-breakup-ee ever must be exhausting though.

Remove Ed from the picture for a while, let Izzy gather his strength (and he's done so much already, he can do it!) and give him Stede who's maybe not in the same boat, but who's the one person in the world who can at least begin to understand.

And then, after a while, have that talk with Ed.

Stede and Izzy are actually really good together

With Stede, Izzy is patience itself, but he also knows when to tell him what's what. With Izzy, Stede doesn't have to hold back. He can be as childish and bad-tempered as he wants.

From a showrunner standpoint, those two play off each other really well. I could see one or two episodes in S3 with them doing pirate stuff without Ed (before the inevitable reunion).

Also, if Ed and Stede get together again at the end of S2, were do they go from here? Back to pirating? Unsatisfactory - we all know Ed doesn't want this anymore. Open an inn? And what's supposed to happen in S3?

Stede sailing off with Izzy would make for a fascinating storyline and a great starting point for S3.

The symbolism of the flag

I'm obsessed with this flag. I love the ambivalence - it could as easily be Blackbeard (with the spear) and Stede (with Ed's heart). But I prefer the Stede and Izzy version.

First Stede: he's the angry skeleton - baring his teeth and holding Blackbeard's spear (and don't forget the merman scene in Ep3 - Stede's holding a spear like trident there too). This symbolizes Stede finally becoming a real pirate - something, I think, that is very important to him. He would drop everything for Ed, sure, but in my opinion that wouldn't be good for him. Stede needs this.

Secondly, Izzy: I love that they made Izzy smaller (he's even got fewer ribs) and generally softer looking. He's holding either Ed's heart (he's been doing that for a lifetime anyway) or his own, as a sharp contrast to Blackbeard stabbing it.

Both their left (heart) hands form the name "Ed", protected by their arms, tails and whole bodies. They're like yin and yang, darkness and light, feminine and masculine.

They're not touching - without Ed, there would be no connection (and it's really difficult to imagine those two becoming friends otherwise).

Swimming together, complementing each other, protecting each other and their shared love. Isn't that beautiful?

Finally, the last episode is called "Mermen"

Need I say more?

[amuseoffyre]

Bringing back a choice theory that I've been gnawing on about how they'll get away with Blackbeard's 'execution' in S3.

We know they like playing with history and using it when it'll be dramatically useful (the Act of Grace, Ed shooting Izzy in the leg etc) and I feel like they've been getting us ready for the big one: Blackbeard's death wherein his head gets lopped off and hung off the mast and - the extra fuckery-feeling part of it - the headless body swam around the ship a few times.

These are the big factors in my theory:

Stede's obsession with making fake heads to escape - he did it in episode 1 and thought they were doing it again in episode 9 and also technically did it in 10 with the borrowed corpse

Stede managed to fake his own death 3 separate ways in one day so I'm pretty sure he can help his boyfriend do the same

"our old lives will be dead, gone" - foreshadowing :D :D Stede's already done a hat-trick. Ed needs to catch up

we've already had an Ed-death where he wasn't actually dead, so I don't doubt we'll get another

yet another character turning up in S2 with stories of busting people out of jail with a fake head-part (okay, face, but also, still relevant)

The Unkillable Gays just keep on not dying despite being [checks notes] stabbed multiple times by various people, poisoned, hung, maimed, shot, beaten to death

And the latest thing to cement it is the way they laid Ed's body out in the hold for us to see it the first time:

Behold, a Blackbeard body with no visible head \o/ (If I got it right in Storm Surge, I will have myself a cake)

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Izzy thoughts at first (then LONG ramblings about the S2 Teaser)

TLDR: I think Izzy is going to run away from Ed, get Stede, and help him become a better pirate. Also: WHY IS EVERYONE SO HOT

1.) Look at him. So *happy* to be the Goth he truly is!

I love that Izzy doesn't trust Ed not to hit him here. If you look, Ed's not that close to his face, but Izzy just *can't* trust him right now.

Izzy in the same face makeup as the rest of the crew (AHHHHH HE'S SO HOT. I want him. I want to be him. ETC). What made Izzy put on the makeup? How long do you think Izzy lasted before caving in? I'm 50/50 between him immediately giving in, or stomping his feet. I love that he clearly put some time into it. That's full coverage right there.

[IS THAT A WIP ON HIS HIP? My CalicoHands heart.... Someone correct me if I'm wrong...please correct me if I'm wrong. I will be thinking about this for a month, thank you.]

We also see him dying his beard with Kohl? Might just be the lighting. Also: take note of that lovely ring around his necktie. My theory is that this is episode 1, right near the beginning of the episode.

2.) THE LAD <3 MY MAN! GOD, he looks refreshed. Rested. Slightly stressed. This is why I think he was staining his beard in the last GIF, just comparing colors.

RED ALERT: THE RING AROUND HIS THROAT IS MISSING(or he's not wearing it in this shot, or we can't see it thanks to the lighting).

Izzy just deciding to leave is so fucking powerful to me, as a show of Izzy's growth in what looks to be 1/2 episodes. I don't think Ed hurt him, I think he genuinely got sick of this shit and left... He might have just run off once he got a *hint* that Stede might be alive, and decided to risk it. (Or fell off the ship during that storm...could you imagine the angst). FIRST MATE IZZY HANDS TO CAPTAIN STEDE BONNET/EDWARDS? Yes, please!

[My Stizzy/Steddyhands author heart is ready to read those fics. Because there is no way in hell these idiots will work out a throuple. As I'm 90% sure Ed just doesn't see Izzy.]

My theory for the scene specifically: Stede's crew takes over a ship, and Izzy is there to help. We see Izzy walk into the room, probably to update his Captain about the raid, and a guy goes in for the stab. The "I did a punch" Is because Izzy is training him. AHHH :3 CHEWING THE BARS OF MY CAGE

3.) I saw a theory that the reason Izzy covers his hand with a glove is because he's been branded as a deserter from the Navy(usually a 'D' tattoo on the hand). Most of Ed's crews wouldn't respect him if they knew that Izzy had turned coat. This also explains why in Ep 9 he hated the idea of Ed turning himself in. In all the scenes in the teaser, we still see him in a glove, even after he ditches the symbolic ring.

ALSO HI SHIRTLESS IZZY, SORRY TO IGNORE YOU! Why is he shirtless? It's the Caribbean, I get that it's hot, but nothing? Does the man not own any other not-black tops? Not that I'm complaining, of course! I am very happy with this artistic decision.

I still think he's going to lose his foot/infection is going to spread thanks to his toe(losing a metaphorical and physical balance thanks to Ed). They're suspiciously covering his foot with a barrel or it's out of frame in most shots. So this training might be 1/2 Izzy helping Stede, and 1/2 Izzy regaining his balance. I also think this is on Stede's new ship, as that doesn't really look like any room we've seen on the Revenge.

STEDE IZZY FRIENDSHIP ARC. :D

(Now, the thing is. Does Izzy find out about Lucius hiding before he leaves? My guess is no, Izzy doesn't know, and is going to take that info right to Stede to reveal in a sensitive moment.)

(YES. I am in love with the Izzy-candle-imagery! My man is a dwindling candle, long may he burn. He doesn't need to use his fingers and cause himself harm when lying/having feelings about something, he can just use his sword)

=============================================

NOT IZZY STUFF THAT I LOVED

GET EM ROACH!!!! I just love this shot so much...no clue why. The flowers, the shock on Roach's face, the tiny ass canon.

I love him in this trailer, THIS IS HIS GLOW UP, and am happy Jenkins looked at straight people no-homoing S1 and went 'STEDE LOVES ED! HE LOVES HIM SO MUCH' all teaser.

"I don't care what anyone says, he's actually a good guy!" OH STEDE. This is exactly what I expected from you, and I am so excited to see this play out. I hope Izzy is there to help him manage his money, if not, pray for him.

Stede getting a Pirate Outfit that TWIRLS is so him... I'm so happy for him! This is what I always thought Stede would enjoy about 'dressing up' in a pirate world. He can have elegance, color, and function! THIS is his glow-up, the longer hair, the ATTITUTE<3(Prince better be in this season's soundtrack, please).

WE'RE GETTING A STORM BABY!!!!! My favorite trope in OFMD fic I haven't yet written ;). They're so fucking scary, the reason most pirates didn't last a year is due to storms vs. most other threats. I'm excited this season will explore a bit more of the realities of living on a ship! I write OFMD horror because 1700'S SHIPS ARE HORRIFIC.

ALSO HI JIM!!!!! My two favorite characters, all get a decent screen chunk of teaser time. THEY ARE SO FUCKING HOT IN THIS TRAILER. GENDER. FUCKING. ENVY. (RIP Lucius fans...He'll be at the end of S2 Episode 1...probably).

MY HANDSOME WIFE! I fucking love Ed in this trailer so fucking much. If you follow my page, as much as I am an Izzy lover, Stede and Ed are close behind. I love that Ed is clearly heartbroken, and dissatisfied even with the violence he's supposed to love. He's got that Blackbeard mask on tight, and it's not coming off. Also: He looks hot while doing it.

His work wife leaving is probably going to fuck him up more.

I don't think Ed has a TON of screen time, mainly just due to Taika's schedule at the time. But I'm excited to see him sad.

ALSO: Did Ed color the doll so he's wearing a lace bralette? Cause that tummy (at least in this GIF) looks skin-toned. AHHHHH! He would rock that. I just know he'd rock that.

SIDE NOTES:

-HI SPANISH JACKIE/SWEDE- The ship I didn't know I needed till now.

-OLU! I hope you have such a good season, babe. You deserve it. Jim is obviously loving this.

-Frenchie having cat claws makes me so happy.

-WEE JOHN IN DRAG!!!! YEESSSSSSSSS!

I'M HYPED!!!!!!!!!!

[yourfavoritecommentor]

Hello my lovely fellow people on this planet. I just realized something that I think is actually quite sad. So you know how Ed asked Stede to stab him and proceeded to point a gun at him when he refused?

Well I think the reason why he did was because at this point of time his plan still was to kill Stede and take his place but because he already started liking him he wanted to make sure Stede was kind of ready. Ed was so convinced that he was going to try and kill him he had to prepare Stede and try and protect him from himself. He wanted to make sure Stede wouldn't hesitate to save himself and kill Ed because he knew if he wouldn't have prepared him Stede would just surrender to Ed. ED TOOK PRECAUTIONS IN CASE HE WAS GOING TO KILL STEDE, FOR HIM TO PROTECT HIMSELF FROM ED. And I think that is some different self aware mental illness gay shit.