#ofmd meta

[our-flag-means-yippee]

For how flawed OFMD s2 may have been, and for how large the dichotomy is on what people say about it, we can all agree that it got completely ass boned by HBO Max

[follows-the-bees]

Look how free Stede is!

The sunlight on his face reflecting the bright hope he has in a future.

At the beginning of the season he didn't even think about having a future, not really — he couldn't even answer the simple question about if he wanted to live.

He stood alone, on top of the ship he had made in an effort to get out of a life that was slowly killing him. Alone, looking into the light, trying to convince himself that he was happy, that he was among family. The tears in his eyes betraying his confidence.

We first see him first descend stairs, being his theatre kid self while talking to the crew. The cinematography bright and overexposed around him. A man looking for purpose and meaning.

And he finds it. He stands once again on the beach with a small boat that he manually pulls into the ocean himself. No longer lost in a sea of confusion, Stede smiles as he heads back to where he now knows he belongs. Back to his crew and to Ed. To a life that has the meaning, a community he was searching for at the beginning of the series.

This shot is paralleled again in the finale. Stede is smiling and looking out at the sea. Ed is by his side this time, their futures now intertwined in the glow of the sunset representing their love and hope.

No longer do either of them stand on that rocky cliff, tears in their eyes, debating living. They are on solid land, together. Planning a future.

[insteading]

Inspired by this @celluloidbroomcloset post about Stede yelling GREAT and scaring all the birds:

I was rewatching the scene where Stede realizes that running off again maybe didn't feel good to Ed, and comes back. I was struck by Taika's delivery of "Buttons turned into a seagull!! Yeah! He flew off!!!"

Not sure if it's because Ed is high, or because he's been through rather a lot in the last couple of days, or because believing he's seen someone violate the laws of physics is a Really Big Deal, or because he's been so moved at the thought that he can change that he's a little choked up, or because he's so delighted that Stede did come back, but this line has some of Stede's usual excitement markers: higher pitch in particular, but also, I can hear the smile in it. And it hits really hard because it immediately follows the world-weariness of "People don't change, Buttons, not into birds, or otherwise."

It makes me think of how much effort Ed often puts into obscuring the dorky enthusiasm that he and Stede share, and what a relief it must be to stop masking again.

[teeny-tiny-revenge]

I just had a thought and need to share it: Kraken Ed trimmed his beard. We don't talk about this for some reason (or it went past me). But he must have!

We know several months have passed in between seasons. They reflected this length of time passed in the costuming; Ed's hair is longer in s2, by quite a good bit. If you know it, you can't unsee it. So while Ed clearly cared for his hair and did fancy little up-dos even in the throes of suicidal depression, he didn't cut his hair, probably didn't even trim the ends. It got visibly longer.

But his beard doesn't grow much. Ed has clearly good beard genes. He was able to grow the huge magnificent Blackbeard beard, you don't grow a big full beard like this if you don't just have good beard growth. That just wouldn't work. After he shaves, you also see stubble come in quickly and evenly. Ed grows facial hair quickly, and a lot of it. If he didn't trim it back for months, he should have much longer beard hair than he does in s2. His s2 beard is filled out and even, but it's pretty short.

And that was an active decision. Growing it back out, aka not trimming much, only cleaning it up every now and then as it grows, would have been a no brainer, the passive option, and the option that would set him back on course to return to Blackbeard looks. If he did that, his beard should have been a lot bigger already than it was.

Instead, it's trimmed very neatly and pretty short. Which a) requires sort of constant effort to maintain and b) is a choice to not go back to Blackbeard looks again.

He grew it back out, he didn't shave again, but he trimmed it to keep it in this new style, a style that is quite a bit removed from his Blackbeard beard.

Even during this time when he wants to die and is just phoning it in and doing lots of rhino horn and crying all night, he puts in a lot of effort to maintain a look that is not Blackbeard, but Ed.

[amuseoffyre]

Do you think Stede was temporarily nonverbal (from stress/overwhelm) during the end of "Calypso's Birthday"? Been wondering for a while, but that post about him and Ed and consent reminded me that if he initiates physical contact, he normally asks *out loud* "is this okay?" or words to that effect - but, IIRC, after going to his quarters Stede doesn't say another word for the rest of the episode.

It wouldn't be surprising. His canonical reaction to being stressed/distressed is to hide himself away and try and conceal-don't-feel his way through life.

In 1x1, he hides in his battle jacket in his cabin. During the meal, he kind of shuts down a bit when Nigel bullies him. He retreats to his cabin in 1x6 and 1x8 when he's upset. At the naval academy, he runs off to isolate in 1x9.

And frankly, I don't think he'd trust himself with words at that point. He's overwhelmed and he had flashbacks to the day his father told him "this is what a man's work is", a day that scarred him mentally for life by forcing him to witness bloody and violent death.

"It's like my body just takes over", he told Izzy when it comes to high-stress situations. Instinctively, automatically.

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

This exchange after they leave Anne and Mary’s. They are both overly-polite. They aren’t quite comfortable around each other yet, and neither wants to say the wrong thing, still sussing out the other.

They’re also both protecting their own egos a bit by being nonchalant over the question of where Ed is going to sleep tonight, when it’s obviously the only question that needs answering currently.

Ed says first he’ll ‘crash in the trees’, then starts to say something else.

‘Well, I mean…’ indicates Ed’s about to suggest something, but is also a lead in for Stede to suggest something too, which is likely what Ed wants. It causes Stede to say ‘Well, I was thinking…’ as a mirroring of Ed’s language, and then ‘if you wanted to…’ because Stede doesn’t wish to appear too keen because he’s not sure he’s forgiven yet.

Ed’s interruption ‘Well, no you shouldn’t have to…’ is quite emotive depending on how it’s interpreted. He’s saying this isn’t Stede’s problem to solve. He’s saying Stede shouldn’t feel he has to stick his neck out for him with the crew. Ed’s also saying Stede doesn’t owe him anything. Ed’s possibly playing it cool, and whilst recognising that Stede doesn’t have to, he bloody well hopes he’s gonna. It shows how they’re both treading so lightly though here.

You then get this ridiculously polite to-ing and fro-ing, ‘sorry you go etc.’ until…

Ed wins.

He wins because he doubles down on his ‘No yous’ making Stede have to give way, and forcing him to say what he wanted to all along. Stede’s seemingly backed into a corner to save face. Once Stede suggests Ed stays one more night on the ship, it’s like the coolness and politeness facade drops for both of them.

But I just love this little scene. The sussing each other out, ego protection, and then they’re both just pure dorks who love each other so much and can’t hide it. Ed’s eyes are huge and his answer dopey. And Stede scares the wildlife with his glee. Stede then runs into the trees like Kermit, and Ed gazes after him like a love-sick kitten.

[chocolatepot]

I've noticed that Stede seems to drink when he's in a bad mood. He drinks after the theater meeting in episode 6 of season 1 (before he gets out of the room screaming "fuuuuuuck") and gets frustrated when Oluwande won't give him a drink at Spanish Jack's. I can't remember if he drinks in the flashbacks of his life with his family. And he got drunk at Mary's art exposure and at his and Ed's "breakup" (I don't know how to call it, honestly) in season two. Any ideas about it?

I tend to look at this through a Doylist lens rather than a Watsonian one, so my perspective is less "what does this signify about Stede?" and more "what were the writers doing with this?" I don't think they were doing anything very serious with it, to be honest.

In 1x06, they're playing on the trope of stress driving someone to one (1) bracing drink that helps them deal with it. It's also an opportunity for a character to look dramatic with an elegant prop in their hand.

Basically the same trope at Spanish Jackiez - Stede's working hard with hostile customers, something the audience understands would make someone want one (1) bracing drink. He's also hoping for a perk as the result of both his employment and his friend being in charge of the bar, another #relatable moment.

Not checking but I don't recall him drinking in the flashback. IIRC we only see him reading (checked out) while Mary drinks ("wine mom").

Getting drunk before the art show was obviously more than one (1) bracing drink. This bit is leaning into the standard trope that a man drinks his feelings and then expresses them when it's not exactly his choice anymore (ie because he's drunk). There's an extra edge to it because that trope's a stone in the edifice of toxic masculinity and a huge point of the show is Toxic Masculinity Bad: it's not a good choice he's made, but also one the audience is expected to understand instinctively.

I don't think he's anywhere near as drunk after the breakup, but again, he's dealing with toxic masculinity and so it makes sense to go with the toxically-masculine trope of drinking one's feelings.

I don't think there's supposed to be a hidden message about Stede having a drinking problem or anything.

[follows-the-bees]

I love this shot of Stede and everything we can gather from it.

He is crouched down picking up the pieces of the burned map, but for all intents and purposes, this can be read like all the other times he's isolated. He is low to the ground, hunched over on himself, and alone, his body language screams defeat.

We are seeing this through the perspective of Lucius and Ed, Stede is blocked between them in the camera. Lucius words of "and you like him" overlap this shot. And Ed smiles at the knowledge — his love for him and the knowledge that Stede likes him back — just like he smiles when Stede is excited about seeing the foliage!

At this point Stede has seen Ed during a panic attack, isolated in the bathtub. And this moment is the closest we've seen (so far) of Stede vulnerable (I'm not counting the stabbing, I mean emotional vulnerability after they have known each other a while.)

Ed likes Stede at all moments — high and low — and I think it's telling that he finds out concretely from someone else that Stede has feelings for him too right when Stede is having a low moment and Ed gets to embrace that knowledge and act on it. Gets to take care of someone else, just like Stede did for him. And he encourages Stede, who then stands up tall, adjusting his clothing and sassing back, but both of them are so genuine that they cheer each other up.

Their like for each other is more than just sexual, not only during the good times. It is based on friendship and genuine like of each other, especially when they aren't having the best days. Just like when Ed is at his lowest Stede declares he is Ed's friend, Ed gets to comfort Stede while he's upset.

The blocking and body language in this shot really shows not only their budding romance but their friendship. Their love for each other during low times. I love them.

[friendlygirlswag]

is this something? it feels like something

[xray-vex]

me: everyone has the right to their own head canons and interpretations of OFMD and the characters, and i respect that 😌

also me: hitting the mute/block button whenever i encounter a Bad Take

[confusedraven1]

edward teach denying himself the things he needs, like warmth and nutrition and self love, because he sees it as a “poison,” etc etc

[dimplyowl]

It’s so interesting to me that some people choose to believe Izzy’s skewed narrative instead of the things shown onscreen.

“He’s half-mad”. He’s actually bored and depressed.

Izzy has to manage Ed’s “erratic moods.” Are the erratic moods in the room with us because all I see is someone with ADHD and depression.

He’s soothed the crew’s worries about Ed’s judgement. By calling him half mad behind his back.

Stede’s “done something” to Ed’s brain because apparently Ed is incapable of making his own decisions. He needs guidance, he needs to be managed, he’s so easily influenced. Sorry Izzy, hate to break it to you, but Stede’s just nice to him.

Eds love for Stede is the cause of the bad atmosphere on the ship. Actually it’s because he’s miserable and you pushed him there.

He shot izzy because Izzy told him he loves him. Nope, he shot Izzy because he can’t take responsibility for the way his actions hurt Ed and the crew.

“He was a mad dog”. Was he? Because it looked to me like he was a heartbroken, depressed, borderline suicidal man who shut himself up in his room, made sure the crew got cake, and went on raids looking like a zombie.

You know, wonder what might influence people to believe the word of a white man, rather than the actions of a poc.

[amuseoffyre]

Every scene where Stede's guilt relates to his family in season 1:

Episode 1 - "my family is here now, at sea"

Episode 2 - "they'll never see papa again"

Episode 3 - his life flashing before his eyes

Episode 4 - "we were just playing pirates"

Episode 4 - "scoundrels spare no one"

Episode 4 - "I was meant to be a lighthouse. To guide them."

Episode 9 - "do they really think I'm dead?"

Episode 9 - "you defile beautiful things … your own family"

What's fascinating here is that in both episode 1 and 9, when faced of the reality of a) not being able to go home and b) being reported dead, his family flashbacks are much happier and stand in stark contrast to the backstory flashbacks we see of his childhood, his betrothal, his wedding day and even exactly the same dinner scene where Mary treats him with cold disdain and passive aggression.

He idealises the family unit in moments when he thinks he no longer has them.

It says a lot about his mentality in those scenes, especially when you compare it to when he's being hanged and when being threatened by Nigel: the imagery reverts back to the distant, isolated version. Stede at the far end of the table. Stede not part of the unified group in the family portrait.

In moments when he's not in danger, he's still trying to convince himself he was in a happy and normal family even when he's pulled away from them, but when in moments of high stress, he can't ignore the reality that he was distant from them and different and not part of the group.

So much delicious trauma food to chew on. And it carries over into S2 when his dream manifests what he thinks is the idealised version of himself and Ed before everything went wrong. Our man's subconscious frantically papering over the cracks and insisted he's definitely totally fine! REALLY!

[beabonnet]

Can I just say it’s absolutely baffling to me that there are people who think the writers of OFMD “fumbled” enemies to lovers with Izzy and Stede?

Like sorry are you saying that after filming the scene where Izzy and Stede meet that the writers, when faced with Rhys and con’s apparently undeniable sexual chemistry (I’m denying it but whatever) that they should have scrapped the season they’d already written and rewrite it to make Stizzy make sense?

This is what fanfiction is for, you see something that wasn’t explored by the writers and you explore that thing. The thing not being canonized just because you like it a whole lot doesn’t mean the writing is bad.

They were always honest with us about what Our Flag Means Death was about. The relationship between Ed and Stede is the show. It always was the show. It was always going to be the show.

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

The little groan Ed makes when Stede tells him this…

It’s so conflicted.

He’s annoyed Stede has respected his ‘I love you’ blockade, but still managed to say the thing he wanted to say. It’s a slight call back to 107 when Ed is prickly towards ‘I’d come to your restaurant’ and Stede takes subtle control of the narrative, sneaking in the meet-cute at the end. Stede possesses a linguistic dexterity when he’s in earnest (and in love) which will blindside you.

It’s an emotional sucker-punch too. It knocks the wind out of Ed. Because for how many nights has he lain awake longing to hear these words from Stede? From anyone, actually, his whole life?

l love everything about you

Unconditional love

Ed’s eyes shut momentarily. It appears to cause physical pain.

A slight head-shake follows showing his confliction. And when Stede states Ed doesn’t need to say it back, he breathes a little sharply, pauses, then doubles down. Yet you can see the Stede-magic starting to work.

Ed remains listening, turning his head every so often to glance at Stede. Inviting more without seeming to be doing so. And Stede remains calm in his approach, allowing Ed his emotional dignity by not overwhelming him.

Stede’s going to gently love the hell out of this beautiful man. Literally.

[follows-the-bees]

Thinking today about how the light of the mermaid scene, camera angle, and blocking mirror the two moon scenes.

That light represents hope and love between them and the moon scenes show a bright light illuminating them in a sea of dark blue. Just like the light during the mermaid scene shows Ed the light, and ushers in MerStede, the symbolism of love and hope, that helps give Ed the hope to live.

The moon is reflecting the sun's light, it's a softer version of the sun. When things are more hesitant and unsure. When their love is young.

The only other time we see the moon, is when they are apart, pining for each other. Yet, both of them haven't truly lost hope. They look up at the moon and think of each other. That light subconsciously represents them.

The sunset at the end is most noticeable because they are no longer under the bright light of the moon, the reflection of the sun. During the beach kisses and the inn, they are absolutely soaking in the glow of the sun. No longer in the young moon light but in the unabashed confidence of their love and relationship. They are in the sun in all it's glory: together. Happy. Hopeful. They have a set future.

While lanterns and light are used to show hope and love between them throughout the whole series (like stede bringing down the lantern and setting it next to Ed's almost dead body, literally lighting him up), the moon and sun are used when everything is most hopeful, most vulnerable, most in love.

More meta: The progression of candlelight in 1x4 that illuminated Ed hope