#one day i'll maybe make a tv/media + disability theory series

[kitchensunflowers]

black sails + crip negativity by j. logan smilges

(alt text available, image ID below the cut)

[Image ID: 15 stills from Black sails, each overlaid with a text box. Image + text box descriptions, in order, are as follows:

A still from XXXIII. Silver’s silhouette is visible as he stands at the end of a dark tunnel, pausing and leaning against his crutch. He lingers in the shadows for a moment, considering the outdoor daylight. Overlaid text reads: “It’s here in the dark that we can breathe deepest,”

A still from XXVII, the flashback scene where Vane sits in the prison cell, waiting, just before the priest arrives. He sits in relative darkness, in this still, the outline of his face is only barely visible. Overlaid text reads, “not because the air is particularly clean,”

A still from XXXIII, Flint is being held at the Nassau Prison fort. Flint reads while being almost completely shrouded by shadow; although there is light in the room, where he sits in the shadow, only the faintest outline of his silhouette is visible. Overlaid text reads, “but because there’s no reason to be embarrassed”

A still from XXXIV. Anne lies on her side in a hammock, in a dark cabin, needing to heal after sustaining major injuries in the English bruiser fight. She and the hammock are almost completely in shadow. Overlaid text reads, “if we cough,”

A still from XXXV. Jack sits at the wounded Anne’s hammock-bedside, gingerly holding one of her hands, and looks towards the doorway, where Max stands, also looking in. In the dimly lit room, all three figures are partially obscured by shadow. Overlaid text reads, “choke, or slobber on ourselves.”

A still from XXVIII, where Silver and Flint sit after burying treasure and Flint tells Silver about Hamilton. In the darkness of the forest, Flint and Silver are only just visible under a single lanternlight, the shovel between them. Overlaid text reads, “It’s here in the dark that we find one another,”

A still from XXV, after Silver has returned from the tavern, just before Flint talks about losing Miranda and Silver talks about how good the journey into darkness feels. In the still, Silver sits on the table where he was having his residual limb wrapped, but sits there alone, leg still outstretched, as the medics have left the room. In the dimly lit room, Flint, approaches where Silver sits shrouded in darkness. Overlaid text reads, “each groping our way through our bad feelings.”

A still from XXXVI, from the scene where Max apologises to Anne. In the dark of night, under snowfall, Max and Anne sit on a bench, each wrapped in cloaks, their back to a gate. They hold hands. Overlaid text reads, “And upon our fingers’ first contact,”

A still from XIV, the scene where Max tells Anne that she thinks she understands her, that she will protect her. In the still, only one of Anne’s eyes and her nose are visible, the rest is shrouded by Max’s silhouette and the shadow of Anne’s hat. She has blood spatter on her hat and face. Overlaid text reads: “we break down completely.”

A still from XXIII, the scene of Flint’s ‘what does a colonial power do when we say no more’ speech. In the darkness of night, only Flint’s silhouette is visible as he kneels before the illuminated Maroon Queen and her court. Overlaid text reads, “Because now we can, / at last.”

A still from XXIX, the flashback scene where Madi and Silver are in bed together. Madi and Silver kiss, but as they kiss, their shadows cast them almost completely in darkness, with only small slivers of their skin and hair still visible here. Overlaid text reads, “Because it feels so good to feel this bad”

A still from XIII, Hamilton and Flint’s first onscreen kiss. As Flint leans into Hamilton’s kiss, Hamilton’s hand traces up Flint’s neck, his thumb caresses Flint’s chin. As they kiss, both of their faces are shrouded by shadow. Overlaid text reads: “with one arm under your neck,”

A still from XX, as Silver and Muldoon attempt to patch up leaks below deck together during the storm, talking about Silver’s difficulty adjusting since becoming disabled, with Muldoon offering support commiserating about also not feeling strong enough. In this still, Silver’s face is half shrouded by darkness as he listens to and talks to Muldoon, who stands right beside him. Overlaid text reads, “another around your waist,”

A still from XXV, as Silver and his pirate crew approach the tavern in Nassau together. In the darkness of night, only the pirates’ legs and are silhouetted from the distant tavern lanterns; Silver’s legs, identifiable by prosthetic, are at the centre, leading the group. Overlaid text reads, “and my knees cupped behind your legs:”

A still from XXVII, as Madi, Jack and Anne, Flint, Silver, and Blackbeard gather at a round table. Only a candle and two torches light the scene, otherwise under the cover of night. In the still, the Maroon Queen as well as other Maroons and pirate crew are visible as observers of this meeting. Madi is at the centre of the frame, her hands are clasped on the table; Jack sits beside her, with Anne standing right behind him, arms crossed. Then sits Flint, then Silver. Blackbeard is not visible in this still, obscured by Silver’s silhouette; Silver sits with his prosthetic leg outstretched. Overlaid text reads, “awkward and crippled and together.” /end ID.]

Book citation: Smilges, Logan J. (2023). Crip Negativity, University of Minnesota Press, page 81.