OFMD S2 E3-4: The M Word | Our Flag Means Death

Hello and welcome to Big Gay Energy. I'm Caitlin. And I'm Fiora. Come along with us while we dive into the fun and nuances of queer media. Representation matters, and we're. Here to talk about it. Cheers, queers. What's on the big gay agenda today, Fiora? Today we are continuing our Our Flag Means Death discussion, and today we'll focus on episode two O 3 because it's a lot. Every episode's a lot at this point. Yeah, but this one is a lot, A

lot. And this was one of our fan favorites, So yes, we gotta do. It and I think I think it was all for one scene at the very end yeah, all right. But before we get into the episode, we have some things to cover. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to subscribe to our channel, give this video a like and leave a comment below. We want to hear all your thoughts about this, this episode, the show, anything you

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And if you're specifically looking for like our Flag means Death content, we have the full reaction video to this episode on Patreon, so check that out. Five bucks a month, you can watch us. We watch Zoe and Caitlin watching this episode for the very first time. That loan is worth $5. Like it's amazing. And if there's a lot of interest, maybe we'll react to more. Yes, you just let us know. But that aside, let's jump into episode two O 3, which is an

amazing episode. So it opens with Jang and her crew winning a raid against John Bartholomew, AKA the Sole Reaper. First of all, I love how she's like, I'm not calling him Ned. What's his real name? And of course, it's something they always have, these generic white guy names or everybody like John Ned. Yeah. At least Ned wasn't a white dude. Yeah, but I just love the names. Or, like, these generic English names is what I mean.

All right, so we got John. So Jiang corners him in his office because, you know, he wants to see her face to face before he blows his brains out. And then she's like, she comes in, He doesn't know which one's the captain. And finally she's like, yeah, it's me. And my favorite line from her is once that sets in, that it's not Steed and it's not Olu. It's Jiang who just destroyed his ship. She's like this must be very this must be very culturally hard for you.

Before you blow your brains out, know that your last act will be surrendering to a woman. But it's her little line delivery, her line delivery and little her little like sorry, not sorry face. Where's? Her award? That's her. Award for Jay. I need her to be in everything, like we need so much more from her. One day. One day men won't assume that the man in the room is the one who beat them and not the woman. That day is not today, 300 years later from when this is set, but

one day. One day, one day Jang just setting the foundation 300 years ago. We love her for that. Go Queen Jang. The other thing I love from the scene is this is the first time we really get to see her negotiating. And like, because all we know until now about her is that she conquered China, is a pirate queen. But like how did she get there? Because she seems very different captain wise, like captain style wise from like Blackbeard, kind of a little bit of steed in there.

But like, how did she do it? And the reason she's so successful, she's a master negotiator. So instead of strong arming John or into like doing what she wants, she has a conversation with him in which she reminds him very tactfully who the actual enemy is, which is the imperialist, not other pirates. So she she said the line of like, I didn't get into this business, like pirating to fight other pirates. I'm here to like raid the monarchies. And then he's like, yeah, yeah,

yeah. So we aren't enemies. She's like, exactly. They're the enemy. She's like, what if we what if we like we're partners and work together against the actual enemy. Like she redirects his focus away from her onto like, yeah, who's the bigger threat here? It's like the the navies that are trying to put us out of business, AKA like eliminate piracy, right? So her, the way she's successful is she forms healthy alliances in which both parties have a vested interest in mutual success.

And like, I when I'm reading and like, that's brilliant. And obviously, like, that's how you become like a, you know, a big leader of a giant fleet, obviously. But the other thing I love about this is, like, Zheng kind of reminds me of, like, what Steed could have been like down the road if he was. Yeah, if he was willing to be a little bit more ruthless. But yeah, like, he has that same kind of like, let me hear you out. And like, he's a little bit more of a people pleaser than she is.

But like they kind of have that similar like tact of like, what do you want and how do I exploit that, you know, kind of thing? There really are a lot of similarities between the two of them, Steed and Zheng, I mean, I feel like they both start calmly, whereas Ed would go and just like start slashing everything with all his knives and then think later. But Zhang knows that they're, like you said, that there is a time where she will need to use the use the force.

Sorry. I wouldn't be surprised if she was a Jedi. Let's be rough. Now this episode has to come out on May 4th. Oh my God, yes, let's see what I can do. There's no way. But yeah, the the Steed hasn't gotten there yet. He would. Also, Zhang is more smart. She has more. I mean, Steed has knowledge, but Zhang was like, I need to learn everything if I'm gonna take over the world, and even more so because I'm a woman. Yeah. And, and like Seed, Seed is educated, obviously he's from

like the aristocratic class. So like, he he's the only one of his crew who knows what China is. And he can read like he's literate, things like that. But Zhang is worldly. Like Zhang has like St. smarts in addition to being highly educated, whereas Steed has been isolated in his little like aristocrat bubble And like, so that's why he's such a disaster when he gets out and he's breaking all these pirate rules he doesn't know anything about.

Like Jang is a much more like, let me observe, figure out the situation. And then like, that's why I think she's she's a mastermind in a lot of ways because she's very smart. There you go. Caitlyn. She's super smart and she's strategic and she plays the long game. She's like, yeah, I could kill this captain right here and now and, like, win the raid. But she's like, I'm looking to build my fleet. I'm looking 10 moves ahead. Not just like dealing with, you know, John Bartholomew right

now. I'm looking to, like, take over the world basically. So like, she's very brilliant and she has this conversation with Steve where Steve was like, oh, I love the way you like negotiated that. And like I'm always pro talk it through, you know, if we just talk, we can solve everything. And she's like, yeah, but like, this is like a join me or die situation. Like if he wasn't willing to like join my alliance, then I have to kill him because now he's a threat to me.

And that's when Steve was like, oh, I don't even know if I can do that because she said, quote, I didn't conquer China by letting people go on about and on about their feelings. She's like, at some point she's like, if the negotiating doesn't work, I have to eliminate this threat. So like and that that lies the key difference between Jang and

Steed at this point in time. And that even comes like apparent when like in like a later episode when like, she reunites with Olu and she's like talking to him. And she's like, yeah, fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, I have to kill you. And he's like, that's. Exactly. He's like, well, that's how I was taught. Yeah, and look, look, she's still alive and has this giant fleet of pirates. So like it's working for her?

I love the writing in the show 'cause every time you have a quote in here from the show, I can hear it and they're like the between the actors line deliveries and the writing itself, 'cause it's really hard if the writing's not good to have good delivery. So both of them together is just what makes the show amazing in my opinion. I totally agree with that. Speaking of Olu, So when they when they were first going towards Bartholomew's cabin and

she's like, who, who is this? What are we doing? They're they're Jang and Oluf. They do some flirting and it's real cute. Jang catching them feelings. And have I mentioned how much I love them 'cause I love them so much? They're so fucking cute. They're. So cute. It's it's hard. Theora and I talked about. Well, Theora told me that she tried to minimize how much she's going to say. I I love Zhang in this. Episode, but it's really in general it's impossible.

Yeah, in general. I love her so much. And like, I think the like the like appeal of Zhang is the sheer point of like she's different than like any other pirate that we've seen in this. And that's the point of her character because like even like historically speaking, like there is no other pirate that was also female who conquered a whole fucking place just by herself. Like that's like that's unheard of at least in like that time

period, at that point in time. So like the fact that she's just this badass, like pirate queen who conquered China single handedly and then is out here like with a silver tongue, like that's such a badass combo. Like it's she's anything but a favorable character. I totally agree and that's why I love the contrast with her schoolgirl crush on Olu because it's just like it's adorable. Like, oh, it just makes her three-dimensional in a beautiful way versus like, just being

strictly ruthless. I mean, to be fair though, like like assuming that because I, I can't remember if Zhang Sao actually grew up in China or not, or if that was just like, fuck it, I have a thing against China. But like say that she is canonically like from China and everything in Asian countries. It's very much so like a thing to just kind of shut off your emotions, focus on school, stuff

like that. So she this is her like kind of rekindling like her childlike sense when it comes to like, as you said, her schoolgirl crush on, on Olu, because like she most likely has never felt that way before, or at least had like a chance to like experiment with those types of feelings because it's always been like, Oh, well, I have to be this bad ass bitch because if I'm not, then nobody's going to take me

seriously. I have to make sure that my knowledge is on point because I can't let any room for errors or have like a male nonetheless question my like authority and my mentality. So like, oh, Lou, like he's he's doing the same thing that he did with Jim in a sense of bringing out the best and giving like a security blanket and being like, you can be yourself around me. It is fine.

That is a really good point. And and historically though, with Jang, she basically the reason she got into pirating is her husband was a pirate and then like when he died, she took over and like quadrupled the fleet and became way more successful than he ever was. So yeah, there was probably that element of like, they have to see me as the captain now when they saw him as the captain. So yeah, your to your point, that probably makes a lot, a lot of sense.

And yeah, Olu is. He's just a cute little safe space for a lot of teddy bear. He's a teddy bear. I love him. Olu and Jim as OK, we'll get into like the whole friend group later there. It's just so damn it. Bye, Caitlin. Kaylee can't handle it. All right, So, Jiang. All right, So let's move on a little bit. So Jiang. Then everyone's in. They go back to the red flag, and then they stumble upon the revenge, which has seen better days. She looking ragged. She's seeing some stuff that

storm thrashed her about. So steed seeing hearing that it's the revenge like literally launches himself overboard into the water to swims over to go find Ed. And on revenge, he finds a fucked up ship and a traumatized crew chowing down in a seagull like starving animals. And it's they're, they're, they're they gone feral. I do love how Steed commits to throwing himself overboard. Look, no other thoughts go to Ed. Yeah. That's it. And he's like, I have there. I could die in this water,

maybe. Who knows what's in there? No, let's just go. Yep. And go he did. So basically he finds the crew, doesn't find Ed and the crew, and so the crew gets like taken back on board to the red flag and Auntie's like Jane, we got Achilles motherfuckers, I smell mutiny. Cause where the fuck is their captain? Like this is danger zone and Jane's like all I smell is leather and Bo. I don't know what you're talking about. You're blowing this out of proportion. Auntie and Auntie's like, girl,

you compromised. She's like, you just wanna keep the soft one meaning, oh, happy. And so like, I like that Auntie calls Shane out on her bullshit immediately. She's like girl, no, that you're gonna get us all killed, which, you know, she 100% is compromised, but it's also cute.

Just let her love. I know, and it's also sad 'cause like you brought up a lot of these points earlier, Zoe, but I think the broader stroke here with Pudding Zhang specifically into this show is I think she's really a supposed to be a foil to Blackbeard in a lot of ways, 'cause like think about like in a contrast, like complete direct contrast way, 'cause like, think about like gender is obviously the big one.

Like they're both successful pirates with strong crews, but Gender's the thing that separates them. Their leadership style is definitely different, which we talked about. They're both successful, but her level their their marker for success is different. Like Blackbeard has the most consecutive raids at this point, but like she conquered a country, a nation has a fleet like an she has basically has a Navy at this point. So like the success level is different.

The last point where their foils is love and happiness. And this one I think is really interesting. And so to bring it back to the scene with Auntie and Jang, I think the scene is showing more so the reality of a captain specifically seeking happiness with a non with like a non leader crew member. So not like her first mate, like, oh, it was just like she bought him basically could be served on the ship. She did. She bought it from Spanish Jackie.

Like so like he's not in the leadership rank at all. He's like bottom of the barrel on this ship. And so like, from Auntie's perspective, she's like, this is dangerous what you're doing because like you, you know, it's like man for hire situation. Like his loyalty to Zhang is like not organic the way Auntie's is. It's more so like you paid, you bought me and I'm you forced me

to be here kind of thing. So like Auntie's like, I don't really trust him because where does his loyalty really lie at the end of the day? Probably with the crew he's been with for years or whatever. And I think with this, this scene is really trying to show us how that kind of choice to like choose that kind of romance is dangerous for Jing and also her crew that is, that has been loyal to her like organically in

a way. So like it's a shitty position for her to be in to be like trying to find love when it's like the the other person she's trying to love is like not at her level, which is what? If you contrast that with Steed and Blackbeard, it's a little bit different 'cause they're both leaders. So like, it's the loyalty thing, kind of like isn't really a part of that.

It's a little bit different. But for Jiang, there's like this element of like danger if things go wrong, which is what ends up unfortunately playing out in this episode. So. Yeah, and that's like the, the thing I like I wanted to add on was I find it very interesting 'cause there's power balances, power imbalances rather between Olu and Jiang because again, she bought him, unfortunately, which, which is wild and of itself, yes.

But like it's just the, the fact of the matter that it's like, OK, well, if I don't play into it, if I like cause like and like, oh, it was very much so like endure. But like say like he wasn't and like he, his heart was still for Jim. He's kind of put in the position of, OK, well, I have to because if I don't, I will die. And thankfully that's not the case in the situation, but that

is most definitely the case. And look for like other crews, like there has to be like, at least like some instances of that happening in pirating history. Like you can't tell me otherwise since that's a very big, like, part of corporate America as well as like other corporations. So it's it's like, it's the only like leg up that Steed and Ed have on Zang is the fact that like, they don't have a power imbalance. They're free to do whatever they want. Like, yeah, it's going to offend

each other. But like, at the end of the day, they're on the same like playing field, whereas Olu and Zhang they're she's she's up here and Olu's down here as a crew maid. Like and like it's it. And like, I would probably go as far to say like he's below Zhang's crew just for the shame fact that like they've been around, like you said, they organically are loyal to her. So him along with everybody

else, that's a part of her crew. The crew of the Revenge is like, here's Zhang, here's her crew, here's their revenge. Yeah, and like, let's be real, the only reason the the crew of the like Steed's crew is even on that ship is because Jang wanted Olu. Like, that's the only reason they're there. Like otherwise like she wouldn't have like made their freedom. And by freedom, I mean transfer to her employership part of the deal with Jackie. It's because she wants Olu basically.

So if that wasn't the case, like they wouldn't even be in this position. But I totally agree with you. Like and and and from Ottie's, but Ottie's the only one who can see it. She's like Jang like if this goes S like we're going to have a second mutiny because like he's loyal. His captain is on the ship with us. Like this is even more dangerous than just picking up like, you know, another crew mate kind of

situation. A new adopting a new crew mate basically OK. All right, so let's moving on. So the whole time Steed is trying to figure out what happened to Ed to no avail. He's trying to figure out what happened to Ed cause like he's, he's on the revenge. He's like, where the Hell's Ed? And like the, the crew is not being forthcoming. So we don't really know until we cut to a scene where Ed is like passed out on the shore, almost

like he washed up there. And then this mystery human collects him and like takes him away. And we come to learn throughout the course of the episode that basically like this island is Ed's purgatory. And so we don't find that till like halfway through the episode basically. But like even just in this shot of just Ed being washed up on shore, like the island has this weird feel to it. It's like shrouded in mist most of the time, which gives it this like other world feel.

And the colors the entire time are very dull. Like it's become very monotoned blue and we see like instances besides like the guy that picks him up who we learn later who he is. There's like some animals, like some seagulls, there's a pig, but like there's not a lot of life. So like the, the island feels very desolate despite living things being there.

So I just wanted to comment all that to say like I really appreciate how the creators made the place feel like it was in limbo cause like there's some life but not really. And then the island still feels like dead, even though there's like, like, I like the way they kind of like depicted the island to give you that feel of purgatory. I thought that was really well done. I like the pig I. Think there's Rosie is the name of the pig. It's beautiful.

I also think it's hilarious cause like it gives like at least like the way that I interpret it with like the animals being there is like the the conflict of like most religions being like, oh, animals don't go to heaven and like animals are in purgatory. That's a really good point, I love that. So I think that I thought it was such like a nice little choice 'cause like, that could very well not be what like the directors were trying to convey.

But like, it would make sense for Ed's character for him to be like, well, it'd be nice if animals go to heaven, but like I think they go to like a different place and it just is purgatory and that's why the animals are there. But if they're in purgatory, I mean sort of like in between quote like heaven and hell, what did the pig do to get into purgatory? Ate bacon in. A past life. So Ed gets dragged off, and then when he comes to, he still doesn't know who the dude is

that rescued him. And I love when he asks because he doesn't know what's going on. And the guy's like, fiddling at 1/4. And I love. He asks, what did you do to me when I was out? Anything weird? I love that that's his first line. But it turns out the man is someone from Ed's past. It's Captain Ben Hornigold and so poor Ed let's that sink in. And then we cut back to the revenge so. Have I did have a little add on

for that. I do think it's an interesting choice that Ed's old captain is his guide through purgatory because that kind of makes me believe that like he while like he does have his like, like problems and everything with Ben and like the way that he was treated. It does beg the question of how much did he value Ben's opinion? Was this his first captain? Like what's the story behind

that? Because obviously he'll he'll holds like a significant like like he holds like a significance for Ed's like character, back story and everything. So he's there for a reason. So that makes me believe that either like, like the more reasonable option where it's like, OK, well, Ed just looked up to him a lot and he somehow found comfort in the way that Ben treated him because in a sense, he may have been like his like secondary dad because we all know that his like initial

dad was not the best. Or he could take the Bizarro route and just say that he was so like enamored with Ben that he kind of viewed him as like a God like like person. And that's why Ben is his guide in purgatory. Because like in most like scenarios, there's like a God like like humanoid creature or whatever, or like whatever you want to call it in purgatory to be the guide.

So like there's like two different sides to the coin of how you can interpret it. Like I said, the second one is definitely like the Bizarro one, but it's not it's not too hard to like believe that like the first option with like him seeing him as like a father figure or just him having significance in general is the reason why Ben is his guide. And I also like how they chose the character that we haven't met yet rather than doing one that we have already met.

Because my heart would break if it was fucking Calico Jack. Yes. I would feel so weird if it was steed like it was. It was such a nice choice that they chose like his old captain out of like all the people that they could have chose. I agree. Really. His actual father that would have been fucked. But to I agree with everything you're saying. And and I think to your point, it could potentially like if you're going into religion as like and they keep it very generic, which I love.

They don't like default to Christianity or anything. They're just like a lot of religions have this. Yeah, even though that was very much so the predominant religion. I'm glad that you did, did not. They just made it like, OK, well, let's make sure as much people as possible can relate to this. Yeah, I appreciate that choice and the choice of phrasing when

they did that. To your point, though, between the two options of why the captain like father versus like religious idol figure of some like mystical guide of some point, it could be a combination of both. Because in some religions, like, you know, God is referred to as a father figure, like like a paternal figure. So like maybe it's a combo of those two things. And that's how we get the manifestation of Ben, which is interesting. That's a really good point.

Cough cough. Explain it in season three. Cough cough. Yes, please do, Please do. Oh my God, could you imagine if we got an episode of cause Buttons mentions that he he knows things about the gravy basket and we got like a buttons episode. Gravy basket is wild. Whatever he's manifesting, I would love to know what that looked like. Lots of birds, yeah. Lots of seagulls. I, I don't know, I feel like he's got like all kinds of sea mystical creatures showing up for him.

Anyway, so we cut back to after this, we cut back to the revenge and Auntie's now because like Auntie's like, I smell mutiny. I'm going to investigate. So she gets on the revenge with Frenchie and Fang and is trying to figure out what happened. And I'm pretty sure she's harnessing the power of the sea witch to figure out what happened to Ed. And it like, she just like walks on board, just like a man was murdered here. Just like, oh, step by step.

She's like, he was 6 foot tall, like has tattoos. And they're like, what? The fuck? How is she doing? And truly hobby like you should, you should really gamble more if you haven't because like you would clean house with like your clairvoyancy. Yeah, 100% feel like. There people would think that she was doing something behind the scenes though, to keep winning. I mean, she's harnessing the sea witch. She is doing something.

I mean, not to mention, even if she was like cheating or something, nobody's gonna fucking step up to Auntie. Hey, you're not gonna question that. What are? They gonna do? She's like my boss is Shane. What are you gonna do? Also I'm Auntie. I think Archie needs to bring Auntie to Deadlock because they could really use a detective like. Her in that show, I would love that so much. Just throwing that out there,

everyone. Deadlock season 2. OK, so while Auntie is like exposing what happened on their revenge, Jim and Olu are on the red sail and they have a, they have a heart to heart finally 'cause they haven't really talked since like all the shit went out between the two of them. So Jim comes clean about dating Archie, which is really cute because like Olu's like Jim's best friend and is like, listen, I know we had a thing, but I just, I, you're the person I want to tell stuff to.

And I thought that was very sweet. It was the way they had the conversation too. I, I first of all, this is one of my favorite conversations. So at this point, they both have someone that they're liking it into. So they've accepted that they're not going to be together. They just haven't had this conversation yet. And I think both of them having other people helps. But after talking, they know that they'll always be there for each other.

They're best friends. Like they have a bond that you can't break. And I just love how comfortable they are with each other and how Jim at the end was like, I saw her boobs and I think Olu goes oh wow. And then they go, both of them, and he's like. All. Right, that's enough. And walks away. And then Jim's little smile is adorable. I will say that I can definitely see Archie, Jim and Olu being in a like a Poly relationship if Zeng wasn't in the picture. Right.

I think that so a lot of people are like the polycule. I'm like, I see that, but I don't see Zhang sharing is the thing. That's why I emphasize with her not in the picture the. Thing is, I'm wondering if maybe Zheng works with Spanish Jackie to like, figure out how to have multiple people in a relationship. I don't know what Spanish Jackie's full arrangement is with the husbands because, you know, they have to be like in relationships as well. You never know.

I mean it honestly could just be like a harem style thing where it's just all the men catering to the woman. That's what I think it is. It's more like because when when the Swede's talking about it, he's like, it's my day to do the husband do like they have a schedule of like who's the husband? Like husband number one that day. So yeah, I think it's more of a harem than like a polygool situation where there's like romance amongst the men. But like, who knows.

Season three. Please explain. Explain the harem. What's the likelihood of like the 20 husbands all being able to find women that would approve of them being in a relationship with like 21 plus people? And the fact that like Jackie, she's definitely not the type to share. That's why she has 20 husbands, so she can eat her cake, have her cake and eat it too.

But like I know for a fact that if like one of them wanted to go cheat on on her with like another person and she found out 100% she'd be down to 19 husbands. She'd have more than just fodder for the nose jar. And like with Jiang, the other reason why I think it's unlikely that that's what's happening with Zhang in the picture is because of the way Zhang is clearly jealous of Jim. Like, I don't think that's gonna work out with Jiang. Yeah, her vibe around Jim is just like.

Stay away. She's just like, I, I, why are you here? What is the point of you being here? Like, you know damn well she had like, great. Like she had a bunch of like hype about throwing Jim into like the cell. Yes. No, exactly.

But I think they could maybe if they worked on their relationship like we could see more bonding in season 3. I mean, for wonderful for Zhang and Jim to be friends and that would definitely like, 'cause like, Olu would definitely have like some comfort in that 'cause he's like, oh, sick. My my girlfriend, my best friend are friends. Hell yeah. Yeah, and I think that's where

it's headed. Like we'll get to the the scenes later with Jang and Jim where they kind of like make up in a way or like move on from like the initial jealousy. But yeah, I think that's where that was really headed. But I just. It's a polycula friendship where like they'll be two separate couples but they'll always be together. Yeah, I can see that there's some platonic stuff. Happening. And Jane's like we're hanging out with them again.

Come on now. But OK, other thing I just want to say about the scene with Jim and Olu is that I love the evolution of their relationship throughout the show, like how it's both romantic and aromantic at the same time. Like it's, it's just refreshing to see like this complex

relationship on screen. And I honestly love all the, all of the phases of their relationship like feel organic and like not forced cause like in the beginning there's a romantic attraction, a sexual attraction between the two of them. But then also like there's just like that best friend element all and like all of it feels right for these two characters. And I just, that's so refreshing

to see in ATV show, truly. And not to bring up the Vico interview again, but if you want to see Vico's response when we asked if they prefer Olu and Jim or Jim and Archie, that is the question we did ask and you can go watch it. Now check that out from the actor themselves. Yeah, go watch the whole thing. Yeah, watch.

The whole thing Vico's of love OK so moving on another scene that I really love in this episode is some other people who really need to clear the air which is steed and Izzy This is long overdue so steed at this point is wandering around the revenge cleaning up the knives that are everywhere an.

Abundance of knives. So many knives when he runs into Izzy, Izzy is guilty and angry over everything that went down with Ed and I think blames a lot of what happened on Steed, but also like on himself because he admits in this conversation he's like, we both did this. Like we're the reason Ed went crazy basically and just like became a madman hell bent on

burning the world down with him. So in the beginning of the conversation, Izzy is boasting that he knows Ed best, but then Steed proves him wrong 'cause in his head, Izzy I think is still, is still grappling with the fact that like, he's like, I knew Blackbeard. I was his pompanant. But like Steed really like under the radar of Izzy, like actually became the one that knew Ed the best. And Steed cuts him off and he's like, listen, he was either gonna let the world burn or die trying.

So which was it? Like not romanticizing the fact that like, Ed was trying to find him or win him back or like be a good person. He's like, I know Ed. I know he's gonna just, like, spiral into oblivion and, like, kill himself or kill everybody. Like, what was he? Which one was it? Izzy? And so I think in this way, Izzy comes to turn with the fact that Ed and Steed had a real relationship.

I think this is an epiphany he's having in this moment because so far, he's been brushing off their connection as trivial. But here is Steed proving that he knows Ed because Ed let Steed in and let Steed actually know who Ed is beneath the Blackbeard persona, which is, I don't think, something Izzy had the privilege of really knowing because Izzy was much more in awe of and loyal to the Blackbeard persona, not Ed, the

man beneath, you know? I will say and I keep forgetting to mention this, but Ed and Steve's relationship, it purely reminds me of the song Let the World Burn by Chris Gray. Cause like it literally says I let the world burn. Let the word world burn for you. This is how it always had to

end. If I can't have you, then no one can and like it just it's like a very like obsessive song and everything and like it's, it's like the the singer he's like coming to terms with like I shouldn't have ever fallen in love. But then I found you and I regretted by the same time. I don't. But if anybody like hurts you or fucks with you, I or if I lose you, that's it. Lights out.

The world's fucking burning. I don't care who goes on with it. If I can't have you, no one else gets the pleasure of knowing you or being with you. And like that's definitely the energy that Ed has most of the time. Like it's, it's so wild. And like if y'all haven't heard that song, definitely listen to it. It's a really good fucking song. That all 100% tracks for Ed like up to this point in the show. Absolutely. I feel like that's his theme

song so far. This theme song, the other element to this conversation is I think there's some jealousy that for on Izzy's part, that kind of goes along with coming to terms with that realization that like Steed and Ed, like really know knew each other on a level that Izzy was never privileged to know. But Izzy in the scene doesn't fight it because he's been fighting that realization for a

really long time here. He just seems really tired and just like, resigned to the truth, like he survived the wrath of Blackbeard in the wake of Steed abandoning him. And I think he's kind of like, you win Steed a little bit in this moment, which is that's character growth for Izzy. Izzy goes on quite a journey. Especially and she doesn't do. Yes, especially here. And it's like, yeah. And it's just like, you see it episode by episode.

They'll just like the arc of Izzy is really fantastic. OK, so Steed in this conversation learns that Ed went mad and the crew sent him to doggy heaven, which is the evidence of the mutiny. Just kidding. Izzy says they left him on a deserted beach. So there's no, there's no mutiny. There's no mutiny. Steed, don't say that word. And like, huh. Nothing happened. Nothing happened, and obviously. War embossing say.

And so obviously Izzy isn't telling the truth because the because of the pirate code, which again, Steed still hasn't read the handbook of how to be a pirate. Because Izzy's like, listen, if you even say that M word and Jang found out she's gonna kill all of us because why on earth would a captain adopt A crew that just turned on their captain? That's insane. Nobody would do that. Which is ironic 'cause that's a sense to what Blackbeard did, yes, 'cause they were like on

the brink. And then Blackbeard just shows up. That's true, but like Blackbeard was losing his marbles that time too. The other thing though, I love this explanation that like we just, you know, we deserted him on a beach. We didn't kill him. To me, he's telling, is he telling us to Steed? It very much reads to me like an explanation you'd tell a child you're like your pet went to live on a farm with kind of like the energy from that conversation, because Steed is like a child.

But. I mean, Steed is is a child, basically pirate pirate child because he has still peer views of the pirating world. Maybe not so much anymore because he's seen some shit, but just not as much as Ed and everyone else has. And he has experienced his first actual love. So he's going through like all these milestones for childhood basically all at once right now and telling him that they killed Blackbeard or almost did it

would have killed him. And we see it later how much he's upset about it. So just that the crew is capable of doing this to someone that he loved 'cause he wants everyone to be happy and love each other. I don't know how you handle that with when you're like literally going on other ships and stealing ship from them and whatever, but.

You know. I will say, though, kind of like circling back to like the whole child thing, I think it's like very wonderful how like pretty much everybody in the show gets like a chance to like embrace their inner child at one point or another. And like, I think that's so wonderful because like a lot, a lot of people underestimate how like healing and nice it is to like rekindle that relationship with your child's self. Like it's so healing.

Like I love doing like adult coloring books because the ones. That are made for kids are too convoluted and it stresses me out. I love building Legos. I love. I like the Legos. Like there's so many things, like it's so healing, like it's so nice to just like have wizard time and build a Lego set. Like it's so nice. That is why my mom's a nanny, so I get to do all of these. I get so distracted by their toys. In general, though, there's some really entertaining. Toddler toys 100%.

There's now like, there's now like a, a, a gaming chair for children. It's an interactive one. And like, it's so wild. I'm like, I wish I had that as a kid. The technology's insane. Right, an easy bake oven that won't kill you. I would have thought, where's the fun of that? Burning means that they learn. Back on the deserted beach. Yes, the good old. Scars of childhood chemical birds. Back on the beach.

Back on the deserted beach, Ed is dealing with Ben and the exile life and they have this chat about their respective crews. Mutiny, mutiny against them. And Ben tells the story of Felix, who was, quote, a really nice guy, pretty dead, who was forced to eat a live crab as punishment for stealing extra rations, which obviously killed him. So Ed marvels that Ben doesn't seem to feel bad about this at all. And Ben says feeling bad about it isn't going to rebuild an

abdominal wall, is it? You got to move on, man, or you blow your brains out. Since we know that Ed is, but since we know that Ben is basically a manifestation of Ed's subconsciousness this entire time, this story is really interesting that he's bringing this up now in purgatory 'cause I think that in Ed's brain he thinks post Steed he only has two options and he doesn't know how to cope with either option because everything with Steed feels final to him.

To Ed, there's no third option where like Steed wants it back or like he can be happy in another way. Like not anymore. Like it's like he's been crushed and that's it. And I think that Ed thinks he's at the point where like moving on feels really impossible 'cause he's like the wound is still so fresh and therefore like ending it to end his own suffering feels like his only option. But he's like very torn between

those two things. So hence like why he was pushing he pushed his own crew to the point where they would mutiny and do The Dirty work for him which is unlike Ben like Ben was just being a Dick of a captain and the crew got fed up and like mutiny was like Ed was like doing it on purpose so that they would like enact option #2. Basically, and the only one who caught on was Izzy with him being like I'm not going to I'm I'm done cleaning up your like your messes.

You, if you want to kill yourself, you can do it yourself. Exactly. He's the only one that catches on. So it's very interesting how like Izzy just let the like the whole mutiny run its course. Like that just kind of like signified to me that like this might have been like Izzy's breaking point and he was like, fuck it. If they want to kill him, let him kill him again. I'm tired of cleaning up his messes.

And if I'm not going to stop him, I'm not going to stop them for giving him his consequences because he needs to learn somehow or another. And truly good for Izzy because Izzy has been on the road of like, finding his own self worth and gaining his own autonomy versus just being Blackbeard's quote, just Blackbeard's right hand man. And then part of that is just being his puppet, you know?

And we saw Izzy like very much struggle with that when Ed would give him orders and he's like, he would have to defend to the crew and the crew's like, why are we doing this? And he's like, it's not your place to question me. Just fucking do it. And, like, Izzy was clearly conflicted with what was going on. Yeah. So I do love that. Like, you know, Izzy being like, enough, enough with the toxicity. Like, do your own, do what you're gonna do. I can't stop you kind of thing.

OK. And so another part of the the bend manifestation is the the in stuff. So we transition into fantasyland, AKA Ed's dream of domesticity. So he makes it very clear throughout this whole season that he has had a dream of running an inn, as all queers do, apparently for quite some time. And the thing that Ed likes about it is it's like, it's a simple life. He says something like he's like, I will get a set of keys.

I get to carry keys around like a jailer, but like the people like me and, and they can leave whenever they want. Like, you know, so I so Ed like he's like, that's the epitome of like living, right? I get to have keys responsibility and like things like that, things that he doesn't have as a pirate, a pirate you're just like surviving day-to-day and like pillaging to buy food and stuff. And you know, he's like, I get real responsibility where people

like me is the key. And so I love that they do this role play where Ben acts as like somebody who's coming to visit the inn and like Ed gets to be his persona of Jeff and he he's running Jeff's Inn by the Sea. I love that's his persona. I also love Oh go ahead. Go ahead. I also love how, like throughout this, Ben's just being an absolute Dick and Ed's like, why are you, come on, man, why are you being a Dick? And he's like, what? You're gonna have customers like this.

You gotta be prepared. That's also how it is when you're a child too. You're like, you're not playing right. Yeah, 100%. Like that is 100% Ed right there. He's like, no, you gotta, you gotta be nice. You gotta I'm I'm the innkeeper, damn it. This scene is brilliant in so many so many ways because remember that like Ben being a Dick and not quote playing the right way, it's Ed's brain conjuring this.

So it's like Ed's fear of failing and not being able to attain this life that he wants is manifesting right now through Ben. And there's a lot of things I like about this scene. So first of all, Ed makes the little Fern boutonniere to make himself look fancy, which is just such an Ed Ed move and it's so cute and I love it. So he gets all. Dressed up this outfit though for some reason like he looks good in this. It's so simple but. He's got his hair back, yeah.

Neat the whole package, man. To be honest though, while it is an Ed coded thing, it's definitely an Ed coded thing that he learned from Steed. Yeah. 'Cause he's gonna, he's wearing his fine Fern well. So the conversation between the two of them quickly goes S because again, Ed's biggest insecurity is his fear that people Steve can't love him. So of course, imaginary Ben quickly points out that Ed was, you know, so that's why he's being a Dick. And he's like, you're supposed

to be a people person. How could you run it in if you're not a people person? People have to like you for you to be successful. So that's just a manifestation of Ed's fear. So of course, Ben is very quick to point out that Ed was vulnerable with Steed, told him about the Kraken. He brings that up, and Steed left him, showing that like, hey, when people really get to know you, that you can't, they can't love you.

They're gonna run away. Like, nobody loves who you really are, Ed. And here's Ed hiding behind Jeff, Right. So he's still not being authentic in the scene. Really. So naturally, this sends Ed on a murderous rampage, which is futile because Ben is a figment of his imagination. She comes to find out. Yeah. So I really OK first of all really cute scene because it is just like he wants to live out his fantasy and I think back to him being upset that he wasn't doing being a good guest.

It's just like not even in a fantasy can he have this ideal domestic life. But since this whole thing spoiler ends with him deciding if he is going to live or die, I am wondering if this the whole scene was supposed to be him trying to have his ideal domestic life. I mean, ideally would have steed in it, but, you know, it's a good thing he's not there and running in. But deep down, he knows that his past is always going to be haunting him. And we see it later when he

tries to kill. I'm sorry, is his name Ben? You said Ben. Yeah, Ben. So he keeps trying to kill him, and then he's just like a zombie and keeps coming back to life. So I feel like that guy represents everything that Ed's ever done, all the kills that he's had a hand in, and it's kind of like he is trying to figure out if he even deserves to live, especially with his actions right before coming to purgatory.

And that's also like a very like common trauma response for people to have wanting to like kill their past instead of being like and like being and like other people being like my past as a divine meme. Like there, it's two sides of a coin. Cause Steed, he's come to terms with my past. That doesn't define me. I fucking love you Ed. When Ed is on the other side of the spectrum and he's like, but I am my past. I want to kill my past, but there's not a way.

I don't want to retire because if I retire I'm nothing but I really want this in. But if I get this in, it's to like like end all be all I I'm no longer a pirate. I'm with Steed forever. I love Steed, but I've never had something like this before. It's fucking horrifying. So like, I, I really like how they did that whole thing, especially with like the means of purgatory and like, as Caitlin said, like he gets to choose whether he wants to live

or die. And like, it's interesting how they chose that aspect because of like the whole don't go into the light thing. And this is him trying to like battle that out with, OK, well, if I do live, there's potential. I can see Steed, but if I do live, there's a potential I can see Steve and I have to like actually talk out my feelings because he's going to force me to talk out my feelings whether

I like it or not. So it it's very, very interesting aspect and I'm really glad that you decided to bring that up, Caitlin. Yeah, it's like, it's like Ed is his own worst enemy, basically, and his, he's very driven by fear, whether he wants to admit it or not. And so I like that it's comes out in his subconscious and all these layered ways like you, you're both saying. So while Ed is in purgatory figuring his shit out, Avi shows Zhang and Steed the crew has been hiding evidence of mutiny

by keeping Ed's body hidden. Because of course Auntie found the body. Because she should be a detective like like Caitlin said. And the look and satisfaction on her face, she's like, I knew it. It's just everything. OK, she knows all. She knows all, and as predicted, Jang imprisons Ed's crew and plans to execute them because pirate code breaking mutiny must kill the mutinous ones. So there we have it.

I love the scene though when Steed goes to see them in the jail cell and they all look like children about to get scolded by their teacher. But to everyone's surprise and perhaps horror, Steed says nothing and just leaves them to their fate. And for a character like Steed, silence feels like a death blow. Even to the point where like Izzy tears up when that happens cause like it's so powerful coming from someone like Steed who likes to talk things out and

explain them. So for him to not say a damn thing and just leave and looking disappointed as fuck is like a KO, you know? And it's, it's a very impactful scene because like, like, as he said, like for Steed, a man of many words, like him being speechless because he's like, like the amount of rage and hatred he's feeling because they killed his boyfriend. Like it's, it's absolutely like insane. And I, I remember like watching this and like, my heart is dropping.

Like between Steve not saying shit and then Izzy just like having like the single tear go down his face. I was like, Oh my God, Izzy's crying and Steve's not talking. What bizarro world are we in today? This is kind of like the thing that, you know, TV taught me. I don't, I've never had this, but where if your parent says they're disappointed in you, it's worse than them just being mad at you. So with Steve being silent, it means that he is beyond being even able or trying to resolve

things at this point. He's just like your fate is your fate at this point. Yeah. And like, it's hard to like, kind of give them the benefit of the doubt because like, you know, deep down, Steve wants to give them the benefit of the doubt. But he's so, like, shrouded for the shock and horror of stumbling upon Ed's body that he can't. He can't think rationally. He can't think. OK, well, what I don't know what happened when I was gone.

I there, there could have been like so many things and maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was this sad the other like maybe it was self-defense. Like he's not thinking that way. And I don't blame him because my my first thing was like my first thing if I was in his shoes, was this was intentional because they didn't fucking like him. And as soon as I left, they saw the opening to do so. But also they didn't, they lied

to him. They didn't tell him their shoes because if they would have sat him down, be like, hey, this is everything that's happened. We have had such a go this we had no other choice. He we had to do this for everybody's safety because Ed does care about everyone's safety. Steed cares about everyone's safety. So hearing that Ed like, yeah, he would still be concerned about Ed and not like that they did that hearing that they were in danger themselves, which is

why it came down to that. I feel like he would have been more receptive to talking about it rather than feel betrayed by all of this. I just think it's very, oh, sorry, no. Go ahead, I. Was going to say, it's very ironic because like, my whole thing is, if you're going to lie to me, don't lie to my face.

Because if you lied to me in general, I will most likely end up finding out about it and I will be way more pissed off than I already am. So, and like, that's definitely like what Steed is is going through because like for the most part, they've had a good rapport. They've been like very honest and open. Sure, like some things may have been omitted, but omitting something and just not like bringing it up in casual conversation is 100% different than full on going Oh yeah, he,

he went to doggy heaven. Like talking to a kid essentially. So just like and like the fact that like Izzy was the one that lied to him. While it is predictable, it definitely does still hurt, especially after like everything that like Izzy and Steed has been through and like them forming like a bond of friendship and stuff like that. So I, I get, I get both sides of like what Steed is dealing with because it's a, it's a shitty situation in general. Because like initially it was

for self-defense. Like the crew, while they weren't 100% in the right, they still had some right to kind of defend themselves. And it's like, it's like, since we're keep bringing up dog analogies, it's like putting down a rabid dog. That's exactly what Steve, that's exactly what Ed was in the situation. And like, it's, it's so like, I wish we had, I wish they didn't like kind of gloss over this because like and like, we'll we'll talk about like what Steve does next.

But like, it's just the fact that they glossed over it. They didn't really bring it up that much or like have like a fun sit down conversation like Steve like usually does. And I know it's for a good reason because like, for one, there's not really like a time or place within like the next couple of episodes to do that. For two, that probably would have been more painful for Steve to hear something that he doesn't want to hear, just further proving that Ed isn't a

good person. Like he he's a good person in some aspects, but it would probably kill Steve to know that all of this was caused because of Steve leaving him. Yeah, I agree with all that. I think another point to add that just adds to the complexity of this is this a thing that keeps happening with Steed is the fact that Steed gets so wrapped up in Steed's stuff that he can't see the bigger picture.

And the bigger picture from the crew's point of view, who's been pirating way longer than him, is that if Zhang finds out, Zhang will kill all of them. And so like, they have to lie to Steed about this because if the word mutiny is discovered, like Zhang's gonna kill all of them. So like, the crew is still in survival mode with Zhang at this point. And so they they actually can't tell Steed what really happened because they'll get killed again.

And like, the reason they're in this position with Ed unconscious and dying potentially is because their lives were threatened. So like, there's just a lot going on here. And Steed can't really see all of that because he's too fixated on the Ed piece of it and he can't really see what's going on with the crew, which is, you know, Steve has those blinders a lot. He's blinded by love. Yeah, for sure.

Speaking of love, while that's all going on, Jiang is trying so hard to seduce Olu, and this is probably one of my favorite scenes, so I love how much of A disaster she is. So. So first of all, she starts by interrogating him about his boat manse with Jim. And that phrase was beautiful. Then she she ratchets this up by being like, please tell me more about this. And then like, unsheets her sword. And so poor Ola's like, oh God, she's gonna kill me.

But really, she's trying to do some seductive sword play while ominous music is playing. Which Zing would definitely be into like knife sword play like 100%. Percent, 100%. But really, like, she's doing all this 'cause she wants to make out with him and he's like, oh God, she's gonna kill me. And like, realistically, she probably has never like had time to properly seduce somebody. So like. This is her. Like her, in her mind, she's like, oh, this is this is gonna

get him going for sure or not. This is gonna terrify the fuck out of him. He's gonna get a scare boner. Yeah, because like, basically she admits to Steve later on point that she's dated a lot of pirates on wanted posters. So yeah, this probably worked with. Them and always like I would love to see Olu later trying to seduce her and trying to like match her energy but right now she's basically doing what she does in battle.

Like she started out talking and then eventually she's like well shit this isn't working and just goes all in on the attack and starts kissing him. So when in doubt just kiss him. That seems to be the best solution for her, yes. Jordan here and I fuck here and I. Literally that's Jang and I love OK, so I love the implication too with her with the sword. There's just a visual indicator that she's in charge of this interaction. Like she's quote like got the masculine energy in this scene.

She's the Dom. She's the Dom, she definitely is. I'll lose into that, let's be real. And I just, I love their dynamic and just please give them a spin off. I want it so badly. We need all the spin offs on this. Seriously, there's so much potential here so. Much I will.

I will say though, like while like shit's hitting the fan on Zheng, on Zheng ship, it's so wild that like they're just like casually making out and Monty comes and is like pull your pants up and he's like, my pants are on. Everyone's pants are on. Like, I just love it. Yeah. So unfortunately for my dreams, Steve successfully leads the entire crew back to the Revenge and poor Jang and Jang's expense, forcing Olu at this point to choose between the crew and Jang.

I hate it. I mean yes it sucks in general but he still has more of a connection to his crew and I feel like he's the type of person that no matter what he is going to be his family. That is his family, and eventually Zheng will become his family. Just not right now. Yeah, I I feel like he'd always choose the greater amount of people over one. I will say though, I have like 2 talking points about this.

For one, I feel like it would definitely shatter and like destroy Zheng if she knew that the person that came and got Olu was Jim. Yes. Second point, while I do ship the fuck out of Olu and Zheng like it, it still kind of makes me feel uncomfortable because like there's like that power balance there again, because like and like he definitely like seemed like uncomfortably surprised during like the whole interaction of her trying to

seduce him. So like it kind of makes me feel icky 'cause it's like, does he really want this or like, is it once again just like, well, if I don't do this, I might die, but I'm into her. But like, I'm just like not really in the mood for that right now 'cause like I just, I just met her like a couple weeks ago or like whatever the timeline is for this. Cause the timeline is so funky

for this show, yeah. So Zoe, it's it's a great that you brought that point up because it seems like every show that Theo and I talk about now has this dynamic. And this is the least worst. One so that's why I feel like. We're not dying on that. Yeah, the the employer employee should. I fucking hate it so much but

this. Is a lot more tame than the other ones and because I feel like she is softer around him and does let him have more control in the fact that no one would have been in that room with the scrolls and the war map. But she let him in. So she's letting him in. He has a little more leeway than other people. Whereas the at least for the other shows that we it was like really join me or die with her. I feel like she would not be able to kill him whatsoever.

That that and also their relationship started without the power imbalance. That's why I have less of a problem with them because their relationship really started with Susan, the soup vendor and Olu. Like, that's why. Yeah, it's less weird about in this scene. Yes, she's definitely it. It can. You can easily read it as she's pulling rank as captain, when really she's like, I don't know, this is how you seduce pirates.

I don't understand. And I think her like incompetence in the scene also makes it less like my captain is threatening me into like baking out with her kind of thing. And then she also pulls that. When she notices that that's not what he actually wants. So like she drops the the ACT. So I, I do feel like Olu does have more control in this situation, but I want to bring up that the her face when she sees that Olu was on that ship, it's heartbreaking.

She's like, I finally, I finally like this dude. I feel like she didn't connect with the other guys as much I think. It's probably also transactional. That yeah, also a bit more just attracted to like the the Vadnais where she's like, no, I really like this guy this guy is sweet. I she's finally seeing that someone can care for her where I feel like her original marriage was probably arranged like. Yeah. Steve's was. Especially, especially because she's from Asia.

And that's a very common thing is arranged marriages in Asia as well as like the Middle East. And like like it's very common like all around the world. But like in those two places in particular, like that's really where it thrives even to this day, unfortunately. So I wouldn't be too much of A stretch to say that her first marriage was arranged and that's probably where like everything started off at.

But I also find it interesting like her attraction to to Olu because in reality, she's most likely never met a pirate who acts like him. And that's another thing that adds to the appeal of it because as the Aura said, she always dates people off of wanted posters. So like, it's always like the bad boy aspect and like, here's Olu, a fucking precious teddy bear. And she's like, oh, I need me some of that She.

Does the other thing, too, to add to Caitlyn's point about later on in the episode, Yeah. When she she, the realization that he laughed is that this is what Andy was trying to warn her about. She's like, this is how this is going to play out. Like you, you, you have to think. You have to think. And she wasn't thinking. And that's when Andy's like, I could say I told you so. And Jake's like, well, don't like it. Just I think that she's like,

oh, wow, I was being stupid. But what's interesting about Zhang is that again, this is what happened with, again, this is where the foil with Blackbeard comes in. Again, this is what happened between Ed and Steve, right? Where Steve abandons Ed. How did Zhang react?

Business as usual like Jiang like deals with her feelings and is like this fucking sucks but like doesn't burn the world down just keeps going about her pirate queen life and like just is sad by herself rather than taking it out of the. World it's because in reality, she doesn't have the privilege to do that because if she did that, she would lose her entire like quote, UN quote empire that she built up from the ground

running. Like, yeah, she probably had like some assistance from like her prior husband, who all was also a pirate. But like, and in reality, she like she she didn't conquer China with her husband. She conquered China by herself. Like this is her entire empire.

And like I do like the aspect that auntie just kind of like let her make her mistakes rather than like keeping like beating a dead horse essentially, because she realized nothing I can say, no matter how much I like, no matter how long I've known her, will sway her opinion on this man. She's infatuated with him. She loves him to death. She would do anything from like for him just based on like we've seen before and based on Auntie's scene.

So she knows like, nothing she's going to say is going to change that. She doesn't want to waste her breath. She's a very tactful person, but she knows when to like admit defeat. And this is definitely like one of those cases where she has to admit defeat. And I think that kind of stemmed from in the in the book room with like the scrolls and everything and like Auntie being like, OK, will she trust him

enough to see it? Like our battle map, even though he didn't know what the fuck it was and thought it was just a mess. He she let him see the scrolls, everything like that, like a very intimate part of the ship. He he had given permission to go in there. And I think that's, and like, that's why I said, like, I think that's where it stemmed for the fact of like Auntie being like, all right, well, she loves this fan. So I'm just going to drop it. If something happens, I will be

there for her. I will potentially say I told you so, but she'd probably kill me if I did. She definitely, definitely would. And the other thing I just want to add just to wrap this up is like back to the foiling with Blackbeard in the way that Jane responds, because I agree with you. Like if she responded the way Ed did burn the world down, yeah, she'd lose her entire empire. But the fact that she internalizes it and it's just sad.

It's a very like feminine coded response versus Ed's response is a very masculine coded response, which is to put your feelings outward and burn the world down, versus Jane, who's going to internally deal with it and like, beat herself up. So it's another contrast between the two of them is how they respond to their like, boyfriends leaving them basically. OK, I feel like we talked about Jane all day, so we'll get back to Ed at this point. I don't. Have her on the show.

I know. I love her so much anyway. I'm working on it. I'm working on it actually. OK, hopefully. Hopefully. OK so Ed finds out at this point he's in the gravy basket AKA purgatory. We knew that but Ed just found that and he decides and he has to make decide the ultimatum. Do I live or die? Because he's in the in between?

Really, it's too late that this was a whole like a prolonging of like Ed already made his decision a long time ago and really this was a prolonging of him getting to that decision because Ed has been scared of this decision. Ed was going to decide to like, end it because he hates himself.

He feels unlovable. He's too fucking scared to do anything about it. So this manifests in purgatory as he's suddenly at the top of this Cliff with a rope tied around his waist and Ben's holding this boulder. And so into the sea Ed goes while this is happening in our world on the living plane of the living steed, is devastated and

like crying over Ed's body. And he lifts the face cover off of Ed and that's, and then we see Ed in purgatory in the sea, like kind of like jolt, like the things are getting brighter. And so Steed starts pouring his heart out, telling Ed that he's sorry, that he was scared, he messed this up.

And as he's like saying his truths, Ed starts fighting in purgatory because he's he's going down and then he starts fighting it. So like, he's regaining the will to live while like Steed is basically giving him a reason to live because part of Ed's fear is like, no one's waiting for me. That's what he was scared of. But like, he can hear the voice that like, somebody wants him back there. And that person is Steed.

And so at some point, his hand starts twitching and Steed notices that he's his body's moving. So he grabs his hand and then starts really seriously begging Ed to come back to him. And while the begging is happening, Ed sees a light up top and that's when the rope, he was fighting the rope trying to get it to unwind and it wasn't. But once he sees the light, it comes undone on its own. Like the choice is happening and it's really cool. I like the sequence they do here.

And then Mersteed comes to the rescue. Because of course he does of. Course he does. That's his guardian. But when I saw the rope I didn't notice that he was trying to free himself, but it still works. I feel like the rope is basically the sign that Ed is freeing himself from his past actions, but he can only do that when Steve is around.

That's interesting that you mentioned that because the way I interpreted the rope was the rope and cannonball or whatever was attached to I think it was a cannonball that was attached to it or boulder. Yeah. But that just kind of like bringing him from like one realm to another. So he's like kind of like descending to the depths of hell. And then because he's in a coma, like that's like very apparent

he's in a coma right now. And most coma patients are able to hear when somebody's talking to them. So it's like it definitely ties in like what both of y'all said, because deeds they're like being like like begging, pleading to for him to come back, even though like Steed's under the impression that he's fucking dead. So like it's it's it's like the symbolism in this show is like so on point, like I absolutely adore it. They did a wonderful job with it.

Yeah, yeah. I wish I understood symbolism more. I'm gonna work on that. I also like how, like, Ed's like on like the brink of death and like, he starts like remembering things and like, it's supposed to like, symbolize like his life flashing before his eyes, which makes it even cuter because it implies that Steed is his life. And that's why everything he's remembering is like, the majority of it is purely just Steed.

Like, yeah, maybe like some of the other crew, but like for the most part, it's specifically just fixated on Steed. So like, I think that was a nice little way of saying that like, Steed is his, like the light of his life. Like when his life is flashing before his eyes, it's going to be Steed. So I thought it was just so so

nice. But I also hate how the intimate moment was ruined between like Ed's life flashing before his eyes, Steve begging and pleading and crying for Ed to come back, and then you just see like the abomination of Mersteed coming into frame like that. I just remember getting like so caught off guard about that. I don't know what that was. I'm. Sorry, I can't. I mean, I know what it was, but I don't know why it showed up.

So yeah, I agree with everything you're saying and and a part that I really love is like when mercy does show up, you see, Ed is just become so elated and just like full of life when he sees him because like it to him, he's like Steed is coming to get me. Like, you know, like he didn't abandoned me. I'm not alone. Everything, everything he was afraid of just gets like absolved basically. And he's like, OK, I can do this. I can go on inside a note when

Ed is underwater. What witchcraft made his wig look that good? It's just utter perfection, even underwater. Don't get Zoe started on this. It's so good. We now know that it which. If you watch the Gypsy interview, you'll get more Inside Edition of Merstein. But we now know that he was in a pool. And pools have different

buoyancies than the ocean. So it makes sense that like, his hair was kind of flowing like magically, because that's what happens when you're in a pool compared to like the ocean because of how dense the water is and like the salt and everything like that compared to like chlorinated water. So it makes more sense now knowing that and like part of me kind of assumed it was a pool, but at the same time I was like, no, it's it's big enough budget to where like I could see them

doing it like the actual ocean. Oh no, you need an even bigger budget for that. Also, I feel like that's way more dangerous in general. 100%, so 100%. I think most things are filmed in these tanks. Like even to go to where these tanks are, it'd be expensive. Also like you're more guaranteed a clear shot because like things are in the ocean. Yeah, there'd be that week and then you'd have to make sure that everybody was certified for like dive it. It would be too much.

I think it everything happens in these pools. Then anyway, looks really his wig. So OK so then basically bottom line, all it takes is for Steve's love to pull Ed out of purgatory and him taking that breath is like where we end the episode. So good, So, so good. So many good things happened in this episode. It's kind of amazing.

And like, I think like, one of the the most, like, healing moments in the show was the fact of Steed still going back and like, rescuing his crew and like, jailbreaking them even after like, knowing that they killed his boyfriend. So like, I thought that was a very nice touch because like Steed finally gets like out of his own mind and he's like, all right, well, at the end of the day, if I don't save them, nobody else will and they will all absolutely die.

And this is kind of a weird heel to die on cause yeah, I'm I'm still pissed the fuck off. But like, I think it's more so like he's kind of realizing like there's always going to be two sides to a story. Something else must have had had had happened. So I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and at least like save them so one day I can know the full story, even if it pains me to know it.

So like it's definitely like a multi layered thing, but I thought it was like like I thought it was very nice and like very steed coded for the fact of like, OK, well, I'm I'm very upset with you kids, but we're still gonna go get ice cream anyways cause yeah, you've earned it. So true. Well, that. Brings us to the end of this episode. It sure does, so we tried to cover as much as we could. If we missed things or you have any behind the scenes stuff like

please leave it in the comments. We love hearing from you and we just freaking love this episode. But don't worry, we will keep continuing and in our next episode, we will start with season four, episode 4 and we'll see how far we I wish season four. I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Episode 4 of season 2 and we'll see how far we get. And with that, let's jump into episode 4.

So episode 4 picks up right where we left off with episode 3. Steve is amazed that Ed came back from the brink of death and Ed immediately head butt steed. Which fair? Fair. Yeah, 100%. Just like Ed dying coming back from death and then like Steve being all like mushy and romantic and then like it just cuts to I think he almost broke my nose. Yes, let a cold open, it's fantastic. So Ed's back and the crew has some feelings about that, given he almost killed them all.

So Seed is being the diplomatic captain that he is, because now he's captain numero Uno, not Co captain. He's just the captain. And so the way he handles the situation is he lets the crew vote. Do they rehabilitate Ed or do they actually desert him on some island for real and so the crew votes just to keep him like locked up for now and probably get rid of him later. It's much, much to Steed's display 'cause he was like, oh man, just got the boyfriend back.

To be fair, this man is pretty volatile and 'cause you never know what the hell he is gonna do. Like, yeah. A loose cannon, if you will. There it is, directing all his rage at the mast of the ship of all the crew members, though Buttons of course knows what the hell went on. And he's like, ah, you were in the gravy basket and had visions, didn't you? Been there, brother. Which like where are those

scenes? OK, so when every single time I hear a gravy basket, Anyone else think of that red fry basket type thing and then with just gravy oozing out of the sides of it? No, just me. I think that might just be you, Caitlyn. It's. Definitely just you. But like, I just do your gravy. Like I'm thinking, you know, that the typical fry basket thing. Yeah. Yeah, they just filled crazy. That is a very ineffective container for gravy. A. It's why it's oozing out of it.

My brain thinks of biscuits and gravy. That's where my brain goes when I hear that. Biscuits and gravy is. Really. But it's just basket Fiora. I know, but I can't see why you would put gravy in a basket so like my. Brain goes. Yeah, the invented. Poutine. Right. They're inventing constant things. I mean, there's your poutine that would be in one of those baskets you're talking about, Caitlin. Yeah, but it's not fries, so it's still.

In the basket. I mean, I think gravy basket is like a perfect term for like going to purgatory because like while it's an ineffective like container to hold gravy, that's also like the beauty of it because you're in between like realms essentially. So like reality is like leaking out of the baskets, the gravy. So I I think it's a pretty fitting analogy. No notes. Well put together, Zoe. That's what it is. OK, so of the crew, Izzy is not handling anything super well.

He's basically drinking his life away at this point 'cause this is his version of purgatory where he's like down a leg and still alive. Steed's back. Where does that leave Izzy in the scheme of like the crew? And like, what is my life is basically where where Izzy's at? So he's just drinking himself into oblivion to kind of escape that. And Steve finds him basically doing that. So and Steve is like, hey, Izzy, we're all voting and you weren't present.

So I need your vote on what to do with Ed, like banish, yay or nay? And it's revealed during this conversation that Izzy is the one who kept Ed's body on board. I mean, kind of like speculated on that in the last episode. So I'll speculate here. The other part that I found really enlightening in this conversation is Izzy's advice to Steve because he's very, he's at the point where he's kind of

resigned and facing reality. And his advice to Steve when asked, like what do you want to do with Ed is let the rotten leg cool off. Like AKA give the crew time to calm down before you're pushing this topic on to them. Which is pretty solid advice actually, because think about the hell they just went through. Ed is the one who put them all there. So yeah, their immediate

reaction is gonna be fuck you. So like, maybe let people cool off and then ask this question and the interaction between them. I just, I love the the, the comparison between Steena and Izzy. It's very like golden retriever black cat energy anytime they're in a room together. And it just, even though even color-coded that way, it's particularly in the scene, which I love. It's really cute.

It is. And then, you know, like they'll be like the very few instances they get along and are adorable together. Most often not, but you know, they'll work on it. I don't think Izzy would ever turn his back on Ed fully. Like he cares about him. And honestly I think he considers him his best friend, even if it isn't the typical friendship. I don't think either one's capable of having normal type friendship. Also, this is this is for Theora. Sorry Zoe.

Very good. I think Fortnite is Ed and Izzy coded. See I saw you post that on Tumblr and I have so much brain rot. I thought you're talking about the first person shooter game. Oh, I posted that on shows. That. Twitter they are posted down bad on on. Oh, oh, oh, Oh, my bad, bad, bad. Is an Ed Steen song Changed my mind. Melting the world down ships. It's just, it's all there.

So basically Taylor Swift did her new album for Our Flag Means Death. Yeah, that's where we're getting at. But also, does Fortnite the game fit Ed and Izzy? I mean, it's just like a like like you have like, I don't really know how to like describe it. Like it's just you, you can do like duos, trios, like squads, stuff like that. And like it's you like fighting against like other people. So it's like ammo first person shooter. So you literally thought I was talking about the game?

Yeah, I just thought you messed the spelling up. And I was like, you know, that's kind of on brand for Caitlyn to like, like, think it's like a different spelling for it. I didn't even like this shows how disconnected I am from Taylor Swift 'cause I was like, it has to be the video game, but I that also doesn't make sense for Caitlyn 'cause she's not really into gaming that much. But also, what you're describing gives me like, oh, Jim Archie vibes. It could be a pair, it could be three.

There's something there. Let us know in the comments. I did want to point out, though, with the whole, like, Izzy's never going to turn his back fully on Ed, Yeah, 'cause he's fucking codependent. He doesn't know how to do that. Like, he might turn his back fully on Ed once he, like, figures out who he is as an individual. Not just like like with the whole like, like when he and him and Steve were like having the, oh, I know him better than you do, but he only knows Blackbeard.

He doesn't really know Ed. And like that that's part of like the codependency because it's purely like he went from being like narcissistic and manipulative towards Ed to still being codependent, but trying to figure out who the fuck he is without Blackbeard. He's kind of come to terms down Season 2 that Blackbeard is now officially gone after his near death experience as we see in like a later episode when he's like tying up like the Blackbeard garb.

But yeah, so it's it's definitely like a multi layered thing with Izzy so. Yeah, absolutely. So back to the crew. So the the when the vote was put to the crew, the crew says ban us that bitch. And Steen's not happy about this, but like he's like, well, I let them vote and Ed's like fine, I'll just go along with it. And so he's like huffing and puffing as he's like getting off the ship. And first of all, Frenchie tries to give him a sandwich and he

like, smacks it away. And why does everybody keep rejecting Frenchie's going banishment sandwiches? I don't understand. I'm sure they're really good. But that's like the second time this happened. I'll take. This to be fair. To be fair, I don't know if I'd be too keen on taking a sandwich from a Bard. Roach is the cook. I meant Roach. I'm sorry Roach. I bought. This I didn't mean to. I meant to say Roach, I apologize.

Sorry, Roach. Roach is always trying to give send off sandwiches and everyone's always like no. And they like, I think Izzy's the one that like, slapped it into the water. I mean, it's kind of like a slap in the face. It's like, are you fucking serious? A sandwich. I'm I'm I'm getting disconnected from the crew and you're giving me a fucking sandwich like that type of deal. But I bet you. 30 minutes goes by and they're gonna wish they

had that. Damn. Sandwich. They're starving, they have no money. They're like damn, I should have took the damn sandwich. I'm sure it was good too. Anyway, so part of this conversation is OK. So then Ed has to face Steed for like a hot minute and Ed says you're no fucking mermaid. And Steed's just like, what? Because they have not talked. And at this point, like Ed is still like in the in between. So like Buttons later fills in Steed about like listen, he's in between life and death right

now. Like his mental state, he's not fully present. His mental state's not fully here right now. Dad doesn't know what's real anymore. And so like, I love that he just like has this line and Steed's like what?

And you know damn well, you know damn well that's like a line, like that's like a convo that's always going to stick with Steed, 'cause he's like, like even after Buttons explains it, he's still gonna be like, what the fuck did he mean by I'm no fucking mermaid, 'cause until like, until like Ed tells Steed about like the apparition of Mercedeed, like he's not gonna get it. He's gonna be like what the fuck? Right. They've never talked about mermaids before.

So yeah, it's very like out of nowhere for Steed. I feel like after Ed leaves Steed is probably just going around the ship. Be like mermaid and then mermaid and just like mouthing it. Yeah, just. Like muttering to himself. Oh yeah, 100%. That happens off screen. Just on screen, Yeah, it was like mermaid. But on screen. Ed goes off to the island that they they leave him at and he's clearly, clearly not OK. Like not OK. First thing he does is kicks a bunch of trees 'cause he's mad.

And then he comes across, quote, a wolf, which is a Bunny and explains and he's having this heart to heart with the Bunny. And I love this conversation because he's like, yes, I found my new friend and he's telling him or I don't know the rabbit, the story of his tattoos, which is an intimate thing like tattoos and the meaning behind them. And he's talking about the, the spider on his hand.

And I do like this explanation where he says basically he's like, I don't even finally like spiders. I got this because I'm afraid of spiders. And I thought if I'd see it, it would help me get over my fear of spiders, like exposure therapy. But then he's like, which is why I always wear gloves so that I don't have to see this. So it didn't work. But like, I love the thought process of like why he did it. I'm also glad you mentioned that. I'll I'll continue my thought after Caitlin.

No, go ahead. I was just going to say like as somebody who's like heavily modified, like I have like a shit ton of fucking tattoos. Like like I have a shit done some like you can't see because of the camera, but whatever. But like I I can definitely vouch like between like piercings, body mods and hair. I do that to not only express myself, but to make myself more comfortable in my own skin, especially as a non binary person.

So I've related so fucking hard to like Ed going, yeah, I got this spider tattoo because I'm scared of spiders, but I wear gloves anyways. Like I definitely get that because like I tattoo and like I Pierce like parts of my body that like I'm not comfortable with. So like for a while I was rocking like a belly button piercing did not have the anatomy for that whatsoever. I needed a floating navel, but that's a different story. But yeah, like I definitely, I like how they show that.

Like I know they probably didn't have the intentions of like wanting of like having people relate to that specifically like they possibly could have because this is a very like relatable show on multiple levels. But like, I just thought that was like very cute. And especially the fact that he's telling this to a wolf and it's just like a buddy rabbit, which is like even funnier just for the sheer fact of like Steed is very much so a Bunny rabbit in this situation.

And Ed, yes. That's so good. You're so right. But yeah, this is replacement Steed the Animal edition. Pretty much. I find it interesting that he has to cover up his hands like with gloves because it's like he can never be comfortable with himself. He always has to cover something up. Yeah. Yeah. I I also think the trauma is becoming too much for him. There are so many things affecting him since the past, but he's never really had the chance to fully reflect on them until he met Steed.

Because life was go go go and life became more slower once he got to Steed because Steed was not doing much pirating, let's be real. Except that one like tin can with a plant in it. Good for him, He's a. Real pirate Caitlin. Yes, he is. He got that tin can with a flower. OK, Yeah. So once he was with Steed, life also became more light so it wasn't full of death and rating a little little bit but more it was like just playful back and

forth teaching. Then when he felt abandoned by Steed, it was his breaking point and all the trauma just came rushing back all at once causing this Blackbeard 2 point O that was even worse and creating a delusional Ed trying to find any way to cope with all of this going on.

Yeah. And I think it's also like a nice point that you brought up that like he can never feel comfortable in his skin because I don't know if y'all have noticed but I kind of like noticed this while like re watching it for like the notes and everything. But when we first meet at like Ed as Blackbeard, like he's of course like in the Blackbeard garb, but the more time he spends with Steed and like the happier he is. He wears less clothing indicating that he feels safe.

He feels like happy, like he's content with himself. And when like, as you said, like when the trauma comes back, that's when he starts covering up more kind of like a security blanket of like, OK, well, I'm, I'm protecting myself by covering up, which is such a like powerful thing and of

itself. Because like, that's how like, like a bunch of like feminine presenting people can relate to that with like going out by themselves or whatever the case may be of just trying to like protect, like cover up by protecting cause. Oh well, Are you sure you weren't asking for it because you you were wearing that

outfit? Like like I like, like I said, the show is so fucking layered because like you can relate to it And like that's like the beauty of like having your own like connotations and like finding your own like meaning for this. Because they didn't have to like throw in like the little symbolism of Ed, like covering up when like he's having big, big boy feelings and like going like re reintroducing the trauma and stuff like that.

And then showing the parallel of him like having little to no or not little to no clothing, but like less clothing than usual when he's around Steed and he's content and happy. Like that's such like a good like Easter egg, if you will, Because like, not a lot of people will notice that. I didn't sure as shit didn't notice that the first time I was watching because I was so enamoured and shocked and

surprised. But it was a nice like, it made me happy seeing that because I was like, wow, that I definitely feel that like a lot. Yes, clothing tells the story. I'm so glad you brought that up. Thank you for pointing that out. All right, so back-to-back to Ed and his rabbit friend. So unfortunately this friendship was doomed from the start and little Bunny best friend gets poached by some lesbians. So Box, Mary Reed and Anne Bonnet, or. Bonnet, is that right? Sorry.

I guess I had Steve on the brain when I wrote. This. Yeah, I was like. Really. The same last name, that's the same. That I read it, it's it's Bonnie. And it's like, OK, Fiora's just. That's my bad, I was listening and wrote it down. I do want to mention a quick little side note about the little rabbit. With him going, you'll always be safe with me. Rabbit gets snatched. It gave me immediately the same energy and and it's totally

fine. If you all aren't familiar with this clip, I will send you this clip if you don't know it, but there was this streamer. I believe she was. I want to say it was the Last of Us but I'm not 100% sure. It probably isn't The Last of Us. If she was playing some type of game and it had a cutscene where there's cute little Bunny was hopping along and then an arrow just goes straight through it and like she's like. And that's. Purely like how I felt with

that. I was like, oh, this is so cute. And then like they just come in and. Why has it always got to be a Bunny? Right. All right, so now we have the lesbians, Mary Reed and and Bonnie, and these were also real pirates with like that actually sailed together and like have an alleged relationship with each other, slash documented

relationship with each other. And interesting that like in real life, these two pirates met because of Calico Jack of all people, which I thought was interesting. And so, yeah, they were speculated to be in a relationship the way that like Steed and Edward, but I think there's more document, document like documented stuff about these two. Mm Hmm. And they were roommates and they were boat.

Mates. No, they were and they had to like pose as men to like be on the ship and then like, I think one of them was in a relationship with the captain and then the other one joined. One was the wife. Something like that. And then because I did. Read the link that you put in here and then they. Figured out they're both women and like, yeah, yeah. So I believe from what I read is the wife of the of Calico Jack. I don't remember maybe, but the wife.

Of the captain on the ship at least started liking this guy and the husband was getting jealous of the relationship. But then eventually the I forget who who but the pirate was like revealed their true identity and then they became this like power couple. But their journey reminds me of gems. In the article it says Reed and Bonnie became less cautious about exposing their biological sexes over time as they garnered the respect of the crew.

They were able to dress and live as women in their downtime without negative repercussions, only donning their breeches and caps for battle. So it just reminds me of like being comfortable with yourself on the ship and let just not caring. Yeah, and I, and I don't know if I mentioned this before, but it's it doesn't hurt till I just repeat this. Back then, women on sea were

were seen as like a bad omen. So that's why canonically many women who wanted to be pirates, they tend to dress more masculine like like Jim did. So I thought it was a very like cool little like like history Easter egg that Jim's character while being female presenting, they still dress like a man just because like like I said, they were bad omens. They none of the guys wanted them on the ship.

That's also why they was very like queer coded for pirates in general, because obviously they couldn't have like a woman on the ship that they just had sex with on a daily, because that's like that's bad juju that like their ship's going to go down. So I it, it always makes my little like historian heart happy seeing stuff like that. And I do love how they keep bringing in like queer pirates into the show. I love it. It just keeps getting queer or

like from here on out. I love it so much. So Speaking of the lesbians, Buttons and steed also like wander onto the island because button needs a bowl. And so they run into the lesbians and and the reason he needs this bowl is he's trying to find the perfect vessel for his avian transmography, which is the spell that auntie gave him because he's like sea witch do not be like held back by this mortal body and like gave him the spell.

So he's trying to get the spell so he can be one with his ladylove, the ocean. And so they end up at the antique shop, which is run by the lesbians basically. And Ed shows up because Ed ran into one of them and here they are. And Mary and Ann like immediately immediately pick up on the ex-boyfriend vibes cause Steed says we were shipmates and Ed says ex shipmates which I love. The next. I love the both metaphors, I think it's so funny. Ed is really salty right now. Oh, my God.

Well, yeah, he's just like, you know, he was just in purgatory. Steve's not a mermaid, so he's pissed off. I will say though, the immediate thought that I had about the avian trends mography spell was. I wonder what type of bird he would be and I have an inkling that it would be a seagull, so my heart immediately went. I wonder if he would try to find Livy since they share the trauma of Carl passing and like that kind of made my heart happy thinking about that.

I mean, we do. See him turn into a seagull. Yeah. My also thought was like after this I was like, were they sea witches too? Could you imagine? Are sea witches seagulls? I guess in the eyes of button. We'll never know. All right so meanwhile the crew is dealing with the bad vibes on their revenge cause like everyone's traumatized basically. So Lucius and the crew and Izzy have all been personally victimized by Blackbeard.

The crew and Lucius are Ferrell as fuck and Roach, Weejon and Black Pea notice this and they're like, well, this ship is a safe place, let's make them feel valued. So they basically get a pinata and a three tier cake. And this goes so poorly because all of those things trigger the trauma of Blackbeard like the wedding crashing and just all of the murder and just like mayhem that they did. And so it it does not go well. It's really.

Sad that a three tier cake brings so much terror, but we know that the split crew had two very different experiences while apart and both were traumatic in their own right because Steve's people lost everything while Ed's crew was just being like verbally, physically, mentally abused. But this scene really shows you the contrast of their

experiences in full force. Steed's crew is trying to get Ed's crew to have fun and everything that was once fun because they were at all the same point until the split has turned into trauma for them. And this is another reason why it's good that Ed sponsored Calypso's birthday party. Oh yeah, it helps. Them. Yeah, it helps them to realize that parties are fun and you don't have to worry about trauma until, you know, trauma happens. But we will get there in that episode.

That is a great episode. Other thing too that the pinata was weird for me that kind of came out of nowhere in terms of like we've never seen a pinata in the show up to this point. Not that it's weird. The cake, though, to me was like kind of a call back to in season one, I think, where they ran out of oranges because Steed was like, make this orange cake that uses forty oranges. So like the crew had celebrated

before with a cake. So the fact that like Roach made a cake, he was kind of be like, hey, like it's a special occasion. This cake is just for you. Whereas I made that cake for Steed like, so like that was kind of like, hey, we've done this before and it's just the way they react. It's like, oh, OK, what happened? Purely Vietnam flashbacks going on. Totally like super super PTSD. Like all of them. So that's all happening while the crew is trying to like, work things out.

Izzy comes in with the Unicorn legs like, 'cause he's been pissed off with this Unicorn the whole time and he like, broke the legs off and throws them down on the floor and screams in triumph that he has bested this beast, basically. And while he's like proclaiming his triumph, he accidentally breaks the current peg leg that he has. I just like, this is like Izzy's like lowest point, I would say.

And the crew offers to help him up and like, but he is like, fuck off and like crawls away basically. And I think this is when the crew really sees that like, oh shit, he's he's in worse shape than all of us. Like Izzy's been through more hell than all of us.

Also a little BTS moment. Vico had posted a reel like a while ago and it was like of them and like the crew and everything and it just like it's like them all like on set and stuff and it shows like Izzy and this is like the peg leg, like peg leg saga and everything. And it's just like a little like sock like thing they like pull up over over his calf. So it's like green screen solo on there. And I thought that was like the most hilarious shit ever.

Just sing that because I figured they did like some green screen of some sort. I just couldn't like fully figure out like what kind of like garb they put on for him. So like, it just it shows like it's just it's hilarious. If if you guys want to see what I'm talking about, please go to Vico's Instagram. It's like the Puerto Rican ninja or something. And it's it's it's hilarious. It's amazing. That's so fucking funny. That makes this even better, that that's really what Izzy the

character was doing. OK, so at this point I want to talk about Izzy because I have a lot to say about him. And this scene is heartbreaking, but also like really revealing the scene and the next scene about Izzy's journey. So to me, Izzy is synonymous with repression. He has had this obsession with hating the Unicorn for quite a while, and I wonder if this was really a big metaphor for Izzy's

own self hatred. Because in the next scene he's alone in his room and we get the shot of him looking at himself in a mirror. Which mirrors mean like looking at your inner self, like without the bullshit, just a moment of truth. And he basically looks at himself and he says you. What even are you? Which I think is really really telling because up till this point Izzy has just been stuck in the shadows of Blackbeard and is literally the only reason the legend of Blackbeard is still

alive. Because let's be real, Ed, Ed was losing it and losing interest in Blackbeard, like when we when we first meet both of them in the beginning of the series. And because Izzy has spent all of his time propping up Blackbeard, Izzy seems to neglect his own wants and needs. And I think that results in a

lot of repression for him. And I think that with Izzy on the surface, at least in the beginning, there's like a lot of thing that queer people can kind of identify with when it comes to Izzy. Because like repression, self hatred is not an uncommon experience for for queer people. Like unfortunately, oh, with Izzy though, the more that the show goes on, I really don't think Izzy's queer coded.

I think there's actually just like unexplored queerness in Izzy. And I think that really comes out in the Calypso's birthday bath episode. And I will talk way more about that when we get there because I think it's such a special moment and the pinnacle of just like Izzy's arc, really. Yeah, that that episode is a turning point for his character in general.

Yeah, that's like the apex. And then he starts like kind of going down South back to this scene so that while he's in the room, kind of like having a light midlife crisis. Basically, the crew is making making peace with each other. The thing that bonds them is helping Izzy, which I think is so beautiful that like instead of like partying and just slowing off steam, they bond over helping Izzy like another

one of their crew members. And they do that by taking the wooden horse leg and making it into a peg leg for him. Basically that's much more stable that he can stand on without like any other like crutch or anything, which is honestly probably preferable for Izzy. But it's so, so beautiful that they put so much effort into it. Like we John was like, is it weight bearing? Like Jim made it goal? Like they put so much thought and effort into doing this for Izzy, which is so cute and

beautiful. And when Izzy receives it and he gets the note, he just cries. Like, we've never seen Izzy, like, full out cry. We've seen him tear up, but never just, like, emotionally let it all out. Yeah. And so, and I think what's so big about this moment is that this is the first time Izzy has ever truly felt seen as Izzy ever. Also felt love. I don't think he has ever truly felt love before. I don't think we know much about

his back story, but he's been. Blackbeard, that's all you know. I mean, he's just been, he's been in the shadow of Blackbeard. That is all we know about Izzy. But even on the ship he was more distance from the others since the very beginning because he hung onto Blackbeard one point O that didn't even exist when we first met him. But Blackbeard definitely wasn't giving him affection.

But this action from the crew showed him that people can care for him and his codependent relationship with Blackbeard wasn't healthy because it was one sided and he was just giving so much and trying to keep things the same that he was missing out on these other great relationships he could have had. The other thing about the Izzy Blackbeard relationship is it's the employee employer relationship.

Like he was basically like, if you think about it in a modern world, Blackbeard's the CEO, like Izzy's like, or like Blackbeard's the president, Izzy's the vice president. So with that being said, like, yeah, there's a power imbalance with Ed and Izzy, obviously, but that same power imbalance exists with Izzy and the crew because he's their immediate supervisor,

right? So like, because of that, because he always had to maintain that air of authority when barking out the orders that Blackbeard would give out. He like, he's the enforcer. He's like, whatever Blackbeard says, I have to make sure it happens. So like he, he was always seen as an authority figure by the

crew. So like, that in and of itself creates distance and makes it would make it harder for Izzy to actually like, meld with the crew and like really be seen as one of them because the crew sees themselves as the crew and then they see Izzy as the second in command and Blackbeard as the first in command. So like, that also isolated him a lot. And So what makes this moment so beautiful is that he's he finally realizes that he Izzy, not Blackbeard's second in command.

Izzy is worthy of respect and love all on his own. And he doesn't need to be in that authoritative shadow of Blackbeard to shine. He can just cause, the note says for the new Unicorn, like unique, singular, like he can just be Izzy and that's OK. It's basically what they're saying. And they're like, we see you and we respect you just as who you are, Like you deserve love. And that is just, I don't have words for how like beautiful that is. I just love it so much.

I'm glad he's finally getting to experience people caring about him. He definitely deserves it too. Like well like while he was the villain for like the hot minute, we now know that the reason why he was the villain in the 1st place is because he was struggling with his own self identity and he was lashing out as a result of that. Which I I really can't fault him for that because like not knowing who you are is insanely fucking scary.

Especially when you've been in a relate like a relationship, IE him and Ed being like captain and 1st mate for so long that you kind of lose the sense of who you are as a person. Especially in like situations like this where it's not like the most healthy relationship. It's quite toxic because like me and my boyfriend, we've been together for five years. We still have our own like senses of who we are as a person separate from the relationship because our relationship is

healthy. We, we grow with each other, we thrive together. Whereas Ed and Izzy's relationship is like the antithesis of that because it's like they don't really care about each other's growth because it's shown that like Ed is interested in things and Izzy's just like that's fucking stupid. Or like if, if like Izzy gets excited about something or tries to like be genuine and apologize, Ed is like, you're not being sincere, you're just trying to manipulate me.

What the fuck are you doing? So it's very like combative the entire time, which adds to even more so of the codependence between the two of them. Because like even when we saw like like in season one with them, like banishing Izzy and like that setting off like a chain reaction wanted to go with him. But purely because he he's codependent. He didn't really know who he would be without his right hand man.

And he's in kind of like foreign territory, so to speak, because the only other people that are there is Fang and the other guy. Feel so bad for not knowing the other guy's name but he to be fair he also doesn't get much screen time compared to Fang. No. And then he gets killed off and I forgot his name too. You're like, here's Archie. The replacement? Yeah, but yeah, I totally agree with you. It's just, and a lot of people are just like, I really hated Izzy in season one and blah,

blah blah. And why did he have to be like that? And it's like that arc had to exist and without it, you wouldn't be here. Like we had he he was the villain of season one and like he had to be in order to get the payoff of this scene we're seeing right now. Like I like that they didn't rush Izzy the villain into Izzy the human, like with full feelings and like with autonomy and too soon.

I like that they paced it and did it this way because it makes this it makes it more impactful because they wrote it like this. So thank you, writers. 100% yeah. And like it definitely it's I can only imagine how like validating this whole thing was for Izzy, considering the fact of like the multiple times where he's tried to be actively genuine and like sympathetic and trying to be apologetic to people and then just being like, what are you doing?

So I it like just the fact that he was able to let like everything out that he felt like the love and like the acceptance like made my heart so happy, especially for the fact that they came together and made him like that new peg leg. Like it's just it's so sweet. Also, the woodsman and craftsmanship in this fucking show is just out of the world. Like, it's so wild. Yeah, I I love it. Love it, love it, love it. OK, so moving on from Izzy and his beautiful scene. Hugh Fuckner, couples

counseling. Yeah, we're gonna shoot over to the queers having a dinner party. That gets real weird. So it opens with basically the couples being like, how did you meet? How did you meet? So Anne Bond and Mary are telling the story of how they met, which, like, it's so sweet that Anne sliced off a face for Mary. Romantic like. That's the pinnacle of romance.

Pirate romance apparently. So that's how they met and like she like did that to like impersonate a British officer, like get her out of the cell which go off. Queens love it. So then after that Steed shares how him and Ed met. I do love the scene. So basically he says I was gut stabbed and he just so happened upon the ship I was bleeding out on, which is lies because you can see black black girl, you can see Ed's face being like

that's not the whole story. Because Steed still at this point doesn't know that Ed was hunting him down because he was so intrigued by the odd gentleman pirate and that's how he ended up bothering. That did not want to meet him. Oh, yeah, yeah, exactly. That's what I mean. He was intrigued by this weirdo who was breaking all the pirate code rules. He sent Izzy out to find him, and Izzy's like, he doesn't want to meet you, which only made him more intrigued. So it was no accident that Ed

ended up on this ship. Like, look at that guilty face. Like he's. I mean, to be fair, Ed is definitely like as Blackbeard. He's definitely the type of person that's never been told no. So the fact that Steed was like, no, I don't want to meet him. And that's why I was like, OK, well now I have to fucking meet him. Who is he to tell me no that? Would make him more interested in Steed.

Exactly. And but I think that I love this little tidbit because it is confirmation that like Ed was not super honest about like the fact that he basically had a crush on Steed before they even met. Essentially. I'm just so cute. I can't blame him either because like, he's so used to like the manly man pirate and here comes this like flamboyant twink of a man. Golden retriever.

No. I do love it, though, because like, he's like, yeah, I'll let I'll let Steve think that he was the one that was interested in me first. That's less embarrassing than what? Really. That's also very on point for like Ed as a person to be like I, I didn't like you first. What like like if they ever had like adoptee kids, that would 100% be the thing of like if like that's my head kid. And like Steve finally knows the truth about like now. It wasn't just like an organic meet up.

It was like hunting down because of word of mouth and he had the Ed had the crush 1st and like Ed just starts flushing in front of their adopted kids and he's like Nah. Gross. I didn't catch feelings. You did? Yeah. No because Steve would 100% run with that and tell anyone who had an ear one. 100% and that's definitely a reason why Ed hasn't like confessed that yet because Steve would get too much of a big head and be like you. Like be first.

Especially now when Ed is still in his feelings and like is still sore about Steve leaving him, but he doesn't down the road. OK, other thing from the scene that I think is really important is that again, where are we? We're in the home of Ann and Mary, who are now these former pirates living the domestic life. And I think this was set up really to give us maybe a preview of what Ed and Steed's future could really be like once

they figured their shit out. And if they really lean into Ed's dream of Jeff's in By the Sea basically until but like, OK, but like, what is this? So basically we have these pirates who were used to being ruthless, who were taking people's faces off. And now you've taken all of that away from them and they have to like they're in the customer service business. So like what ends up happening?

They end up as like the bickering married couple who's bored and trying to find excitement in this boring quote, boring life basically because they're like living out on the grid is essentially what's happening. And I think what it's showing is that like you could take the pirate out of the ocean, but you can't take the spirit of the pirate out of the person because even domesticity, while it's great and you're they're safe, it it doesn't erase their like

outlaw urges. So they get their adrenaline rushes where they can by like playing these games. So like in the scene, there's a stabbings that happen and they're like, Oh yeah, this happens. This is just what we do. This is how we feel alive basically. So I take it that they they were they were not taught to talk it through as a crew, these pirates. I could probably see this.

This type of stuff happening at the end with Steve and Ed, except Ed is doing the extreme stuff and Steve is like, that is really not necessary, let's go have some tea. I don't. Want to No, I get the vibe that Steed would be the bored one because that's why he left his home. He he, he did have the domestic life and was bored with it. I feel like he would be the one who's more bored than Ed because Ed's dream is like to just

chill. But I think Steed is like, let's go. Like he would just be the one who's so bored. He creates projects constantly, like big grandiose projects, because he's bored. I feel like Steven, since we brought it up now later in the episode we do bring up this point again, but I'll just say my point. I I think they would find balances there like they would find hobbies that they can do

together. And maybe I think because Steve would be the one to miss it, Ed would set up like a pirate day for seed where they basically play pretend pirates, but there is an actual treasure map with something to find at the end instead of just the orange. But so like kind of something like that. And I I want to call it now I think that is how Ed is proposing to Steed with a treasure map. Oh my God. Treasure. Oh my God.

That's so. Cute. I see where both of y'all are coming from and I'm split 'cause I feel the same way about both of these things. Because on one hand, yes, Steve left his home because of the monotony and just being bored and overall. But also he grew up in that like that's all he knows. So of course he's going to want like a little bit of an

adventure. But I also agree with the aura on the on the like fact of the matter that he would have like these grandiose like projects, like I would have built a fucking gazebo. And one day or like like I'm going to make sure like all of the rooms have like swan towels or like some like niche shit like that. And like with like the whole Ed thing with like the pirate day. I think that'd be a wonderful thing.

But I definitely feel like like they would just like spar, like just have swords be like a little fencing thing and like they'd get their kicks from that. Like there's like like two. Like there's so many aspects that you can take from it. And that's like the beauty of like a head cannon because there's no wrong answer. It's it's basically personal preference.

So like it's just so great. And like I see both of where y'all are coming from and I love both ideas and I want both ideas to be played out in season three. But it they would obviously have to choose one path, so it'd be interesting if we do get a season three to see who's right on this. I could see them giving pirate lessons to children as like an after school activity or like you know. Pirate. Yeah, be like how kids go to karate and stuff.

They'd be like, OK, so today we're going to learn about rating and like Ed goes too far in and Steve's like, stop it. They don't need to know that they're still pure. Here's how you take a nose off the face with a knife. Jackie. No. Why are you here? Like the special guest lecturer, Yeah, they just bring in everybody, all those and Jim's like. OK, so now you just got to be yourself. Like here's. How? Here's how you get a bag. Here's how you get a bag as a woman to have 20 husbands.

Jackie No. Yeah, over the nose jar kids. Anyway, yeah, that'd be amazing. I love everything about that. Oh my God, please, please, please season three. OK, so Knight back to the knife play. So knife play turns into foreplay and N Steeder is sitting on the couch and they're not super here from it. Like at one Point C is like, should we leave?

Mine's so funny but I think this scene is karma for N Steed back when like Izzy unfortunately had to overhear their knife play and thought this was erotic for fucking of some sort. So I do love that they they get bit in the ass Bicarma with these two in their knives. And also Ed's face on this is just like like both Ed and Steve's face on this, just like the horror they have. It mimics Izzy's face when he thought that that Izzy, Ed and Steve were fucking. And like, I love that. So.

Funny, what I'm thinking right now is because you called Izzy a black cat earlier, Karma's a cat purring in your lap. Now they're it's coming back to. It OK so shit keeps getting weirder because later Anne discovers that Mary poisoned her. Like oh she's paying attention to me. Like these two are losing it with just like being trapped on land is what the bottom line is. OK, Also, Buttons is at this dinner. So it's a bunch of queers and a sea witch.

That's this dinner. And Button finds his bowl of destiny and then joins the table and they're eating the rabbit like Ed's friend from earlier. And I love his line when he's eating and he's like, I can tell this rabbit was quite intelligent actually 'cause it's so tender. Only Buttons. Just just makes Ed feel like even worse 'cause he didn't know he was talking to a rabbit but. Ed Steed's intelligence. Yeah. All the parallels are there, just just like, oh, God, that

this line. OK, something that is positive about this whole thing because, yeah, it's a bunch of weird stuff. And it's like, this could be your future kind of thing. But the something that also that's happening as the dinner goes on is that the more time Ed spends here, the more livelier he becomes. Because remember, at the start of the episode, he's like, Buttons is like, yeah, he's still in between worlds even

though he's physically here. But Ed starts shifting more into the land of the living as this goes on. So it's almost like the combination of Steed, even though he's pissed at Steed, but Steed being there and the presence of danger, 'cause you notice, like as this goes on, he starts like looking at his drink glass. He's like he feels uncomfortable with these two pirates. It seems to pull him out of the other world and make him more present and like mentally present.

I think that's mainly just due to the fact of like, what is her name? I think it's, I think it was Mary poisoning Ann. I think. Or I. Don't think I think Ann Ann is the Ann Reed, right? Or is it Ann Bonnie who Reed is? Reed is the one. Hold on. Mary Reed and Bonnie. The more masked, the more masked 1 poisons the the chick with the bustier on.

Mini dragon. Yeah, And I think it's just mainly because of like, like them watching one person get poisoned that kind of like, also sucks and like, out of the, like, the in between because he's like, all right, well, survival instincts need to kick in. I need to know if I'm tasting fucking poison. Yeah, exactly. And like, if I do taste poison, I need to let Steve know because I can't let him die.

Like it. It was like a mix of like seeing like this traumatic event going on and not knowing what the fuck's going on, plus the fact that like their lives potentially are at stake, which they ended up being at stake, but that definitely like helped with it. That was like a in combination type thing. And like that definitely goes to show that like even though Ed's pissed, thoroughly pissed, rightfully so pissed at speed for what he's done to him, he still cares about him.

He still loves him. He still cares about like his well-being in him remaining alive because it's purely just like like with Izzy and Black and Izzy with Ed being Blackbeard. Codependency doesn't know who they are without each other and that's how it is with Steed and Ed. If one of them were to die, shit hits the fan as we've seen with Steed having a full and mental breakdown when he presumes that Ed is dead. It would be even worse if Steed had died instead of Ed and Ed

had to carry that. Like that would have been significantly worse. Like that would have been like sleeper agent awakened everybody dies, no survivors. Like he he would even be going down to like like down with the ship type shit. Yes, I totally heard that. So yeah, to your point that like, Ed still clearly cares about Steve despite the bullshit, which is what makes

the next part of the scene hurt. Hurt because earlier Ann was making moves on Steve to make Mary jealous because they're bored and so in that she learned why Steed left and so she lets it drop in this dinner conversation that Steed left his wife twice and Ed does some quick math and then he's like oh that's why you left you left me for her and then loses his shade and starts destroying the chair as. I mean, maybe not the anger issue part, but it's reasonable

to be angry. Yeah, 'cause that's a pretty big thing you left out Steed. Yeah, 100%. Cause like, like, as, as we mentioned before, Ed didn't really know if like something had to happen with Steve or if like Steve died or if like Steve just left or like he didn't know what that was. So him getting like actual closure of that and realizing that Steve just simply omitted it because he didn't want to have that difficult

conversation. It's very rightfully so that he's pissed off because it's like you had so many issues and you confided to me about having so many issues about the monotonous life that you lived, yet you went back to that and you left me for that. Like, right, please. So I would be pissed off too man. No, he has every right to be fucking pissed off.

And so I would do this. Like they finally, finally hashed things out until like, to Steve's point though, like Ed was not mentally present when he came back from the gravy basket. So like, there really wasn't a great time to have this conversation because he was calling him a mermaid and stuff. So like, there was no time to have this conversation. And then Ed was like, fuck you, I don't want to talk to you,

just to steed quite. But from Ed's point of view, to hear this from the lesbians as part of a game to like get their rocks off, like, that's insulting. Yeah, 'cause it would have been, it would have gone over a little bit more smoothly had Steed been the one to tell them, 'cause that's, and that's usually how it goes. Like I'd rather hear something from my partner that's going on instead of a third party 'cause it's just like, why the fuck did you not feel comfortable telling me that?

And like that happens in pretty much every relationship, unfortunately, no matter how toxic or how healthy it is, you will unfortunately have that very hard, difficult situation of hearing something accidentally from a third party member instead of straight from your partner's mouth.

And it's definitely a hard pill to swallow, especially if it's bad news, like if it's happy news, like, Oh my God, I, my best friend told me that he's going to propose because he was talking to her about like what to do and everything. Or like if like the script is flipped, she was going to propose whatever, whatever the case may be. Like hearing that from like your best friend, it's like, oh, I know you didn't mean to say that, but that's awesome.

But if it's like bad news, like, Oh yeah, your partner's cheating on you, it's just like, well, fuck, I really had to hear it from you and not from them. That's and that adds to the rage. Yeah, no, definitely. And part of the whole dilemma which they get into in this conversation is at the end of the day, they were both like, Ed was all in. He's like, let's go to China, let's fuck it, let's just be together. And Steve freaked the fuck out, right.

And and really what they realized in their absence with each other and like reflecting back is they both felt like the other person was toying with them, which has some truth to it a little bit. But like really they were scared that the thing between them was real and neither of them felt worthy of the other and kind of fled from their feelings like scared little boys. Like that's kind of what happened. And Steed tries to tell Ed that he loves him, but Ed shuts that shit down.

He's like, I'm not a place right now to hear that. You don't get to say that to me. It's basically what he says because like the wound that Steed left behind in his absence is still too fresh and has not healed. So I think that like, even if Steed just said it flat out, I don't think that Ed part of Ed wouldn't. I believe that it's true. What the fuck? My webcam is such a bitch. Fireworks strike again.

Well, because like, we could have had it all on the scene, but just thought Ed wasn't ready to hear it. So Steed, ever the persistent man, is like, OK, well, let me just tell you the things I love about you. How about that? And he's like everything, such a Steed. He's just like, let's start with everything. And I love that. He's like, I love being near you.

I love breathing the same air and it's cute because this gets like this half smile out of and we haven't seen him smile since many episodes and it's again, it's like that whole thing that like the spark of life is starting to return to him, even like the ability to smile is slowly coming back. You're muted. Yeah, I just that they haven't been. They do so, so, so bad.

And Speaking of bad, the lesbians stumble into the room laughing because they overheard this whole thing because this is just like watching television for them. And they call out Steve and Ed's lack of sex life and then high five each other. It's really fucking funny. They're like, oh, I know it. I know it. Like they're taking baths in the kitchen and just their chaotic energy is just off the chart. And I find them wildly entertaining. These two. It's so good. I like like for minor

characters. That's definitely like one of my favorite couples. Like I wish they had a little bit more screen time rather than just like a portion of the episode. But like I know it was for purely just for the plot unfortunately. Which kind of sucks since this is like the only lesbian couple that we actually see 'cause I wouldn't really count Jim as a lesbian since they're non binary.

Yeah, I agree with that. So now that Ed's brain is working, he puts together that the lesbians are having fun at their expense. And Mary explains the reality of their situation, which is that they are bored. And I've kind of talked about this already, but I Yeah, and we already talked about this. Like, what would Blackbeard and Ed be like if they were married? Running an inn? Like, how would that work? So we'll just move on. So it. Turns out interesting.

That's the answer. It would be interesting. So it turns out that Mary and Anne aren't happy with this situation that they're in. And there's a fear from Mary of like going back, like what if I can't be a pirate anymore kind of thing. And so and decides for them and frees them by torching the house and all the shit. And she's like, now we, we have no choice. We have to go back to the sea and go back. Going back to our true nature is basically what's happening

which. Is all I could think about is you guys could have made so much money if you would have just like even like sold it all for like lesser or just figured out a way like without burning it 'cause now you definitely have no chance of getting rid of this stuff. Not to mention. A profit. Not to mention I'm pretty sure insurance policies weren't a thing back then so they didn't get no insurance money. Well, I mean, even if even if it was today, that would be. Arson. Yeah, so accidental.

Yeah, but like he could. Also they could also frame it as like like somebody else did it like so it it could get away with it. That definitely like insurance fraud, happens all the time, especially with arson. We are not advocating for insurance fraud. No, we're just saying they're pirates. And like they would commit insurance fraud is what I'm

saying, Because they're virus. But also, I think, I think that the torching of the house is more symbolic than it is practical because they're like, this needs to stop right now. Also, they're chaotic people. So obviously this is how they're going to deal with it. But there's that element of like, oh, we'll just sell everything and do it later. And then what? Like they've been sitting, they've been sitting at this house for later for a very long

time. They had the opportunity to opt out and not do it. So that's why Anne's just like, fuck it, we're doing it. There is no going back now. This is happening. I think that's part of it. Yeah. All right, given the unexpected arson, Steed offers Ed to stay on the ship for a night as long as the crew agrees, which Ed is super excited about. He's like, Yep, yeah, I like that. And I love Steed. And he's like, great. And he says it so loud. He's like, and he literally runs

in the direction of the ship. Like, he doesn't know where he's going, but he like, he's so excited. He runs back to the Revenge to, like, get the crew to vote. And Ed watches him run away, which is very, very, very, very, very cute. But let us not forget about Buttons, who was here the whole time. And I love when Buttons like ruins this and he like ends like staring up with Steve laudingly. And then buttons like creeps around the corner and then looks at him and he's like the sea is

my love saying he's relevant. But just the way he delivers lines is just hilarious. And the part of this Buttons speech that really hits home is he says to love the sea as she must be loved requires change, which boom, this is what Ed really needs to hear. And I think somehow Buttons knew that because it's Buttons. So I love that his last act before he transitions into being a bird is that he helps Ed instead, which is really, really sweet by like telling Ed what he

needs to hear. Like you need to change and that's OK. Like that's the only way to move forward is that you have to change because the whole purgatory thing is that Ed was trying to figure out how to move forward as the Ed one point O right. But what buttons is saying is like, well, in order for you to actually move forward, you have to actually change. Like that's how you get what you want and that's scary.

Change is a scary thing. So I think I love this conversation with buttons because it's just so like, here you go, Ed, that it's validating and also like directional like this is what you need to do. My theory is that it was a prerequisite. Pardon. The. Spells. Yeah. It's like he needed to help guide someone to become one with AC.

Well, I can see that, but at the same time, it's also very buttons coded to impart one last little nugget of wisdom before never seeing them again, at least being able to like talk to them. So like, I'll also like that. But I do think it'd be very hilarious for buttons just to be like, I didn't mean that. I just needed to do that for my own personal gain. I would have liked that line was just part of the spell. Like I would have loved to see

you have to change. Like that's the spell and and and like, yeah, buttons, that's real deep, but it's like literally what Auntie told him to say. The world may never know. We will never know, but what we do know is that the transmogrification works and buttons turns into a seagull. And importantly, Ed kind of sees sees it nuts. He doesn't see him actually transport, but he sees the before and after basically. So now that he has fluids. Exactly.

So now that he has proof that change is possible, it does motivate Ed to man up and try again with Steed because 5 seconds later Steed comes running back and he's like, help me. I don't know where I'm going. I just ran into the woods and it's dark and I don't know what I'm doing. Help me. So I love that Ed jumps at the chance to be like I can navigate us back to the ship. Let me help you.

And when he they meet up, like Ed very excitedly tells him what just happened with buttons and it's very much like they're dynamic. They're old dynamic, right, where like Eddie gets excited and like tells the first person he wants to tell is Steed, right. So it's very cute that like that's the change. He just goes back into like the Ed that was with Steed, the Ed that was like more vulnerable, like you were saying Zoe like, and he just steps right into that.

It's it's so cute and like a win for the the gays out there. Like I love it. He's just like, he's just like a little child like, but it's turned into a seagull. But when he runs and tells him that it's the lightest, his voice sounds since season one. Like we're getting our Ed back. And I, that's my favorite. I do love Ed Ed. I also just want to point out that like Edden Steen's relationship is like pretty pretty accurate for like newly

considered gay people. Like it's going to be a little bit toxic because you're both like like not in all cases, but like in some cases it's going to be a little bit toxic. It's going to be a rocky road because you're so both discovering, coming to terms with being like coming to terms with your sexuality, not knowing if you're so comfortable with that or not. Like it's a lot to take out and especially if you're not like if you're not confident and sure

going into it type of deal. So I really like how they did like the whole like dynamic with them and everything because like a lot of people can really relate to that because like I know me, when I first got into my relationship with a like a girl, I was like like, we were so like a given like given it was, it was definitely a toxic relationship, but like we were still trying to figure out like our sexualities because we were still like very young. Like this was like in like about

to be high school. So like it's, we were still like trying to figure out everything. Like we knew like we liked women and we knew we liked feminine presenting people along with like masculine and presenting people and men as well. But like we just didn't know how to like navigate that through like a healthy like medium without like kind of like being toxic in our own parts. Because I, I, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was slightly toxic, but I was also a

different person back then. So I don't fault myself for that, nor do I fault the person I was in a relationship with over that. But it's just once again, another like nice little representation aspect of it. So I really appreciate that. And about the whole buttons turning into a seagull thing, just to kind of like, and on a happy note, I think it'd be absolutely fucking hilarious if it turns out that it was just like a happenstance thing that there was a seagull there next to the bowl.

And we just see like buttons just like in the background of like certain scenes. And finally, like, coming around to like, coming around to like actually meeting with the crew and everybody just thinking that Ed is just like batshit fucking insane. That would be so funny. It's just buttons. It's just like this. Where's Waldo? Like the rest of season three? That would be so funny. Damn.

No, that writes itself. I love that so much, but the way this OK, I would love that, but also like I the way this bird just like takes off has buttons energy, though, just like excitedly is like flying over the sea. I I love it like panic flying. Real dildo I hope him and Livi live happily ever after without the the annoyance of annoyance and threat of Calico Jack I. Wholeheartedly agree 'cause it

buttons. Because while we saw the cannon hit the the the vessel that Calico Jack was on, we didn't really get confirmation that he is actually dead. So if they do, if they end up doing a season three, that would be an interesting aspect for them to kind of like circumnavigate with like Calico Jack just randomly appearing one day as he did the first time. And everybody, everybody just losing their shit, being like, how the fuck are you still alive? Like I?

That would be very interesting. Looney Tunes element of the show. Yeah, I know it's totally within the realm of possibility. Buttons can be a seagull. Calico Jack can still be alive. We'll never know. Give us his season three, you cowards. Either that or we just get David Jenkins on the show. Highly doubt we could but like that would be 1A hell of an interview. Everyone go tag him politely and ask. Go share. Come on. All right. Anything else to say about Episode 4 before we wrap this

up? So good. That's so good. So much, so much like so much happened. And like I really appreciate the fact that like the episodes are almost like an hour long or something like that, because like I really like long form content, especially when I'm like binge watching and like

very interested. And it's just also nice to like not even realize that like you're watching like a very long episode because you're so enamored into it and like so like fixated on it. Like like you don't even realize that like time has flown by. Like I remember when I was watching it the first time and we were doing like the reaction episodes and just like coming to like, and like y'all even saw it. Like me getting so upset that I

couldn't like watch the next episode because that's what we were reacting to because I was like just so fixated on the show. And so they're like so much so like thoroughly enjoying the show. So it definitely helped that they was in like long form content type of deal because like I was able to get my fix while still like trying to like respect the reaction videos.

I love all that. One thing I'll add about this episode overall that I really enjoy that a lot of modern television doesn't do is that this was a like in a, in a fantasy genre, this is a considered a rest episode, like a rest chapter. Because if you think about it, what was the plot of this episode like? It was the the relationships sitting and figuring their shit out. It was just a character growth

episode, That's all. It was like the boat was anchored and not going anywhere and then the other guys were on land. Nothing was happening plot wise other than the characters were having character growth. And I think that's that used to be more common in TV when you had 22 episodes a season and you had breather room to just have episodes where characters were just growing and there's nothing else really happening, like high stakes, right? Because they weren't rating anybody.

They weren't like breaking out of Jackie's like a lot of the episodes in the season. There's been plot points to get the characters places this everybody just stayed where they were and just grew and that's all the episode was. And I so wholeheartedly appreciate that. And I think that's one element of the show that I love because the the characters are able to breathe, they are able to grow.

So everything that happens with them feels very organic and not plot forced, if that makes sense. Because I think when you start reducing episode numbers, then it you have to inject a lot more plot into every episode. And so it's kind of exhausting sometimes to watch shows like that because you're just you're just constantly moving, moving, moving, moving and the characters can't breathe.

So I appreciate that they had a whole episode where they just got to breathe and just grow like that was the whole episode. I guess the only plot thing that happened maybe is like buttons becoming a seagull, like because it comes back later. But still, even that's that's an element of character growth. So I appreciate that about this episode and shows that you do that despite having limited episode numbers because it's so important, I think, and it's often just erased in a lot of TV

shows. Yeah, I, I heard a lot in school that the BBC is so great because they only do six or eight episode seasons and so it's all packed. But there are there's a lot of good moments. And in the rest episodes, I mean, then you get the time loop freaking episodes that everyone does in those rest episodes. And I hate those. But when they're done properly, they really move the story along in the sense that you get to

know them more. And that's why I think I like the 1312 thirteen episode seasons. Yeah, I think a good example of like newer media that does like a really good execution of giving you a bunch of plot but also letting the characters rest is the movie Everything Everywhere All at once 'cause. There's a lot, yes. But they also let the characters rest. They also like they give you like what is the term exhibition? Exposition. Exposition. Thank you.

They give you exposition while like having downtime with the characters and like Michelle, yo, I love her to death. She's such a good actress. And like I couldn't have, I couldn't think of a better person to play like the the main character in a movie. And that definitely added like another element to it. So like I, I'm always going to

be a sucker for that. Like I love like I love bingeable content that actually makes sense to be binge, not just something that I'm binging as like background noise or binging because like it's popular or anything like that. Like I I thoroughly enjoy like when it has like a good, like it gives you action and plot, but it also lets you have like beach

episodes and stuff like that. Like, I like fun stuff like that, which is very surprising considering that I'm mainly horror driven, but like, you know. Or at the beach. All right, well, let us know what media you like and what you thought of this episode. Again, we try to cover as much as we can, but we definitely leave things out. We would love to hear your thoughts and whether or not you enjoyed this episode. I hope you do 'cause you're here still listening.

So next time we will continue our discussion and pick up with episode two O 5. And until then, hydrate for Les be Jesus. And get it up all over the place. Bye. And with that, we've been Big Gay Energy. Thank you for listening. We'd really appreciate it if you downloaded this episode and left us a review. No matter how brief, your contribution will help us reach a wider audience. We would love to hear from you

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Until next time, hydrate for lesbian Jesus. And get it up all over the place.