OFMD S2 E5-6: RIP Pocket | 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. Wow, a discussion, a discussion. So it's something we're inventing where we're gonna discuss and also have gumption at the same time.

We'll see how this goes because today is we're starting with episode 205 and this is one hell of a super fun ride of an episode. So gumption. Gumption. What is? What is the definition of gumption? Google it. You told me not to. Google and. The listeners at home and then they can tell you in the comments challenge who will accept that challenge. Tell me what the word gumption is 'cause all I'm thinking of is gumbo right now. No, it's not food. Oh my. God Gumbo would be amazing right now.

It would be. Maybe this will turn into the gumbo episode, Who knows. Either way, Episode 205, that's where we're starting today. Just for some reason that reminds me of the chicken dinosaur chicken nugget stuff. Anyway, if you're listening in audio form, please make sure to download this episode onto your device and leave a review wherever you can. Like the like, do whatever you can do for podcast episodes. Just do it. Go to like third party review sites, review us, share it with

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you have anything to add? No I think that's everything and we have some some listener write insurance for when we get to the end of our fly me and Seth and talk whatever that will be could have been Yeah it well it's gonna happen Caitlin it's fine. Sadly, it will happen, but let's we're not at the end yet. Now we're we're at episode two O 5.

So let's get into this one. So this this episode, Ed's back, Ed's back on the revenge and there's there's some mixed feelings about it's like 99 one percent mixed feelings. The 1% being Steve who's thrilled and everybody else is like. So it opens with Ed in front of the crew, apologizing. Kind of. Without actually apologizing. So they're talking it out as a

crew. And Ed starts by thanking everyone for welcoming, welcoming him back to the community, which he sounds like an addict and it's really funny and part of his trials and like repentance rather is he has to wear a bell like a cat so he can't sneak up on people anymore. And this was Black Pete's idea. And I'm pretty sure this came from Lucius, like getting like a Jack. And he's like, put a bell on that bitch because they're all afraid of cats.

And they're like, cats are less scary with bells 'cause you can hear them coming. So I just, I love the cat themes that keep popping up 'cause I think it's hilarious, that is. Very fair. Is that why they put bells on cats? Yeah, so you can hear them 'cause otherwise you can't hear them. They're like they silently stalk and stuff. Meanwhile you have my cat who takes his collar off, so no point. So some cats got a sneak and that they're not going to let Hugh Huber get in the way of

them sneaking. But I mean, they finally got a ship cat, which I think is kind of adorable because this Ed wearing a bell collar is very cute and adorable. It really is, and I love that. He's like a cat too. He's like, it's really tight and it's not tight.

You can see it on his neck. So the rest of this whole like quote apology is just like, OK, the, the way, the best way I can describe Ed's quote apology is that basically he handles this whole thing like Aceo that refuses to take accountability for his fuck ups because he's like, he's like, we're all just going to move forward from this and it's no one's fault and blah, blah. And everyone's like, you tried to kill all of us. This is 100% your fault.

And he's like refusing to own it in this moment. So it's very like CEO refuses to take responsibility kind of thing 100%. On the spaceship, which I think is my favorite moment of this entire conversation, is him continuously calling it a spaceship. It's a safe spaceship. So as imagine this lack of real apology does not go over well with the crew, but Steve's like, hey, it's progress. Nobody tried to kill each other in this conversation. That's great.

But one crew member in particular is not letting this go, and that's Lucius, because Blackbeard almost killed him. So like, he has every right to be absolutely pissed off about this. And like Luscious is definitely like a good example of somebody going through something traumatic, at least in his eyes. And like everybody just thinks that he's overreacting cause like 9 times and 10 he's already a drama queen so they just think that he's dramatizing the entire

thing. And I feel so bad for him. And it's purely like the boy who cried wolf, 'cause he's been, he's dramatized everything and then up to this point, when something actually fucking happens, they're just like, is it actually that bad? And he's like, yes, it was fucking horrifying. Yeah, no, that's a really, really good point. And like he he has that petty streak where he like, refuses to let it go. Also that like persists throughout this episode.

Other thing I love about this opening scene. So apparently new crew, new flag. So in the opening scene, they're hoisting this new flag that has this like, cat bathed in what looks like either sword points or sun rays and he's got like blood dripping from its claws. Thoughts. Is the new flag. I did not notice the blood dripping. I just noticed it by staring at it.

I find this one a lot more scary than the first one because it's an evil long clawed albino cat with piercing red eyes trying to haunt your soul. Yeah. I wouldn't know when they had time to make this flag though. Oh, this was. Definitely. Like. Roach, was it Roach or French Frenchy? Frenchy, Frenchy. OK, so Frenchy and Roach were combined together, though, I think like Roach was definitely like, no, put the blood there

and they can do that. While the three, I mean, I guess they would have made it before this, but the the trio was just messing around on the ship up there while they were Steve was getting Ed ready with the cat collar and be like, all right, so you're gonna do this. You're gonna go up there and you're gonna apologize. That's all you have to do. Like you're just gonna own your mistakes. I mean, he didn't do it, but like that.

That is my theory. That's a good theory 'cause my question was like when did they make this? Because this wasn't part of the original batch from season one and like when we ended season one and had the Blackbeard flag slightly modified with the heart. So like when did they make this flag so? That's fairly recent. That's fine and it's quality. Like look at it like it's not like stitched together haphazardly. Like this is like a legit one

piece flag that looks great. I do think it's kind of kind of funny though, like a little bit ironic because like white cats, they usually like, they're usually like a symbol of like purity and innocence and spirituality unless seen in your dreams. If they're seen in your dreams and then they're considered bad luck for some odd reason. So like, just purely because of like, you might be like afraid to lose like the good things you have.

So I think it's funny that like they stuck with a white cat instead of Frenchie's hatred of Black Cats. Cats freaking out cats are the scariest thing in the world to him, which I think is hilarious and I love that that persists as a character work for him. It's great. I. Absolutely love it and I, I do think it is a nice touch though for like symbolism purposes that they chose a white cat just because of like new beginnings and like moving forward and stuff like that.

Definitely was not the intention that Frenchy and possibly Roach were going for. I don't think that they knew about that. I think they just knew that cat's bad. Yeah, a cat's pad. Gotta make it pop. On the black. Sail. That's the thing. They were like, well, it's a black background. I think the other one wasn't a black background. So they're like, how do we get the cat to even be seen?

Because you want them to see it from far away, to be scared of it. These are all about theories, and I love it. I love how like we're just like, yeah, Roach help with those 400%. Look at those. Assassin's Creed all over it. All right, so Speaking of Roach, so Lucius then starts like going everybody to like cry wolf, like you said.

So, and he goes up to his broach and Roach is like, he's like, well, did anybody notice that the words I'm sorry or I apologize did not come out of Ed's mouth 'cause everyone else seemed pretty satisfied with the weird CEO speech he gave. And Roach says like, well, I've never heard an apology before. So like that was perfect to me. And I think this the scene while he musing is a little bit of like a reality check for like the audience because like, this is what pirating was like for

the crew, right? That the crew had very little power or rights. They were kind of at the mercy of their captain. So if they don't apologize for almost killing you, that's it. Like you just carry on with your day. And you notice like the the big proponent of that mindset is Archie. Like throughout season 2, Archie's keeps going like, this is what pirating is. This is just what life is. You want me to kill like Jim right now? Like sure, like this is just what life is as pirating.

So I think this is one of those like moments. And so like being at the mercy of the captain is great if the captain is Steed, but it's terrible if your captain goes crazy and like tries to kill you. Like Ed just did, you know? That is very true. We see through Archie how more intense, 'cause you get used to being with this crew now and they're getting used to this new life. But bringing Archie and you're

like, what? You're about to kill someone that you like, you really like right now because you're told to do it. Like, that's just what pirating is like. Some days are great, and some days it's, you know, you get ordered to do something. Yeah. So when Lucius gets absolutely no support from the crew with his pity party, he turns to Izzy and Izzy off screen how to glow up and he looks like a brand new man. And he's got his horse leg and he's wearing it well. And like I love with the horse

leg. He doesn't need any kind of like like a crutch or anything to stand. Like he can stand by himself, which is really fucking awesome. So it's like Izzy is a brand new man basically. And, and, and basically when Lucius comes to him, he's like, you know what, It's all in the past.

Like let's move forward, 'cause I think part of Izzy can kind of empathize with Ed a little bit when Ed quote went mad because like Izzy just recently went through that whole process of like losing control of his life and then spiraling super hard. Like that was basically him the last couple of episodes. And he wants to move on from it. That's why like he looks all put together. His hair is all done. He's like, let's, let's do this. Whatever past is in the past. But for Lucius. Lucius.

Is not ready to move on and that's where like these two characters kind of differ 'cause they both were super traumatized by Blackbeard and I mean, he lost a leg Lucius almost lost his life so they both have reason to like hold a grudge but as he's trying to move on and Lucius is like, no, no, no, no, I can't move on from this betrayal I. Do think it's kind of funny how like when Izzy and Luscious are talking, Izzy kind of just ends it with like a power play of

taking Luscious's cigarette and like taking a head off, like taking a drag off of it and then tries to like give it back by putting it in Luscious's mouth and he just like slots it away. I love that part He's. Like Nah, fuck you, I don't want that back. It's nice to have the the old, it's nice to have the new and improved Izzy. That's, that's all I'm saying. OK. Meanwhile, Ed and Steed are alone, and Ed's learning what it's like to be part of the crew, not like the overlord of

the crew. Because now on the Revenge, the other dynamic shift that happened is that Steed is the sole captain and Ed is kind of like a hostage slash slash the child in time out. Like he's like part of the crew, but not really. But he's also not the captain. That's the important part. I like the child in Time out. Yeah, yeah. You can get the bell off when you learn to play nice with others. Literally and the burlap sack he's wearing as a as clothing.

And that's the part that he's most mad about. He's like, when can I change all these fucking clothes? And like, that's such an ad thing to be like, when do I get my Leathers back? What's interesting in the scene 2 is that Steed seems to have a hard time coming to terms that like, he's the captain, like the sole captain, like owning it.

And I love that in the scene, Ed gives him this pep talk where he's like, no man, you gotta say it like, you mean it, You gotta mean it. And like, it's, it's really cute. And and so Steve is trying to be like, I'm the captain, please, like, and that's like, you gotta work on your mean voice. Which does Steve.

Have a mean voice. I mean, Steve's so used to being told what to do by everyone in his life that it's hard for him to stand up for himself and make the decisions because he never had to. I mean, except, you know, leaving his entire life behind. But yeah, the only time we really saw him with like a mean voice was with Calico Jack after he killed Carl. Yes, Oh my God, yes, no, that's true. That was the birth of Steed's mean voice. That's a really good point.

But also like he was the sole captain of the revenge before Blackbeard showed up. So it's interesting now that he's like has imposter syndrome a little bit because part of the crew is now Blackbeard's crew, like Izzy's part of that crew. So it's not just like his ragtag like quote group of pirates. It's like actual legendary pirates and he's the captain. So I think that's part of where the intimidation come from, like because before it was him and Ed, you know, being Co captain

of the that group, you know. And like not even just that cause like when Steve was just solo captain before Ed came, his crew wanted a mutiny against him. Yes, so. Like, I don't blame him for like, being kind of anxious about being the solo captain again after almost getting mutinied against. And also the same exact crew just mutinied against Ed. So like, yeah, they're really like, oh, stepping into that role. So yeah, there is also that. That's true reality of pirate captaining.

OK, so in this conversation, Ed's also like, OK, what do I do to get out of probation 'cause I I hate the bell and the burlap sack? And Steve gives him advice as the captain to like, hey, stop pissing people off and maybe just go fix something and be be useful, win them back by actually like contributing to the crew is basically what he's saying. So Ed wanders off to go fix a latch on one of the main doors that leads from like the interior of the ship to like the exterior.

And he's it's very this scene is cute where he's fixing the latch and he's basically having verbal therapy with himself where he's like, it's not your fault latch that you're broken. Like he's basically like talking to himself as the latch. Because while Ed has come a long way at this point and like he still has that, like he's still healing. He's still on a journey to heal and it's not something that's gonna happen overnight. The same with Izzy, right?

The two go on this like healing journey that's really beautiful this season. So I love that he's like talking it out with the inanimate object as he's fixing it. So like symbolically fixing himself? Because there's no way for him to talk it out as a crew. No, that should. Well, the crew hates him right now. Like there's. Yeah, that's why there it's like he needs to talk to inanimate objects. It's. Cute. It's I mean. Just hearing like how little his voice is like doing this stuff.

I just want to give him a hug and I I blame his father. Oh yes, for everything. I will say though, Lucius getting the shit scared out of him, he didn't realize Ed was there. It was absolutely hilarious. Like the whole point of the bell was so he he can't sneak up on people. And then Lucius comes and he's like, oh. Fuck. It's like Lucius inadvertently snuck up on Ed is kind of the thing and he's like fuck, I didn't think of the scenario.

I mean, Ed's even talking. So it's not literally like. Lucius is in his own world at this point right now. Yeah, no, he can't see. He's so in the trauma, the trenchers of the trauma, that he is having a hard time 'cause like being present. There's a lot of scenes in this episode and I think the preceding episodes, ever since we see him again, where he, they'll try to talk to him and he's like, what? Like he's just like staring out in the distance, like he's having a hard time being

present. So I think that's part of the he sneaks up on Ed by accident. OK, so then because remember, we transitioned from Ed having his own therapy by symbolically and literally fixing a door. And then Lucius shows up And so he does some therapy with Lucius that he initiates, which is actually pretty, pretty cool. So he does this like he proposes a tit for tat exchange where he's like, will it make you feel better if you push me off the boat? And Lucius is like, maybe. So.

So later, they basically, like, act this out. So Lucius is trying to like, be like, OK, we have to recreate the night. We have, like, you have to tell me things about a talent show. And Ed clearly has like, no memory of anything. And he's like, I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I suggest this? And so Ed gets confused and frustrated, which pisses off Lucius. And then Lucius just, like, shoves him prematurely overboard.

And then I love his like celebration after he does it, where he's like, how does that feel, bitch water? And he's like, how do you feel? Do you have closure now? I mean, but when Lucius says, how does that feel? But all yours called and I then the moment that you see Lucius be like, oh, was that not actually what I wanted? Yeah, it's like it's the same. Yeah, Oh, go for it. I was gonna say is because it's like pirates are always like talking about revenge. It's kind of like him taking

revenge. And so I like the shows that like revenge doesn't actually always heal the trauma like Lucia still. Has. To feel what's wrong in the in the center of his core, right? I do think it's funny though. How? Ed. Kind of pulls a little sneaky sneak and he doesn't actually fall off the ship. He's kind of just hanging there on off a rope.

Belush just thinks that he hits the water cause like I think like he threw something down in the water or something like that, but like he's just like, oh, I thought. He was just getting back up. He was climbing back up. Yeah, I thought that soon he was just like hanging out on the. Yeah, no, he's just chilling. He's hanging. He knows he's not actually in the water. I don't believe so. Well, it's a Mandela thatch and

I'm. I'm misremembering it and I I like distinctly remember him just hanging off the side of the ship and Lucius just thinking that he pushed him. He fell in the water. All right, I just watched that twice and I can't, I don't know for a fact which one is true, so. Either way, Ed doesn't go through the same. Ed doesn't go through the same journey as Lucius where he ends up like being rat boy for some other crew. He, just like at minimum, is now

overboard. I. Want to see where Lucius tries to get Ed to be rat boy and I'm surprised he's like. Oh, you're a cat with a bell? Go catch some rats. I'm really surprised he didn't do that. I just want to see Ed running around the Shogun. Ed would try, you know. I think the reason why, like, Lucius resorted to like, oh, let me push you overboard is because, like, you have to take in consideration Rat Boy was far more traumatizing. And that wasn't inherently Ed's fault.

Yeah, him falling, him pushing Luscious off the boat did 'cause Zhang to find him and everything and, like, let him aboard and be part of her crew. But him being Rat Boy, that was on Zhang and like, them eating the dog and then being like, all right, well, you're now go go fetch some rats. So I can see why I like Luscious immediately was just like, all right, let me push you overboard 'cause that's to to his knowledge, Ed remember that. To Ed's knowledge, he does not

remember that. Also, like that was the start of the trauma too. Was Ed pushing him So like to close the gap of the trauma, go back to the beginning. So there's also that too. But I I agree with what you're saying. All right, So at from there we shoot on over to Izzy, who's below deck, getting his getting his groove back yet again. And we get confirmation that Izzy is a secret Lexicon Triku stand because he's surrounded by all the steed's good candles by himself.

So there's that. The candles, but he's that is a must in every. Queer show. It's a must. Yeah. There's always one person who's obsessed with candles here. It's Izzy. But he actually has, like, a functional use for him for this. And I, I do really love this scene with him. Basically what he's doing is he's practicing sword forms because now that he lost his leg and has the new Unicorn leg, he has to like figure out how to fight with his new kind of like balance and, and capabilities

and things like that. So he calls it, going back to basics, essentially. Zoe, Zoe. Sorry my my my mic was just not turning back on I. Apologize. Yeah, no, Izzy was serving actual cunt during that whole scene, like the being shirtless doing like the cool little like flick of the sword, like iconic. I we love that. Just amazing. No, it is super amazing. We've seen.

OK, we've seen. End. Quote try and teach Steed about swords, but really they were flirting and so we haven't really seen anybody do actual like sword forms. Which is it they should be doing if they're all pirates like practicing on their down times. I love that we have it with Izzy who's like a master swordsman of all the people and it's an iconic moment that's in a lot of

like fantasy type shows. So I love that we get it with Izzy and then it transitions into a weird conversation with Steed, which is of course Steed shows up during this like high fantasy moment anyway. But what I also love about this scene is, like, it's depicting more of Izzy's journey because it seems like he's much more in control of his life and a lot more centered, which is a whole part of, like, sword, you know,

practicing sword forms. And I love that when he, like, snuffs out the flames without even touching the Candlestick, he doesn't, like, spin on the horse leg. Like it's just, yeah, like. It's almost like the Unicorn leg kind of like gives him like like it propels him to do it. Yeah, it's almost like like I, I still got it.

And to me it seems like a really good to me, it really showed that like Izzy is taking his recovery and his healing process really seriously and he's making tremendous progress. So really big moment for Izzy and his arc. And I think Steed can kind of see that as well 'cause Steed is for all his fault. Steed is really good at reading people. And so I think he can see that about Izzy. And he's like, OK, Izzy's not letting this, you know, new leg situation, you know, you know,

put him back. He's only going forward. So he takes the opportunity to like, 'cause he's there for a reason. He's he's, you know, the captain and he has to be a better captain. And who knows how to make a captain, a great captain. Izzy hands. So he comes there to be like, can you train me? But before he gets that, he's like, this man hates me. So he flatters Izzy first. And he's like, you know, Blackbeard said that you're the best. And so I'm here 'cause

Blackbeard said that. And Izzy of course, was like fuck off. And then he's like, what exactly did Blackbird? Say about me. He can't resist. I love that part. Good compliment. 'Cause I mean cause Steed saying you're the best means nothing but to be like Blackbeard said you're the best and Izzy's like. I mean, that's just codependent husband. Did he say? So the flattery works, and Izzy agrees to train Steed to make

him a better captain. Because Izzy's like, OK, if I can make myself a master swordsman again with my new leg, I can train you. Maybe you're, you know, I can train you. That's my new challenge. We're not such a so much as a lost cause. Exactly. Oh my God, his insults are so funny. OK, so I like the night. Go above deck. And I like how Izzy starts this by telling Steed, OK, punch me in the face. And the look on Steed's face, it's like this. He's like he's contemplating it, right?

Because I think this is something Steed would have loved to do, especially after the whole Izzy betraying him and Ed at the end of season one. But Steed is a smart man. He has an agenda. Like, his agenda here is to get closer to Izzy and become a worthy captain, mostly in Ed's eyes and in his own eyes. So he hesitates after Izzy asks this just long enough for Izzy to punch him in the abdomen.

But like the look on the face and his face was like he was, he was considering it, you know, it was like. Oh oh. Not to mention, knowing Steve, he probably thought that was a trap, so he probably also added to that station. Maybe he's not gonna me anymore punch you and you're gonna stab me in the stomach. Right, exactly. Sometimes you had before. Yes. Steve has every right to be. Scared of Izzy? I love this scene though because truly like the two of them needed to bury the hatchet like

the entire show. So I'm glad they have this scene together where they kind of like make up in their own way and see it as such a lovable disaster. During this whole montage I I love when he shoots the the musket pistol and like the mast falls on the crew 'cause he hits the wrong thing. Like that was hilarious, but he's trying. Yeah, Izzy, teaching Steed is just such like a good friendship

development bonding moment. Like it made my heart so happy 'cause I was like, well I wasn't expecting this but this is very nice. Oh my God, it's so funny, especially 'cause there's like there's, there's digs that come at Steed where him and Izzy are just like chilling after their training session and Izzy's like you're amazing. I've never met anyone with a total lack of skills before.

It's so funny. Other underlying kind of thing with the scene is I think there's a little bit of some lingering jealousies, like resentment coming from Izzy because Steed is incompetent in a lot of ways. And if you think about that, an incompetent person has basically replaced him like as Izzy in Ed's life, and now he's becoming a much more respected captain than Izzy was when he finally

became captain. So I think there's a little bit of, like, resentment that he's working through, but eventually he gets to be like, this is what's best for the crew. It's best for me. Like, it's OK, Steed. All right. So after their training session, Steed's like, OK, you've trained me for 10 minutes. Let's go test all these new skills that I don't have yet. And so they find this nearby ship and the whole cruise already already did. So he's like Victory. Right. I love it.

And he's like, you would pick the only ship on the ocean that everyone's already dead. Good job, Steve. Like the bodies are the bodies are like killed like Villanelle style because like it's like artful murders that are all over the ship. It's like hella suspicious. It's not just like they got raided. They got raided by somebody with an agenda. And I love when the crew is kind of like checking out what's going on and they find like the hexagram, like on the thin

blood. And. And it was a black Pete's like they most really like geometry of this ship. I'm like not good, not good. So Steve and Jim go below deck to, I guess, find the treasure, see what the Hell's going on. And in the main cabin or whatever, they find a dying priest who speaks Spanish. And Jim is translating the final words of this dying man And basically summarized, it's just like, hey, the whole ship is cursed. We're cursed. If you touch something on the ship you'll be cursed.

It's all cursed. Just get out of here before you're cursed. So Jim was like yes and peace is the fuck out of there right? And the 2nd that man dies because Jim has has the brain cell here. But. Steed gave his last brain cell the end, so he notices when Jim leaves. There's a fancy red suit hanging on the door and he's like, pretty it's mine now. And so, like a moth to a flame,

he takes the cursed red suit. And that's the suit that Nancy, not Nancy, sorry, Gypsy said that Reese was very happy to play in. It's very steed. That's the peacocking suit. I do think it's quite funny though, because the the symbol that's like on the ship with the circle, it's a pentacle. Pentacles. Thank you. I couldn't. Think of a name. No, you're good.

But yeah, with the with like the circle around it, it's a pentacle, which is like a protection symbol and it represents like all the elements. So it's like mixed signals here 'cause either they were going for a protection charm spell thing going on, which is definitely not the case 'cause most definitely their blood. So this is obviously a message. So this is most definitely meant to be a pentagram. It's. Well, I mean, they don't know symbolization back then, but

it's like the white. Cat thing. But that that was meaningful that the person or the people, the crew, whatever that killed these people, they knew what that meant 'cause they even have symbols beyond the outer circle. So they they knew they were sending a message. They were sending a gigantic fuck you. No, they definitely were, but it's also like Pagan symbols, quote UN quote with I assume these were Christian priests 'cause they call them priests specifically.

My dog came to join for a minute. I love Kimcha. OK, so as so Ed immediately like starts putting on the clothes and he's like, oh pretty. And then Izzy finds him and Izzy's like, this place is cursed. We gotta get the fuck out of here. And as he says this, a very timely assassin jumps out of the closet and steed like, must have learned some skills 'cause he does this like swirl and like punch. And he decks the dude and he's just so proud of himself. He's like Indy, I did a punch.

And. He like knocked the. Dude out. It was a solid punch. You could hear that shit. It was also so adorable. He's like, I did what you taught me to do. Are you proud of me? Very much so a little kid. Oh my God, it's adorable. So Steed is just like winning and winning and winning in his mind in this whole thing. And then we get back to the revenge and Steed is now fully in the cursed outfit, peacocking in front of the mirror basically like so hard. And basically Izzy is has.

And now at this point, it's not just training Steed. Like it wasn't just one training session. He's like full on mentoring Steed in this episode because Steed is like, oh, this is the best thing ever. And is he's in the room and he's like, you do realize that like your crew thinks this thing is cursed. And so if you continue to wear this thing, it's gonna fester and there's gonna be problems with the crew. And Steed's like, you don't really believe in curses.

And then he's like, of course not. But if your crew believes that there's a curse, then there's a curse. And if you ignore that, it's gonna take hold and cause a bunch of paranoia. But at this point, Steve's like, that's nonsense. That's just like superstition and crazy. It's just a, it's just a fantastic suit that was clearly made for me. And so that's where he kind of like leaves. Very blatant foreshadowing.

I also like to believe that Jim was the ringleader of the whole like mass hysteria of the curse just because they were there when it happened. And like just I'll talk about it more once we get to that portion, but like it, it was definitely Jim being the ringleader. Oh no, it's definitely Jim. Because when they get back to the crew, the the ship and they're celebrating with the champagne, everybody's cool until Jim's like, that suit is

cursed. So Jim does start it in front of the crew and you just see the paranoia starting to spread from Jim. Because no one would have known if Jim didn't say. Yeah, it's just a suit. Exactly. So yeah, Jim does fan the flame of the paranoia. Oh, maybe. The pentacle was there because of cursed things and they were trying to protect themselves with the blood and they sacrificed one person to do it. That is, that is a decently like

that's a lot of blood. So like I would say maybe two people just just to make sure, like there was enough because of these very intricate symbolisms and everything. So it's I'm revising the stereo. They were raided some, you know, crazier version of buttons put a hex on them. And so they think they're all cursed. They killed a few people. So they're trying to use their blood to make this pentacle. And then the raiding people just

killed everybody in general. Yeah, it might have been like mass hysteria on the ship and then they convinced themselves that they were cursed and that's what induced the mass hysteria, and then that all happened. I get where you're coming from, and I really like that theory. I wish they would have expanded on it more because that would have been really interesting to

see what actually happened. If this was on the Revenge though, I think the theory we still track and they'd be like, we have to sacrifice one of us who's getting voted off the ship. Yeah, no, 100% like if Swede was still there. I was literally just thinking that it'd be the Swede. Why have you always been saying? Like he has he has the juicy ass. They might, they would, they definitely would have been like, OK, well, two and one dinner and.

Literally, he's the sacrificial lamb 'cause he's so innocent. Oh my God, that's so funny. OK, so while the paranoia start spreading on the ship thanks to Jim, Luscious and Pete are off. Like having their own alone time together, kind of like evading the whole paranoia for a bit. And in this scene, Lucius is like, doing his portrait, I guess, like a charcoal drawing

of his portrait. And Pete is trying to be all sexy with his new like, horseshoe belt that he basically wears the rest of the rest of the season. But. Lucius is clearly just like not mentally there and so, and Black Pete can tell he's like, you're looking, you're not looking at me, you're looking through me, which is another like way to say that Lucius is not present in this moment, which I think black pee knows like the whole time, but is finally like, I need to call him out on this.

So he then uses Lucis's drawings as evidence and he like starts going through the sketchbook. He's like, why does everything on here have Blackbeard's face? You have a dog with black like the, the, the pictures keep getting more disturbing. He's like, first of all, he's like myself portrait has Blackbeard's face on it weird. Then he then he's like flowers with Blackbeard's face, a dog that flower looks.

Really good though. No, I mean, he's a great drawer, but Blackbeard also like it's really funny. I think like Tyga like posing for like these. Weird. Weird drawings that. We're done. It's so funny. All right, so and blackbeat is is just trying his hardest to get through to luscious and he just like starts like pouring his heart out to be like, hey, like you're the one who's trapped in this deny this, not denial, but like you're the one

who's so trapped in your trauma. You don't see that. Like, we were both traumatized by Blackbeard. I thought you were dead. I would wake up at night crying, 'cause I thought I heard your voice and like, things like that. And so and I think that like, kind of gets through to Lucius a lot to be like, oh, it wasn't just me. It was also you.

OK. And then Blackbeat kind of ends this with like, you keep talking a lot about how you almost died, but you're not talking at all about how you lived and survived the horrible thing. So basically being like you're focusing on the negativity only and it's eating you up, but focus on the fact that you're still here. Like we're together. Like focus on the good stuff to like get through it is basically what you're saying. Yeah, sorry I got distracted for a second.

It seems like Black Pete is very emotionally intelligent, which says a lot because in the beginning he hated all the feelings crap and was all in on the Blackbeard style. Yeah, he definitely. He goes through a journey too, to like, take off his cosplaying mask. Where he's like. I was Blackbeard second in command, but which is all like he just like is the biggest bullshitter on the planet to try and like get people to approve

of him. But I think what changed him is not really like Steed like it's it's more so luscious because their relationship since the very beginning was like free of like. Cosplaying free of masking, it was always very real, the two of them. And and so in this moment, he's being really real with Lucius because I think Lucius like, underestimated how much Black Feet actually cares about him 'cause he always has that facade of being like, I'm too good for everything here.

And so I love this real grounding moment that they're having because like you said, Caitlyn, he is emotionally intelligent most of the time. And there comes like when they were escaping Jiang's ship and he had the like, the intelligence where he had the crossbow. And they're like, we're all counting on you. You always said you were a great shot. And he's like, yeah, I'm not a good shot. And he's like, no, no, no, I don't. I someone else needs to do this. Like, we're all die, basically.

So like, he is smart for all his bullshitting. He's the bullshitter of the crew, basically. I want more of a scene where maybe Steed's asking Ed, so was Black Pete actually in your crow? And he's like, Nah, man, he's just a big fanboy. I know, where was that scene? That would have been hilarious. Yeah, the the whole Black Pete quote to Lucius about living and dying, that was like surprisingly very deep. And I, it definitely caught me off guard 'cause I was like, OK,

period. We love that. Oh, I know. It was just it was a very good scene between the two of them. That line was really great. What also is great is the paranoia of the curse. So meanwhile, the three besties, Hulu, Archie and Jim are like held up in a room with like a salt circle, their bedroom. I think so. But like, either way, they're held up in a room with a salt circle and just all the garlic on ship on their necks and they're 'cause they're warding

off the curse. And then Steve comes in in the suit and they like freak out and they're like doing the sign of the cross and like spitting at him. And I just the Steve is very short but just fucking hilarious. I love in general that Archie was welcomed with open arms. I because in the beginning of the episode you see Archie, Jim and Olu. Like. Pretending like they were like drowning the mops or something. Oh my.

God and it was just adorable seeing their friendship, but I want to see how they picked up Archie in the 1st place because Archie's the only new crew member I believe and I want to see Jim in her meeting for the first time. I. Think there's like one other new crew member but we don't really get a lot of screen time from them. But for the most part it was Fang, Fang, Frenchy, Jim, Archie, the one other person I can't think of to save my life, and I'm pretty sure another

original Blackbeard crew member. But I think that person also may have died. Prior to that person. Entirely sure. Yes, I forget that character. 'S name but he died and they had a mention in the very first episode where fame was like that character died and Blackbeard didn't bat an eye. So yeah, they. I think somebody didn't come back for Season 2 and they replaced that person with Archie They're. Like you didn't have enough lines for us to send you to New

Zealand? Right, no, but it just it just cracks me up because like you know damn well Jim just came back and was like meeting now and like they just conversed with like literally and like Jim's just like dude, we're fucked, we're fucked. I saw the shit in that fucking priest's office. It's horrible. Did you guys see the rest of that ship? Awful. Cursed as fuck. Even the priest was saying that and the steed has the audacity to get that fucking red devil cloak.

It is a devil cloak, actually, if you think about it, that's really funny. But yeah, no, they're they're. So Jim has recruited at least 2 into the full into the paranoia. So without the garlic, Roach is like, I gotta figure out something else to make. So in the kitchen, Roach like casually invents peanut butter, which is really funny. And say peanut paste. Yeah, he calls it peanut paste, but he's it's peanut butter. And I love that French is with him. And somebody finally, finally

appreciates Roach's sandwiches. That moment means a lot to me. I love it. Yeah, that is fair, because yeah, that poor dude does not have a good history with making people sandwiches. Well, with everyone always throws up the ocean. But with the way he was making food, like, I just wonder what it was like when people would invent new stuff if people were like, you're freaking insane.

And then also, how do we even figure out like chemicals of putting in stuff and like creating these new things? I don't understand how new food works. I mean, basically in this scenario you're just like, we have the, this is the ingredients we have, let's mix them together. That's kind of where they're at. Because you're at sea, you can only have things on board that are fairly non perishable, which is why like they always had to dock to get citrus 'cause it goes bad quickly.

So he's just in he, that's his job. He's like, what do I do with these peanuts we picked up in these islands? I'll crush them and mix this other stuff and see what happens. And also I see your Roach inventing peanut butter and I raise you Frenchy inventing peanut allergies. Oh my God, I love, I love it. Steve knows what it is and later he's like, have you read Peanuts before 'cause this looks like an allergic reaction. And they're just like knots.

The fucking curse, you curse. Yeah, nobody understood medicine, so it was really funny. OK, so. Quite cute. Just a little side note, how like Frenchy and Roach are like, Oh yeah, they're having like their own little conversation. A friend. She's just like, Oh yeah, don't forget to leave out the, I think it was flour for the fairies or something like that or like. Leave a slice for the. Yeah, leave a slice for the fairies and then seeds like, no, it's flour. And they're like, huh?

And he's like, never mind. Oh. No, it was the yeast that made it rise. They said the fairies helped them cook. Yeah. Right. And I love that line because proceeding that Steed walked into this conversation and he's like, he's trying to recruit people on his side to be like, the curse isn't real. He's like, you're men of science, right? And they're like, yeah, we're definitely men of science.

And that's when they deliver the fairy line where they're like, if you don't give an offering, the bread won't rise. It seems like the yeast is what makes it rise. And they're like, yeah, OK, Steed, whatever, it's the fairies. So proving that like, Steed is alone with not being superstitious because he was educated and stuff. And he's like, oh fuck, I'm,

I'm. So he's slowly learning that like, there is a class divide with his crew and he kind of does have to pander to the fact that they're superstitious, even though he's like, you guys are not educated at all. So yeah, Steed's learning the hard way that he is not

surrounded by men of science. He is surrounded by a bunch of superstitious people because what gets them on the board with the curse is after Frenchie. When Frenchie starts having the allergic reaction, they're like, Oh my God, it must be that curse Film was talking about. That's what spreads the paranoia, 'cause everything's the curse now that goes wrong. Which I think this would have been a hilarious time to have. Like the whole scene with Swede losing teeth because he had

scurvy. Yes, like in this one. It's like even worse. So they'd be like, see. So even Swedes affected by the curse. No, honestly, that would have been really perfect to be in this episode. All right, What also is perfect is so Fang and Ed, because Ed was hanging on the rope off the ship. And then Fang comes up in a dingy and he's like, you wanna come fishing with me?

So Ed does. And while they're in the boat, Ed asks Fang if he thinks he's a Dick, to which Fang very bluntly and immediately replies yeah, I do, but. That's also what he thinks that Ed wants to hear. It's the truth. But. But he's very the whole time though. I don't like Fang is pandering to Ed in this. Country. No, but he was like, isn't that what you want though? Like you want people to think you're a deck, right? It's like, no. 'Cause he's the captain, you have to act like a Dick.

That's how you like become in charge is yeah, the implication. So I like that Fang is very, very just honest with Ed. They have a very honest conversation. Cause in the prior scenes Fang has been like afraid of him and stuff and like wouldn't voice his own opinion. So I like that he feels safe enough to actually like tell Ed what he feels and what he thinks. And it finally gets by hearing it from Fang, a like actual

trusted crew member. It finally gets through to Ed that he's been super dismissive of just everyone's feelings and he really believed in his heart of hearts that his crew was having fun with him while he was causing all this mayhem, when in reality they were just scared of him and were going along with him because they had to. He was in charge like.

So I like that they have this conversation together and once Ed realizes he's like, oh shit, you were scared of me not having fun and laughing with me. You were just terrified. That's when he actually apologizes. That's when we get the words I'm sorry out of Ed. It's like in this conversation with Thing, not the big CEO

apology with the crew. It's here with this heart to heart with Thing because Ed is actually reflecting on his behavior and not just like going through the motions to be like, I have to apologize. You're throwing me overboard kind of Thing. I will say it was definitely like heart wrenching, like this whole scene just in general with like Ed being like, oh, but like we were best friends. Like you were having such a good time and he was like, no, dude,

I was scared of you. And he was like, no, but like we'd chase each other around with knives and stuff and he's like, and he like, and he'd be like giggling and he's like, I wasn't giggling. I was crying. Like it's. Just that thing. I know big teddy bear Fang, but also what I love about this scene is it this scene really parallels what's going on with Steed right now too. Because Ed was living in his

fantasy bubble. He was like, the crew loves me, we're having fun when in reality they were terrified and we're not having fun. And the same thing is happening with Steed where he's like, no, I love this student, I look good in it and therefore everything's fine and curses aren't real. Meanwhile, his entire crew was like, this thing is cursed, get

it off or we're going to mutiny. So they're both going through this weird journey of being like, Oh, my actions affect other people and maybe I should take that into consideration. Yeah, but like for Ed? I I. Find it really sad because this the memory that Ed has with Fang he think it was a great time and sorry give me a minute real quick. I thought I knew where this was going. Also, just because I know we're probably going to cut this part out. I didn't know you were drinking Starbucks.

You might want to cover up that logo or pour it into a different cup because there still is a strike on Starbucks since they're still actively funding the the genocide in Gaza. So that might not be perceived well for a YouTube video. We might get comments about that. So I just. Wanted to. I know, but the a lot of people are taking this very seriously, so I just wanted to give you hindsight on that one.

OK, I'll try not to drink it. That's why I said or just poured it into a different cup because I I'd hate for like this to get traction in the wrong way. We can just skip it. For some reason it's not making sense in my brain. I think basically what your note is just saying is that Ed basically all of his like happy memories are actually like dark memories. And it's basically like he's coming to terms with the fact that like his memories are not

matching reality. His reality is much darker than these memories he's clinging on to, and it's. Purely. It's his fault that it was like that, basically. It's purely fueling the whole unreliable narrator type aspect. Yeah, and there's a scene we'll get into a second with Izzy too, where it kind of explains what Blackbeard is. It's a trauma response to be like, this is all super traumatic. Let me just make it happy in my memory so I can move on is

basically what happened. But in the scene, the the difference is that Ed is not dismissive of what Fang is saying. He he does genuinely want to be a better person. He's taking his journey of healing seriously. Like he wants to change, but he doesn't actually know where to start cause change. Change can be very scary. Like that's a very real sentiment that he gives and he's it can feel impossible sometimes to like change who you are when you're like, I don't even know

where to start. This is very overwhelming. And and Ed has been such an isolated person for so long. Like these sentiments he starts like spewing out at Fang are very real and very real concerns. But Fang is like. Do you ever shut the fuck up? Like, do you ever shut up long enough to just like, listen to be present and like actually listen to other people and not make it about yourself? So I want things like brilliant observation and the fact that he's like.

Why don't we just? Like, like, be good. We'll play. The quiet game, if you can be quiet long enough to catch a fish, then I'll talk you through your feelings. So like kind of it's it's kind of like what Luce just needed too. He's like, maybe just be present for a minute and like get out of your head and you're spiraling bad thoughts for a minute. And I love that Ed actually does do this.

And it like long enough to learn things about Fang, showing that like again, Ed is capable of changing and like bonding with people and not making it about himself. Because the story with Fang before is like, Hey, we had that fun with that game I wanted to play where I was chasing you with knives. Like it wasn't like Fang being like, let's play a game. It was Ed doing it, so this is a big growth moment and I think it's a really cute one.

And I mean, it is everything with Fang Fang being so burly and manly and then just being like, oh, I was terrified. Like I was screaming, you scared me. It was, I love him. He is so cute. I love Fang. I want a hug from Fang. My statement still stands. I ship the fuck out of him and auntie. You know, Auntie needs someone soft. She go Fang. OK, All right. Then we move over to Lucius and Izzy. So at this point, Lucius has failed to recruit 99% of the crew to join him in his misery

campaign. So then he tries Izzy, who, like I've said previously, has every right to pay. Off. His head because he took his leg. But at this point, Izzy is he's a changed man. He's in his Unicorn era, so he's not having any of this. And even when Lucy says like he took your leg and blah, blah, blah. And Izzy's like, did he? Because I recall a shark taking my leg because I I hung it overboard close to where they feed. So like, shame on me.

It's shark infested waters. So Lucy's calls about for what he's doing and he says, oh, using a bit of fiction to cover up your trauma are you? And Izzy's like not moving on is worse. So I love this exchange. I think it's so great. And this is what Ed was doing where it's like you paint the past in rose colored glasses so that you can compartmentalize the trauma and keep moving forward. Otherwise you end up like Lucius and you're just stuck in the bad place mentally.

And that then you you can't live like you're just trapped in your mental state and it just effects everything around you. So I love that Izzy has this conversation with him and then he hands Lucius the shark the danger as the peace offering and Lucius is like. I love this.

I also think it's kind of like a genius idea of what Izzy did just for the sheer fact if somebody goes, how'd you lose your leg saying, Oh yeah, my, my captain went on a rampage, you know, you know, Blackbeard, he went on a rampage and I was the main victim number one lady. I was his little whipping stone and he took my fucking leg like that. That doesn't really a very, very sad and pathetic type of deal. Whereas Oh yeah, I was just being a dumb fuck.

I wasn't thinking. I didn't realize that there was sharks swimming around in their feeding area. Had my leg over the side of the ship and I just hopped up, tromped it off. Like and like, there's a lot of people back then who would definitely fucking believe that shark story. So like, why not add a little pizzazz to your trauma? Yeah. I mean, if you think about it, this is the Kraken killed my father, right? We've seen Ed do this exact same

thing before, right? Also, like it gives Izzy, it gives Izzy a bit of clout where it's like I survived a shark attack, you know, versus like, I pissed off the wrong person and he took it out on me. It started with my toes. That took my whole leg. Yeah, maybe eat my toes. Not. Not if he's not the best. Texture if he. Tells the truth. He's just like another victim of Blackbeard. Exactly. And Izzy provoked Blackbeard. It's Izzy's fault he was in that situation too.

Not to mention Izzy is definitely not the type of guy who like, wants sympathy. Like and like we saw when he did get sympathy, he had a mental fucking breakdown. So like even more so having the shark story. Like, yeah, you get some sympathy, but not as much as being known as one of Blackbeard's victims. Yeah, that's a good point. It's very in character for Izzy to be like, yeah, fucking shark lobbed my leg off. Yeah, and it's just like this is part of life. It happened. Let's move on.

That is very, very easy. That's a really good point. All right, so back to the curse suit. At this point, the curse suit is killing Frenchie because he's having an allergic reaction to peanuts, which Steed points out, but everyone thinks it's it's the curse. It's the curse. There's no other logical choice. Theora, it's the curse. So Steed tries so hard, but he is losing the battle to keep this suit.

So he walks into the lion's den of everyone who thinks it's real and they basically attack him to try and get the suit to get rid of it. And in in the process of this of him is fleeing this. The Barbarians rip the pocket. I need to take this moment to play taps for the suit. We're sorry, Pocket. Fiora you in taps? I had that thing like #1 on my computer for so long because you kept putting it in episodes. You have to put it in episodes. It's what you play for. A fallen comrade.

To be honest, when it's at a rip pocket, totally forgotten pocket got ripped. So I thought it was like, all right, we'll rip our pockets in terms of like money monetization because it's definitely not DCMA friendly. RIP Pocket. All right, so at this point, Seed has to, he has to, he has to come to terms with the fact that the crew thinks the curse is real, even if it's not, and he has to get rid of the suit to make them happy.

So he has to he. Brings it to the crew and he's like, all right, it's obviously cursed. I validate what you're saying, which is hilarious. And Jim's like, so you're saying it's real? And he's like, I'm saying I believe you believe it's real. It's kind of like Ed's apology. It is. But he's like, I don't believe this is real. I think you think it's real. If you think it's real, then we have to get rid of it. But but not the.

Shirt finally Ed like has to or not Ed is he's in the corner he's like just tell them it's real just do it it doesn't matter if you think it's real or not and he's like fine you're right it's real it's it's cursed let's get rid of it so yeah he he comes back and he's like let's get rid of it but it's just the jacket he's wearing the rest of the outfit he is wearing the shirt and the pants and the belt so like it's just the jacket that he gets rid of because.

They said if you touch anything you will be cursed. Technically they touched it. Even getting rid of it, they're still cursed. I mean, theoretically, the moment they set foot on that ship, they were all theoretically cursed. So, and I, I think Steve's just like, maybe if I get get rid of the jacket it will appease them enough. But like exactly. That the rest of the outfit came with.

It that's what I'm saying, like he's like, I'll get rid of the flashiest piece, they won't notice the rest and that'll shut them up. That way I get some of the fancy clothes, they get rid of their curse and we can move on with our day. So like this is a compromise without them realizing he's making a compromise basically.

Again, brilliant job, Steed. I'm picturing in like 5 months one of them they're all just sitting around like doing their own hobbies and then one of them just goes wait a minute wasn't. That. Outfit with the coat and then they go through the whole thing again and he's like nothing happened for the past five months, why is there an issue now? I mean, you would. Think of all people Jim would be at least suspicious of these

weird curses. Because wasn't Jim's argument to be like women on ship curses everybody? And Jim was like, I've been on this ship the whole fucking time and nothing happened. So Jim's not a woman though. No I know but like non men on ships causes problems and he's like I've been here the whole time.

What do you mean so? IA 100% would think that either Archie would be the one to come to that conclusion or Izzy would be pissed off at seat and be like hey just to let y'all know he kept the rest of the outfit and the outfit was deeply cursed. You want to do something about that? Like I I could definitely see as he fucking doing that just to just to get back at Steed for somebody who did. I was thinking broach. But I really think it would have been either Buttons or Swede if

they were still on the ship. But let's go to 100,000. Embrace he would. He would have. He would point it out, but he'd also embrace the chaos. I think buttons could have done an anti first spell and we wouldn't have to go through all this to be honest with you. God, I I would have loved to see that just I'm like the buttons being like can you uncursed us? Using the power of Her Majesty the sea, yeah. No, that would have been amazing

to have that. Did we talk about Roach saying yeah, did Button, did you, did Buttons actually turn into a seagull or did you kill him? And. He's like, no he didn't. Oh no, he turned into a seagull. He's like, oh great, still going with that one. Yeah. Yeah, that's a great one. Like I the whole cursed jacket is definitely like my favorite arc, like one of my favorite arcs of like this whole like

season 2 like it's just so good. It was so like well played like just the mass paranoia is just so delicious. It's. So fucking funny. So then they have to devise a way to get rid of the curse. So the smartest thing to do is to basically pass the curse on to somebody else. So then they find a second ship to to essentially invade. They capture the entire crew, tie them up. And then Steed gives them the jacket in front of his crew to be like, look, we're giving it

to them. They're cursed now. And I love that when they're in the middle of doing this, there's one person on that ship that's not tied up to the mast. The rest of the crew is. And the person tries to jump Steed. And so Steed puts his new skills to you. So he like fires off the gun with some he has some flair like literally. And he's like, don't you fucking make a move? And I love that the whole team fights together like the crew with steed and it's a successful raid.

Granted they didn't take anything. They're just like dropping off a suit jacket, which. Like we have we have a delivery for you. I love. Steed, he's like, it's pretty, isn't it? Look, it's so pretty and like he's like, all right, now it takes you back to these and they like run off the ship. Yeah, and like before he even said like, no takes he backs. He's the guy's just like, it's cursed, isn't it? And then he's like. No takes, he backs, he's by. So. Funny. This. Was all like. Weird.

Which is hilarious that he just, like, is so dismissive of it 'cause he's like, I can't say it is and I can't say it isn't 'cause if I say it is, I'm giving into it. They'll be like, so you did think it's cursed. If I say it isn't, the crew's gonna be back to be pissed at me 'cause they're gonna be like, oh, you still don't fucking believe in it. So like, you can't win. All they can say is they'll take some backsies at this point. It's like, let's get out of here, let's end this.

So that was that was the cursed, the cursed jacket. The other plot point that's going on is Lucius and Black Pete again. So we get back to those two and Lucius makes up with Black Pete in the cutest way possible by making Black Pete feel seen. And what he does is he literally draws his face on like the wall of the ship. And it's really cute, 'cause he's like, I see you, I've drawn you. And then Lucius proposes to Black Pete and it's so cute. It's so cute.

And I think it's even, I think it's even funnier cause like their dynamic really shows because when luscious is like, I have a surprise for you, Black, it's like you're, you're not gonna throw me off the ship too, are you? Yeah. Like it's just aw, I love it. He's like, this is weird. I'm being weird, right? And he's like, no, I love that it's so. Cute. Oh my God I love it. Again, I like the way the show takes the time to be like. Here's more gay stuff for you. Enjoy.

But oh, you thought this was just about a curse. Now let's get back to the stores. So Speaking of gay stuff, then we we wrap things up with Ed and Steed. So it's night time and very romantic setting under the moonlight. These two were talking about their days finally, cause like it's this is also a really odd episode because the two of them were actually separated all day and then they converge at night to be like, tell me about your day, Tell me about your day.

So Ed starts and he's telling Steed he was successful in being quiet long enough to catch a fish. And he's adamantly like animatedly like telling Steed about his big catch and his triumph. And he's like, behold. And it's this tiny little thing and he's so proud of it that Steed is just like hard eyes proud boyfriend the whole time. He's like good job. Ed, you caught a. Fish it's. So cute. I think it's just cute.

Like, 'cause Ed and Steve both have these moments where they're just like, I did it. Look at me. It is fucking adorable. Then Ed compliments Steve's shirt 'cause he's like he's the one that notices. He's like oh you're wearing a new fancy shirt 'cause no one else notices this and Steve admits it and he's like there's this whole outfit and it was cursed. So it sucks that Ed never saw him in the cursed outfit cause like Ed would've been super into that.

But regardless, we get the best parallel ever where Ed says to Steed you wear fine things well and it's so cute. I love it. I think for him saying that to Steed now, it's his way of telling him that they're good and that he forgives him for not meeting up with him and they can live happily ever after. Yeah, 'cause I think the point of the whole him being quiet on the boat with thing is to be like, yeah, like I was a Dick too, You're a Dick. Like, let's just let's move on kind of thing.

So what's the best way to move on with a kiss? And we have to break this down 'cause this is a good one. So they both go in very equally to the kiss, but Steed is the one that escalates it like immediately. Like he grabs Ed's neck and pulls him in more. And it's almost like the second they connect, Steed is just like, I finally have oxygen. I've been drowning this whole

fucking time and here you are. Because to me, Steve is this person who has big feelings that he spent a lifetime suppressing, but now he finally has this person he can finally express his feelings with and like like openly. And Ed is all about that. And he just doesn't hold back at. All. But on the other hand, Ed is still in his emotionally healing phase and he's like smart enough to understand that. So he's like, that's when he breaks it off.

He's like, can we, can we slow down and like take things very slow because we are both whim prone people. And I think both of them kind of know that on some level. But Ed is the one acknowledging that, like, if this is gonna be real, we have to, like, be patient and, like, do this the right way instead of just like, rushing off into like, China or whatever, you know? And he says on the line, you can't catch a fish until the fish wants to be caught kind of

thing, which I love. And I think Steed on some level also understands this. And I think he's very proud of Ed's maturity in this moment. So Ed has come a very long way, but Steed is still a thirsty bitch. And he's like, can we hold hands instead, 'cause I need, I need something. I have big feelings. And Ed's like, OK, that, that's perfect. And then they do this cute little like hand game to see whose finger hand can be on top and it's. It's so fucking cute, I just love it.

I also think it's just like simply adorable and like very like it's such an adorable scene. But at the same time, like I really like how much Ed has grown 'cause as Blackbeard is very much so. Nobody tells me no. I take what I want when I want. No matter what anybody says now he's like, I, I wanna set boundaries, I wanna take this slow 'cause I'm terrified. I am mortified and I I'm so anxious and scared that this

might just be a one off thing. I want to know that you were actually committed to me. And I don't blame him 'cause the last time that they went to go like sail off to China, Steed fucking left him for Mary and like that was a whole fucking thing. So like I can't blame Ed whatsoever. Still annoyed at Ed though. I didn't go actively searching for Steed, he just kind of said fuck this shit. But like again, I can't blame him 'cause like he was already anxious about like how quickly

they were moving. Cause again, we don't know like the whole time period of our timeline rather of the show. But we do know they moved far too quickly, far too fast. And like, sometimes that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you genuinely love somebody and they genuinely love you back, sometimes moving that fast is OK. But for a fucked up pirate and a wannabe pirate, it's not the move. It's it's not.

They did the equivalent of let the stereotype of lesbians getting a U-Haul on the first date. Yeah, no, they they U hauled with a dinghy. That's exactly what they were doing. He hauled with a. Dinghy. And my favorite part of this episode is the end where Ed is telling Steed more things that he learned, which is Fang's real name is Kevin Junior and apparently he comes from a long line of Kevins going back four. 100 years. And this might be my favorite back story of anybody.

And it also proves that Steed, not Steed Ed shut up long enough to hear someone else's story. Yeah, exactly. He listened. Just wish he asked how Fen got his name Fang, not Kevin. I do think it's kind of funny though, 'cause like after hearing that, you're just kind of like, you know what? He kind of doesn't look like a Kevin. Yeah, I guess he does right. I I think Fang got his name though because of the jewelry

that he wears. Probably, and then like the little the shoulder plates on it. Yeah. But what came? It's purely like what came first, chicken or the egg? Did the accessories come first and then the name, or the name then the accessories? Leave in the comments people. And today it's a very special day because it's Calypso's birthday. Now, as the good Calypsons that we are, we are here to celebrate all things episode 206 because it's probably one of the best episodes and it's just so fun.

And Long live Calypso and her birthday because ah damn. Let's get into the episode. Thank you. Caitlin. You're welcome. OK, so I forgot I started out this episode this time. You sure do. All right, so we set our scene with a deadly composition. Ned Lowe was salty because Blackbeard broke his record. Hello Salty. He's salty about a lot of things.

So basically he is torturing this dude and he tells the man the reason he's super salty is that his brother Ned's brother was a violinist prodigy, so like the best violinist ever basically. And he was always living in his brother's shadow until he, as a pirate, completed 88 consecutive raids, which was the biggest record ever. So he was like, my brother has this legacy as this amazing violinist. I had nothing.

I created this legacy. So he's mad that Blackbeard took that away from him 'cause who is he without a legacy? He's some weirdo who just tortures people for fun. That's who he is. Other thing I love about the opening sequence with Ned, not only setting to see that Ned is a creepy motherfucker. But the 1st. Shot in this episode is of a lighthouse with Ned's ship or the ship that he's basically commandeering.

This dude is sailing nearby with an approaching storm, which I find very interesting 'cause if you go back to like episode 4 of season one, we had lighthouse stuff, right? A lighthouse literally could mean danger and figuratively is like hope, which I think is like Ned's headspace, which is like he's hoping to correct the legacy thing. But also the reality is that sailing towards Blackbeard is

fucking dangerous. Cause the guy's like, I don't know where Blackbeard is, why are you torturing me? He's like, Oh no, I know, I know where Blackbeard is. I've been tracking him for years. I know he is. I'm just here to torture you cause for fun. He likes having an audience to his misery, kind of like what Lucius was doing the last episode. I need an audience. I need somebody to commiserate with me. That's like what he's doing basically.

And I like the approaching storm because that's basically the foreshadowing for this whole episode. So I thought this shot in particular was really interesting and I love it. Yes, for some reason that scene never sticks with me. I know. But you know, I I learned a lot from that scene now. But we head back to the ship and Blackbeard is back in his regular clothes, having flashbacks to all the horrible things he did. Because there are a lot of them.

So. Many He is staring out at the empty sea just thinking, man, what the hell did I do? But we get this really great exchange because Izzy comes up to him and says, oh, look, it's scowly face and. Then and I. Love that insult coming from Izzy 'cause he calls everybody like a Dick. And like a general of some sort, somewhere to say scowly face is a really funny sounding coming. From him. That's something, that's something Steed would say.

Very true, and Ed responds. Oh look, you're talking to me again. Which Izzy then responds. Yeah, sorry I'm a bit drunk, I thought you were a Roach. Which is just hilarious because I don't know how you get Roach and Blackbeard confused. I do love that line. It is funny, but I also think it's like a moment of self preservation coming from Izzy because he still seems a little on edge around Ed because like, they're on a journey of healing,

right? So we're, we're getting bet more like we're getting closer and closer to them being like friendly with each other again, right, 'cause he's still like a little bit on edge at this point. So I think he's trying to project, project control to Ed and not show him he's a little like rattled in this moment. Like, things are getting better between them, but it's very, very slowly 'cause they did some serious damage to each other that they need to work through. Yes.

They need couples counseling. Absolutely. Especially because Izzy has become an alcoholic to get through the day. And then Ed half assed as an apology about cutting off his leg. He's like yeah, sorry about your leg. Great apology. I mean, he's getting better at his apologies. He did apologize, yeah. That's that's he's saying sorry, Yeah.

Just it was a very much so like needed interaction between the two and like just the whole, sorry, I'm a bit drunk without your Roach. Like that's just such like a nice little comeback that Izzy had for fucking Ed. Just I love it. The other interaction, the other line I love in this scene, 'cause really Ed is like looking out over the, he's just kind of like looking out into the sky when Izzy approaches him. And remember in season one, like

Ed did that too. That's something Blackbeard did right? As the captain, he needed to know like the wind speed, weather patterns to kind of dictate what they were going to do next. So he's kind of doing that now, like demonstrating that like he's, he's getting back into like. Who? He is which Blackbeard mask or not, like at the end of the day, Ed is a very experienced and skilled pirate and like sailor and things like that. So he's like kind of getting back into like his skill set a

little bit in this moment. And he says that loud to Izzy. I feel a storm coming, but I can't see it. And Izzy brushes this off. It's like, whatever, you twat. But he really shouldn't because again, Ed is being more himself in this moment than he has been in a very long time since like, coming back from the gravy basket, the madness, all that stuff. And Ed has always had a real knack for reading weather patterns and sensing danger. So it's I think it's interesting that he's saying this.

And then at the beginning of the episode, we had the scene of the lighthouse, the ship and the approaching storm. So it's almost like Ed can sense that something's about to go wrong, but he can't see it. And my question is, is he channeling buttons in this moment to be like Sea Witch is telling me something? How you listen?

How do you think it's kind of like a nice little like the whole thing with like Ed knowing about like when patterns and stuff like that, that really adds like more of a bite to him steering into that storm. Because it's like he knew how bad that storm was 'cause if it wasn't, if that storm wasn't as bad, that scene would have never happened.

But since he knew how fucked up that storm was gonna be, he realized how much it would hurt everybody else if he just said fuck it, steer, break, oop, oop, the the steering wheel broke. Oh well. Like he knew it was so calculated. It's scary. Oh, no, super calculated. And in that moment when he starts rattling off statistics, he's like, we could probably survive this. But if I blow the mask off, there's a zero chance we will survive this.

So I'm gonna blow the mask. Like he very much fucking knew. Like, to your point, Zoe, that's a really good point. He is a very calculated 'cause he's a very skilled, experienced pirate, right? Yeah, That, that scene. Yeah. So to have him say that delivered line of there's a storm coming, I can't see it, but I sense it. Like really is like an ominous

sign that. Izzy hands shouldn't be brushing off, but I, I think both of I think Izzy's not it's again, it's demonstrating they're not fully back into their old pattern of like Blackbird being like, MMM, there's this storm coming and Izzy being like, OK, what do we do? Like there's a disconnect between them right now still. Yeah, I that's a complicated dude. He is. Definitely. So from here we go back to the whole crew gathered talking about partying. And Archie is very animated

about telling the story. So basically she's recounting a story where she hid inside a snake to like, attack people and scare them. And then she's like, and yeah, I went in there and then I, I had to tear away my myself out. And it was a great time. Anyway, how do you guys party? Well, I, I think it was more so like that was the party and she was the surprise coming at cause 'cause the way they used to do, like flapper girls would come out of cakes.

I think they're trying to do the pirate version of that to be like, well, they don't have access to cake material. How about a snake that rhymes with cake and it's more gruesome. So I think that's what it was like. She was, she's like, and then I was at my birthday party, 'cause that's what she says. And then she's like, what do you guys do? How do you guys party? Yeah. I love that that that was the play on the women coming out of cakes and it's like party. Surprises.

I did not even catch that snake and cake rhyme and that was beautiful. Theora, I love you. That sounds like something these writers would do. They'd be like. Put it in. I could see that happening in the writers room. So basically the entire crew just looks at each other like oh shit, we've rage and they're everyone. But then fangs like this is bullshit to be really like he's I'm not. Buying this shit no. I love the delivery of that line because.

Fang is sipping tea like he's having tea with. The Queen. Like his little pinky's out and he's looking all posh and stuff and he's just like, do we know we're having? Tea time. On the ship right now. Like, yeah, we have a. Daily. Tea Party. OK, how raging can we do? I mean, I guess to us it's raging, but to someone who hid inside a snake And yeah, whatever that story was that was, we're not raging. No, but Jim was never buying into it either.

Because. They're also looking around like, what the hell are you guys saying? And Jim's like you know it has. Been kind of boring. Around here and then they're like, we moved furniture last night and. Weijan says. But it's an improvement. In the flow and everyone agrees, which it's just Steve has domesticized everybody there's a bunch of nerds now having tea and. Moving furniture to create a better. Flow Feng Shui, if you will. Yeah, yes, but.

Frenchie comes in. Clutch and tells them that they are all in luck though because it's Calypso's birthday. Oh my God, we forgot about Calypso's birthday. How? It's the most holy day in the Calypso calendar. Is that an actual thing? No. So I love this fib because. Calypso is a minor God in Greek mythology, and if there's any Percy Jackson fans out there, you know exactly who Calypso is.

Calypso's basically a minor God that got exiled to this island and trapped there all by herself, so anytime. Seafaring. Men or people would wash up on her shores, she would try and keep them there 'cause the bitch is lonely and exiled to this island forever. Like that's who Calypso is. So of course, sailors would, like, have a romanticization of a single woman trapped on an island. Yeah, on an enchanted island.

Sorry. So I love that they're just like, she's our God. I mean, she's a minor God. I mean. That Jax. Yeah, so. She's probably like a. Legend that sailors tell each other and then they're. Just like we'll make her a holiday 'cause it sounds ethnic enough. And so if we claim it's from our homeland because our white master doesn't know a God damn thing about our homeland, we can play this off.

Which is like exactly. That's that's why like calypso and captains is probably such a thing because the captains not from your like ethnic background, they're like, sure, I, I, if that's what you believe in, I'm sure they don't know. Where are you gonna verify that in the library? Like what are they? Gonna do. Google has not invented. Yet no. And most of these pirates couldn't read. Like a lot. Of them are illiterate so there is no fact checking that you take them at their word.

You're like, sure, I guess, 'cause they're superstitious, right? They're like if. That's your religion. Sure. Yeah, Yeah. But I love this fib. But Archie. OK, go ahead. You're good. I also just. Want to say with like? Them. With them being like. With like Ouija and being like, oh, it's an improvement in the flow. I think that's hilarious in terms of like rearranging furniture for improvement in the flow, 'cause that's literally, Yeah, my brain. Just had a mental block.

I pronounced it perfectly fine in. My head but the words just were not coming out. But yeah and like this was this was created way before pirating time. So I just my little head cannon is to believe that like we John learned a thing or two while on while on the red flagship with like Zheng's crew and everything and like that's how he found out about that. He just couldn't remember the terminology for it. Yeah, that was cute. That tracks, but.

After this whole it's. Klipsa's birthday thing, She's just like. Looking at them and she's like wait, wait, wait. Are you making? This up just so you can have a party. You see the crew just looking at each other and they're like. Yeah. Pretty much, but we get this great line delivery from Fang Fang. I don't know why you I. Don't know. I don't know you. Do it in multiple places for different. People. This is Fang that says that's. 'Cause it's we.

John. Feeny. Now I. Know, but that's not who delivers this line, yeah. But I thought it was so it's not, but it's Fang. It's Fang. It's Fang. And he says Correctamundo. It's so cute. OK, what makes it great is it. Comes to her. Fang. Fang, I'm sorry, correct everything to Fang, correct the. Bundo, OK. And then we go to Steve. And Ed and Steve tells Blackbeard, well Steve tells Ed that he has put. All of. Blackbeard's treasure in one room, and he is trying to

figure. He is trying to help Ed figure out how to turn the treasure he stole from something bad into good Turn I. I love when he's showing in his. Room and he's like I was tripping all. Over it also. Some of it is ugly. His slide stays like I don't want to look at. It and also this is his ship. So he's like your? Stuff goes into one room, it doesn't fit the Fung shui of. The ship. So he had to like, put it. In this room, like, you know that that's where Steed's brain

went. He's like, oh, good job, Wee John. And then he's like, but this doesn't go and that doesn't go. And like, it's Blackbeard and he's like, yeah, let's put that in the closet. They're putting Ed in the. Closet, if you will. Anyway, putting Blackbeard in the closet, The closet is glass. So the state is basically just trying to get Ed back. On the right path. Because he knows how good Ed is. Because he met Ed when he was Ed. Not really Blackbeard, but he was inadvertently the cause of

him. Showing off the. Path Steve started him on because, you know, he didn't show up, which I'm still whole confused by that whole situation. It's but we're we're in the past, we're moving. On we're moving. Forward we are but Ed still. I love that Ed labels. This like a guilt room because he still he never formally. Apologized. Really. To the crew and the reason he has all this treasure is because he forced them to just go on a bunch of raids 'cause he was

bored basically. And so it was like blood money in a way. And he's like. Doesn't feel. Great about it now that he's like on a journey of healing and actually processing all the shit that he did and he's like, yeah, this isn't great. So I love this whole conversation he has with Steed and because it feels very natural, like a conversation they would definitely have. And it also sets things up perfectly for the crew to grip them because this is the guilt

room. And the guilt room has got a bunch of treasure and money in it. Yeah, basically with the. And it's pretty. Small room. So you enter it, you just look around all of this experience. I wouldn't want to go near there if I I mean, I hope I would never get to the point that black beer like I don't what the hell, but. Anyway. Back to the show, what's on go? There, Caitlin, what are Jim and Frenchy doing so. Jim and Frenchy show up and they dropped by to tell Steve.

That they forgot about Calipse's birthday and that is such sacrilegious because how do you forget about Calipse's birthday and they just I love how they. Just like. Play into. Steed's like I, I, you know, I wanna make everybody happy and be culturally sensitive, but I just, they just play into that so hard and it's so funny. Yeah. And yeah, 'cause they said. Yeah, it's a pretty big thing for everybody on the ship, right in our culture. And it seems like you have to

respect. Your culture, he's trying to be like an anti colonizer 'cause he's British. So I, I love the way he's just like automatically, like, yeah, there are some things where he's like, I need to overcompensate. For being British, exactly. Yeah, I do love that detail and the way. Reese plays it. Not to mention he he just wants to be accepted. So. Like he'd be kind of an asshole if he didn't like illegally. Yeah, so I get where he's

coming. From. It's absolutely hilarious and it's like he's trying to not be a colonizer. It's so funny. I love it. It's it's really sweet too, but. Like the way that these two, especially Frenchy, who takes advantage of everybody's like let's take advantage of Steen's like white people guilt. Yeah, that's the guilt room. OK, Like that Peter's guilty about the money and then like Steen is guilty about being a white. Just add that to the ballroom. The.

Music room with all the extracurricular rooms they have now we have the guilt room. You go there to have therapy? Could you imagine? No, they probably have a designated. Therapy room. Yeah, it's basically the ship now, yeah. That but also. It's at like the. Part of the ship. Where you just look out into the sea, 'cause that's how. Apparently you kill yourself or whatever. Yeah, anyway, so. Frenchie says. That it's. Traditionally celebrated. With a big. Bash. So what are we there?

Any plans for anything? And I love, I love their reactions though cause. Steed's like trying to process. This new cultural thing he doesn't. Know anything about? And you just see Ed silently just like shaking his head because like, he's like, oh, here we go. I've seen this film before, but he doesn't. Say anything about it's a steed. Which is really funny. He just. Lets it happen. Because he first of all. He knows it's not his place. Too true, but in the things

anymore and he knows he needs. To hold back. From being captain like this is Steve's ship, he needs to figure out how to deal with his crew. But after Steve tells Jim and Frontry that he'll figure it out and get something together, Ed tells him that he got calypsoed, but Steve doesn't really. Care Steve's also. Offered. Parties. And just making sure that people are happy. As long as everyone around him is healthy, happy, and living their best lives, Let's do it So

steed after. Immediately saying. OK. And. That he'll get on it. He tells Ed that this would be something great to put his treasure towards and that will help him turn poison in this treasure into positivity of creating this huge bash for Calypso and I love the. Conversation right before the crew shows. Up because it was focused on how they could spend Ed's like quote guilt money. So I do love that set up.

And so really like it's only fitting for Ed to pay for this party as his form of an apology 'cause he still has not said the words I am sorry to the crew. He said I'm sorry individually to some people, but not the whole crew. So like this is a way of him like through action being like, I am sorry. Please have a party and have fun at my literal expense but also it gives the crew that went through all this trauma. With him, something good coming from it. Because this.

Is their. Hard work as well, yeah. Exactly. But as the. As the captain, the former captain, he. Controls. What happens to the money? So also I could 100% see Ed just getting. Turning poison into positivity tattoo? Oh, absolutely with Steve. Watching that'd be great. Just a little prison. Tattoo. The other thing I really love about the. Scene is that yes, like this was a way.

For Ed to heal, for the crew to heal, but also Steed has a has an ulterior motive because he did comment some of the treasure was ugly. So I'm sorry he's like dying to get rid of the stuff. He's like let's sell that first. Let's get that on the person, Get off his ship. I mean, he did. Like design the ship. He has a way. That he wants it. He needs to also get back all the stuff that was thrown out and destroyed when he left. So too bad there wasn't a

lesbian. Antique store he could go to. To buy some of that, Louie, like whatever stuff, you know what I'm saying? Darn. Speaking of terrible. Rulers. After this. We cut over to Ricky. Oh, Ricky, No Ricky so. No so after destroying Zheng's. Fleet. He's back in the good. Graces of the English because he's spinning fiction about what went down the Republic of Pirates. Wait, I didn't. Write this. You wrote this. That was me. OK, that. Was my little note. I hope I changed the color. No.

That was just for y'all. Oh commentary on the. Commentary. Got it, got it, got it. OK. So. He this the. Tale he's spinning, Is that like he he's addressing? A bunch of royal. Naval officers basically, and he's like, I was just minding my own business in the Republic of Pirate and the quote Izzy fuck off Ricky, because Ricky wishes he was the gentleman pirate when really he's just a major bootlicker.

Like he is somebody who is not pirate material at all, never a will be. He's just a wannabe. He's a bored rich boy, and I'm glad Jackie has his nose in a nose jar right now because he's a little bitch. OK, this is a little Segway, but I'm. Reading this note and you say bootlicker and then not pirate material and I'm just like boot pirate. What is a pirate material boot like? What does that mean anyway? Shall we go into? Town to get some supplies. We shall. OK, so basically. They go.

To. What is your town? I actually don't know where they are. No where is. Your What's your gay? Town. I forget, oh, the Castro district, but basically they're going. To. Castro with all the gayness in their What is your gay town? I forgot what it was called, the Ora. Took me the. Last time and there's so many gay flags online it's the gayest. Place on Earth. Except, yeah, it's amazing. And that's what this reminds me of. We said it in.

The reaction video as well, but if you look all of the like little decoration things that. Are yarn or. Whatever it is, there are rainbow. I'm pretty sure there's a gay flag there. There is. It's the pride. Regalia is everywhere. And there's this. Yeah, there is a rainbow. Flag And then there's AI. Didn't know if it made it into the episode but there is a behind the scenes image of Jim. And some.

Other characters and Jim's got a basket that they're holding and there's like the colors coming out of it or like the trans flag. So there's a lot of queer imagery in this whole like town scene, which is again, the way the show is just like gay fry random moments. Are like, you know? We only got 8 episodes, they're like 30 minutes, but we're going to make this as gay as humanly possible. I appreciate that Little little side note since you mentioned behind.

The scenes. This has absolutely nothing to do with it but Vico. They keep posting like they keep posting on their Instagram story. With like a beard. Filter when they're feeling themselves and it's just so fucking adorable and like I immediately just I'm immediately. Just like Jim. Jim in person, in real life, and. He's that's how Jim. Was feeling at Calypso's birthday. And we love them for that. But if you wanted to hear about what Viko. Had to say about Jim's.

Garb and apparel for Calypso and them may or may not having creative liberties on what Jim had. Watch the Vico interview. Check out that interview. Vico's a Jim. They are and a Jim. So there you go. We have we have a lot more things to talk. To them about in. The future Back to the show and the. Gain is. Of everywhere. They are definitely getting it up all over the place, whether they identify as queer or not. Anyway, Fang and Frenchy. Did I get that? Right, correct.

They're in the image, you can see them. Yes, I. I just want to make sure Fang and Frenchy. Are trying to get the most expensive Brandy because they're not paying for it. The guy who's selling it? Sounds like. We don't have Brandy. All we have is rum. Cheap one kind, one guy sheep. And they're like. OK, we'll take it. No, that's that sounds good. Give me all. Of it give us the. Alcohol. OK, so from this is.

A scene that I really love. Blackbeard has 50,000 doubloons, I think that's what it's called, sitting in a bag, just burning a hole in his pocket basically, and he just tosses it to two girls in the village. Yeah, I thought one was a girl, one was a boy. Because I can't tell. Because they're both Tyka's daughters. Oh, OK, OK. That is adorable. Oh. My God, that's how that's why I said to your girl. But This is why you can't. Assume anything either. At least I heard you.

I mean, whatever. Yeah, so. I can. Fact Check that real quick for. You give me a second I. Mean it's all right. So he gives the. Kids knives and I once you realize that this is his actual kids, it's actually way funnier 'cause when you're. You're just like they're. Acting. First of all, they're acting with their dad and that's adorable but he is super cute. The kids knives and tells them to stab.

Anyone who comes near that? Money because he didn't have that money until very late in life. And now he's giving these kids they're, he's changing these kids lives on this island and they're in raggedy clothing, torn dirt everywhere. You could tell that they're not well off. They're vagrants, by the way. It is. Tyka does have.

Two daughters and it does make sense with like how much chemistry Tyka has with the kids 'cause like, I didn't even think to look that up. I like that is such a cool, fun fact. How did you find that out? Wiki I believe. Thanks wiki. Wiki always comes a clutch. Yeah, so like the violence aside. I think it's really. Cute that he wants to take. Care of these children in the show he knows. I didn't realize. I mean, I hope he takes. Care of them in real life like

he knows. What it's like to grow up with. Nothing. And for him, this really is turning the poison and the positivity because he he doesn't want other children. Like he knows exactly what these kids must be going through. But I love that he gives the one in white a knife and then the other one goes, I want a knife too. And that's when he's just like, oh, here you go. I guess you should also have a knife. I love the scene because to.

Me, it feels like he's trying to heal his inner child by like paying it forward with these kids that remind him of himself. Even though like, it just, it felt like an attempt at that to me, 'cause he's on a healing journey still, you know? But perhaps the most. Oh my God, I don't even know what to call it part of this. Scene. Is he gives self-defense advice, he gives them the tip that.

When they are cutting someone. They shouldn't bother stabbing them if they're coming after them, they should just start slashing back and forth because there's a better chance of them actually killing them. Like if they just stabbed, they probably won't die, and then they'll just turn on them and like it gets stuck, which we see, which is so realistic and

we see. That happens so much in the show where somebody stabs somebody and then like, oh, my sword is stuck now and it's so realistic, you know? So he's like, hey, hey, hey, pro tip slashes, let the guts come out, you know, but. Then he has children. At least the one child. Is like going back and forth with him doing it and it's adorable. And then I love when Steve. Pops. And he's like. What you. Doing giving out Knights and knives and bags of money.

What'd you do it? And I thought that Steed. Was going to be. Like don't teach kids. That, but he doesn't seem to have a problem with that. I think he's actually just proud of Ed for giving away stuff. And he does tell him like he is turning poison in the positivity. And I think Ed really needed that encouragement, being like, oh, I am. Doing better this. Is right.

I mean, again, I don't think you should be teaching the kids to slash people, but you know, they actually might need that skill in life, unfortunately, with the setting, and they definitely won't forget that. Also, those kids. Were like very unmoved. Like they. Just didn't seem to care about anything they're. Just they're like, why is? This talking to me. They've seen some shit. They've seen they've seen shit. Why do I feel like this looks like a typical?

Argument between the kids. And him, he has to be like, come on, Dad, you know you're not impressed. Dad. 100%. But yeah, I do have a couple of thoughts so. For one, with him being like, I didn't have this money to later on in life, knowing that those two kids are his kids, that's actually a pretty impactful line because like he now has like a fuck.

Ton of money. And his kids get to actually have like a good life, if not like a better life than like Tyka. Given, I don't know if Tyka's actual fucking childhood, he could have had like a very he could have been a nepo baby for all I know. But still like that's just such like a moving little little line of just being like, I didn't have this. So later on in life to his kids in particular.

And then like on top of that, just to kind of bounce off Caitlin. I think one of the reasons why Steve was just kind of like, all right, whatever, I'll I'll let him have this one is because like he's seeing how well he's interacting with kids and that potentially could have given him hope to be like, OK, well, when we want our own kids someday or when he finally meets my kids, like at least I know he's going to do well with them. Like he's not just going to be a

Dick to them. So like, that's so nice. And like, it's just so sweet. And just the fact that like the kids are like, so are you pirates? And he's like, what? No, no, I'm, I'm, I'm Jim the accountant. I own an inn. I'm Jeff. Jeff the accountant. Jeff, the accountant, sorry. Jeff, my bad to. Be fair, there's a lot of. JS steed in it. They they want us to be confused. OK, well fun fact about like 'cause I. Meant to mention this when we were.

Talking about it, but with Ned the pirate, not Ned the the Jaguar. Ned the Pirate. His real name is Edward Lowe, so that's why they made his name just Ned 'cause that's also his nickname. Because if they can't just have two, they can't have two characters named Ed Given they do have two characters named Ned, but one is an animal, one is. Well, technically they're both. I didn't realize that Ned had the same I 'cause when you said. Ned, I immediately thought of

the tire, 'cause that's. How much? I don't remember that dude. Which? I have some fascinating tidbits about Ned. The pirate, once we get more to that scene, oh hell yeah. But yeah, it's just so good, OK? So once the kids ask about if they're a pirate. Ed, I believe, says that. They're never going to be pirates. Either yeah, and then he's goes on to say. That he instead running in. And I think this is what Ed would have done if he had 50,000 doubloons at their age.

Like he wouldn't have had to be a pirate, he I wonder if he would have just opened an inn. Right away. Like a teenager running an inn. Yeah, I think him and his mom could have done that, 'cause I think. She was like. A maid servant like had skills and that's maybe where he learned these skills that were like. Romanticized in. His head, you know, about inn owning. So yeah, I think absolutely. Like they could have run their own inn or something. They were on the docks where you

have a lot of people traveling. You know, that made a lot of sense. I mean, even more so a little bittersweet twist to it. He might just want to open an end to pay homage to his mom 'cause she's most likely dead by now, and that might have been her dream. She might have wanted to own an end, but she got stuck being a servant for rich people. Yeah, no, that's really plausible. And I do hope that.

With all the treasure he had, I hope that they saved some for their dream in and like had that conversation off screen. That would have been real cute considering how we see them, and presumably that's. Where it's supposed to take place for their in. I don't think that's the case 'cause they didn't take anything with them. Yeah, let me have my. Dreams. OK, so. Throughout this whole episode, the C storyline. I don't. Actually know what letter it is, but we're gonna go with.

I think that makes sense. It's very, it's like 3 scenes, yeah. I've I had no idea how to. I think it's this so. Theora put them all together for us, so. In the beginning, we. See, Zhang gave the nose dude. Theora supplied me with the name Ricky, an invitation to meet with her in the form of a new nose as blackmail, which a nice little detail. It's not just any. Nose. It's a. Chinese porcelain nose, which is so I I love the little historical. Tidbits. And it just purely goes to show

how she's. Like a. Master of chess? Yeah. No, exactly. And he? Got the nose. During the debrief. And that's when he knew it was Zhang that was gonna blackmail him because it's a Chinese porcelain nose, like you said, Zoey. Because I wonder if he thought she was dead, you know, with all the explosions, like the the clock bombs are really designed not only to take out her fleet, but to also eliminate Jang because she's the leader.

So I wonder if he was like sitting pretty in that conference being like, Yep, I won. And then he gets the nose and he's like, fuck, Jang must be alive. Wait. And she gets it. Did the bums happen? The bombs haven't. Happened. Yet that's why I. Said I that's why I put. In the the my commentary on the commentary that I'm confused. Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry. That's like episode 7 I believe. Yeah, hey, wait. No, OK, ignore me. Ignore me, sorry, I jumped ahead.

That's why I was like so confused 'cause I was like. No, sorry, I remember distinctly, 'cause we get. Blackbeard. 'S evolution. Yeah, sorry, the shoe runs. Together. Yeah, we we were taking turns. With notes and we both had to watch it out of order so it was like getting confused in both of our heads. Thank you. Ignore me. So they met. I guess they did they even meet, You know, I think she heard of him and that's 'cause I didn't put together.

That that gift was from her I only knew because it was Chinese. Porcelain. I was like me too. That's how I knew, yeah. I was like, OK, well, we haven't met. Any other character. Specifically from China, maybe Fang, but Fang is definitely from like some part of Asia, not specifically China to our knowledge 'cause we just found out he's from a long line of Kevin's but I'm a dumb ass and didn't put that. Together. And that's OK Not everybody would put that together.

But here we are. OK, so basically she knows. Of him. He's a disgraced man, but she knows from her Intel that he's trying to be a pirate, and he's influential 'cause he's a minor Prince. So Zhang is playing her mastermind. Hand at trying. To manipulate him into getting what she wants. She's turning poison into positivity, right? More so turning. Positivity into poison 'cause she's. Like here's a new nose, but it comes with strings attached. Of course it does. Yes, but as.

Usual in the. Scene Zhang. Is hilarious because every line that they give this woman is brilliantly executed and she is just a badass in general and I really want to talk to her one day. But it's important to note that, do we? Like the word? Blackmail. No, she's just. Doing what she does. Best. Yeah, because he's like, I know what? This is you're blackmailing me and. Auntie's like, you're damn right that's what we're doing. But Jang is the negotiator, and

she's like, no, no, no, I'm not. I'm not blackmailing you. I'm presenting you with a business opportunity. Is how she frames it. Because she's like, I see you clearly and I love this delivery because there's a threatening undertone to the way she's saying it that really comes. Through to be. Like do not underestimate me is basically what she's saying and I love in the scene that her and her and. Auntie are back to their good.

Cop bad cop dynamics 'cause every time she tries to smooth things over, Auntie's like, no, no, we're gonna fucking kill you. Like in the background, she's just like, Auntie, shut up. And I love that cause like again. She's like, hey, don't. Like yes, I'm a woman, but don't. Underestimate me and don't think that I won't kill you 'cause I will. And I love her line where she's like, I don't want to talk. About who you are 'cause he's. Like I'm a minor Prince, blah, blah blah.

She's like, I don't care who you are. I want to talk about who you could be, because this is her. Way of like again instead of like strong. Arming people into doing stuff. We've, we've seen her do this before. She tries to get them on her side and like, quote, work together and working together in her best interest because she's uses her intelligence to exploit

his weakness. Or that's what she's trying to do because she knows through 'cause she's observed and has little spies everywhere, she knows that this spoiled bitch wants to be a pirate, which in his mind is like, be special, be the best. And so she's playing into that to be like, well, you could be the best. You could like, end piracy without spending a debt, you know, without like, starting a war.

Like, you could be the one. Because at this point, like the reality of the golden age of piracy, it's romanticized to like people who are like, yeah, rebels, blah, blah, blah. But really, the crowns who were hemorrhaging money because of all these pirates were desperately trying to find a way to stop this, to secure trade routes as they expanded colonialism, etcetera. And the pirates are getting in the way of that. And this is the peak.

Of that happening so. Really, they are desperate to stop this. That's why we saw the scenes earlier with the king where he's like, hey, I'll make this decree like anybody who wants to be renounced piracy, like I won't behead you or kill you. You just work for me for a few years and like, you can go on your merry way. That gives you job security, money, whatever, all the things you want if you renounce 'cause they're, they're trying so hard to stop this. So Jiang is playing into that.

She's like, I have a fucking fleet. I have my own Navy. Do you understand the threat now? Basically. Like during this. Conversation also I just want to point out real quick. Ricky. Is insanely lucky that he only had the displeasure of losing a nose and he only had to meet Jackie and Zhang. He lost the fuck out on not meeting Ned. I wish he met Ned 'cause he's such. A little. That would have been a wonderful like that. Would have been a wonderful

ratchet. But like, he, he seriously lucked out, Yeah. He was fairly humanely treated by these. People to be fair with Jackie, Jackie warned warned him. She's like never set foot in my bar again. And then he did it because he feels entitled and she's like, now I'm taking your notes that I I've already explained this to you when you're already breaking the law. I just like I gave you a warning and that was too much of A. Courtesy, yeah, but like, this

is such a like imperialist. Mindset like I'm reading Babel right now by RF Quantum. It's very. Much about. This topic and it's very much their mindset where the English do not respect other people's laws when they're in other people's land. They're just like, my interest supersedes your laws. And so Jackie's like, here's the law. Do not come back in here. I take your nose. Then he comes back in and she's like, I am taking your nose. That is the law here. Here we go.

I'm executing that and he's just acting out after it's just well done writers like it's very much that's the what's the British mentality in this day and age like is really well done. Jackie Ferrell was like, you fucked around, now you're gonna find out I. Stand on this literally, and so Zhang is also. Trying to make that point. Where she's like. Here's the war map.

I have a Navy, so if you wanna fuck with me, you're gonna have to go through my Navy, which is more than you were anticipating. When you're like, we'll just stop a couple of ragtag pirates and. To me, or to me like it really,

it shows again. Zhang the way she's a strategist and a really good businesswoman, where she's like the logical solution, like I think you can fight my Navy and potentially lose your Navy in the process, which is your own, which was like the Crown's only like strategy at this point to like stop the pirates. She's like, you could, you could do that or you can pay us not to do that.

And then you get your trade routes and we'll stop all the other pirates for you and we'll secure, we will be the ones that actually secure your trade route. Like pay them a living wage is what Auntie says, which really is the root of piracy anyway. It's why it even happened because people weren't getting paid fair wages and so they like resorted to like criminality basically. So she's like, why don't you? Correct the.

Original wrong here and just pay these people and give them real jobs and then we won't have piracy so I I love that logic that she plays 'cause it's just like that is literally the root of the problem and why we're all here but of course, as the British man in the room like. We. Can't do the right thing. We have to like, keep doing the wrong thing. And that's how we like progress from here. Unfortunately, almost like this can be applied to corporate America.

It's almost like history keeps repeating itself with. Men in power. I don't know, looking looking a little bit French these days, you know what I mean? We saw how that ended. Let's get that guillotine. I will say though, I feel like Zhang. A little sidetrack, I feel like she would kind of like, love the Boston Tea Party. Oh my God. No, she would. Well, also like. Zhang would be like I could sell. That shit, yeah, she'd. Be so conflicted. And like Steve, he would. Steve would love it.

He'd be like, it's a shame he's. He's going to waste but like fuck it. And then Blackbeard would just be like, OK, Steve would like that, but. I think Steve would like the fuckery. Leading up to the actual dumping of it, like the espionage and the sneaking. Like Steve would love that part, the the drama and the theatrics of that history just based on our flag. Yeah, like somebody give us the fan fiction of the. Boston Tea Party. But it's these, the this crew and Jaying and all of them.

Feel free to drop that link into our discord when you make it. Please do, I would love to read that. Wait. So I one last side note for that fan attention. Could you imagine if Roach? Gets a hold of like the fireworks that would be involved with that, like Glee of just fighting dynamite. So good. So so good. Anywho. Anyway. Speaking of. Fireworks. Yes. Fireworks galore. We are heading. Back to the ship and the Oh my God the drag show showdown is about to begin. Fang. Nope, Feeny.

Feeny, it was right. This time, this is we. John. We. John is working on his dramatic. Lips. Dramatic. Eyes and a little drama on the cheeks and looks fucking fabulous. Because we John is going as. Calypso for Calypso's birthday, Which? What a bold choice to be like. I'm gonna be the star of. This which is great and he's perfect for it. All right, what I love about this scene is. That he's not alone.

While he's like getting his look on, looking in the mirror, Izzy shows up. And I mentioned before back in season one that I think with Izzy, there's some unexplored queerness in this character that starts happening and getting explored here in season 2. And this episode in particular is like the pinnacle of that. So I'm wondering, like with Izzy, if perhaps. Some of his.

Disdain for Ed like Ed the person not Blackbeard back in back on his earlier arc and his reverence for Blackbeard really comes from this self hatred, possibly internalized homophobia that he's been dealing with maybe which wouldn't make sense cause like there. Like it's such. A commonality for like there to be closeted homophobes totally. So like it would make sense and like even like especially for like Izzy's character cause like his his main trope is just self

hatred through and through. Yes. So like it would make sense if he was closeted homophobe, whether that be like him being like bisexual, pansexual, Poly, like the the spectrum is endless. Like, and even if it's just him being like, OK. Well, I kind of like. Being a crossdresser, like I definitely understandable. Like it's, it's just so interesting and I love it. And like as a non binary person, it makes my heart so happy that like he actively goes to explore

that 'cause it is very freeing. Yeah, absolutely. And like freeing is. Really the key. So I agree with you. I I my read on Izzy is that he was always carrying some kind of repression because the thing that we absolutely do know about him is that he's been living in Blackbeard's shadow forever, ever since he became Izzy hands the. Right hand man. Of Blackbeard, like he basically had to give up who he is to be

that person, to be that legend. And so I think an unfortunate consequence of that is Izzy lost sight of who Izzy is and that repression just kind of stayed that way. And so what's amazing about? This point in. Time now that we have Unicorn Izzy. That was the moment when the crew saw Izzy for just being Izzy. It's not right-handed Blackbeard. They're just Izzy the person. They're like we see you, we respect you.

Be the Unicorn Izzy. And that was an admission of basically like we love you is basically what they were saying to him. So in this scene, when he comes to we John, it's he's coming out of curiosity because he's asking what are you doing? And he's watching we John like get into character as clip. So he's doing drag, and to me it's Izzy admitting without admitting that he wants to explore who he is because the crew is.

His. Safe space and he feels comfortable enough to do so. So like you said, Zoe, like perhaps he he did want to do this and was never had the opportunity to do it like cross dress or like do a little bit of drag or just explore his queerness. So to me, the scene with the crew when he does come out in the drag, like it's like he's coming out to his best friends.

Like, you know, it's just I love this scene and this this scene this episode with Izzy. It's just such a like Izzy being himself and being fully accepted. And loved for who? He is and it's such a beautiful moment and a just a big moment for Izzy from where we start to like where we are now. It's so satisfying to watch that and witness it, which to kind of just circle back to something I brought up like a couple. Episodes ago if he if the audience can't. Tell that I really like Vico.

But they even did a little. Drag. Like, inspired look about Izzy. They dressed up as Izzy in drag form for one of their drag shows that they attended. And it was so sweet, so cute. They did like, a burlesqui striptease with a sword and everything. Banger, iconic. We loved it, Yeah. It. Was, I don't know, I don't know if they actually posted it on their Instagram or if it was just in their story, but it was. It was a sight to see, just chef's kiss. I wonder if when Izzy was

helping. Begrudgingly put the bows on Jeff the accountant's beard for the party in season one if he was starting to get ideas in his head and he's like, oh, well, that kind of looks like fun. I wonder what that'd be like. And then there's this huge opportunity. For him to. Actually experiment with it and we do see him have his own dramatic look. So good serving kind, so up. On the. Top deck, there's a dog in the shot. I'm sorry, I love. That dog so. Much. She's so fluffy.

Her name is Kinja and. You just. Burped on me. She's a black goldendoodle. And has the biggest. Eyes and the fluffiest fur. I love you, Kinja. I'll see you soon. Not soon, but I'm going in. It's. OK, anyway, so back. On the top. Deck. They're all having fun. Jim is messing around with Archie and you know, the crew's being the crew. And we John rises out of nowhere and says I am Calypso. He looks like Ursula, which I mean, both pretty good. We drawing looks.

Magnificent and. Truly, the real Calypso would be proud of this. Yeah. And then Izzy. Starts singing LA. Vie en rose. And I wanted to make a note. That Khan was nervous about singing in French. So Maggie Phillips, who we did interview about, which was thank you. Red, white and royal blue.

Was also worked on this show, cleared the English version of the song, but Khan already ended up learning it before it was cleared, so they ended up using both of them and so that's why you hear the French version at the very end. That's awesome. Totally spaced this out. Meant to say this. When you brought up the. Ursula bit. Ursula's makeup was actually inspired by drag. I meant to, I meant to say that. So like I, I love that you included that cause like it's

true. Yeah, Ursula, I think was inspired in general. By Like a Dragon Oh my gosh, the I I wish not I. Wish, I hope. Since Pinocchio was a bedtime story, I hope The Little Mermaid was a bedtime story. And then one night they're like, let's act it out. That'd be so cute. Yeah, it's not I. Believe. Ever say Van Smith or like, the drag queen named Divine? Something like that. But yeah, overall, Ursula is inspired by a drag queen, which is. I do smart. We're hearing about that, Yeah.

Yeah, 'cause a queer man wrote that story. Like it's it's an. Allegory for like. Unrequited queer like gay love like that's actually the like the Disney story ends all happily. The actual story is not happy like when you know Ariel gets her seat like her legs. And is walking on. Land like it's like the cost of like passing is basically the.

Allegory like it was like. Extremely painful every time she took a step and like they don't show that in the Disney version and like in the end Prince Eric does not pick her and she like Alives. Herself what? Because it's, yeah, it's a story. But if you look at. Real. Stories that inspire. Disney stories. They're a lot. Darker than the Disney, that's what like, Disneyification of stuff is a real thing.

Like, that's not the real story. Like, because he was a gay man in love with a straight man, and that's what he was writing the story about. Yeah. And like, like, yeah, awesome. Yeah. In the original. Story It was said that it. Felt like she was. Walking on glass or hot poles. Brothers Grimm, for those who don't know, is what these stories are essentially based off of their culmination of the dark. It's like the darker side of Disney. It's the true to story based

stories. So definitely take a look at that. It's very interesting. Like for instance, Rapunzel, she gets blinded like Cinderella. The circulation from the shoe cuts like it it it's being so tiny it cuts off the stepsisters circulation in their feet so they have to cut off toes. It's so intriguing, it's so gruesome. I love it so fucking much. My child self would have loved that so. Good. Yeah, I should read. Burns fairy tales. They're like legit.

There's also an anime based off of it now on Netflix for those. Interested have. Not watched it myself but I'm intrigued. You know what it's called? It's called like the brothers. Grimm fairy tale. Or something like that. Just type in Grimm, it'll pop up. It's an anime, it's easy to spot. OK, so. Ed and Steed are just looking. Out at the party and Ed asked Steed what is happening and Steed tells him that he succeeded in turning poison into positivity.

The motto of this episode. But unfortunately, this is what we can have. Nice. Things Darlin. And Ned Lowe shows up to torture everyone. He sure does. He sure does. But can we talk about? How when Ned makes his super dramatic entrance and the crew was like oh shit we're under siege. The way Ed's instinct. Is to put physically. Put Steve behind him like he's he's his first action is to just protect Steve and literally shield him with his body. And I just love that so much. So cute.

Yeah. I mean. Yeah, I. Do love protective? Ed Oh, yes. Because good boyfriend, Yeah. I I. Love them together, their. Personalities. When they're. Together are just. Very cute and they they need each other. They do and it's just perfect. Balance it just further. Shows the trope we. Keep talking about about Steed being a golden retriever. Very dumb, wants to protect but like doesn't really know how. And then there's Ed the black cat, who's like I will.

Fuck you up. If you touch anything of mine, no. It's like Steed is like here's. The toy and then like. Claws out, Ed I. Love it. OK, so then. After that, Ned Lowe has. Steed and Ed tied up and held hostage in a separate room. Kinky, so he easily could have been if Ned wasn't. Such a bitch. Yeah, that's true. I think Steve and Ed kind. Of would have welcomed it as well. So while we're in the tie. Up scene I have to give. One of my little tidbits about Ned. So, Ned. He had.

A torture technique that involved tying a victim's hands with rope between their fingers, setting it on fire, and burning their flesh down to their bones. So the fact that he. Tied the hands up. But didn't like do it with like the torture? Method way is very interesting. I don't know if. Like like I would assume that the writers would know about that technique just for the simple fact that like it's very historically accurate.

So just running with that and, and running based on assumption. This is technically supposed to be a way of I'm trying to give you. All the benefit. Of the doubt given Ed is my enemy because he broke my fucking raid record. Steed, you're essentially just a bystander in this. It's not your fault, you're just collateral damage unfortunately. But I will give y'all a chance to talk your way out of it, so to speak. That's how I interpreted at least, knowing that torture

technique, so it's just so good. Oh, but I. Love the fact I agree with what you're saying. I love the fact. That steed's a pawn until Ned realizes that that's. Ed's weakness. Then the table turns like oh, this is this is how I get to you, which I love this. So Ned starts this whole thing on his bullshit though where he's insulting Ed calls him a basic dirty pirate, and he basically waves the violin bow threateningly. And that's when Steed gets into

protective boyfriend mode. He granted he is tied up, but he's like visibly like losing it. Like let me at him, let me at him. I love it. Yeah, but. Ned then explains that. He is upset. Because Blackbeard stole his record and Ed is just like this whole thing is stupid. And he? Said he wasn't trying to and that makes it worse because he says that he just did it because he was bored.

Like, that is not the thing to say to somebody who's upset about you doing breaking a record and has you tied up. Like, it's just gonna make him angrier. That and based on who, Ned. Is it also? Makes sense because call back to the beginning of the episode where he's basically saying I tried to be a violinist. That's hence why he's always got the thing. But my brother was just so naturally good at it. That's a prodigy. A prodigy is someone who just says natural talent. That's exceptional.

And he's like, and he became a great violinist, whereas I had to try so hard and I could never be as good as him. That's literally what's playing out here. Or he's like, I tried so hard to build a legacy, so I did the 88 consecutive reads. That was my life's work. And here comes Blackbeard, a pirate prodigy who's like, I wasn't even trying and I beat your record. So it's just the thing he's been salty about his whole life is happening again. That's what he's really upset

about. Which I mean is fair in general. But you know. This is not the way to deal with your emotions. Obviously not. But they're pirates. And he's, he's, you know. Kind of a little bit of sociopath. OK. And then I love.

It Ed. Also like, OK, so Ned just read him Defeldt by calling him a basic bitch and then Ed does it right back and he's like, you're doing this because of family trauma, right, Right. Is that what happened 'cause he starts explaining to like my brother stuff and he's like, let me guess, you like killed him with the violin bow and made it all dramatic and shit And see, it's like, oh, I think it struck a nerve. So that's when Ned, like, takes his rage. Out on.

Ed first, where he takes a hot poker and like pricks Ed with it basically, which is terrible but Ed's fine with. This and then. When Ned turns his sight to Steed, he starts noticing like Blackbeard. That's when he's like, no, no, no, don't do that, don't do that. And he's like, Oh no, I have to do it 'cause this is your actual weakness. Thanks for showing me your hand, Ed. Sorry, I'm just doing this 'cause I'm bored. Yes, Oh my God, that would have been such an episode.

So epic. I'm bored, let me poke your boyfriend. OK, so we. Eventually all move up to the top. Deck and the crew is tied up on the deck being tortured, some of them about to be tortured some I think one was like had like the headlock on him and he's like no, it doesn't hurt something like that yeah, yeah, well, I love that part because. Basically, OK, so it's two. People in head Vice, it's Olu and Roach, and it starts with Olu and he's like, I have a soft head. This hurts.

And then Roach is in the background giggling as they're tightening. No thoughts. No thoughts? No. Thoughts. And he's just. I don't think the torture has actually started yet, guys. And the crew is so soft. They're all. Crying got a smooth rain, no? Ridges or some some valleys or. Bumps, right, OK. So. While this is happening, Luscious and Black Pete. Are off being lovers, which is hilarious. They're so blissfully unaware. About.

What's happening 'cause they're on like their the start of their honeymoon and yes, and let us all hydrate for. Lesbian Jesus for their 24 hour post engagement sex capades that they were doing good for you guys. Yes, very good fan. So Lucius and Black Pete. Figure out their ship. Is under attack. Then they start going back and forth about helping them like, oh, we need more knives, but we might need this. And then basically they're just stalling by getting an obnoxious

amount of weapons. They're. Both. Yeah, they're both. Fairly cowardly. Characters where? Lucius is like, why don't you just tell their? Stories. That's the best revenge, right? They'll live out in literature. And then Black Feet is always the one who's like, yeah, I'm tough. But when it comes down to it, he's not 'cause as he's doing this, he's like, I feel nauseous. So I love that their personality is actually like shine. Through here and that that they're like.

There's only two of us and we don't know what's up. Deck, we need more. I mean that is fair because there is two of them a raid they're. Not going to be able to stop a raid by themselves Exactly.

So that is the terrifying situation to be in, you know, so. That's that they're the way they approach it is, you know, it is scary for Ned's whole Symphony of torture as. Point for him another interesting a little tidbit, the amazing author, British writer, rather Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who as most people know, wrote Sherlock Holmes. An interesting thing about that is he called low. The way he described him was savage and desperate and a man of amazing and grotesque

brutality, which is so cool. And like and like. There's even like a New York Times article. Discussing this and. Like they, they go on to like, say, like they caught him. A torturer whose methods would have done credit to the ingenuity of the Spanish Inquisition and its darkest days. So like, that's just amazing. And like, I keep looking.

Down, 'cause I have this, like written on my phone, 'cause like, it's while I know some of this by memory, some of this, especially that quote from the New York Times, would not have been able to remember that for the life of me. Oh, that's so good. Thank you for adding that. Like Ned Lowe's character is just. It's so fucking. Loaded because he he was such an interesting and intricate person. Like 100% him and Hannibal. Lecter. Would have gotten along swimmingly.

Oh my God, Oh my God. Hannibal Lecter. The man who, like, harp somebody out into a cello, like they would have had so much fun together. Like, come now, there's that crossover. Yeah, I want to see. That I I like that. OK, so meanwhile. Ned. Lowe is showing how will he treats his crew like they are nothing and. Steve. 'S like. Oh, that hurts. And Hellcat. Maggie is like. It's nice to get some positive. Reinforcement around here.

And this opens up the window just to crack enough for Steve to do his therapist thing and he immediately turns Ned's crew. Against him. By just showing them that they deserve respect, and Steve tells. Ned, the issue is. That he thinks of his crew as employees rather than people. And that's Steed's biggest thing. Like these are people, their feelings are valid, you need to treat them with respect. That is the gentleman pirate. And probably my favorite part is. When?

Steed reverses the situation and. Traps Hellcat. Maggie. And he makes. Sure to ask her what her name is. And I think the simple act really shows her how much he cares and how people can care in general. And I do say this in. Every media that we cover that names. Matter. It's just a simple sign of respect. But it means. A lot to people, Yeah. The other thing? I agree with all of that. Thank you, Caitlin. The. Other thing I want to add.

To comment on Ned and the way he looks at the crew, he mentions that his crew are. Mercenaries. Which? Means that his. Crew is not organic the way that steeds was, the way that Blackbeard was. It means that these are people for hire. So he just hires them to do jobs. And so that makes even more of a

disconnect. Well, yeah, he, he does view them as employees 'cause he's like, you're just here 'cause I'm paying you, not because you respect me and see me as a leader and not because we're an actual crew. He's like, I'm your employer, I paid you, go do the job I paid you for. So because of that, he feels entitled to degrade them, which is exactly what he was doing before Steed flipped the script, right?

He was basically telling her like, you're incompetent and can't tie Steed up to get like, then I'll just get rid of you. I can hire somebody better. So like to him, they are disposable. They're they're playthings. And if you're experiencing this at your job? Quit, right? But like the fact that Steed. Can tap into their frustration to incite a mutiny is really impressive, yeah. So anyway.

Ned insults her again because. Of course he does, that's just Ned. That's Ned's personality trait and she stands up for herself because she is a bad ass bitch as well and she says that she is sick of his constant. Criticism. And this turns the rest of the crew for hire at will. Employment people. Mercenaries. Yeah, well, I. Didn't know the name. I was just, yeah. Never mind it, it didn't land. She was ad libbing. They all turn on him and just like that, Ned has lost his

advantage. So this is when Steed. Starts becoming more like. Blackbeard and Ed does not seem too. Thrilled about it. So. Steve's solution for everything that happened when they took over again makes he makes Ned Lowe walk the plank. Basically classic Yes and. LL my. God Ed tells him not to. Because there is no going back from. Killing in cold blood and everything before that was just has enough defense, yeah. Yeah, up till. Now Steed. Hasn't. Actually. Killed anyone on purpose.

So really this would be his first kill and Ed knows it. And he also knows that like that changes you forever. Hence I am the Kraken. I am a monster. And I think Ed is just trying to protect Steed from that. And with that I do want to do a little send off for Ned. Because I have another interesting tidbit. So I would like to end out a quote. If that is OK, I'll do it. So the quote comes from.

Captain Charles. Johnson, who was a British author of the 1724 book A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. There is not actual record of a captain by the name of Charles Johnson. Some people think that I was a pen name for one of the London writers.

Publishers and some scholars have suggested that the actual author was Daniel Defoe. But he did make a little quote about Ned that says of all the piratical crews that were ever heard of, none of the English names came up to this in

barbarity. Their mirth and their anger had much the same effect, for both were usually gratified with the cries and groans of their prisoners, so that they almost as often murdered a man from the excess of good humor as of as out of the passion and resentment. And the unfortunate could never be assured of the safety from them, for danger lurked in their very smiles. And I felt like that was a very fitting way to send Ned off. Because that is such a powerful fucking quote.

It's chilling, truly. Because once again. The. Symphony of Torturous Symphony of. Pain. Whatever you want to call it it, that encaps that quote encapsulates that 'cause that shows just how barbaric and like ruthless Ned was. And that's what makes him such an interesting character in my eyes, because he was purely like a serial killer of of pirates. Like literally blank. Simple. The mercenaries didn't really. Had a choice they. Already. Took the money, they were along for the ride.

They had to go along with his fucked up ways because if they didn't, they would be in fear that they would be the next victim and that the writing, the way that they brought Ned in, is just so goddamn good. And it's just hella satisfying that that's who. Steed kills like this hyper barbaric, ridiculous human. That's who Steed ends up taking out. Like that's the biggest threat to pirates. Like it's just like, like the way these opportunities just come to Steed and like the ones

he's. Executes. Are just like a huge fucking deal and I don't think Steed in this moment really realizes that he was just like he felt threatened and like felt like Blackbeard was being threatened. He's like my crew is being threatened. Walk that fucking plank works for spiders where he's like, you want me to jump and drown like. Works for spiders. Works for men, little bit line. Once all this happens. Though there are fireworks. And then there are fireworks.

Oh, and then there were fireworks. Which? Fucking till. Avion Rose is such. A It's a vibe. It is a vibe. Is there any other way for Blackbeard and? Steed. To consummate? I don't think so to. Izzy. Serenading them loudly on the roof in French. I think that's it's also ironic as fuck considering that like Izzy was mortified. Thinking that they were fucking on deck and little does he know they're fucking literally below him. That that Seriously. That is.

There's no other. Way that can happen is what? I'm saying like exactly. Just for that reason which makes his reaction in the next. Episode. All the more. Beautiful. So. Oh man, but yeah, I love it. I love it they finally just cause like you would think 'cause like basically Ed goes after Steed. Because. He thinks. Steed's gonna be upset. About the kill and he's just like full of passion and I was just like, you know what good for both of you. It doesn't how to how to love

some of that anxiety. Yeah, you know, like it didn't change. Steed really. He's just like, I think. Steed felt. Like he was doing the right thing and made peace with that very quickly, you know, So character, big character growth from Steed and just he is becoming more and more of an actual like real pirate in every episode. And it's really cool to see his growth in that because it's very subtle the way it happens throughout the show.

Whereas like Ed casting off Blackbeard and becoming Ed is much more overt, but like Steed actually becoming a pirate, like a real one, like a ruthless person, one who can make these difficult decisions he could not have made when he first started. Like that is so subtle, his transformation and just I love that it just ends with just like him not. Being upset about it, it's. Just it's, it's Ed or it's it's Steve taking what he wants. He wanted to be a real pirate.

He wants Ed and he takes it in this scene and it's just huge character growth from Steve. That's really satisfying. Also a big indicator that it. Didn't really bother him as much as like it would have when he first started is the fact that he had hallucinations of the twins when he had killed them. He didn't do that at all moving forward with Ned. And like, that just shows, like he justified it internally of it's either me and my crew or it's him.

And I have to make that decision as the dad and captain of this ship. Yeah, like, that's a really good point. We also get. No flashback of like the goose getting killed, like none of those. He's not triggered at all in this scene. He's just doing it. And even with Ed's warning, he's like, I understand what you're saying but this is something I have to do.

And like it's not said out loud. But I think to your point, like Steed just makes his decision, makes peace with it and moves on, which is humongous for Steed. And my final note for this for Steed's character development. Is the fact of the matter of fight flight or freeze? He started off freezing. He started off fighting and fleeing. And now he's in the fight phase.

And that's such a nice and Immaculate journey for Steed 'cause he deserves it. And he had that fostered growth from like, from Ed. And that's such a wonderful like thing. Like, I just, I love it. Yeah. This this episode is. Deserves all the awards. It's a really fantastic, well done episode. Ned was such a compelling interesting character. Like first figure from history like you said Zoe, but just still made compelling creepy. All of the things. The way his wardrobe was, he was

dramatic as fuck. Like everything about him was fantastic and like what a villain to have in this episode and just the way it ends with fireworks and just just queer. Joy. It's. Just it's just like, where what other show do you find that on? It's just that's one of the things that makes the show really great and I really appreciate about it in general. And if you want to hear Gypsy Gypsy Taylor's take?

On on Ned, Ned's outfit and who is inspired, like who inspired her to make the costume and everything for Ned. Definitely give it a look if you haven't seen it already. Yeah, if you haven't seen that interview already, what are you doing? Go listen to that. Interview Gypsy's a gem. I love her all right. Anything else to? Say about Calypso's birthday. It was a success. It was so good. Great. Success.

The only thing we didn't talk. About that I. Love is the way the crew commandeers steeds bathtub like may punch punch us actually like jungle juice or. Whatever. And he's like mine. They're like, we needed it for reasons. And he's like, just return it not broken. He was like, I guess that's. So funny. Anyway. Well. That's the end of Calypso's birthday. I. Hope you guys are all celebrating like a calypsians. I mean you should always be

celebrating. Next time we will talk about episode two O 7 with the infamous Blue Silk Road. But robe not a road which the Blue Silk Road that I just made-up. Anyway. So until next time, I Drake for lesbian Jesus and gay enough 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

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so much more. Until next time, hydrate from lesbian Jesus. And gay enough all over the place.