Our Flag Means Death: Thread 3. It's still utterly brilliant. We are still obsessed.

[TriceratopsRocks]

Ahoy again mateys! Set sail aboard thread 3 where we still wax lyrical about our favourite show, its cast, its music, fan edits, fan fiction and more 😁(there may also be just a little obsessing over our fabulous leads - pictures extremely welcome)!

If you haven’t yet seen Our Flag Means Death, what are you waiting for? Go watch it (on BBC iPlayer), then come back here and join us. But be warned, some of you may find yourself as hooked as we are 🎣.

You may have heard that this is a comedy about pirates and think it's not for you. But it’s actually a show about self-discovery, healing and found-family with a love story at its heart. The joint leads are both damaged by abusive backgrounds and want what the other has. The show is about their healing and their respective journeys. It’s tender, romantic, funny, emotionally intelligent and utterly refreshing. It subverts genre expectations. There is comedy, absurdity and a good amount of heartbreak and despair - sometimes in the same scene! The acting is outstanding (Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby especially). But the writing, music, costumes, sets, the sheer attention to detail – for a show with only 18 half-hour episodes it is still keeping us talking, two full threads and many re-watches later.

If you think this might appeal, do watch it and come back and talk to us. It would be lovely if more were to join our crew. But it's a show that needs time. The 2nd lead arrives in episode 3, so you need to give it at least 4 episodes as that’s when the tone changes and the main story starts. It still took me several more episodes to fully appreciate what I was watching, but by then I was hooked and had to immediately watch it all over again. If you like Good Omens, What We Do in the Shadows, Ghosts or even Bridgerton, this might be the show for you.

(I’ve kept this spoiler free, but if you scroll down you will no doubt find many, so beware!)

Thread 1: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5008593-our-flag-means-death-its-utterly-brilliant-and-i-am-obsessed?reply=135294204
Thread 2 : https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5076581-our-flag-means-death-thread-2-still-utterly-brilliant-and-we-are-still-obsessed?reply=136060611

@TriceratopsRocks great article! As always I’m in awe at these clever, resourceful people. I also love the line about getting better water for S2. The water was very believable. And all the sky shots from NZ, I find that quite moving.

Yes, I love that he was out there for ages just taking those incredibly detailed images of any sky he found interesting. I adore 'big sky' and can get lost gazing at clouds that are just various shades of grey, so I'd really love to see that sky photo library of his.

I love that he was out there for ages just taking those incredibly detailed images of any sky he found interesting. Ed himself would’ve done this had they had cameras in 1717.

Especially ones that look like frankfurters 😉

Oh yes you are right! I can see him wandering around on deck with his expensive camera equipment - he is so fascinated by everything he'd want to capture it. Except maybe 'nature' of the biting/stinging variety...😁

Why have I got an ad here for knee support 😂😂

Awesome! Tell me, does it look anything like Ed's (please say yes)? 😁

Sadly not 😂
It moved on before I could screen shot it. It was very medical looking!

That is straight-up hilarious! 🤣

I’m even being trolled on Twitter now 😂

Not sure you should actually try that, despite the name! There is no way that the 1st (front) view is the same body as the 4th (rear) view. Very wonky left leg there. 🤣

I know @TriceratopsRocks I’m not attracting particularly high quality ads, I dread to think what data is being used - poor student with a pirate obsession and one mention (admittedly many now) of a dodgy knee 😂

It's a unicorn hoof 😀🦄

Definitely needs to be sent to leg heaven.

Onwards to 2.3! What an episode! Definitely a contender for the best episode of anything seen on TV, ever (along with 1.9 and 1.10 of course). This is going to be a long one because there’s just so much here.

We have Stede launching himself off the Red Flag “Ed! Ed I’m here!” to the desolation of the Revenge, accompanied by the brief reprise of Schumman’s Traumerei - last heard just before the beach kiss. It is a reminder of what brought them to this point. Also, that while Stede was sending love letters to Ed, Ed’s own ‘love letters’ to Stede were the raids he was carrying out - and this is the result.

A favourite Archie moment! “Oh Shit! Is this Stede..? I thought you’d be taller, more muscly, charismatic. This is good soup!!” Frenchie right on the ball, as ever, with his ‘retirement’ excuse.

Then the gravy basket.The change in colour palette shows something isn’t right. Ed is a terrified child when he thinks Hornigold is poisoning him with the ‘cargo ship’ soup spoon. He’s scared about what might have happened when he was asleep (as someone said upthread, showing just how much trust Ed had in Stede to sleep next to him on the day they met). But all I see here is a frightened little boy. In fact, Ed’s stance all the time he’s in the gravy basket is very childlike (except when he’s being Jeff). Taika is amazing.

Did anyone ever work out who/what Ruthie represents? We glimpse another pig too.

Auntie’s detective skills are almost magical. It paves the way for the actual magic that happens later.

Stede starts to tidy the cabin to Traumerei and Gnossienne 5, their love theme. This is where Stede shows he knows Ed better after a month(?) than Izzy does after years. Izzy says they left Ed on a beach. We just saw Ed on a beach. It made me question what I’d seen the first time.

We meet the wonderful Jeff! Flowers on the desk, sprig on his lapel, hair up, both arms out. Jeff is great! But Hornigold soon gets to the heart of things “You’re not very good with people, mate, are you? ... You’re afraid you’re unlovable”. Those 2 options Hornigold offers - move on, or blow your brains out. Live or die. Ed’s pros are simply the basic necessities of life; warmth, food, intercourse. It really demonstrates that, as Ed keeps saying, he is a simple man and just wants a simple life - if he can be allowed to have it.

Joel Fry’s delivery of “We’ve been living second to second for a while now. Kinda nice to have a deadline”. Stunning. He shows such emotional depth this season.

Escape!! With towels, camomile and a single crossbow shot – another of Black Pete’s ‘tall tales’ is revealed. Stede is taking real responsibility here - putting his own feelings aside to rescue his crew from that certain death Frenchie sang about in the pilot.

Now the big moment: Ed on the 1000ft cliffs (I love the shot showing the real location we’ve now seen). His fear as he’s dragged down by the rock. His head wants to choose life, but he heart isn’t ready yet.

Then the scene of all time. We talked about it recently. Ed is dragged into the water; Stede steps into the water on the Revenge - both their feet highlighted in blue. Stede is joining Ed both on the ship and also in that halfway house between life and death. He’s holding the lantern – the guiding light that Ed will see in the darkness of the ocean. Stede removes the face cloth and Ed, who by now was falling peacefully to his death, realises something has changed. He tries to break free; his ring finger starts to twitch. We see the shadows of the water on the ship moving on the cabin walls (it looks a bit Kraken tentacle-ey to me). Stede holds his hand and Ed sees the light, we hear Stede’s anguished cries, then the beautiful MerStede appears. Ed chooses life. Has there ever been a better sequence on TV? The acting is stunning, and all done with practical effects.No computer trickery. I adore and admire this scene so much.

So, my gift to you, if you made it through that wall of text are the following:
Samba’s behind the scenes Merstede day:

For Rhys fans: https://www.tumblr.com/rhysdarbinizedarby/742908424841527296/merstede-thirst-trap-with-blow-kiss-and-wink?source=share And a few pics, as ever 😄

@TriceratopsRocks and everyone.

I will never get over the shock that this show got made. That we got The Innkeeper episode. That we got the Merstede scene.

A fabulous analysis as usual @TriceratopsRocks. I’ve never seen that fuller version of the BTS so thank you for posting. 🙂

We have Stede launching himself off the Red Flag “Ed! Ed I’m here! I absolutely love the fan theory that this occurs at the same time Ed falls from the cliff. Within the show it’s separated by several hours, but who knows how time works within Ed’s subconscious. Plus Jenkins time. So I’m having it. Another parallel. They fell into the water together.

Ed’s own ‘love letters’ to Stede were the raids he was carrying out I only got this the other day! Doi! I needed to pay attention more to Strawberry 23 in 2.1. ‘Hello my love, I heard a kiss from you / (A present from you, strawberry letter 22)’. That’s Stede kissing the bottle and throwing the letter into the sea. The raids, as you say, are ‘Ed’s reply’, and his state of mind is echoed in the song ‘All through the morning rain I gave, the sun doesn't shine/Rainbows and waterfalls run through my mind’.

A favourite Archie moment! “Oh Shit! Is this Stede..? 🤣 Doesn’t she also say she thought Stede would be taller which parallels Lucius’ comments in 1.4 about Blackbeard? I need more Archie and Lucius together. Such a bitchfest. 🥰

as someone said upthread, showing just how much trust Ed had in Stede to sleep next to him on the day they met That’s me 😃. Yeah, it’s just horrible Ed’s reaction here. I have to not let my mind think about what Ed went through as a young man on Hornigold’s ship. It does help to make sense of his relationship - whatever that was - with Jack. Because they were in survival mode. Ed falling asleep next to Stede in 1.4 and then being woken with marmalade… what a contrast.

Did anyone ever work out who/what Ruthie represents? We glimpse another pig too. No… but as I was torturing myself with parts of 2.7 yesterday, I noticed a Ruthie-like pig in front of Ed when he storms away from Stede during his fisherman-career delusion. We know nothing is accidental in this show, so it’s a psychological aberration. It’s meant to show Ed still isn’t ‘right’ and is working through his stuff. Oh, Ed. But as to what Ruthie actually symbolises… 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ed’s pros are simply the basic necessities of life; warmth, food, intercourse It’s very reptilian brain, this. It’s basic survival. It’s not true of Ed really though. He needs creativity which comes mostly from gender non-conforming behaviour. He’s not a bureaucrat, a planner, a linear thinker; he’s a frustrated artistic theatre director, spontaneous, an abstract thinker. Ed just doesn’t know this explicitly. I do like that he says ‘intercourse’ first over ‘orgasm’ as that is about connection. We wants human connection.

Escape!! With towels, camomile and a single crossbow shot That Stede rescues the crew first before grieving for Ed. That Stede rescues the very people that murdered Ed… That’s a level of empathy and understanding I would never achieve in a hundred lifetimes.

Nothing to add to your analysis of the Merstede scene which needs an award or several already! Just a question really… edit: which has led to some analysis, sorry! 🤣

Stede’s voice. Ed can hear Stede in the real world. We know hearing is first to come back as we regain consciousness. Stede’s voice is frantic. But the calmer voice, I’m here. I’ll never leave you again. You’re safe. Is that Ed’s subconscious? I really want it to be because it gives further insight into Ed’s psychology around Stede. Not to be left, obviously. But ‘You’re safe’. Rewind… this is the most fearsome pirate that ever lived needing the worst pirate potentially who ever lived to reassure him he’s safe. We know it’s psychological safety, of course. I love that Stede doesn’t drag Ed to the surface. He just shares his space, mirrors him, says I am you, you are me. Ed doesn’t want to be ‘rescued’. He wants to be understood, he wants reciprocity. He just wants to be ‘safe’ to be himself. To be loved unconditionally, and to offer that to Stede in return. This is what Stede gives Ed in the couch scene… 2.4, please!

Sorry, that was so long, but it’s 2.3!

I leave you with The Three Stooges.

I've just finished the fanfic set in Reno in the 1950s, really beautiful.

Think it was recommended on here ages ago but at the time the setting didn't appeal......... stumbled across it again last night (now I'm into every and any possible AUs!) and stayed up way too late. The author writes so well and really evokes the time and place, especially the background sense of danger and unsafety around being openly queer in that environment.

Definitely recommend if anyone else hasn't read yet!

archiveofourown.org/works/44880253/chapters/112921783

I liked that one too. I know this is technically a spoiler, but not really. Lets face it, they're always going to get together in any fic recommended on here! But after the 'main' story was done, I really appreciated the repeated visits back, years apart, so we could see them grow old together. We don't see that very long term outcome in many stories and it was so nice to see here.

@CarpeDiem83 that sounds nice, thank you. I’m reading the blue sapphires one and I need a break (like Ed).

@MrsJellybee you've raised some really good points. I've also seen that fan theory about the jump, and it's such a wonderful idea. Absolutely could be true, because it's very unlikely that time in the gravy basket runs in pararall with the real world.

I couldn't remember if we'd talked about the strawberry letters before on here, but I had to look it up myself a while ago (when I was putting my playlist together), because of the discrepancy between the song title and the lyrics. I remain in awe of the writing/music team.

Thank you for your observations about Ruthie and pigs too. I had forgotten that there's also a pig when Ed goes of to be a fisherman.

As for the calmer voice in MerStede - I'm going to have to watch this again! Not exactly a hardship :) I hadn't really thought about the calm voice possibly being Ed's subconscious. Ed's 'con' was that he didn't think anyone would be waiting for him and MerStede showed Ed that wasn't true. Your comments about Stede not 'rescuing' him but simply being there, reassuring Ed that he wasn't alone, are just beautiful and I fully agree.

I'll try and get to 2.4 tonight but might not manage it - lots going on atm :)

Yes I loved the mini sequels! They may have made me tear up a bit though........I would also love another story that picks up directly after the end of the first, wasn't ready to say goodbye.

I'll try and get to 2.4 tonight but might not manage it - lots going on atm :)

@TriceratopsRocks It wasn’t a demand! 🤣

Just excited to discuss the Kicked Puppy and the Cranky Kitty on the sofa 🐶😼

bounces up and down

Oh I'm also very excited for kicked puppy and cranky kitty - what wonderful descriptions of them. Love it 🤣.

I can't finish Blue Sapphires, @BillStickersIsInnocent . I liked the start but then it was too much to manage

I know exactly what you mean. I started skipping those sections just so I got to the end of the story. I said it before but I wanted to slip Ed a card for Women's Aid. But that fic reminded me how important it is to always check the tags carefully and not to even start reading if certain ones were included. It's just not worth it. Any author that includes so many tags they fill my entire phone screen doesn't get read either! I've also fallen foul of forgetting to check the chapter count and date of last update. It's frustrating to really enjoy several chapters of a fic to see it hasn't been updated for 2 years...