I Thought It Was Meant To Show Zheng's Hubris. Yes, She's One Of In Not The Most Successful Pirate There

I thought it was meant to show Zheng's hubris. Yes, she's one of in not the most successful pirate there is, but with that comes complacency. I mean, Stede was right when he said how easy it was to escape right from under her nose. She wins so much, she can't seem to fathom losing. Of course Prince Ricky sent her a lame ass annoying gift as a thank you for allowing him to participate in her genius plan. And it was legitimately genius. The problem lied in her being used to everyone folding and doing as she asks so much that she didn't pick up on Ricky's scheming right in front of her.

also ok the show handwaving all the Hard Plot Details in favor of telling a more compelling and emotionally-rich story has always been one of my favorite things abt the show, from “1717 was a leap year” to how bad ed’s plan to take stede’s identity was (what if he ran into ppl who knew stede?? how would he explain the fact that he looks literally nothing like him) to fast-travel dinghies and so on.

but the grandfather clock bombs in 2x7 was like. too much. they hand-waved the plot too close to the sun. bc i feel like the show wants us to pretend that the clock thing wasn’t a blatantly obvious trap and it wasn’t incredibly stupid for zheng to fall for it. and i’m having a really hard time buying that lol

literally they could’ve had that first clock be the only one zheng got that morning and then throughout the day while zheng is ashore all her other ships keep getting clocks delivered to them and auntie can’t get in touch with zheng about it. that would’ve been more believable than zheng being like “so all of our ships got this giant ugly box as a present??? well i’m sure this is exactly what it looks like and absolutely no further investigation is necessary!”

I can smell the criticism of this finale from a mile away and can already see a few flooding in, and don’t get me wrong some are very valid (i.e. the pacing, because it was very fast like literally over in an instant and they managed those insanely tight pivots from one emotional beat to the next well given what they had but like… yeah it was too fast, I blame max)

but also straight up if I hear anyone else talking about how it was out of character for stede to stay with ed in the end I’m going to lose it!!!!

like NO, his character motivations did not completely disappear in that moment, because episode 7 was about showing how stede’s trauma leads him towards toxic masculinity, not how it’s his overarching goal!! I think maybe it would have made more sense to people if stede hadn’t been making those comments about his performance, like little jokey jokes of him lying about his contributions, seeking approval/praise, etc. but like… that’s not a sign that his shit behaviour from episode 7 still lingers in my opinion. it’s about how he still at the end of the day is just Some Dude who really wants acceptance in this community.

stede’s overarching goal going into piracy was community. he wanted to change things for the better and operate under a new work ethic. he wanted to build family, and though pirates have been able to do that under harsher, more traumatizing and ruthless circumstances, like izzy and ed, we see how the violent nature of their circumstances permeated their relationship for a long time and makes it very charged, perhaps not gaining true vulnerability and clarity until it’s too late. THAT WAS STEDE’S GOAL. he wanted to be a famous and celebrated pirate, yes, but he also wanted to change the game. he lost his way a little, but episode 7!stede was a phase.

because he came into it for fame and community, but he left knowing he’d helped his found family as much as he could, recognizing that zheng is a competent leader and that his teachings were going to carry on through his crew and on his ship. and he left for LOVE. that is the core of stede bonnet and I will never let all you grumpies and grouchies forget that.

Ed really said "You're not worth the poison." and then Stede truly said "No. But you are." and then killed a man for him

Maybe it isn't meant to be, but it is. That's not only a sad ending but a cliché one as well. There doesn't need to be a neat little bow put on it. They just need to be together. I'm so tired of stories that draw out the angst with the main couple. There are so many other ways to add drama without the same old boring on again/off again. And yes, having them part ways mutually is having them off again. For once, we should have a couple who figures out how to communicate effectively and compromise. Not to mention how ooc it would be for either of them to willingly leave each other yet again after everything they've been through.

It makes much more sense for both of them to take a break from pirating and figure out their relationship together. Then they can decide where to go from there. An after credits stinger teasing a coming threat for season 3 would be more than enough to create buzz. Marvel has showed us that time and time again. I'm done accepting the idea that gays have to be in pain to make yhe story interesting. It just isn't true.

If I were in charge of writing the s2 finale, here’s what I would do.

After Ed and Stede make up and work together to kill the clock asshole, I think Ed would admit to Stede that he doesn’t want this life anymore, that all he wants is a life of simplicity and domesticity.

I think Stede, upon hearing this, would offer to give up everything to stay with Ed and to build that life with him.

But Ed knows Stede, and he’s seen that pirating makes him happy, and he knows that the crew of the Revenge needs him, and that the life that Ed so desperately wants is the one that Stede ran away from, and I think Ed would reject Stede’s offer and say “No. Don’t give up now on my account, you go be the Gentleman Pirate, and when you’re ready, I’ll be here. I’ll wait for you.”

And Stede does, leaving Ed (with a tearful goodbye kiss, of course) with the promise to return. And they both get to live the lives they always wanted, and it’s not perfect but it’s enough for now, and they live knowing that they are loved.

That’s where I’d leave them.

Apart, but hopeful.

I just wanted to post this scene on here becuase screencaps and gifs can not capture the fucking line delivery served here

I have to get some sleep, but I just wanted to come on here and say how much "Our Flag Means Death" has healed me as both a queer person and a fandom participant. I'm on cloud 9 right now. David Jenkins has my entire heart and soul!