Every Mention Of Izzy Or Con In OFMD Season 2 Reviews (so Far)

Every mention of Izzy or Con in OFMD Season 2 Reviews (so far)

Under the cut

[mostly spoiler free - there's one bit which refers to a released sneak peak from S2E1, which is more spoilery, with quotes of dialogue.]

First mate Izzy also has a very meaty storyline that O'Neill imbues with a lot of pathos and wisdom. His scenes of counsel with both Stede and Ed are some of the best of the season, and they add more humanity to the gruff seaman.

First mate Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill) now has to reckon with having poured jet fuel on an emotional bonfire, and the result is an Emmy-worthy performance taking Hands on a turbulent and transformative journey few could have seen coming last season.

The second season starts by showing us our two heroes at their lowest. Stede, alone, broke, and absolutely obsessed with getting back to Ed, and Blackbeard snorting coke, drinking heavily, and destroying the only stable relationship he has left–the one between him and his first mate Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill).

Izzy Hands becomes a stronger presence, and while he remains the constant punching bag for Ed and the rest of the crew, this time he gets in a few good hits himself. His B-Plot this season is really what ties the season together in a cohesive way, acting as a bridge between Ed and Stede as they fail to communicate in ways that the other can understand.

In the sneak peek, below, times are tense for Frenchie (Joel Fry), Jim (Vico Ortiz), Fang (David Fane), and the newest member of the team, Archie (Madeleine Sami), as they observe Blackbeard’s second in command, Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill). As seen in the minute-and-a-half exchange, Izzy’s getting testy with the shipmates when they question orders to throw treasure overboard. “It is not your place to tell me what does or does not make sense. It is your job to follow my f**king orders,” Izzy spits, emotion welling in his makeup-darkened eyes.

Fang is the first to note that Izzy doesn’t seem to be doing fine, and Jim steps forward to add, “Yeah, we think you’re in an unhealthy relationship with Blackbeard.” Additional tidbits from the crew include the fact that Blackbeard does “a lot of rhino horn” and he’s cut off more of Izzy’s toes.

In other words, Ed’s downward spiral is wreaking havoc on Izzy and the rest of the gang. But depending on how you feel about certain pirate looks, their exterior makeovers are sure to excite, regardless of the reasoning behind them.

And when it comes to Izzy, he’s not changing things too much. “He’s just a man of his own. He wouldn’t really listen to Blackbeard,” Taylor says. “So there were very subtle things [that we were going to do], like adding studs to his gloves so that when he beat up people, it was a little bit more violent. But in the end, we took it away. He’s enough of a badass on his own.” Ultimately, the only real change people will see on Izzy went the show returns is, “He got a bit dirtier from being at sea. We broke him down more, added a bit more sort of salt and all those crusty sort of overlays.”

Blackbeard embarks on a nautical rampage. His behavior even alarms other hardened pirates — including his cynical sidekick Izzy Hands, played to the hilt by an entertainingly acidic Con O'Neill.

Invested in maintaining his captain's badass reputation, Izzy originally saw Stede as a frivolous idiot who seduced Blackbeard away from his true calling. Now Izzy takes an unexpected leaf out of Stede's book, trying to mediate Blackbeard's post-breakup meltdown.

"The atmosphere on this ship is completely poisoned," Izzy says at one point. Last season, he probably would have thought that was a good thing.

Con O’Neill continues to be the cast’s secret weapon as Izzy Hands, who finds his own growth this season. Their captains’ romance may be stuck in arrested development, but the supporting cast really shines.

Tackling an equally upgraded storyline is Con O'Neill’s Izzy Hands. A scene stealer in season one, he’s now one of the most compelling characters in this cast of pirate misfits, and you won’t be able to get a show-stopping musical moment from one of the later episodes out of your head.

The crew is haunted by their actions, as Izzy tries and fails to speak to any lingering humanity Blackbeard possesses, with the latter succumbing to near-suicidal pursuits.

Ortiz is allowed a greater level of playfulness as Jim, demonstrating a commanding screen presence, while O’Neill might be the series’ greatest secret weapon as Izzy, with some of the most poignant moments of the series.

The joyful playfulness of Stede’s crew is immediately tempered by just how much Blackbeard doesn’t want to live anymore. He has a total disregard for his life and the lives of everyone around him. It even makes you want to cry a bit for Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill), which after the role he played at the end of last season is a bit of a shocker.

The entire cast kills it once again, and I just want to give a special shout-out to Con O’Neill because as someone who saw no redeeming qualities in Izzy Hands in Season 1, I actually kind of like him now.

This season, it was hard to pull my attention away from Con O’Neill, who plays the enigmatic first mate to Blackbeard, Izzy Hands. Izzy and Con became fan favorites in season 1 despite Izzy’s betrayal of Ed, and anyone who doesn’t already love him won’t be able to hold out for long. There is a deep, emotional complexity to Izzy’s role this season that is an undertaking for any performer — O’Neill takes it in stride.

Waititi’s Ed is consumed by self-loathing (a recurring theme throughout Season Two) and excises that pain onto his half of the Revenge’s crew—Izzy (Con O’Neill), Jim, and Fang spend Season Two reeling from the cruelties he inflicts on them as a result of his inner pain. Though Jim’s story ends up veering into more romantic territory (especially once Oluwande re-enters the picture having gotten chummy with a Season Two newcomer), Izzy spends the season struggling to cope with his feelings for Ed and loyalty as first mate—what his fellow crew members solemnly tell him is a “toxic relationship.”

Bro I.. I will kiss you for this idea

I can't stop posting about this guy omg.

I've been thinking about all the scenes of Izzy and Stede, and I like many others believe theirs going to be some sort of mentor and pupil thing going on, I really hope we get some crazy ass sexual tension. Like I want Stede pausing during a sword training and stare at Izzy. Saying some sappy shit like. "Oh I didn't realize ____ about you" and Izzy just freezes and stares at Stede like 'what' because no one but Edward cared enough to stare at him. And that Izzy's problem with being Edwards guard dog that can't seem to leave him transfers too Stede instead. I'd love to see a meetup between Stede, Izzy and Edward where Edward calls Izzy his 'first mate' and theirs a pause, 'your still mine Izzy' and Stedes like 'i think he belongs to my crew now, he's my first mate.' Like ajd sjabdkabsiaai pls transfer custody of the wet rat and made Edward regret leaving.

Sometimes babygirl isn't even a girl

It's a they/them who likes knifes

Sponsored by Jim Jimenez lovers

Good day to be a multishipper

not to sound like the most annoying cunt ever but I do think it’s really funny that I’ve seen multiple people since the new clip dropped being like “wow I never even considered fang/izzy until now but they’re really cute!!” bc like,, bitch I’ve seen the Vision™️ since day fucking ONE. ever since I saw THIS fucking image for the first time vvv

this has ALWAYS been the vision besties. they have ALWAYS been here. not my fault y’all are blind as fuck lmao

The idea of Stede and Izzy getting close in a way Izzy and Ed haven't because they didn't know how to be close in a soft caring way (more a survival way) and it making Ed have this moment of "oh" because now he's not the only person Izzys close with and he didn't even know Izzy could have friends

The possibility of Izzy accidentally calling Stede “Captain” is all well and good and frankly hilarious, but consider: reunion happens. Stede, Izzy, and Ed find themselves in a room together for the first time since everyone regrouped. Things get tense and are about to boil over when Stede gives Izzy an order to go handle something. There’s silence as Izzy and Ed exchange looks, a lot of things unspoken passing between them. Then, without breaking eye contact, Izzy says “Yes sir” or “Yes captain” and leaves Stede alone with a stunned Ed to talk things out.

FANG HUGGING IZZY OMFG SKSHDIA

Let me be fang rn pls

“we think you’re in an unhealthy relationship with Blackbeard” - Jim Jimenez, Our Flag Means Death 2.01