John Silver Continues To Worm His Way Into My Brain After All These Years - Tumblr Posts

john silver refusing to share his backstory is one of the most tragic parts of black sails. because it’s not just that he refuses to speak of it, he is genuinely unable to put it into words. this man who can talk himself out of every bad situation into a good one can’t find it within himself to put meaning to whatever horrors he faced before the start of the series. he just can’t. because it’s that terrible. even when he has flint standing in front of him with no ulterior motives, just this great love and affection for him, asking john to tell his own story. john basically begs flint not to ask or push for an answer; isn’t this enough? john is asking. black sails at its core is about how important it is to take control over your own narrative and john just can’t do it. flint is asking nothing of him but to be himself and he can’t do it.