Parvathy S
Set in the 1700s, Our Flag Means Death is a hilarious show revolving around aristocrat Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard, a pirate. It premiered on HBO Max, consisting of 10 episodes packed with fun, enlightenment, and excellent queer representation. Bonnet sets sail on the ship Revenge as its captain, to prove that he can build his life without his family’s riches. He abandons his unhappy wife and two children in keeping with this aim. Among his many poor yet hilarious attempts at being a pirate with a crew ready to mutiny him, he meets the most fearsome pirate of them all - Blackbeard.
The two captains have very contrasting characteristics and mannerisms. Bonnet is a gentleman living a luxurious life inside his ship, consisting of the finest food and attire. Whereas Blackbeard has a reputation for being a ruthless murderer sailing the rough seas. Once these two meet, it becomes clear that they wish to live each other's lives more than their own. Blackbeard doesn’t find his life as fun as it used to be and wants to retire and live blissfully in luxury. Bonnet wants to give up comfort and chase after adventures like Blackbeard. And so they decide to give each other a taste of the lives they crave. As the story gradually progresses, we can see how both grow to take a liking to each other. Blackbeard admired Bonnet’s subtle charms, and Stede lived vicariously through Blackbeard’s adventures. Although there are clear hints at a blooming romantic relationship, it becomes well established when they kiss each other and plan to elope to China towards the show’s end.
A critical element of this show is Bonnet’s arranged marriage to his wife, Mary. They were forced into a marriage due to social expectations. Even though they both try to be a happy couple in the initial stages of their marriage, they eventually end up being miserable and directing that annoyance toward each other. Even though Stede loves his children very much, it is with a heavy heart that he decides to leave that life behind so that both he and Mary have a better shot at a happy life. One of the most beautiful scenes in this show is when Stede realizes he’s in love with Blackbeard and tells his wife about it. They sit down to talk and understand they would rather be happy with someone else than unhappy with each other. Mary says being in love feels effortless; it’s just like breathing, and she wishes Stede finds it someday. When Stede replies he has indeed found it, Mary is overjoyed and asks for her name. Stede tells her that his name is Ed (Blackbeard’s original name being Edward Teach). And for a moment, we wonder how Mary would react, but she simply gives Stede a warm hug of acceptance. She chooses to be happy for him instead of judging him based on social norms.
Another wonderful thing about this show is the character Jim. Jim is one of the crew members of Stede’s ship who hid in plain sight disguised as a man. Soon enough, their secret is revealed when Jim goes for a swim and another crew member realizes Jim is not a man. The crew ask Jim if they are a man or a woman, to which Jim replies they don’t know. Thereafter, everyone starts referring to Jim using they/them pronouns. Even though pronouns don’t necessarily have to be linked to one’s gender, Jim's gender identity, or lack thereof, is acknowledged positively by all. This was also an excellent way to show how easy it is to accept a person as who they are, even by a bunch of half-wits and savages on pirate ships.
Our Flag Means Death portrayed the nuances and layers of queer representation positively and realistically. Taika Waititi, the actor who played Blackbeard, talks about David Jenkins, the director and says “David just wants to piss off homophobic historians. He just wants to hear them go ‘That never happened!’” Regardless of being set in old times, the way all the characters are portrayed speaks volumes of the insight and skills shown by the entire cast and crew of the show. Now that the show has ended on a cliffhanger, fans everywhere are eagerly waiting for another season to see the queer pirates continue their journey.
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