Unbetitelt

[thehmn]

Foxes disguised as monks. On the left from Japan and on the right from Denmark.

[professorsparklepants]

One of the unifying features of humanity is that every culture on Earth that meets a fox goes "I don't trust that fucking bastard as far as I can throw him." And I think it's VERY funny.

[manicpixiesdreamdragon]

Counter point

[professorsparklepants]

Maid Marian is a fox because Disney wanted to pair her up with Robin Hood without forcing people to think about interspecies furry relationships. There's a post somewhere about how since she's related to Prince John she should be a lion, but they clearly didn't want people to think it was weird so they made her match Robin Hood.

And Robin Hood is a fox because they're both trickster figures, and the outlaw fox vs wolf law enforcement and Lion monarch is (I'm 80% certain) lifted from the medieval cycle of Reynard the Fox, who was, among other things, killing people and fucking their wives and pissing in their gardens. So my point stands.

[ancientpoetryfan]

Top true, in the (German) medieval stories, Reynard even needs to go to Rome as a pilgrim in order not to be hanged. :D

[mrculper]

I’m going to express an unpopular opinion, but all problems of the HoTD characters are because they only talk about what they think is owed to them. That is a problem of all HoTD fans for that matter. How strange to see people are ready — quite genuinely and seriously — to go at each other’s throats just because of who, in their opinion, should sit on the Iron Throne. House of the Dragon is not a story about someone's divine rights, nor about who is the hero and who is the villain.

This story is about how everything tumble down when people forget they are people, when they think only about what is supposedly their. It is so terrible to see all these characters fighting each other when the darkness that would destroy the world of the living could come at any moment. And it's even worse to see most fans don't notice it.

They have troubles with peace. They take the part of the Blacks or the Greens and hate those who took the opposite side. House of the Dragon was supposed to teach us what we all should not do. This show was supposed to be an example of what we must not do. Instead, the fans are divided into factions and treat each other with such fierce contempt and pure hatred that any warring factions in the Middle East would envy.

I hope at least someone understands this is not normal. There is already too much evil in the world, and any such attitude towards each other we only encourage and increase this evil. There is one conversation in Black Sails that I would like to show to every fan of HoTD:

“You have no fucking idea what's going on here, do you?”

“Flint stole from me and I'm making it right.”

“Exactly. You hate Flint. I hate Flint. But right now he's talking about how we survive what comes next. And you're talking about what you think is yours. When the navy arrives, they aren't gonna give a fuck what belongs to you or what belongs to me. Because to them, there is no difference between you and me… And right now your only plan to reckon with it is to try and fight them head to head, each crew for themselves? Right now, Flint's plan is the only plan.”

I just want to say if we want to keep any kind of peace in our world, we must not hate and despise one another. Not now. Not ever. And this plan is our only plan.

[fuck-you-jack]

tattoo that says "fuck you, jack"

[ancientpoetryfan]

3x10. Teach. Jack. The Commodore asking Teach's fleet for identification. Jack's iconic 'To be underestimated is an incredible gift.' And then theres this quote by François de la Rochefoucauld: 'The truest way to be deceived is to think oneself more smart than others.' This guy lived from 1613-1680. Coincidence? In most other shows: Probably. Knowing how particular Jack is about his library and how ingeniously written and conceived Black Sails is: Hardly.

[rocks-in-space]

I had thought Flint's choice of words to Rogers in 3x07 was a little odd, thinking that it wasn't so much an issue of happiness but in the (gay) manner in which they'd achieved that happiness. But then I re-heard Miranda's line in 2x03, and something clicked.

Yes it was about the gay, but part of that was that they were achieving connection and fulfillment outside of the colonial structure. If you feel genuine feelings (not just happiness. Flint can only express anger outside the confines of civilization, and the moment Miranda tries to express anger within civilization, she's killed for it), then you've probably stopped caring about what the neighbors think. And as Captain Hume so eloquently sets up for us in episode 1 (!!), civilization is really held together by this shame.

Happiness as only able to exist outside the colonial order, as the opposite of shame.

[Image ID: 4 photos from Black Sails overlain with text. 1) Miranda talking to Flint in his London apartment. Text reads: "In my experience, there is an inverse relationship between the degree of one's happiness and the concern one suffers for what the neighbors think." 2) Miranda standing on her porch looking sad with Pastor Lambrick in the background behind her. Text reads: "My husband and I were happy. But in London, a happy life can often be a very dangerous thing. Something that other people simply cannot abide." 3) Flint talking talking to Woodes Rogers on the beach. Text reads: "England has shown herself to me. Gnarled and gray and spiteful of anyone who would find happiness under her rule." 4) Captain Hume speaking in Richard Guthrie's house. Text reads: "You see, gossip is what holds civilization together. It reinforces shame. And without shame, well, the world is a very dangerous place." The text is white, but in each quote, the words "happy," "happiness," and "shame" are in yellow. end ID]

Photos from https://fancaps.net/

[ancientpoetryfan]

This is so neat. Especially (what you pointed out beautifully, but I think it's worth being underlined) since James also had Mirandas words in mind while talking to Rogers and recounting her fate to him. Using 'happiness' as a tribute to her.

[ancientpoetryfan]

Still marvelling Thomas's opening monologue in 2x2 and how [i]perfect[/i] it is. Not only bc that Genesis quote makes our pirates creatures of the sea [i]blessed by God[/i] and simultaneously living souls God made in His likeness (and thus contributing [i]beautifully[/i] to the 'pirates - monsters or men?' discussion woven throughout the whole show) but also bc of that little moment of irony or biting sarcasm when Dufresne watches the going-ons on the ship all pleased with himself while the quote goes on 'and he beheld all that he had created and he said it was very good' and we practically see Dufresne believing he brought all of this about, them being on a Spanish warship, being so proud of himself…and the audience already knows Flint won't have that kid ordering around, already is scheming a plan to return things to their earlier state…which is when the camera cuts to Flint, revealing this is not just a great opening [i]but even more important[/i] James's memory - reminding himself just [i]why[/i] he stole that f*cking warship with one arm (and a surprisingly helpful Silver), [i]why[/i] he keeps on scheming and finding a way back to his captaincy, [i]why[/i] Silver -maybe- could be an important partner in this endeavour: He [i]still[/i] won't give up on picking up an oar, walking inland and keep walking until someone mistakes that oar for a shovel so James will never again be troubled by the sea - and find peace. And for peace, he needs the gold, for the gold, he needs the ship and the captain's cloak - and the sacrifices associated with that cloak. So simple and yet so stunning how, looking back, this little scene set free so many events following up, including that terrific partnership with Silver.

[ancientpoetryfan]

remember in 4x5 when James FINALLY gets to read? Not even closing the book properly while talking to Eleanor like 'Pls I was just doin' McGraw things.'

Anyone up for a bet he agreed to be the hostage just to be able to read in peace?

[currypuff]

silver’s ongoing conviction that flint has supernatural abilities

bonus:

[laufire]

[Caption: gifset from Black Sails. On the left, Silver is telling a perplexed Max that when he thought the gold was gone, he’d thought it was as if Flint had employed some sorcery to reach across the ocean and make five millions vanish. On the right, he’s rambling to Billy, while he looks at Silver baffled, that Flint conjures the realities he desires: with Charlestown, with the storm they’re trapped in, and that you can’t deny a man with that power. The bonus is a gif from the pilot, where Silver had to check he still had the stolen page in his possession after Flint put on a charade as if he’d recovered it from someone eles.]

[ancientpoetryfan]

Well James IS a carpenter's son after all...