OFMD - Sex and Hotness
I really love this part...
Stede's reaction here. Like, he's agreeing cuz sure, they're hot alright. But he's not putting that much stock into her description of Ed being 'that hot guy' on a wanted poster. I mean yeah, said guy here just so happens to be exceedingly attractive...
...but to Stede, that's pretty secondary when it comes down to it. That's true with any of these lovely characters, really. Lucius and Pete...
Jim and Archie...
Olu and Zheng...
Jim and Olu...
All them have distinct beauty and physical allure, but this show has a way of emphasizing that they each see and love the people behind the good looks. For example, when the beard is brought back up at Anne and Mary's place...
Mary is all 'I liked [your beard] better when it was longer,' and Stede pays Ed a compliment to make him feel better (and he undoubtedly genuinely does like the length). But then he mentions its absence again because of what he thought Ed shaving it represented, not by how it looked on Ed's face. No 'Your chin is beautiful regardless,' but basically, 'It doesn't matter how you style yourself or how you look, I love you.' (Although Ed's chin is beautiful). I mean, Stede definitely wants Ed. Carnally...
But ultimately he wants to share passion with him because Ed is the person he loves. And from Ed's perspective...
Ok, not that Stede isn't gorgeous in any situation, but this is how Ed first encountered him...
Pretty much looking like death warmed over. (As a side note, let's not forget Archie's reaction to seeing Stede, like this is the Stede who decimated Blackbeard's heart...)
(Clearly expecting some kind of buffed-up Adonis, wasn't she?)
But Ed's eyes are filled with interest and fascination from the moment they meet, and his feelings grow as he and Stede become closer...
Their first kiss...
To me at least, this isn't 'I'm gonna ravish you right here on this beach you hot sexy thing,' it's more along the lines of 'I adore you so much.'
Their respective beauty isn't the point. It isn't the fundamental thing that attracts Ed to Stede or Stede to Ed.
Or most of the characters to anyone else.
Except maybe Jackie...
But fuck if she doesn't end up treasuring all of that absolute unit.
Anyway, yeah there's sexual attraction involved with attractive people (and they all apparently happen to be sexual beings)...
(..ok last one...)
But there's just love. So much love. So much more than bedding some hot stuff on a wanted poster...
Now, bedding some hot stuff on a poster is totally fine, and hell yeah, enjoy it!
But in these cases here in the show... I dunno, I just think it's cool.
