#ofmdm

[napneeders]

can we talk about what a weighted line "Why would he lie?" is, as said by Chauncey Badminton to Stede about Ed's "confession". why would Blackbeard lie to save the skin of some posh idiot gone third-rate pirate? why would thee Blackbeard offer himself in the place of this nobody? why would he protect you? (and perhaps implied: why would you protect him in turn?) and Stede can't answer the question. he hasn't even gotten there yet. and yet it's the only answer that makes sense*, sitting in the room with them. Stede can't admit it to himself; but regardless of that, the social game dictates that he can't admit it to the room either, not even to save Ed. Badminton might as well be asking "are you a faggot?" he doesn't press, though, focusing on how Stede couldn't have done it and getting the confession that way. but the question, and Stede's (double) inability to answer, hangs in the air.

*cf. djenks on the show's genesis.

[cobra-creampuff]

so. y'all remember the meta about ed having his hair down while Being Blackbeard because he can't stand to look at himself and/or be Seen, and when he's feeling better about himself / wants to be more accessible to others he ties it up from back in season one? but then during the kraken era he had his hair up more than ever before?

well. what if. the meta is actually still true, and he's tying his hair up so far and so much during the kraken era as another method of making himself feel worse? he's no longer giving himself the relief of being hidden, from himself or others. he's no longer allowing himself any kind of distance from himself or from just any old witness who bothers to look. no one can call him by name but he can't hide behind the curtain anymore either. he allows himself both no intimacy and no privacy.

[napneeders]

the thing I love about Lucius is that he's emotionally intelligent, and he's a bitch, and he's constantly having to balance those so as not to be a mean girl

[napneeders]

thesis Lucius intimidating Izzy ("you're not my captain") in the best revenge is dressing well is the necessary test of his skills and confidence that enables him to speak up to Blackbeard ("you can stab me in the face now") in this is happening

[napneeders]

obsessing over Izzy in the "stranding the crew" scene today

he's so... elated and not even hideously (tm) this time, because for once his actual mood (enjoying getting rid of them, enjoying that they have no idea) matches what he needs to project (excited about the talent show) (honestly the fact that Izzy seems to be into the talent show should tip them off)

he's so DRAMATIC, like again his grandiose delivery of "Edward is expecting a WONDERFUL talent show" and I would say especially "Edward probably wanted to discuss feelings or something" is definitely fuelled by how easily fooled they are & things seeming to be going back to normal, but tell me that man isn't also just getting off on performing

he lies so easily about why they're there etc but when Pete asks where Lucius is he says nothing. I actually missed this until now because I had thought it was Izzy that said "he'll turn up", but it's Wee John who says that. now I really want to know what he would have said if John hadn't unwittingly let him off the hook.

HIS RIDICULOUSLY WIDE STANCE SHOWING OFF HIS MANGLED FOOT. I 100% believe he's intentionally displaying the evidence of "Blackbeard [being] himself again" (which I've said before I don't think he fully believes deep down but he really needs to believe it) & getting enjoyment from the crew not picking up on it

(overall I think the source of his elation here is the double whammy of not just "it's my reality we're in now, not yours" but also the crew still believing it's their reality. getting one over on them. finally.)

his characteristic negative emotional intelligence when the lie he goes for about Jim is "Edward wanted to discuss feelings". we never see him interact with Jim directly but surely. he has met them. especially ironic when this is a lie he could have better deployed about Lucius, considering the day before he fetched Lucius to discuss Ed's feelings.

also having thoughts about how Con said the two people who intimidate Izzy are Lucius and Jim and here he is having to answer for the whereabouts of both.... idk these thoughts are still brewing

[napneeders]

idk I love the Izzy Lucius scenes in The Curse of the Seafaring Life because it's like. I think it's less about telling Lucius to get over it and more about Izzy refusing to talk about his trauma on Lucius's terms because he's being a bully. have I said this before. even in the second scene, I don't think he's lying exactly, but he's also very clearly keeping that boundary: this is all you get. this is all I can give. and there's something so sad and soft about it

[napneeders]

I was going to make this private but actually whatever this is my rough on-the-fly categorisation of ofmd episode titles for my own vague purposes

(pilot -- n/a) a damned man -- epithet the gentleman pirate -- epithet discomfort in a married state -- event/theme the best revenge is dressing well -- motto the art of fuckery -- event/theme this is happening -- motto we gull way back -- motto act of grace -- event/theme /object wherever you go, there you are -- motto

impossible birds -- object/metaphor red flags -- object/metaphor the innkeeper -- epithet fun & games -- motto /event the curse of the seafaring life -- event/theme calypso's birthday -- event/theme man on fire -- epithet mermen -- epithet

[napneeders]

have I talked about how when I started watching ofmd I knew there was going to be a nonbinary character but didn't know who it was, or who Vico Ortiz was, so my reaction to Jim was like "oh so he's the rugged stoic man's man". apparently they didn't fool Jackie but they fully fooled me.

(and then I was kind of heart-punched from the reveal up to episode four, because it felt like that same old one-two of yearning and rejection, all through the years, in every story about a girl dressing up as a boy - and inevitably going back to being a girl in the end. and then it wasn't.)