#xxxv

[vampy-campy]

I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.

— Black Sails XXXV

[illuminated-in-darkness]

Anne (Part 3) Black Sails Musical Parallels | XV. XXXV. XXXVI.

music breakdown note: the music in this parallel is made up of four different parts. The main parts are A and B, and the additional ones are C, E. (D is almost an overtone rather than a part, and sometimes plays underneath other main parts.)

All the scenes in this group have part C. They all also have A, B, and bits of D, with the exception of XXXVI which has only B in addition to C.

music variation note: In the second part of XV, the music swells louder than Garrett's voice. In the fourth part of XV and in XXXVI, C plays more slowly.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

I spent a year rewatching Black Sails and tracking all the bits of music that repeated at any point during the show, and my findings are reinforcing that Bear McCreary is a genius and this show should have been called 'parallels that will kill you over and over again'* (tag | chronological)

[el-jujeniodeletras]

José Martí. XXXV. Versos sencillos. [05]

[adrasteiax]

I can wade grief, Whole pools of it,— I'm used to that.

Emily Dickinson, from Part One: Life (XXXV) in “The Collected Poems Of Emily Dickinson”

[pabloneruda-world]

Pablo Neruda. XXXV. Libro de las preguntas. [06]

[wecastmusic]

Britney Spears

Super Bowl XXXV

(2001)

[stilljumpingback]

(via Black Sails Episode 407 - XXXV)

For an episode all about grief, it is a refreshingly light episode after six hours of dark material.

The scene between Silver and the Queen is so lovely.  They are both grieving Madi, and her mother knows she can trust this boy who claimed to love her because he describes her as, “curious and strong, not made to be hidden away from the world.”

Flint is so tender with Silver!  “How is she?”  “Breathing.”  “How are you?”  It is continually astounding to realize that the rage that drove Flint through the first two seasons and especially the third has vanished.  He has a purpose now, has allies, and this has freed him to care for and trust the people around him.

When Julian balks at the idea of their Caribbean revolution expanding to include all of the New World, Silver is the one to go Bad Cop.  This is the exact opposite of the Quartermaster we used to know who could make Flint’s crazy plans palatable to the crew by selling it with a smile.

Part of me is annoyed that the only female pirate is the one who can’t seem to recover from her wounds, but it also gives us Jack the Nursemaid, so I can’t be mad for long.

Anne is pissed that Max wouldn’t apologize, but also admires her for not pretending.

“You have plenty of time to murder her another day, but right now you need to rest.”

Woodes Rogers is interrupted in blaming Mrs. Hudson for Eleanor’s decision by realizing that Eleanor was pregnant.  I would be sad for him, but he remains an asshole.

Jack mimicking Max’s French accent is A+ delightful.

Featherstone claims that Max hasn’t crossed anyone who didn’t cross her first.  Is this true?  Did Jack and Anne cross her?  Can someone rewatch the whole series real quick and validate this statement?

The Queen:  I once thought like you.  That because I had reason to mistrust the pirates, that it necessarily followed that I must mistrust them.  But it is not so.  For there is also reason to see common interest with them.  I have fought alongside these men. Julian:  I have fought alongside these men, but I did it so that I might find security.  What they are now arguing for does not sound like security to me.  There is no lasting security to be had here. Q:  We’ll fight to change that. J:  Nothing is lasting.  But months, years, that is meaningful, and it can be had here.  … Q:  No one has ever been this close, this near a chance to change the world. J:  No one changes the world.  Not like this.  Not all at once.

I love this conversation between the Queen and Julian!  They both make good points, but I have always been, and still remain, Team Long Term Planning.  And the Queen is sounding quite a bit like Flint at the end there, huh?

Silver is emotionally where Flint was last season, and it’s beautiful to see their roles reversed.  Flint is such a good partner to Silver, laying out their past and their present, warning him that his emotions will cloud his judgment (is he remembering a certain storm?) but that Flint will be there beside him, guiding him.  And when Silver regrets his harsh words to Julian, Flint calmly reassures him that it’s alright.  There’s obviously going to be a significant turn in their relationship by episode’s end, but this moment is really beautiful.

Flint says multiple times, “Trust me.”  Is it crazy that I do?  He’s ambitious, determined, and unafraid to change allies at the drop of a hat.  And yet, if you believe in the same thing that he does, he is hard to resist trusting.

Jack enjoys the notoriety of being identified as a pirate in Philadelphia by a wide-eyed teenager, especially when his name is listed right after Edward Teach.  But his mood quickly sours when he realizes the world wants to sensationalize their stories rather than seeing them as human beings.

“Charles Vane was my closest friend in the world.  He was the bravest man I ever knew.  Not without fear, just unwilling to let it diminish him.  And loyal to a fault.  And in a world where honesty is so regularly and casually disregarded–” “I heard he cut off a man’s head and left it as a marker in the sand to anyone who would cross him.” “It was a little more complicated than that.” “I heard he sometimes butchered his enemies for amusement, made stew of their flesh.  He was truly an animal.” “Stew?  For what possible–I beg your pardon, but do you believe this?” “I read it in a newspaper.” “Charles Vane was a good man.  What I told you was the truth.  Put down the newspapers and read a book.”

This is the whole points of Black Sails, adding layers of depth to the hype of a Pirate Show.

Grandpa Guthrie is dismissive of Jack’s plan, BUT GRANDMA GUTHRIE.  She and Jack immediately bond because they both know what it’s like to be underestimated and to use that to their advantages.

Eleanor fought to create space for her family, but Woodes Rogers destroyed it because he didn’t trust her.  Even if it feels a little out of place for this show, I’m glad Eleanor’s corpse is supernaturally judging him and crying because of him.  It is Very Effective, and he deserves it.

Billy is alive and a defector.  It made me think of Baby Billy who was tortured by the British and swore to fight against them as a result.  I suppose it must be very painful that his own allies wound up doing the very same thing to him.

Jack bought a fancy new coat while in Philadelphia.

Although Jack shows a lot of respect for Max by bringing her to meet Grandma Guthrie, GG demands more when interrupting his introduction with, “Does she speak?”  I cannot believe that this television show about pirates thought, “You know what we should do now that we only have four episodes left?  Let’s introduce another awesome female character!”

I have thoughts about the Cat Cycle at the end on my website under spoiler warnings.

Max:  In Nassau, slaves have seen too many of their own find freedom amongst the crews.  It costs less to pay wages than to replace defectors, or worse yet, to pay guards to watch my door as I sleep. Grandma Guthrie:  That isn’t the only reason, though, is it? Max:  No, it is not.  In my life, I have been bought and sold.  And as I would be no slave again, nor would I be a master.

Max shows both logic and emotion in her decision to pay former slaves wages.  She’s also learning that there is value in vulnerability, and I like her more than ever before.  (Relearning?  It’s possible that she stomped down her vulnerability after asking Eleanor to flee with her in the series beginning and being refused.)

We learned earlier in the episode that the cache no longer matters to Spain, yet Rogers demands its return in order for Madi’s release.  Why?  Out of spite?  Oh wait, he super needs the money.  It’s personal now.

Silver is blinded by his emotion, but the Queen can see through hers. Both she, Flint, and Madi agree that one life, however beloved, is not worth forfeiting the cache and their revolution, but Silver…he just wants her back.  Hmm.

Woodes Rogers goes to Madi for comfort, which is gross.  He tries to convince her to sign the agreement by being monstrous, which is ineffective.  Dude is flailing.

“Eleanor died fighting.  As will I.”

YEESSSSS, Madi!!

Jack and Anne’s separation is so sweet.  In exchange for her alliance, Grandma Guthrie has demanded that Jack kill Flint.  When Anne asks how he’ll do it, he lays out a litany of physical obstacles.  But she presses him, asking, “How could you be someone who would do that?”  Anne has been the secret heart of this show!  And this is so sweet, but Jack answers her concerns with the equally sweet, “I do it for us.  That’s how it started.  That’s how it’s going to end.”  I LOVE THEM.

Silver says, “He’s confident in his plan, as am I.”  He’s got a backup, because of course he does, and what’s going to happen next???

[mametupa]