Black Sails Episode XVII

The Natty Dreads were in full force this episode. I wonder, like Samson, if one were to cut off the dreads of Vane’s crew, would they too lose their bad-assery? Onward to Episode XVII and why there is no difference between you and me.

After a couple of slower, set up episodes, and Eleanor’s betrayal of Vane, yet again, the penultimate episode was a doozy and primed us for quite a finale, and with so many threads dangling, I wonder how I’ll even stand it until next week.

Long John slithers his way out of yet another flogging or keelhauling. Even Silver’s machinations were no match for Vane’s menace. Silver’s plan to “convince” Vane to turn over Flint’s ship didn’t work out so well for him, but Silver will live to swindle another day.

Number of Flint sneers. Not so many this episode as he was cozying up to his good old friend Peter Ash.

Flint is brilliant, delusional, or downright scaring the crap out of me. I think actually Ash scared the crap out of Flint, especially after his out of control, arse hole of a Colonel shot Miranda. Noooo! I didn’t like Miranda so much in season one, but this season she rocked it. Her back story fleshed her out and made her compelling. I am sad to see her go, but I think she had to die for Flint to lose the delusions and go full on scaring the crap out of me. So question is, will he completely ditch his plan to legitimize New Providence?

On deck shenanigans. So many of our cutthroats died when Vane took over Flint’s ship. The tattoed African dude. Is Mr. Scott still alive? We liked you Randall.

Wenches behaving bad-ass-ly. Miranda’s take down of Peter Ash was epic. Bastard took her clock. And Anne Bonny returned!

Eleanor…what to say? You messed up my man Vane. There is a certain hypocrisy in Eleanor. As much as she worked with pirates, she seemed to elevate herself above them. I suppose it came as a bit of a wake up call when Hornigold called her the “Queen of Thieves” (loved that!) then turned her in, confirming what Billy said on the ship to Vane. They don’t distinguish between the pirates and neither does the noose. Something Eleanor might discover. Miranda knew this. She knew that you couldn’t lord over people and break convention without it eventually coming back and biting you in the ass.

Pirate history check. Peter Ash’s Colonel Rhett, who shot Miranda, and set upon Flint like the rabid, scurvy dog he was makes me wonder if he is supposed to be the same Colonel Rhett who was sent by the Governor of South Carolina to hunt down Stede Bonnet. Bonnet was the gentleman pirate and had, on occasion, ridden along with Blackbeard. Bonnet wasn’t a very good pirate and was possibly a little loopy in the head. Rhett cornered him at Cape Fear and, after a cinematic showdown between Rhett and his two sloops and Bonnet’s sloop, Bonnet surrendered and was later hanged at Charles Town.

Episode MBP (most badass pirate). Once again Vane showed how he dominates by sheer force of will and strength. He led his men to take Flint’s ship and foiled Silver and his little henchman. His impassioned speech rallying the dreads to rescue Flint warmed the cockles of my heart. Dey gonna take down Babylon, de dreadlock Congo Bongos and chase dem crazy bald heads out of town. Honorable mention to Anne Bonny for saving Jack’s ass.

Billy Bones, Billy Bones is our true hero. One of my favorite scenes this episode was Billy telling his riggers they need to fix the broken rope (which Silver’s man cut). When they refused, after first having called them idiots, he called them good men and climbed the shrouds. It demonstrates Billy’s character, his commitment to his crew, and how ultimately he’s the man to get things done. Vane recognized Billy’s worth, tried to recruit him. And while Vane is a powerful pirate, Billy revealed to Vane his own short-sightedness, explaining how the British positioned themselves on a neighboring island to take over New Providence. He uttered the line, “There is no difference between you and me” referring to how the British viewed the pirates, which ultimately convinced Vane to rescue Flint.

Jack Rackham quote: In response to Max, when she asked him if he was hurt, he replied, “Mostly unscathed, thanks to Anne.” The relationship between those two is one of the best in the show. And thank you, Anne, for recognizing that Jack had little choice in excluding her from his crew. But all bets are off now and I look forward to seeing some on deck shenanigans when Anne and Jack take to the seas.

This episode earned ten blow my scuttlebutts for twists and turns and making me gasp when Rhett killed Miranda.

Until next week, I leave you with Natty Dread by Bob Marley: