Spoiler Warning: Our Flag Means Death Season 1
The HBO Max exclusiveOur Flag Means Deathhas proven to be a very popular show. The romantic-comedy about a goofy, lovable band of pirates trying their luck on the seven seas has hit the top 0.02% of shows being watched across all platforms, according to a recent report byBusiness Insider, and is in high demand for a second season. Considering critical review scores and praise from the fanbase, none of this should come as any surprise. It is a joy to watch, and its inclusivity — from openly gay characters and relationships to the gender-neutral character of Jim (played by nonbinary actor Vico Ortiz) — is refreshing.
As of the writing of this article, neitherHBO Maxnor the show’s creators have hard confirmed a second season, but the announcement is pretty much expected. In a recent interview withPolygon, series creator, writer, and director David Jenkins discussed how he feels the story he’d want to tell could probably be expanded on and wrapped up in a tidy three seasons. Alongside this, the season one finale closed on a huge cliffhanger that has filled viewers’ heads with questions.
Let’s look at some of the things we hopeOur Flag Means Deathwill answer if a second season sails onto our television screens.
Season Finale Recap
The finale ofOur Flag Means Death’s first season was a big one, showing the promising start of multiple story threads and leaving us with much to consider. Stede and Blackbeard (Rhys DarbyandTaika Waititi, respectively) were captured by the British Navy. After confessing their feelings to one another, their plans to escape together instead became a parting of ways. Stede flees back to his family estate after witnessing a second accidental death, while Blackbeard returns to The Revenge, alone and heartbroken. He winds up taking control of Stede’s ship with an iron fist, leaving the majority of the crew behind on a deserted island.
Meanwhile, after having a pretty heartwarming conversation with his former wife, Mary (Claudia O’Doherty) — who has been getting on just fine in his absence — Stede is willing to admit to himself that he belongs on the open seas and that he is in love with Blackbeard. After faking his own death, he returns to the ocean. Our final shot of him reassures us that everything can turn out fine as he discovers his castaway crew.
What Role Will Jim and Frenchie Play?
Of all of Stede’s crew aboard The Revenge, Blackbeard allows two to stay on: Jim and Frenchie (Joel Fry). While it’s a good thing not to be left stranded on a deserted island, being allowed to remain on a ship while the rest of your friends are left for dead can prove unsavory. This begs the question of how Jim and Frenchie may play into a continuation of the story.
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Both characters formed a camaraderie with their fellow crewmates. Jim especially, as they wind up in a romantic relationship with Oluwande (Samson Kayo) by the end of the series. And Blackbeard is correct: bothareshown to be experienced and ruthless in their own ways. So what might they have planned for their new captain, his second-in-command, and The Revenge? In what ways might they try to help their friends and get everything back to the way it should be?
Is Lucius Truly Dead?
The defining moment for Blackbeard’s turn back into his infamous, terrifying pirate persona would have to be his shoving Lucius (Nathan Foad) over the side of The Revenge. Though we don’t see Lucius splashing around, we can still hear him calling for help, and it is alluded to that he drowned. But are we to truly believe that he died? Lucius brought his own hilarious charm to the cast and played a huge role in Stede and Blackbeard’s relationship. He was one of the first to openly realize that they were interested in one another and urged Blackbeard to see how much Stede cares for him. Combine that with the fact that he’s also formed a relationship with fellow crew member Black Pete (Matthew Maher) and the age-old rule of “death isn’t confirmed until we see a body on screen.” We can safely hope that Lucius will return in some capacity for season two.
Stede vs. Oluwande: Who Will Captain the Crew?
When Stede and Blackbeard are arrested, the crew of The Revenge is left with their own burning question: who will lead them now? They land on an answer pretty quickly, too: Oluwande. When he protests the choice, they insist that humbleness is a mark of a good leader. He’s also been there through it all, from comforting Stede after his first kill to being left stranded with his crew at the very end.
After Stede’s abandonment, it wouldn’t be surprising if the crew were reluctant to trust him again. It has also been discussed throughout the series that Stede may not be as great of a leader as he wishes he was. Sure, he cares about the people under his command, but that’s not the only thing that makes for a capable captain. It is also worth noting that the historical figure of Stede Bonnet eventually ceded control of his ship to Blackbeard himself, something theOur Flag Means Deathwriters are free to twist as they see fit.
This would be an interesting conflict for the show to explore in a second season. Oluwande doesn’t want to lead, but his crew thinks he has what it takes. Stede wants to be a pirate captain, but his crew has always had their qualms with his captaining style. Could there be some conflict between them as they and their friends work out who should take charge?
Stede & Blackbeard Reunion Scene When?
One of — if not the — most captivating part ofOur Flag Means Deathwould have to be the development of Stede and Blackbeard’s relationship, from initial plans for murder all the way to that first kiss and subsequent breakup. The show left us with a messy ending between the pair, with Blackbeard a heartbroken mess indulging in comfort food and that post-breakup transformation. We know that with Stede back to the pirate lifestyle, a reunion between the two would be inevitable in later episodes, but when?
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How long would any bitter feelings remain? Would Stede need to work at regaining Blackbeard’s trust? And how many episodes would we have to wait before that reunion happens? It took four episodes for Blackbeard to receive a proper introduction, so it wouldn’t be strange to get a couple of back-and-forth episodes between Stede and Blackbeard before the two are in the same scene again. Whatever may come next, we’re hoping it gets resolved cleanly. We won’t say no to a nice reunion scene!
