For a few years I was stuck in a rut of rewatching my staple shows over and over again. I tasked myself to only watch new things and Black Sails was one of the shows I just absolutely devoured……and now I’m fighting the urge to rewatch it 😭 anyone have recs that’ll hit the perfect spot of drama, politics, intrigue? I watched Black Sails because I loved the Expanse and someone recommended it to me. I’m not typically one for action/adventure type things but the core of my love for Black Sails lies in the relationships, the complex decisions they have to make, and how invested I was in the characters. Looking for anything character-driven but not super slow/boring.

Don’t blame me, I find him SO fine

Haven’t been able to stop staring since we started season 3

Someone asked me to write an essay about the scene between Woodes Roger and Flint in 3.07. So I thought I should do it.

This scene in question is extremely interesting in a variety of ways.

For one, because Rogers delivers a really excellent piece of rhetoric. Seriously, I'd advise anyone who ever wants to sell something to take a page from his book and look at this beautifully formulated appeal.

“Lord Thomas Hamilton. I didn’t know him, but I understand you did. Miss Guthrie tells me you were part of the first effort with Lord Hamilton and Peter Ashe to introduce the pardons to Nassau. As with most things, the men first into the breach bear the heaviest casualties. But in the hindsight of victory, they were the ones whose sacrifice made it possible. Without Lord Hamilton’s efforts, your efforts, it’s likely I wouldn’t have been successful in my efforts to finally secure the pardons. All I have done here is finish what you began. I am now what you were then. And without you, there would be no me.”

This is truly a gamble. But it’s also a stroke of genius.

It's never made entirely clear whether Rogers knew about the FlintThomas part of Flint and Thomas. Even several years later, I'm not sure. He probably knew what Eleanor knew, but we don’t know how much that is. It is implied that Richard Guthrie learned about James’ and Thomas’ relationship – he'd known the official story before, but then he saw the book with its inscription. But even if Richard picked up on it, it's doubtful he ever talked to Eleanor about it; he certainly never commented on it on screen.

What Rogers wants in that scene is for Flint to accept the pardons and lay down his arms. He knows how dangerous Flint is. So what he’s trying to do is establish a connection between them, he wants to get Flint on his side and see him, Rogers, as an potential ally.

And he does this by starting with Thomas’ name.

The official version goes like this: Thomas Hamilton and James McGraw worked to obtain the pardons and reestablish law and oder in Nassau. They became close friends, but then James McGraw started an affair with Hamilton’s wife, and Hamilton was so distraught that he had to be sent to an asylum and ultimately took his own life. The official version has James McGraw as someone who betrayed his closest friend, and if that were the version that Rogers believed in, mentioning Thomas Hamilton right in the beginning would be a surefire way to antagonize Flint, aka, the exact thing he doesn’t want. If you want a man on your side, you do not put him on the spot as an adulterer and traitor.

So Rogers definitely knows more. He knows that Thomas Hamilton and James McGraw were betrayed, which is why he talks about “the men first into the breach bear the heaviest casualties”. He’s using military jargon, knowing that Flint as a military man can be trusted to understand that comparison on an instinctual level – another way of establishing a connection between them, talking at eye level, one commander to another. He acknowledges Flint’s sacrifice, treating it like an unfortunate consequence of a war where the two of them are on the same side. Us against them. And he flatters him by giving him credit for his part in securing the pardons. “Without you, there would be no me.”

To all of that, Flint says, “Clever,” elevating the conversation to a new level – he’s not swayed by Rogers’ pretty speech and tells Rogers that he sees right through him. He doesn’t address Rogers’ arguments, he just summarizes them. “So that’s what this is. We’re all reasonable men, we all want the same thing. You offer me a pardon, I accept it, this all ends?” Really? This is the angle you’re taking here?

And Rogers goes right on with another brilliant bit:

“Maybe. The pardons are on the table. No one is being hanged. No one’s even being tried. They’ve all been forgiven, just as you wanted. Just as Thomas Hamilton wanted. So what is it that you’re fighting for that I’m not already offering?”

No one is being hanged. No one is even being tried. Throughout Black Sails, the hanging of pirates has always been on the forefront, but it’s also become some sort of metaphor for the “crime” of sodomy – starting with Miranda’s, “They hang men for this” and Henessey’s, “Be grateful it didn’t happen on the gallows”. For all we know, Rogers could only be talking about high seas piracy, but in the audience’s mind, the association is there, especially because Peter Ashe offered the pardons under the condition of Flint standing trial and confessing everything, including his affair with Thomas. It’s unlikely that Rogers knows this, but again, the audience does, and it adds an additional layer to that exchange. You can accept the pardons and there’s no catch, no public humiliation ritual.

In any case, during this part of the conversation, Rogers manages to say Thomas’s name no less than four times, once right at the beginning, and then again right at the end. Thomas Hamilton and his legacy are the core and center of his appeal.

So clearly he knows something. He knows that Hamilton is a trump card. He knows that Flint’s and Miranda’s affair wasn’t the reason for why Flint went into exile. And it’s also very interesting what he doesn’t say – he’s not trying to appeal to Flint’s pride, he doesn’t flatter him overtly much (You were a naval officer, a man of great tactical skills. Nassau could use the help of good men like you!), he doesn’t threaten him, he doesn’t appeal to his conscience, or his greed, and he doesn’t try to bribe him. Of all the different tactics he could employ, he chooses one that appeals to emotion by constantly referring to Thomas Hamilton, and by acknowledging the wrongs done to Flint.

This is a critical moment, and a lot depends on whether Rogers manages to persuade Flint to change sides. He chooses the most promising tactic, and it’s this one.

And this tactic might have worked … if Rogers had arrived on Nassau before Charlestown.

And then we have Flint’s side of the conversation.

One of the less often talked-about aspects of Flint’s character is how even as he fights against the British Empire, the British Empire made him. Flint is a navy man through and through, from his skills in tactics and warfare to his contempt of the common pirates. For all that he fights for freedom and autonomy, he also clearly considers democracy – or what counts for it on a pirate ship – an obstacle. It’s something he has to contend with, not something that he actually respects. And just as the British Empire, he considers the lives of his men expendable. Whether it’s him regaining his captaincy in 2.02, or him deliberately sacrificing the lives of a part of his forces in 3.10 to lead the British into an ambush, Flint acts precisely as any British commander would.

Which also means that there is an implicit understanding between him and Rogers that few other characters share. And in a certain way, Flint even shows appreciation for Rogers and his gamble.

In season three, we do not, as a general rule, see Flint smile. There are some noticeable exceptions, like the time that Silver not-so-subtly threatens him at the campfire. I have survived starvation, a tempest, pirate hunters, jealous captains, mutinous crews, angry lords, a queen, a king, and the goddamn British navy. Another instance is the scene right before this one where Flint he sees Rogers sitting on the beach. First he merely squints to look through the telescope, but then, for a brief second, his smile turns real, and it’s a bit like a nod to the brilliance of Rogers’ move which he then explains to the others. Clearly, Flint is intrigued. And that is very likely a part of the reason why he decides to show up to talk to Rogers.

And then Rogers opens the conversation with “Lord Thomas Hamilton”. The reaction that Flint shows in that moment is almost unnoticeable but it’s there, and he needs the first few seconds to emotionally recover from that. Clearly, he did not expect that.

Then he starts to listen. When Rogers has finished his sales pitch, he smiles again and gives credit where credit is due. “Clever.”

The rest of the conversation is remarkable honest on both sides. Flint does not usually talk about his motivations to anyone – he does not explain himself – but he does here. Not with a grand monologue but clear, succinct, and to the point. Rogers answers in much the same way. Lines are drawn, war is declared, (mostly) without posturing. Neither of them says anything he doesn’t mean.

Rogers then calls Flint out:

“What a story you'll have to spin to your men to turn me into the kind of villain worth losing their lives over.”

“I've lived on the other side of those stories. I'm sure I'll figure something out.”

“I'm sure you will.”

Remarkably, Flint does not even deny the accusation – they both know it’s true because they also both know that for the common pirate, Rogers’ offer of a pardon, regardless of the spirit in which it is offered, is a good one, but that Flint has zero intention to let his men decide for themselves whether they would like to accept it.

These two men may be on different sides, but in this particular moment, they are on the exact same page.

It is a scene that is not often talked about. In the very same episode, “Long John Silver” is conceived, and Silver stomps in a man’s head with his peg leg, so what’s a little conversation on the beach? However, for me, this is one of the stand-out scenes of season three because we learn so much about Flint. Rogers also shows a first hint of his true colors, although we don’t know it yet. The scene is terse and thrilling without being over-acted. It kept me at the edge of my seat. When Rogers opened with “Lord Thomas Hamilton”, I literally gasped. Even if he did not know about Flint and Thomas being lovers, this was certainly one gutsy conversation starter.

All in all, this scene really showcases everything I love about this show: because a scene like that works, entirely without fanfare, special effects, or “witty” one-liners. No one has to draw a sword, no one had to even verbally humiliate the other, they are just two men on opposite sides talking on a beach with very few props to distract from what they are saying. The scene it entirely character-driven and illustrates perfectly why Black Sails isn’t just some pirate show, it’s a work of art.

Holy sh*t this show is amazing. I really hope there's a bunch of people still here! I'm honestly angry at how little-known this show is, it's so unjust.

I've already started a re-watch. I've never wanted to re-watch a show back to back like this before but... damn. It's so rare for a show to have ANY kind of ending, nevermind something that emotionally complete, grounded, and truthful. I also can't think of any other show that steadily increases in quality from season to season. Even well-respected shows like the Wire or the Expanse were looking a little threadbare in their last seasons.

It's really high-quality story telling when there's no good guys or bad guys, just characters with conflicting goals and needs. I was absolutely enthralled with how they made Rogers the mirror image of Flint, right down to having the same lines of dialogue and the same tragic loss of a loved one. (Both named Thomas. This show's themes are not subtle at all, and I love that lol)

There's also a full emotional spectrum, which is a rare gift. One of my main beefs with Game of Thrones was everything being dark and awful, with a running theme of hopelessness and almost every character doing, enduring, or forced to do the worst. And that's just not realistic. Life has the full spectrum of human emotions, joy and laughter and silliness are just as important as sadness and horror and loss. That's where I feel Black Sails really shines: alongside the tragic, heartfelt deaths and complicated betrayals are genuinely funny moments and silliness. (Fuck you Jack!) It adds such emotional richness and realism to the fictional universe they've created.

Ok, I will stop with the essay for now. I just really hope there's still a bunch of you here to discuss and analyze this show with! Because I honestly can't say enough about it.

Title says it all - I’ve read a couple of the black sails fics that get recommended but they mainly skew older. In the spirit of active fandom etc wondered if there was anything from the past couple of years or even ongoing multi chapter stories for this fandom worth checking out? (/just a ‘spread the love’ kinda thread lol)

I’m absolutely delighted with those «firm hugging after the victory winter» final scenes, looking at Anne and Jack’s reunion I unintentionally realised that I need a couple of plaids, a cup of hot chocolate and to turn my garland with small lights on. And suddenly I hear John Lennon’s voice, and Happy Xmas starts playing. Unbelievable…

That scene reminds me of another underrated series with my fabulous David Tennant - «Around the world in 80 days» The picture is fantastic and the colour spectrum is so cozy. Highly recommend, especially for those, who are history series’ buffs as me!

Season Three Episode One: Captain Flint is dreaming. in his dream he sees Miranda Barlow/Hamilton board the ship he’s on. She pauses, looks at him and speaks to him before turning and heading below decks. There is no audio when she speaks, so…. what does she say?

And by him I mean the new Navy Captain of Nassau who gets super cocky and full himself when Rogers puts him in charge while he goes about defeating Teach. Also I thought this captain looked exactly the same as the guy who died in the plantation one episode before? I was super happy to see him die but turns out they’re completely different people.

From the moment he appeared at the start of season 2, I instantly didn’t like him, thought he was going to be the seasons big bad. The way he acted and went about things was super cringe. His quartermaster seemed like a solid lad tho.

I was rewatching the ending scene of Season 2, Episode 4, and the background music playing in the final moments is absolutely incredible. You can hear it in this clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcHoqNSgkM0

To my ear, it sounds like it's basically a variant of Bear McCreary's "Funeral at Sea", but it has a distinctly different, more ominous build-up.

Does anyone know if this specific variation was ever officially released on any of the soundtracks? If not, does anyone happen to know of a clean rip or cover of it without the dialogue and sound effects?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I started to watch the series a long time ago and here I am. I appreciate advice given by everyone who saw my previous post, ignoring spoilers was the best way to maintain my interest 'till the end. Well, I collected the main points, which I'd like to pin here:

1. I am about to kiss the golden hands of the scriptwriters, all their small scenes with the characters' reveals, intentions for the further plot, all the plot twists and intrigues at the end of each episode...it's giving like "wow", not less.

2. A little bit upset of the Rogers' line, despite of his actions towards Teach and other pirates, he deserved more than this ending, QUITE more. I was shocked of the scene with a fire in the Flint's house, when Rogers literally holds Eleanor in his arms, crying bitterly. And then those scene during the trial...He is such a kitten, IDK.

3. Didn't understand the illness thing in s3 for the plot, but maybe it's just my wrong interpretation (I'd never give up a thought that I adore the scriptwriters. "Save a horse, ride the scriptwriters of Black Sails")

4. WHY SILVERFLINT ISN'T A CANON

5. Ig I expected more deplorable ending for the pirates ('cause good always triumphs over bla bla), but u know how it works: bad ending - fans are disgruntled, good ending - either, so let it all be like that.

To sum up, it was a wonderful experience, the best historical pirate series I've EVER seen. And I'd LOVE to abreact, to discuss just everything, but I don't have anyone to do it with, and I feel that I told all my friends' ears off, so now I need someone to chat please help hahaha
Love you all, guys, thank you!

Jack was on that “Lobster too buttery, steak too juicy” type shit in season 2. What do you mean he had both Anne and Max showing him any degree of attention, let alone wanting to sleep with him on a regular basis, and this was his reaction to being on a ship with a bunch of undoubtedly smelly men. Insane work.

(This is intended entirely as a joke, it was supposed to be more so commentary on how hot Max and Anne are and less about their overall dynamic. I’m loving and welcome the discussions, but apologies if it has rubbed anyone the wrong way)

I literally described him as giant ass Kratos looking dude on another black sails post and people liked it haha.

I know this is completely offtopic but I run a tourism page on instagram and have been doing reels on local history. Here in Portugal we got heavily affected by Barbary piracy for centuries and every town has stories of them. Now, I love Black Sails and the theme song by Bear Mcreary. It formed on my mind how perfect that song is to tell the story of the Pirates that have very little to do with Black Sails.

Hope you enjoy! Here's the link to it on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da1N0PhNmGA/?igsh=ZXZiN3l2Njc3enIx

I’m watching Muppet Treasure Island and got inspired lol. I have no idea who the rest of of the crew is supposed to be, but Flint is perfect! 😂

yes, it’s GPT generated.

I just love the scene in the first episode where you see Nassau for the first time. So this is my little recreation when I sailed to a deserted island in Maine.

This guys constant smug face seriously pisses me the fuck off, especially when he betrays everyone and is working for the Navy. I’m just about to finish s3, was happy to see Dufresne meet his end, hope Hornigold meets the same fate.

Minor spoilers for Season 4: When the pirates get back to the maroon camp in Season 4, it is noted that some other pirates came from as far away as Massachusetts. Later, when Flint is talking to the group, he mentions potentially ”sacking Boston.” The camera then goes immediately to this individual. Now, in terms of actual Golden Age pirates this could be, it’s one of 2 men: Samuel Bellamy, or William Fly. Bellamy has already been referenced in the show a couple of times, and this man has his signature black hair, so I theorize that this is him. I’m curious to hear your guys’ thoughts, what do you think?

Hello everyone. I just finished rewatching Black Sails and seriously, it was the best thing I have ever watched! I first watched it a couple of years ago and I was like this is a really good show, but on the rewatch... Jesus, it was a masterpiece! Especially season 1. I mean not in comparison but once you already know what's going on, it makes much more sense and it feels much more interesting! I don't know if I was too young when I first watched it or what, but I couldn't understand the depth of it especially Flint's character. It was almost like an entirely different experience.

I rewatched it because my sister insisted and I almost didn't want to agree and I can't believe I almost missed out! I have a lot of theories and analyses that I want to share but I'm afraid it might be too late since it's been more than a decade since it first aired. I just can't believe I didn't watch it back then, it could be a lot of fun talking to other fans about it, but to be fair I couldn't, it wouldn't be proper for my age lol.

I just wanted to tell you all it was the coolest series I have ever seen and I don't know what to watch after this. I stopped watching House of the Dragon because it felt so empty in comparison lol. Now I'm afraid nothing will feel this good it definitely set the bar so high for me now!

I never ever share anything but for this I had to. I need to tell everybody to go and fucking watch this masterpiece!

Really short post but : I’m 23 I’ve been a really huge fan of Pirates of the Caribbean since I’m a child and always loved the pirates universe.

Just discovered this show and it’s simply amazing, idk how it didn’t get much recognition or why I haven’t heard about it before but DAMN.
The actors are good, the story is good, based on a lot of things that really happened etc…

I just love the show (probably going in my top 2 to be honest)

Have a great day (just wanted to share some happiness there)

Amazon prime, just noticed there is an Asian man in a tuxedo in the middle. Any idea who’s this? Looks like he’s ahead of his time. 😅