Sorry To Interrupt All The Smut Requests But Do You Have Anymore Heart Breaking, Gut Wrenching, Soul

Gosh, that tear! Made me think about Cabanel's fallen angel.

❤️💔

Absolutely true. He absolutely loved them both, even if I'm not sure he already loved Miranda as much as he later did, back then, or as much as he loved Thomas. But the point is that he however respected her (the both of them) deeply, and the fact that this already happenes in a early stage of their romance has even more meaning to me. Thomas was capable of defending himself, because he was a man and because the Earl was his father. He had the chance to speak his mind and be listened (even if he was not). In a way it would have been unpolite and arrogant of James to assume he couldn't and speak in his place. But Miranda could not, 'cause she was a woman and not even with the best reputation, she had not a chance to speak and to be listened and that's way James steps in. But then he starts to speak and you actually see he is doing it for the both of them. And well, I guess that was the moment when both the Hamiltons realized they were actually doomed.

The way James doesn't say anything until Lord Hamilton starts in on Miranda. Yes, he would have inevitably stood up in defense of Thomas, but you can see throughout the dinner scene how he is holding back, staying quiet, allowing Thomas to argue with his father. But it's when Lord Hamilton starts taking potshots, nastily calls Miranda a whore, is when James stands up. His tipping point is when Miranda is disrespected, (it isn't the first time, either) and it's so...so...insane, because he stood up for both of them. Miranda and Thomas. He shot back against Lord Hamilton for Miranda as much as he did for Thomas, because he loved them both.

You will care. Someday, you will care.

Re-reading Treasure Island and this (incredibly ableist) quote from pg. 30(?) really struck me. And all I could think of was how Silver saw himself after losing the leg and struggled, even when he was at the height of his power - but his allies never saw him as lesser for it. Only Civilization did... Would that haunt him, too? I thought that having a s1-inspired Silver in contrast with that quote was particularly meaningful.

Textless version under the cut.

The Untamed x Harper’s Bazaar

Definitely a great summary. Love it.

The sad thing to me is that first time you watch it you'll surely miss A LOT of the unspoken. When actually, that's the best part.

the beautiful thing about black sails is that in shape and function it is a show about conversations. a show about talking, a show about dialogues, monologues, the stories told, the war declarations shouted out, the people who are all in their own ways masters of the words. but inherently black sails is a show about things that cannot be said. histories and feelings that cannot be brought to the surface and need to stay unspoken, layers of meaning hidden beneath the text, and the real face of the stories secreted away in between lines. and i think that's so rad

Lately I went rewatching ep.I. It was the third time, but the first one being as obsessed with this show (and having the full picture of it) as I am now. And, wow, it really could be called an “introduction”. I mean, besides all the main characters' introduction, in those 60 minutes there are hints to all of the main themes treated in the show.

They give a sketch of the pirate figure they are going to deepen throughout the seasons (free men who keep what they want) and also of the way they are seen and conceived by the civilized world (as fearsome monsters).

They also start to give some hints about the nature of that “civilized world”.

They even introduce the concept of shame! I didn't remember that.

Captain Hume says: ”gossip is what holds civilization together. It reinforces shame. And without shame the world is a very dangerous place.”

Which, wow, is pretty ominous considering what we are going to discover in season two.

They also start to make it pretty clear how things work in Nassau, how important it is to have allies and at the same time how easily those alliances may change, with poor Gates trying to gain votes for Flint (and I'm going to say it once again: he didn't deserve to die. Like, I love Flint, but this I can't forgive him.)

And speaking about Flint, they already give very important informations about him.

Sure, we see him being the bossiest and the strongest of the bunch, all determined with his actions and plans and all, but what I'm really talking about are the hints to his personality.

Of course we don't know him yet at episode one (and I'm sure the first impressions of him must have been the most disparate. I can't even remember my very first impression of him, but considering my actual tastes in characters I think that if I had first known him now I would have loved him at once) but they drop things which are very important considering what we are going to discover about his character.

Like, we know at first that he doesn't trust his men at all (“I don't trust them with the truth”+ the various lies lol), and we see that he definitely is not “one of them”, because they find him too different from them to be considered such and probably this is where all those mistrust in him come from (“I know they've always found me aloof, too educated” which really, really, tells a lot about him).

And I just thought: how strong must he have been to gain and hold the power over those men in a world where there are no rules, no indisputable ranks, where trust and submission is granted (and only barely promised) to the stronger ones or to the ones who are considered the most fitted to receive it only basing on one's subjective judgment and advantage, without even being liked by those men?

And also, Dufresne says that “he loves his books” which is another one of the things that in my opinion are so beautiful about his character for the deep links those books have with his story and his development (I could write a whole essay about Flint's books lol).

Anyway, I just finished rewatching season 4 some weeks ago and since I can't stay for long without BS anymore I thought: why not starting it again? And so. Btw, I really needed to rewatch the first season since I feel like I still haven't appreciated it enough.

Let the water wash away Everything that you’ve become On your knees, today is gone And tomorrow’s sure to come Tomorrow’s sure to come

Work of art. I feel glad to have this artist both in dolls and Black Sails communities. I couldn't wish for anything better (honestly, I never thought I'd have found BS' custom dolls, and instead...what a gift!).

[id: 4 photos showing a doll sized version of james flint’s copy of meditations. 1st photo: a custom flint doll, shirtless in black pants, holds the book in front of him as if showing it to someone. 2nd photo: taken over the doll’s shoulder. The book sits open on a wood shelf (that looks like a desk to the doll) held open by the doll’s hands to the page with the inscription “James My truest love. Know no shame. T. H.” 3rd photo: the same as the 2nd but this time the book is open to the title page reading “Meditations. Marcus Aurelius” 4th photo: also the same but open to a page in the middle of the book, both sides printed with lorem ipsum fake text. End id]

Took a side quest to make flint’s copy of meditations :) My 1st time bookbinding (since an art class in high school) Yay! And i just happened to have a scrap of (genuine!) red leather that was the perfect size for the cover. The pages are printed on paper i tore out of an old book i was getting rid of anyway, and, in the tradition of barbie books, newspapers, etc, each page is printed with lorem ipsum text.

Absolutely yes to all of that.

(warning: black sails spoilers)

every time I see a bad Miranda Hamilton take I have to try so so hard not to engage. I see so many people blatantly misunderstand her character or call her ‘annoying’ (especially when talking about season 2 episode 9 and her rant at Peter) and it pains me so much. She is just as much forged by loss as Flint, she is just as traumatised. And, on top of it, she is expected to sit around and wait for deliverance, she isn’t afforded the same opportunity to take matters into her own hands. Call her annoying all you want, but know that you’re wrong. Her rant in s2e9 is not unnecessary and it’s not overly emotional, it’s actually very fucking justified. It’s one of the only times she actually breaks her cool, allows herself to be angry, and she is killed for it. It’s a response to the revelation that Peter, once her friend, sold Thomas out for status, colluded behind their backs with Alfred fucking Hamilton to destroy their happiness. And he dares to claim it was a ‘civilised’ solution? So she says fuck your civilisation. Fuck your solutions. Fuck your pardons, your country, your empire. It should all burn for what you’ve done. And don’t miss the connotations of burning: purifying, cleansing, starting fresh. You know who else was being ‘purified’? Thomas. Rotting in a mental hospital for being queer.

She has every right to be angry. And it makes sense that she is killed for it, as empire cannot abide any challenge to its official narrative. The mere fact of her raised voice is enough to condemn her to death, yet she and Flint are treated as monstrous for their killing of Alfred Hamilton. The man who destroyed their lives and orchestrated their tragedy.

So fuck your takes. I’m so so fed up of people talking about her as if she’s just some irritating tag along. She is integral to the show’s message, and in this particular episode, Flint’s realisation that empire is not the answer. He learns that, whilst he is villainised for his use of violence in service of a noble goal, empire is allowed to practice violence with no consequences. It takes Miranda from him just as it took Thomas from them both.

They'll speak of me in whispered tones and say my name like it shakes their bones - a Captain Flint/James McGraw playlist

~[...] 'Cause when I'll stand these folks will run and tell the tales of what I've become ~

My humble tribute to this incredible character and his equally incredible story.

Hope this makes him justice.

Listen on YT:

https://youtu.be/mbedUGAoxr8?si=OSKzJtvjhiDVRt2M

You'll find timestamps, a translation of the italian song and some notes in the comments section on YT.