The world of cinema and storytelling has not always been kind to the LGBTQ community. Hollywood is notorious for passing over queer actors in various roles and using characters as queer bait to attract viewers while never giving them fulfilling stories and often killing them off. Queer actors and characters have had to fight to get a chance to be seen on the big screen in a clear and positive light.
The HBO series Our Flag Means Death, produced and starring Taika Waititi alongside plenty of other charming and talented actors, pleasantly surprising everybody, went a long way to fill that blank space. It’s a whimsical story about an aristocrat who wants to be a pirate and ends up catching the eye of Blackbeard – but a romance forms instead of a rivalry between the two men. This show is perfect for anyone looking for a fun romp with a surprising amount of heart to it. Here’s why this show is a masterpiece that we all need in our lives.
Updated on October 15th, 2023 by Anushree Banerjee: With the second season of this masterpiece of a series currently airing, this list has been updated by with even more reasons to drop everything else and jump aboard the pirate ship for an even more adventurous journey!
Enemies to Lovers
Our Flag Means Death is a classic story that so many of us (especially those who frequent Wattpad) love to see. The characters of Stede and Blackbeard are rival pirates, and Blackbeard even takes over Stede’s ship in order to use him for his own purposes and take his crew – but then Stede turns out to be the perfect complement to Blackbeard. They are two sides of the same coin that seem perfect for each other. The two of them spend several episodes trying to avoid these feelings even though the rest of the crew clearly sees they’re desperately in love.
As they grapple with their feelings, they grow closer as they adventure together and fight against various royal European forces and other groups of pirates and criminals. At every turn, they come to each other’s rescue. Whether it’s Blackbeard teaching Stede about how to perform a “F***ery” or Stede teaching Blackbeard about passive-aggression and fine silks, they are always there for each other. Going from partners in crime to partners in romance, it’s beautiful for the audience to see it all blossom.
Diverse Cast and Characters
The show also does a great job with diversity in its cast and characters. They have people of various ethnicities, sizes, and queer identities. A fan favorite has been Vico Ortiz as Jim, the knife-wielding pirate, a non-binary character played by a non-binary actor. But the main story follows the slow-burn love between Stede and Blackbeard along with, let’s face it, Izzy Hands as the jealous third wheel.
The show unveils the romance between the two main pirates beautifully and naturally, creating a well-developed and believable relationship where so many other attempts from Hollywood have fallen short. It has been incredible to see these queer characters come to life on screen and be central to the story instead of being used by a production to check off the representation box. Recently, we’ve seen a lot of queer stories set in period films, and seeing some queer pirates added to the list is what we all needed.
Exploring the Seas to Exploring Oneself
One of the most charming themes of Our Flag Means Death is a journey of self-discovery. However, what is even more fascinating is the characters who embark on this journey are people who are past their primes so to speak. Shedding a beautiful light on the topic of people coming out later in life, the series shows how there is no age to finally say enough is enough and try to find out who you are.
Away from the world painting hypothetical boundaries around you, be it of glorifying violence as strength and masculinity like in the case of Blackbeard, or the lack thereof and being shamed for not fitting a constricting idea of masculinity as was the case for Stede, the two of them take it upon themselves to unravel their deep hidden parts to each other and themselves to become who they truly are. For Blackbeard, it is finally laying down the bloodthirsty pirate image and becoming Ed, someone who is tired and craves relaxation with a deep affinity for beautiful things.
For Stede, it is finally coming out of the deep-rooted sense of shame his father's constant disappointment had forced him into embracing his true self. Not to mention their beautifully developing relationship and coming to terms with their feelings for each other at that stage in life adds more of a nuance to their journey of discovering new waters as much out in the world as within themselves and makes for a magnificently heart-touching yet quirky series to watch.
Following Dreams
At the core of the show’s story is the themes of following dreams and accepting oneself. Stede is routinely mocked for trying to be a gentleman pirate, but he never stops trying to prove himself; his wife, Mary, gets to pursue her art career (while she believes Stede is dead); Jim gets to reveal themselves to the crew as they are and get justice for their murdered family; even the Swede begins his path to becoming a singer. The show makes the characters three-dimensional and relatable by giving them something they aspire to. All of them are working towards something, and the show reveals the difficult path to success.
Cinema is a great way to give an audience a theme that makes them think and feel like they can connect with the story. Our Flag Means Death by no means shoves anything down the viewers' throats or preaches anything too loudly. The writers do an incredible job of having themes woven into the story in a way that is gentle yet perceptible. They write a beautiful story about a wide array of people working hard for their happiness and purpose, showing the audience that all of us struggle for what we want but that it doesn’t make it any less worth it to pursue.
As many viewers will agree, Our Flag Means Death is a masterpiece of a TV show that pretty much anyone can enjoy. From the clever writing to the captivating acting, the show really has it all. This series was full of beautiful moments and did a wonderful job giving queer actors and characters the story they deserve. It promised to be a charming, queer feel-good show, and it more than fulfilled that promise.