David Jenkins’ pirate rom-com series Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max starring Rhys Darby isn’t just a great example of queer representation, but a great example of queer joy. Yes, these characters suffer (they’re pirates, after all), but the narrative is not that their suffering is intrinsically, undeniably linked to their queerness. It is possible to be queer and happy, which seems like a pretty basic point to accept, but if you spend any time on Twitter (or, if you’re more daring, Tumblr) this week, you will see the intense reactions from fans at seeing this point made so decisively in a work of mainstream media.
So, let’s get a little more deeply into each of the three major romantic relationships depicted so far in Our Flag Means Death.
Lucius & Black Pete
First up is the relationship between Revenge crew members Lucius (Nathan Foad) and Black Pete (Matthew Maher). In Episode 6, “The Art of Fuckery,” Lucius develops an infection in one of his fingers after being bitten by crewmate Buttons. (We’ve all been there.) When the finger is ultimately lost, Black Pete appears with a gift: a hand-whittled wooden finger. “I’m used to death,” Pete admits. “But not your death.”
It’s cute, it’s sweet, it is kind of gross! But Lucius loves it, and kisses Pete. Throughout the rest of the season, the two continue to go about their respective independent piratical duties, but when they’re together, there’s casual affectionate touching and the use of pet names. In contrast to the other two romantic relationships in the series, the one between Lucius and Black Pete seems to be easy and without turmoil. When Izzy tries to start some drama onboard by telling Black Pete about Lucius’ sketching of a naked Fang, it’s no big deal, no great seed of jealousy. “We don’t own each other,” says Lucius, and it’s as refreshing and healthy as that.
Jim & Oluwande
A character with significantly more turmoil to deal with this season was Jim. With a bounty on their head for killing one of Spanish Jackie’s (a glorious Leslie Jones) husbands, Jim stands out immediately as one of the more capable of Stede’s crew. At first seen donning a fake nose and beards and pretending to be mute, Jim is eventually revealed to be the sole AFAB member of the Revenge crew. Portrayed by non-binary Puerto Rican actor Vico Ortiz, Jim and their treatment by the rest of the crew is a refreshing approach to trans and genderfluid narratives. Sure, there is an initial conversation among Jim and the crew wherein the cis male pirates admit to being a little clueless about what this means. Do things have to change about their relationship with Jim based on this new information? Is it bad luck to have someone like Jim on the ship? Jim, ever the badass, eventually shuts it all down with, “I’m gonna keep this very simple. You all know me as Jim, si? So, just… keep calling me Jim.”
And then they do. In a world seemingly plagued with consternation about the supposed hardships of learning new names or pronouns or calling people what they ask to be called, it’s incredible to see the people in Jim’s life hear them and respect them. It really can be just that easy to be considerate of the people you love. Speaking of love, Jim gets their own romantic arc this season. All throughout Episode 7, “This Is Happening,” Oluwande (Samson Kayo) expresses frustration at knowing so little about Jim after having been their friend for over a year. They spend the day together, happening upon Jim’s Nana in St. Augustine. Oluwande learns all about Jim’s upbringing as a stealthy killer, meant to take revenge for the slaughter of their family. “Well, look, if you wanted, I could be family,” Oluwande says to Jim, after hearing their tragic backstory. And then there’s an interrupted kiss.
The episode ends with the two separated, but oh, is there a glorious reunion coming. In the final episode of the season, Jim returns, finding Oluwande in their former room. Oluwande confesses to giving the room away after losing Jim. “I missed you,” he says, and then they’re kissing and falling into bed together. Jim and Oluwande have more obvious challenges to their relationship than Black Pete and Lucius, but, again, it’s clear those issues arise from trust and childhood trauma, and never from the gender identity or sexuality of either character.
Stede Bonnet & Ed Teach
“Oh my God, this is happening,” says Lucius, speaking for us all, upon witnessing a sweet moment between series leads Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Edward Teach/Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). The spark between Stede and Ed is evident from their very first meeting. Ed is intrigued by all of Stede’s eccentricities, and Stede never lets the ferocious reputation of Blackbeard get in the way of his affection for his new friend. There’s swordplay, bonding over brandy and marmalade, exchanging meaningful looks by moonlight, and tension caused by exes played by Will Arnett. It’s all really quite romantic.
The textual confirmation of this romance is all based on a conversation about happiness. In Episode 9, “Act of Grace,” what leads Ed to finally kiss Stede is Stede’s question of, “What makes Ed happy?” And Taika Waititi, having already imbued Ed with such a magnificent blend of fearsome pirate swagger and real sadness and insecurity, plays this moment masterfully. As he explains to Stede how he’s felt over the past few weeks, he does not make eye contact with the other man, and there is a pronounced nervous twitch in his lip. He's nervous. “So, I reckon what makes Ed happy is… you,” he finally admits. And they kiss, and as Stede pulls away, he smiles at Ed and says, “You make Stede happy.”
Now, there are challenges ahead for Stede and Ed, but, once more with feeling, these challenges aren’t about being a man in love with another man. Falling for the other doesn’t make Ed or Stede sad or tossed into an ocean of self-doubt. They make one another happy, and that’s worth fighting for. Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the queer relationships depicted on Our Flag Means Death is how sincerely they are all played. Yes, the show is funny, and the characters themselves are funny. But they aren’t funny because they’re queer. Being queer isn’t itself the joke, which gives the audience permission to take it seriously. On a personal note, as a queer viewer, I truly cannot understate how much the simple, deliberate, and gentle depictions of these characters and their relationships absolutely took my breath away.
The end of Our Flag Means Death's season sees all our couples separated, forcefully in the case of Lucius and Black Pete and Jim and Oluwande, all thanks to a broken-hearted Blackbeard. Here’s hoping for a Season 2 (and more) to give these characters and their relationships more time and space to evolve and grow. In the meantime, hit me up if you need any fanfic recommendations.