you came back

Being Blackbeard has weighed so heavily on him for such a long time. He was just exhausted by the whole thing. Being responsible for everyone's lives and having to make decisions all the time. Having to act out the persona he created and be intimidating, distant. He got to the point where he'd rather die than have to keep doing it.

And then he gets put on probation. Nobody wants him to be Blackbeard. He's allowed on the ship but nobody wants him to be their captain right now. They explicitly don't want him to be intimidating. They don't want him to wear the Blackbeard leathers.

And it makes him so happy. He's free. His whole body language and way of speaking change. He can just be Ed for a bit. He can do cannonballs and catch fishies and be wiggly. Stede can be captain and lead raids.

The closest we've gotten to this before was at the privateering academy, when again someone else took the burden of having to be Blackbeard away from him. And he got to just be Ed and be with Stede.

Ricky fucking around at Spanish Jackie'z? Stede's already GONE

Jim and Olu and a suspiciously sweaty Lucius who had previously been missing standing there arguing? Stede's CLOSING THE DOOR, he's OUT

Ghost of your childhood bully representing your guilt chasing you around? JUST SAIL THE BOAT AWAY, ghosts can't swim

Antique shop burn down? He's OUTTA THERE

People being mean to you at a fancy party? lol just LEAVE THE ROOM

Master plan to escape the British in the finale was certainly cut heavily for time but as it stands it definitely scans like JUST WALK AWAY LMAO and that's another banger from my man Stede tbh

Everything in this drawing was tricky asf

Day 22

One of these anyway