Iβve started watching Black Sails (Iβm going insane over it) and I am legitimately astounded by the level of complex character writing in this show.
Especially the way relationships are depicted just rings so true to me. Iβm in the middle of season 2 currently so idk what will happen with any of these people later on but currently weβve got:
A bisexual woman, who seems completely at peace with her sexuality. Her relationship with Vane is so deeply flawed and the way Eleanor manages the entirety of Nassau while constantly being torn between her feelings for Vane and her personal morals being at odds with most things she does makes for such a three dimensional character
Max and Ann, Ann who is a lesbian but who is also in a polyamorous relationship with her male soulmate who also has a really strange relationship with Max, who is shown to have a clear preference for women.
And then youβve got Flint. Who, without a doubt loves Thomas and who, as far as I can tell, is probably gay. But he does love Miranda in a way. And she loves both him and Thomas. And it doesnβt end up being a strange love triangle, rather they all love each other so much that they keep each other as well as they can and Miranda and Flint ultimately end up together, united in their love for Thomas
Nothing is clear cut and, I argue, labels are secondary to any character. Because outside of civilisation and on the margins of society, labels lose their importance. Socially naturalised norms of gender and sexuality do of course exist in the world of pirates but I would argue they matter less. Because what is Nassau if not a place for all those who donβt have a place in civilisation anymore.
Man, I feel so seen by these strange pirates
(Also itβs a historical slay how the show recognises that there was no real concept of βbeing gayβ back then and that labels as we have them today are actually a fairly recent development)
