Roses In Her Eyes

Ok so there is so much obviously like how am I supposed to go to sleep after that? But one thing I just want to comment on is Stede’s resilience? His capacity for forgiveness? Like he thinks the love of his life is dead, not just dead but murdered by his own crew and what does he do? He breaks them out. He brings them back to his ship. He recreates as much of his family as he still can.

And I’m not going to be very articulate about this because it’s 3am and I’m one of those people whose nervous system can’t differentiate between excitement and anxiety (which is going to make this week waiting for the next 2 episodes super fun) but there is just something so… hopeful in that? Like it would have been so easy for him to fall directly into despair like Ed did, but instead he said, No, actually, my love is bigger than that. Here is this character whose whole thing has been about creating a new life for himself and the season 1 finale had him doubling down on that after a moment of doubt, and it was so nice that his optimism and commitment to his crew remained even when he thought Ed was lost. Because it’s romantic and all to have another person be your purpose, but it’s ultimately not sustainable—you have to live for something bigger, and that’s what Stede has learned, what he’s bringing to the table.

And it’s such a foil to where Ed is at—how abandoned and hopeless he is, how the loss of Stede caused him to abandon himself and betray everyone he loved. That last scene (GOD that last scene) is, I hope, setting the tone for the rest of the season. Stede is no longer a lighthouse, something to be avoided. He’s become/becoming a beacon.