My favorite thing about making predictions for an upcoming season of a show is being wrong.

This goes double for a show like Our Flag Means Death.

Odds are we'll get to be wrong because whatever does happen will be absolutely unhinged and I cannot wait to see how wrong I am.

MY OFFICIAL LUCIUS THEORY!

We will see NOTHING of him in any of the promos. He will be revealed to be alive and somewhere during the last minute of 2x01.

EXCLUSIVE FALL PREVIEWS

Mates. LADS. BRETHEREN.

I think I'm going to die now. AAAAAAAAAAAAH—

BUT OF COURSE WHAT WOULD BE THE SENSE OF MY EXISTENCE IF I DIDN'T SHARE MY OWN PERSONAL THOUGHTS ON THESE BEAUTIFUL THINGS BEFORE THE MEDICINE KICKS IN.

The Crew — I think this is where they see LUCIUS!!!! I'm so very convinced this is where they meet Lucius. As we can see, they're all in the same clothing as the Vanity Fair first looks, where Black Pete is visibly overjoyed. But can't you see that he is missing from this shot? Probably snogging Lucius' face off or hugging him or doing something as such.

Lucius probably popped around the corner in the Vanity Fair one, and now they're sharing an intimate moment (keeping it PG) on deck while the rest of the happy crew watches on (as visible from Roach's, Oluwande's, and Wee John's faces). Of course, Buttons has no interest in human adoration, and instead looks on towards his own lover, the sea.

Stede is looking quite perplexed, or maybe contemplatively—perhaps as a result of Lucius telling Stede what happened to him. He doesn't look directly all that happy, does he?

(OMG OMG OMG WHY DO THEY ALL LOOK SO HAPPY EXCEPT STEDE BUT OLU YOU DEAREST MAN AND THEY'RE LOOKING SNAZZY AND I LOVE THEIR SOCKS I'M AHHAHASIJDHKAE)

Stede — That's the floor of the Revenge guys. I know it well since the last time Stede was pushed onto it. (Solidarity for the harm that the foot touch caused in these trying times) He is wearing what looks to be ye olde fencing gloves, and this means that was just handling a sword. (Though, he could have been using the cannons; we all know Stede would probably confuse fencing gloves for heavy artillery)

There are a few scenarios I can find at the top of my head: he's either training with Izzy (though would that explain his terrified expression? maybe)—we also see the lack of the red ribbon, which I think he removed when he teams up with Izzy, for whatever reason—or he's been duelling with someone else, someone who is extremely better at swordsmanship, someone we know to have been excellent at both maiming and receiving stab wounds. Has he been fighting with Edward?

I think it's the former, but who knows? The best part of theorising is being wrong, after all. I guess we can just gang up and say "calm down mr wavey blade" to whoever is behind this. Plus, do I see traced of some fuzz on his chin? Confirmed baby steard, guys???

(He's such an ICON I WANT TO BREATHE HIS HAIR AND SEE IT BEHIND MY EYELIDS. In the wise words of Rhys Darby, "I wish I had his hair". BUT LIKE HONESTLY WHAT'S GOING ON HERE WHY DOES HE LOOK LIKE HE'S SEEN A GHOST)

Frenchie and Ed — This has me on actual alarm bells mode. I can't tell whether or not this is Blackbeard or post-Blackbeard era—he's not wearing any dark chunky make-up, and has his hair up in his classic, beautiful half-up half-down, and we finally get a more close-up and clear shot of his earring, which we first spotted from the Vanity Fair first looks?

A detail I spotted for Frenchie's new goth uniform, which he is still wearing in this shot (further confusing me on the timeline of this image)—I think that his jacket is the very same from the "The Best Revenge Is Dressing Well" episode, which is so incredibly sweet and a beautiful little detail to connect back to season 1. I'd like to think he customised it himself, since we know Frenchie can "sew like the wind."

That's also still the Revenge, in fact the very spot where Lucius was about to get his finger cut off in "The Art of F**kery". But what intent Ed has with this confrontation with Frenchie, who seemingly looks like perhaps he wasn't even doing anything wrong, escapes the depth of my theoretical mind. What contributes even less to this is that Ed is smiling? Rather maniacal, might I add.

(WHAT. THE. FUCK. help me why is this happening. I LIKE AM SO ANGRY AND SO HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME THAT I CAN'T FIGURE ANYTHING OUT FROM THIS PICTURE. NOT EVEN WHAT STAGE OF GRIEF ED IS IN. HELP ME)

Edward — That chair looks like it's from Stede's room, from one of the desk-like tables in the corner next to his bed, and perhaps even the only chair which Ed kept in the room after his rather ill-tasted renovations. What's he doing there without his make-up on? Perhaps this is still during the early stages of new Blackbeard, and he's just in the transit period between washing and re-application.

BUT, if we look at the background, does that look like the Revenge? Not really... There is what seems like a fireplace or some sort of stone plate in the background, with a painting on it with a man on the left side of the composition, who seemingly looks to have lighter coloured hair. So what I may be thinking, is that Edward is visiting MARY ALLAMBY! The painting in the background may be the one from Stede and Mary's wedding, and Mary might have kept it as memorabilia in ode of her now good friend. (Stede is on the left in that painting). Plus, where else would Stede get his furniture and taste for his bedroom than his own former house, which Mary currently lives at?

Even though I think David Jenkins said that Mary wouldn't be present in the season, do I believe him? No. I think I have the right for me to be delusional without external interference at this point.

(Please let me be right please let me be right I NEED A MARY / ED INTERACTION AT SOME POINT TO HEAL MY HEART. I need Mary to realise that fucking Blackbeard is the Ed that Stede was talking about, I NEED ED TO THINK THAT STEDE DIED, FOR EVEN A MOMENT. I think my brain has stopped receiving oxygen.)

Send hopes and prayers

I know we’ve been talking about *us* not being ready for

in love Stede~

But GUYS!!! We haven’t even considered how unprepared Edward is for Affectionate, Adoring, Devoted, and in-love Stede.

Edward has been pining *THIS HARD* for a man who barely returned his affections before. He is about to swept off his dang feet when he sees Boyfriend Era Stede

Before ep 5 aired, I was hoping that Ed would be the one to initiate their first kiss in the second season to ensure he was comfy with stede again and he did!

so Im really hoping that he'll be the one to drop "I love you" first

Imagine its when him and stede make love next week or its during the finale where ed and stede have to go their separate ways for a plan or something and ed's just like "oh stede, one more thing....." and stede's just like "yes?" and ed just flat out goes "I love you" and we just cut to stede looking so stunned and so happy before replying "I love you too"

Here's the last one! I didn't expect to make SO MANY "I Lik The Bred" poems for OFMD 🤣

Is this a season 2 spoiler? Pure speculation, but could totally happen...

So I saw people talk about grey star jacket that Ed's wearing on the picture with Jackie.

And when I watched analysis of the trailer I noticed that Buttons is wearing the same jacket (and i didn't see anyone talking about it). So it might be a uniform or they were wearing the same thing at different points of time.

Also we saw Stede wearing a red cravat. And some people assumed it was Ed's cloth (maybe I'm wrong and I just thought that for a moment).

But I noticed that during the fight scene the guy who was punched by Stede is wearing a similar cravat.

(Gif credit @figmentof) okay so hear me out about this scene in the trailer. I think we've all pretty collectively agreed that these scenes are not directly connected in the sense that it really looks like they're in different places.

That said, I think they may be connected in a diffferent way.

I think that we get some clues here: first, Ed is not wearing the kraken getup. The makeup, the leathers, they're all noteably missing.

Second, Stede is also not wearing his usual outfit we've seen him in. He's in sort of black (or maybe dark blue).

My theory: this is them finding each other, and will be followed by that scene on the beach, them running to find each other. Ed is looking for Stede, perhaps captured by the English (hence, you know, the pained scream?) Maybe Ed is fighting his way back to Stede, maybe Stede is fighting his way back to Ed. Maybe they're both being kept for their deaths separately, and Ed escapes and hears Stede cry out. Maybe this is Stede breaking himself free, throwing his head back with exertion.

Maybe this will culminate in them running towards one another on that beach, fighting the British, desperate to get back to one another.

Just a thought.

So you know how I have thoughts? Well I have thoughts about OFMD S2 and where things might be going in regards to a certain characters arc.

Izzy.

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SPOILERS NATURALLY

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Izzy's turnaround is so complete it's dazzling. Like he not only suffered at Blackbeards hands, he acknowledged the reason he was putting up with it was because he loves Edward. And he acknowledged it was a toxic flawed love that it no longer served either of them.

Izzy's attempts to protect Stede from the truth of Blackbeards cruelty and his supposed death were uncharacteristically compassionate and kind. I think it's because he now sees in Stede what he realised was within Izzy himself all along.

They are both in love with someone who doesn't love themselves and hurts himself and others as a result of it. Izzy wanted to spare Bonnet that pain. Because its painful to love when that person can't accept it understand it, much less return it.

Now what does this mean for the rest of the season?

Ed is alive. Ed and Stede are now going to have to talk. And I suspect that conversation is going to be extremely fraught.

Izzy is potentially going to be integral to that relationship as the show continues.

Because I think when it comes down to it, Izzy is going to end up on Stede's side in the 'divorce'. Not only taking his side because of Ed's abuse, but I think he may even feel an instinctive urge to protect Stede from Ed's worst impulses. Partially because he feels responsible, and partly because he doesn't want Stede to suffer like he has.

I think if Stede were to take Ed on as he is now with no acknowledgement of the things he's done, Izzy would feel obliged to step between them to protect Stede.

Even if it meant Ed would try to kill him.

At the moment I don't see this adding up to Izzy developing feelings for Stede, but I'm not saying it's impossible. Not sure how Stede would feel about that though as he's unshakeable head over heels for Ed and it seems cruel to have Izzy fall for yet another person who doesn't feel the same.

I think Izzy will continue to lean into this change of heart, rejecting the toxic masculinity he depended on to define his moral code and maybe meet someone he can form an attachment to outside of that.

What that looks like yet I don't know but I think Izzy Hands needs someone to take care of him for a change. He'd pretend to hate it while secretly loving every minute of it.

Thought that just struck me from on high:

What if the tides eventually spit Stede's message in a bottle out on the same beach where Ed washes up? What then???

training subversion trope where izzy tells stede to clean shit and stede's immediately like "oh!!! this will help my sword fighting in the long run! I get it!" and izzy just wanted to put him to work because he's a power hungry weirdo

ALRIGHT MATES. OFMD PREDICTION S2 TIME. I've gathered me theories, and am ready to put 'em down fer yer enjoyment so I can regain me sanity fer the oncomin' weeks. If I be right on anythin', I reckon I can safely say that I be an oracle.

Stede sets off to find Ed with the help of "Susan" (who I am convinced is a mermaid), and possibly Anne Bonny. In the scene where Stede is looking off into the distance with Ed on the other side with his nine guns, you can see Buttons in the background rowing. This starts the timeline of the red scarf*, which has to have been found somewhere on the island or on the water. They are rowing in any direction, which may be how they get to China, if it China at all. How they survive is beyond my estimation prowess.

They get off the island, and now in search of a proper ship. This around the time where he throws the bottle into the ocean. Might even be in episode 1: he wants Ed to know as soon as possible that he's coming. However, they get to China pretty fast. But again, it may not be China. A bit confused about the location and how long it would take them to meet up. Maybe they do a longer time skip (this could add to the effect, if Stede has been searching for Ed for a while.) But maybe not. The timeline between event 1 and 2 is confusing.

Edward raids ships, finds the one with the marriage (or maybe he's actively searching for it?)— cue depressed topper decoration. Izzy tries to speak to him, but it doesn't go well. This is also where he stocks up on pearl decorations, since many wedding guests are wearing pearls in this scene, and we can see it when he's stranded.

Something happens to the Revenge. It's maybe caught in a storm, or suffering damages from a battle, but either or Ed falls off the ship, and while Jim tries to reach out for him they don't reach. I'm not sure how many of the Queen Anne's Revenge crew survive, but Izzy, Jim and Frenchie surely do. (Blackbeard's actual ship is called the Queen Anne's Revenge, so I think Ed may begin calling the Revenge that after the divorce.)

Ed washes up on Ocracoke beach. This is important, and relevant historically. Ocracoke was Blackbeard's favourite inlet, and where he ended up as a "semi-retired pirate." He has no way of contacting anyone else, and therefore builds a camp there in order to survive. Perhaps it aids his process of acceptance that Stede isn't coming back, and maybe even to help in his grief if he thinks that Stede has died.

Enter Hornigold. The man dressed in sails and ropes on Ocracoke where Ed is may be Hornigold, who has been hiding out there all along. He is shooting at Hornigold because if you look at the easer with 0.25x speed, after Ed shoots, Hornigold kind of flinches backwards, but it cuts to another scene quickly. It may be a ghost, but we can see him later on with a different outfit on. But I have a theory on this: Ed thinks it's a ghost, but he isn't, and he has to nurse Hornigold back to health after the gunshot wound. We know that that is possible, after the multiple stab wounds from s1.

Izzy sets off to find Stede; he realises that Ed has turned into something he wasn't expecting- he isn't Blackbeard, he's the Kraken. Izzy needs help finding Blackbeard, and goes to Stede, because he knows, he's accepted that they need each other. It's part of Izzy's nauseating personal journey that will make me go insane. This is where Stede gets his red coat and sparkly disco pants, and he begins to receive training from Izzy aboard the Revenge.

Both they and the British marines find out that Ed is on Ocracoke. Somehow- it may be sailors stopping for a while seeing him on there, or if there is a village there have been reports of a tattooed man, or the Revenge was sighted near during the accident. They both get there at the same time, and that is why they're fighting. Ed's being attacked by the British, and Stede is fighting them off too– they see each other across the battlefield.

Stede is injured. The scene where he is screaming, even thought the running joke is that he's dancing with no space for Jesus, I think that he's been injured during the battle on the black sand. EVEN THOUGH, Ocracoke has golden sand, it's NZ, and it's pretty. We already know from the automatic gaydar and leather jackets that OFMD does not have to make sense. Maybe it's Ed tending to him.

Of course, a lot of things may be happening in the meantime, before, or afterwards, that I can not guess. *The Red Scarf Dilemma: We still have to take into account the timeline of the red scarf, which very surely happens during event 1— but we don't see it during the punch scene, which is later on, around 6 (he may have just taken it off to store it, or to hide it from Izzy). Furthermore, in some scenes the colour, pattern, and shape seems a bit off, more closer to Lucius' scarf or the one from the guy he's punching in event 6. However, I don't think it's Lucius' scarf either, because it would be Pete wearing it instead, since they were boyfriends. I want to believe that it's Ed's though. I really do, but there are just some things aren't just making sense— however, they don't have to. ❤️ In addition to Stede's clothing, in the scene where he is screaming you are able to notice a pearl earring. Perhaps it's the same one that Ed wears later on? A gift? Lucius: He's alive, and I know it. He's on the cast for season 2, and he's too much of a character to be killed off. The only thing I want is an episode where it's not clear whether or not he appears as a ghost or is actually alive— Ed maybe catches him (either in the walls or at Ocracoke) and Lucius has to pretend that he's dead and haunting him either because he's sassy and bitchy like that, or out of fear. That's all. Spanish Jackie: I think she comes after the events describe in this rant. They're in a better place, they've found Ed, he may not be fine but he's healing, and perhaps his clothes are just so incredibly dirty and foul after the time he's been at Ocracoke that they lend him Buttons'. Drag Queen Wee John Scene: That one scene on the decorated Revenge with Hornigold(?) and Wee John is so incredibly confusing, and perhaps the part which I'm the least sure about. I'll just list of what I've noticed from the scene: Hornigold is holding a string instrument bow, and looks like he's singing. Wee John, while looking absolutely snatched, is being held in a form of medieval hand stocks? There is someone tied against the mast of the Revenge, who might be Stede, because of the dark blue shirt. Oluwande and Roach are being held with their heads in some sort of weird contraption, which makes me think that the crew of the Revenge are being tortured. On the other side of the mast, however, there is something with long hair, which I think may perhaps be another female pirate? Perhaps the one in charge of the torture, but maybe not, since I can't tell if she's tied to the mast or not. What if it's Mary Read? My hopes for lesbian pirates are being raised exponentially. However, since Hornigold(?) is the only one not really seemingly in any distress, and is singing and possibly even playing a string instrument, it may be him whose instigating this. Additionally, after his time of piracy, he did take up the offer to become a privateer, and later on a pirate hunter, which does antagonise him quite a lot at this point in time before proven otherwise. Plus, where are Governor Spotswood and Lieutenant Robert Maynard, AKA the guy (Spotswood) who employed the other guy (Maynard) to kill the last guy (Blackbeard)? Will they be making an occurance in season 2, or will we have to wait a bit longer for them, if at all?

Then again, we have take into consideration the date. At the start of s1, it was June 3rd of 1717. Based on an estimation made by another Tumblr user, historically from the time that Stede hired his crew till episode 10, it has been a year. However, for the sake of the OFMD canon, it is more correct to assume that the timeline was as follows:

May-June: Stede hires the crew of the Revenge a bit at the time, and maybe has them at full capacity a week or two before June 3rd.

On August 31st, Stede is almost hanged by the Spaniards, and saved by Ed and the crew of the Queen Anne.

On September 1st, that is the day where Stede wakes up and Ed and Stede have their first genuine interaction. I say that Stede has only been unconscious for a day, because the crew's first meeting with Ed was shown directly before Stede woke up, and almost no progress on the sorry state of the ship was made. (However, the latter can't really be used as evidence, because of the The Crew "Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" of the Revenge.)

They are together for a few weeks (few being 2 - 9), as Edward puts it at the end of episode 10. Therefore, in the longest case scenario, that would put them being captured at the beginning of November, however historical accounts report that Stede and Edward split around December, so we can just extend the time for a month or two for shits and giggles.

So, I would say very loosely that season 2 begins around new years, in 1718. Did I mention that 1718 is the year that both Major Stede Bonnet and Captain Edward "Blackbeard" Teach die? Blackbead dies in the end of November, while Stede lives only for 1 month minus 1 day. If they follow history, they only have 11 months before one of them dies.

I really want to know how David Jenkins is going to take this into account, if he's going to take creative liberty and fake their deaths, or stick with history and have them actually pass away. I think it may be the former, since there has been discussion about a potential season 3 in the works if the WAG/SAG-AFTRA strike is a success.

BUT he has the possibility of making it appear that one of them dies, maybe Blackbeard since his death is historically before, and keeping it a secret until season 3, where his death is revealed to be one giant fuckery for both Stede and the viewer, possibly due to the actions of the unknown BBEG of s2.

That's it. I'm not insane over the silly gay pirates.

look i know i dont talk about him much, but i really hope izzy doesnt die

even though i dont love or is completely obsessed with him like A LOT of people in this fanbase, he's definitely grown on me because of season 2 and i would hate to see him go

why im i saying this?? because of shots from the new behind the scene video

Izzy is missing from these shots and Ed and Stede look a lot sadder and guiltier than everyone else

@stedesuedeshoes made their own personal theory about the shots as well if you wanna check out their sorta more in depth theory

Ok so im watching the season 1 teaser to get a vibe for what exactly to expect in comparison.

Its...fascinating, for sure. SUCH a different vibe. Ed is barely in it, save for the end where they feature his interest.

This teaser is basically a baby summary of the first 3 episodes, and all that character development and goofiness we get from there with a twist for the dramatic (Stede with a knife to his nose, Izzy saying "this is where you die")

Now, there's the obvious fact that the romance bit was secret until the season aired. But there's more to this trailer that fascinates me. It gives you what you expect. It gives you comedy, a little bit of drama, and on top of that, it truly doesn't even scratch the surface of ANYTHING beyond episode 3.

It makes me wonder what we've been told this time. Is this, similarly, not telling us anything before episode 3?

Does this mean, similarly to season 1, that we'll get a totally different version of Ed in the beginning of this season, but that he'll change just as quickly as in season 1, dropping the kraken even before episode 4?

Or does this mean that this trailer is actually showing us a wider scope of the season than the season 1 teaser?

I don't know the answer, but FUCK am I excited to find out.

that little scrap of red fabric is gonna blow right into Stede’s face I just KNOW IT I just know it. No walking along the shoreline of the island like “oh hey what’s this? Isn’t this Ed’s?” Oh no. No no no no no. It’s gonna be “hey guys what happened where’s Ed—” and BOOM red lace in right in the face. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the very first scene in S2. He’s gonna get facesmacked by it, because it’s funny, but it’s also symbolic for Stede probably realizing something is wrong back on the Revenge/with Ed. Bonus points if he falls over