Our Flag Means Death Is Sweet Relief for a Weary Fandom

“So I’m very much enjoying this,” I mentioned in a bunch textual content to a pair of expensive buddies as I started to look at Our Flag Means Death for the primary time, “and there is some very queer queerness happening. But I just have to know. Do we get something on screen? I cannot get my hopes up again.”

What comes is a flood of reassurances that may very well be interpreted as largely screaming. “I’m trusting you…” I say, solely two episodes in and nonetheless cautious, a lifetime of queerbaiting dragging me down like an anchor tied round my legs. “I can’t let my heart be hurt. I am so starved.” One of my buddies mentioned, “This is a meal.” The different, “It is a FEAST.”

Our Flag Means Death is a office comedy from HBO Max that facilities on the romance between two historic pirates, Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). It’s 10 episodes lengthy and was launched in two-episode installments beginning March 24. It was a low-impact launch, with little fanfare or advertising and marketing, and thru sheer queer willpower and phrase of mouth, it turned essentially the most in-demand streaming present (in line with the Geekiary). Not simply on HBO Max (the place it was streamed greater than mainstays like Euphoria and buzzy exhibits like Peacemaker) however throughout all streaming companies, that means that it took the earlier in-demand present, Book of Boba Fett, off the record. And, in line with Parrot Analytics, it’s at the moment holding off Moon Knight for the fourth week in a row. This bizarre little interval romance was so well-liked that it’s extra in demand than Star Wars or Marvel. That’s wild.

And it’s so fucking queer. From the facet characters to the primary males themselves, there isn’t any a part of this exceptionally absurdist various historical past that isn’t queer as hell. It takes inspiration from historic accounts, however (as one of many above buddies identified) Our Flag Means Death had already taken a stance on how essential it considers historic veracity when it determined to place Oluwande (Samson Kayo) in Crocs after the second episode. Showrunner David Jenkins put it this manner in an interview with Collider: “We’re not doing real life because we’ve got a Polynesian-Jewish man from New Zealand playing Blackbeard. Once you’re doing that, you’re not doing real life.”

I went in realizing that it was queer as hell. I used to be informed by a number of those that it was Gay homosexual, not simply TV homosexual, however I’ve been burned by style tv too many occasions to rely. There was Buffy the Vampire Slayer (kind of homosexual, however Buffy/Faith by no means went wherever), Supernatural (shameless queerbaiting), Supergirl (unintentional queerbaiting), Black Sails (frustratingly coy about the primary character’s queerness, regardless of that being the complete level he was out at sea), after which Arcane (queerbaiting, once more!). Without express on-screen illustration of homosexual individuals in intimate, loving relationships, all I had was subtext. I needed to learn queerness into these exhibits. And I don’t thoughts that, actually—I love subtext. I really like interpretation and re-imagining characters and worlds to go well with my very own narrative needs.

But I’m drained. I wish to see queerness on display screen, in a means that doesn’t want interpretation, that may’t be dismissed or ignored. I wish to see myself on display screen, having adventures, doing cool shit, and I don’t wish to have to fret that my identification goes to be the butt of a joke or a subject of derision.

So I watched Our Flag Means Death with bated breath. And it was greater than I ever anticipated. Besides the actual fact that there have been a number of on-screen queer relationship,s there was additionally a trans nonbinary one who seamlessly explains to their crew that they’re “Just Jim, okay?” and whose pronouns are revered whatever the scenario. Our Flag Means Death didn’t fumble a single joke, and even when Blackbeard’s first mate makes an attempt to slut disgrace a member of Bonnet’s crew, he’s instantly laughed at as an alternative. Truly, this present didn’t miss a single beat.

But I had watched it the complete time anticipating one thing to vary. I assumed that this was going to be a present that may by no means actually admit that the main males had emotions for one another, that on the finish of it I might nonetheless have scraps and subtext. Longing glances and almost-admissions. But no. At the tip of the present, Blackbeard and Bonnet kiss, confess their emotions, after which make plans to be collectively. It will get fucked up, after all, however that second was actual. That second was on-screen, express, and I felt my shoulders chill out, I might breathe.

It was actual. They had emotions for one another. They have been midway into love. They fucking kissed. I hadn’t imagined all that subtext in any case, which I used to be midway to dismissing as a result of Waititi has the uncanny potential to wield his eyes like a Disney prince. They fucking kissed. THEY FUCKING KISSED!!! Nobody was going to have the ability to take this away from me, or say that their queerness was all in my head, or that I used to be “seeing things that weren’t there,” (precise quote from my pal Greg once I informed him about one other pair of characters, suck it Greg), as a result of they’d really, on-screen, in-camera, kissed. And then, as a result of I’m weary and able to really feel completely happy once more, I watched Our Flag Means Death a second time. And this time it was even higher than the primary time. I knew that what I used to be seeing was an honest-to-god romance. That I wasn’t watching a rug pull or a hook being baited. I used to be watching two males fall in love on display screen, and it was a lot extra emotional for me the second time round, as a result of all that queerness and subtext was intentional, was accomplished for the sake of constructing as much as that kiss.

It took realizing, not simply being informed, that this present was homosexual for me to actually get pleasure from it. Not as a result of it wasn’t good the primary time, however as a result of I used to be able to be dissatisfied, as I had been so many occasions earlier than, even when individuals had reassured me {that a} present or ebook or film was, really, fairly queer. I used to be making ready to be informed on the finish of the present that this was all in my head. The second time I watched Our Flag Means Death it was with the information that this was a present for me, the place my perspective was a deeply essential and thought of a part of the writing, appearing, and route. Not simply because Blackbeard and Stede kissed, however as a result of there have been so many factors throughout this present the place queerness might have been used as a joke and as an alternative it was became a celebration.

So many tv exhibits don’t point out individuals like me. So many items of media don’t contact on queerness or transness or being non-binary. And, frankly, I’m not asking for all the pieces to be queer (though I actually wouldn’t thoughts). But for as soon as, one thing is unashamedly queer, and it’s not a threat to look at as a result of it’s a comedy, and it’s joyful, and peculiar, and celebratory. I’m going to be glad about Our Flag Means Death ceaselessly, as a result of it’s revolutionary to see actual, express queer pleasure on display screen, with out reservations, with out hate, and with out strings hooked up.

The collective queer fandom deserves a present like Our Flag Means Death, and I counsel you watch it twice. Once to know that what you’re seeing is actual, the second time to grasp how effectively it’s constructed up all through each episode. And lastly, HBO, for those who’re studying this, renew Our Flag Means Death, you cowards.

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