“Our Flag Means Death” is a historical fiction comedy about the relationship between famous pirates, Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet.
Based on the real life Bonnet, “Our Flag Means Death” follows wealthy 18th century British landowner, Stede. Played by Rhys Darby, Stede has abandoned his children and wife, Mary, played by Claudia O’Doherty, to become a pirate captain. After the first few episodes are introduced, we meet Blackbeard, played by Taika Waititi, and witness the pirate comedy slowly but surely morph into a pirate rom-com.
It is rare for shows in the period or adventure genres to feature a same-sex primary romance, let alone represent a variety of different racial, gender and sexual identities throughout a main cast.
The show has been praised by fans for its diversity and rejection of queer baiting. Many were surprised at the queer arc between the two leads as the show delivered, and creator David Jenkins has stated his surprise at fans disbelief that the romance was depicted as anything more than subtext.
Jenkins has said he wanted to portray a same-sex romance that could exist in a fantasy world without touching on the heavier trauma of being queer or a person of color in a period piece. He credits the diverse writing room for the show’s ability to tell the stories of multiple diverse and layered characters.
One of these characters is Jim, played by Vico Ortiz, a nonbinary mute, who’s knife skills make them the most competent pirate in Stede’s crew. Jim being openly nonbinary, as well as their slowly-unfolding tragic backstory, has made them a fan favorite.
Ortiz, who is nonbinary themself, has expressed their joy at being looked up to as a role model for young queer and Latinx kids, and their respect for having nonbinary writers shape their character. Ortiz praises the show for allowing Jim’s gender identity to largely be a non-issue.
Jim also has a romance with fellow crewmate Oluwande, played by Samson Kayo. Oluwande is originally the only one to know about Jim’s past, having known each other since before joining Stede’s crew on the ship, The Revenge.
Another crewmember, Lucius, played by Nathan Foad, is established as gay early on. His character resembles more closely the stereotypical depiction of an effeminate gay man that is most commonly portrayed in queer representation.
However, Lucius is never treated as less-than by the other pirates because he is gay and less masculine than the others. When Blackbeard’s first mate, Izzy Hands, tries to use these things against him in one episode, it backfires because the crew of The Revenge accepts Lucius for who he is.
While Lucius could easily fall into the stereotypical gay best friend, and does play this role at times while mediating Stede and Blackbeard’s relationship, he is also allowed to be his own person outside of his relationship to the main character. He has multiple storylines with various cast members, and is able to develop a romance of his own.
“Our Flag Means Death” has been praised for setting a new standard for queer representation. The slow-burn romance between the main couple follows so many familiar beats of a classic will-they-won’t-they dynamic. But it is unique in its conscious choice to portray this in a same-sex couple as anything beyond subtext.
It is not only unique to portray these queer narratives through diverse characters, but to do so without any of it being a big deal is relatively unheard of. Ultimately, the tension isn’t caused by fears of being gay or coming out, but by the genuine blooming feelings between two individuals falling in love for the first time. It also features broader story themes of deconstructing masculinity and discovering one’s own sense of identity.
Though fans have been vocal about what the representation means to them, and the show has been praised by critics, HBO still has yet to renew it. The hashtag #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath trended on Twitter for over a month after the finale aired. Executive producer, Taika Waititi, has said, “I just think that they should because it makes sense. Also, I need to know what happens next.”