Jack Rackham continues to face obstacles as the battle for Nassau continues!
Season 4, Episode 2
Air Date: Sunday, February 54, 2017 at 9PM E/P on Starz
Rating:
At one point in this week’s episode, “XXX,” John Silver (Luke Arnold) declares, “I am a new beginning for Nassau.” Silver’s words best describe the whole concept of this latest installment of Black Sails. The season premiere, “XXIX,” set the foundation for what appears to be an exhaustive war by all sides. Captain James Flint (Toby Stephens) and the remaining crew who sided with Silver—Billy Bones (Tom Hopper) and Madi (Zethu Dlomo)—are united in a cause but with Silver believed to be dead, the fight for leadership intensifies. Meanwhile, on the mainland, Eleanor (Hannah New) adjusts to the role of being Governor Woodes Rodgers’ (Luke Roberts) wife while desperately trying to find a way to fend off Captain Edward Teach (Ray Stevenson) from attacking Nassau. Whether on land or by sea, “XXX” examines the lengths every essential character goes to in order to gain the upper hand to seize more power. And just when I started to believe some characters are the lesser of two evils, a plot twist occurs, leaving me to reconsider my opinion—something I credit to the producers and screenwriters of ”XXX,” Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz.
Dead Man’s Tale
Previously, “XXIX” focused on Silver’s fight for his life after falling overboard while escaping an attack. In a way, one could argue the old Silver died at sea and is reborn when he washes ashore on another part of what looks like Nassau. Even though Silver went through an immensely dark phase in season three after the loss of his leg, it appears, at least so far, season four’s purpose is to set up the origin story for Long John Silver to complement the events in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale, Treasure Island. Where “XXIX” left off with Silver’s life being spared by a creepy mystery pirate, “XXX” unveils the significance of their meeting. Director Alik Sakharov does a wonderful job of setting the tone for the episode. He also directed the Season 3 premiere episode, “XIX,” which is one of my favorite episodes from last season.
“XXX” begins with a first person POV as someone is dragged through the sand. The scene then switches angles and you see an arm. Eventually, we discover the person being pulled is Silver by the unknown man who spared his life in “XXIX.” This guy isn’t just your average pirate. In another memorable moment of “XXX,” we finally meet the pirate cutthroat, Israel Hands (David Wilmot). For those who haven’t read Treasure Island, Hands is a key character and one of Long John Silver’s crewmen. Not only is Hands important to the book, he has a shared history with Captain Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) and Teach. Silver uses this knowledge as a way to manipulate Hands, and slowly but surely, the classic manipulative Silver from season one reappears, albeit more vicious. Silver is charismatic and haunting as he stares at Hands; his sharp blue eyes seem to bore a hole into your soul as he talks about how he is the mastermind for getting the gold from the famed ship Urca de Lima. It is in this speech that Silver declares himself to be the “new beginning” for Nassau.
With Silver out of the way Billy takes charge
For Plunder and Profit
In most pirate themed movies and shows, oftentimes viewers don’t see the struggles in obtaining sustainable goods and purchases to fuel a battle; there always seems to be an endless supply of weaponry. Well, in Black Sails, the struggle is real and the consequences are deadly. Since Silver’s crew believes he is dead, Billy and Flint are at odds. Of course, considering their tempestuous history, I’m not surprised. What is a surprise is how well Madi steps up as a leader, caring more about the safety of her people than the drama going on between Billy and Flint. Later, their alliance is put to the ultimate test during a mission to retrieve supplies. I was shocked at Billy’s decision but even more so at Flint’s opposition. The night battle that ensues while British soldiers approach is chaos in every suspenseful way you can think of.
On the other side of the island, Eleanor and Rodgers plot how to gain the advantage when Teach makes a demand that comes at too high a price. Eleanor suggests visiting her grandfather, whose source of wealth was acquired by incendiary means. It’s a bold move on her part, but I like that we’ll see more of Eleanor’s back story.
Oh, Eleanor I wanted more scenes between you and Rodgers. I didn’t expect them to get married. From their first interaction, I always believed Eleanor was using him. Seeing Eleanor and Rodgers as a couple, I doubt their love for one another is mutual. Each time she kisses or hugs Rodgers, it’s passionless, which makes their partnership simply depressing. As dysfunctional as Eleanor’s relationship was with Vane, at least there was passion, and with Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy), she had a very heartbreaking story line that showed how much they loved one another. That said, Eleanor’s survival hinges on getting more support, which means she must maintain her union with Rodgers.
And what would Black Sails be without Jack Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and Anne Bonny (Clara Paget)? Rackham seems surer of himself in this episode than in “XXIX.” I love how he values Anne’s words in response to vengeance. While Anne doesn’t have many scenes in “XXX,” she captures your attention each time she speaks—like when she explains her quest for vengeance after Eleanor captured Jack. Anne admits there’s something about the island of New Providence that compels people to act against their better nature. Over the course of the series so far, I’d have to agree.
Rodgers and Eleanor face uncertain futures
Overall
I absolutely loved this episode. Not only does “XXX” transition from the season premiere seamlessly, it introduces a major character without spreading itself too thin amidst the various major story lines. There’s a brief reunion between Silver and Max that is exciting, especially since they haven’t shared scenes in a long time. The battles are shorter but just as explosive, and the violence not too grotesque. All the performances are spot on, but Arnold is truly the scene stealer this time around. I’m looking forward to Hands getting more screen time, especially watching the choreography for his fights since blades are his specialty. The risks keep getting higher for all the characters, and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see who makes it to the bitter end.
Tune in to the final episodes of Black Sails, Sundays at 9PM E/P, only on Starz.
For more on the show, go to http://www.starz.com/originals/blacksails/
Follow Black Sails on its official twitter: @BlkSails_Starz, and don’t forget the cast and crew: @BlkSailsCreatrs (Black Sails Creators), @TobyStephensInV (Toby Stephens / Captain James Flint) @LongLukeArnold (Luke Arnold/John Silver), @ClaraPaget (Clara Paget/Anne Bonny), @hannahnewuk (Hannah New/Eleanor Guthrie), @JParkerK (Jessica P Kennedy/Max), @fallofasparrow (Toby Schmitz/Jack Rackham), and @luke_j_roberts (Luke Roberts/Woodes Rogers).
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Connie Allen
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