Our Flag Means Death 2×04 and 2×05 Recap: A New Unicorn and a New Course for Love

Hello again, crew! Another week has sailed by and Max has treated us to an exciting double feature of new episodes of Our Flag Means Death Season 2. Yep, we have two more episodes to obsess over! 2×04 and 2×05! 

And while memories of the emotional rollercoaster of the season premiere still linger, we couldn’t wait to dive back into the lives of Stede (Rhys Darby), Ed (Taika Waititi), and their loyal crew. This week, we set sail on a journey through episodes 2×04 and 2×05, ready for new surprises, heartwarming moments, and, of course, plenty of shenanigans – it wouldn’t be Our Flag Means Death without humor, amirite? But before we delve into these new episodes, let’s take a moment to recap what happened last week.

In case you missed the premiere or need a refresher after all the emotional turbulence we went through – especially after the end of episode 3 – in the first three episodes of this new season, we saw Stede and the crew of the Revenge regroup after the misfortunes of the Season 1 finale, navigating treacherous waters and ultimately finding themselves in the service of the enigmatic pirate queen, Zheng Yi Sao (Ruibo Qian).

Lucius (Nathan Foad), previously thought dead, reappears with a suspicious story about his fall from the Revenge. All while a heartbroken Blackbeard descends into absolute madness, practically forcing his crew to mutiny and ending up in the gravy basket, where the decision of whether to live or die torments him. Ed’s haunting journey in the neither realm leads to a surreal and painful revelation. But in the end, Stede and Ed’s love gets tested when a heartfelt plea from Stede seems to bring Ed back from the brink of death, solidifying their deep connection.

But anygays, if you want a more detailed recap of everything that happened in the first three episodes of Our Flag Means Death Season 2, you can find it here. If not, join us as we set sail into the uncharted waters of episodes 2×04 and 2×05 and discover what they have in store for us.

PSA: If you haven’t caught up on these episodes yet, you might want to hit pause on this recap and come back once you’re ready. From this point forward there will be a lot of spoilers for episodes 2×04 and 2×05. You’ve been warned, so tread carefully.

Episode 4 Recap: “Fun and Games” – The New Unicorn

Episode 2×04 begins with a head-banging start, quite literally. Ed’s return from the brink of death isn’t the reunion that Stede – or any of us for that matter – was anticipating. A headbutt and a subsequent humorous exchange, and it’s clear that the relationship between these two remains as complicated and fun as ever.

The crew, meanwhile, isn’t particularly thrilled about Ed’s unexpected return from the dead. They are eager to see him off the ship, but Stede, always the voice of reason, urges them to be more humane, so they decide to put Ed’s fate to a vote. Amid this democratic pirate decision, Buttons (Ewen Bremner) shares some enigmatic insights with a still-confused Ed.

As emotions run high, the crew eventually decides to ban Ed from the Revenge, leading to a memorable exit when the former captain leaves with a sarcastic retort about Stede not being a mermaid. Stede, of course, is taken aback by Ed’s parting words, but Buttons, who seems to have a deeper understanding of the situation, takes Stede on a walk to shed light on Ed’s life-and-death experience.

The first minutes of Ed’s banishment take an unexpected turn when he finds solace in a rabbit, declaring it his new best friend and sharing with the little animal the stories behind his many tattoos. However, this brief respite is shattered when the rabbit is shot from afar by none other than Mary Read (Rachel House), an old acquaintance of Ed’s.

On their walk, Stede and Buttons stumble upon an antique shop, where they meet Anne Bonny (Minnie Driver), the quirky owner. Buttons is looking for a bowl to turn into a bird (yep, don’t ask, just go with the flow) and this seems to be the right place to find it. Anne seems delighted with Stede’s good eye: he’s like a little kid in a candy store, admiring all the exquisite antiques this collector owns. 

However, the arrival of Ed and Mary leads to a rather amusing encounter. It turns out that Anne and Mary are a couple – another win for the gays – and Ed is their friend. What a small world we all live in, right? Anyway, Mary sparks some tension when the truth about Ed and Stede’s past relationship is unveiled, making for an awkward but intriguing dinner invitation.

Back on the Revenge, Pete (Matthew Maher), Roach (Samba Schutte), and Wee John (Kristian Nairn) sense that something is wrong with Lucius, Izzy (Con O’Neil), Archie (Madeleine Sami), Frenchie (Joel Fry), Jim (Vico Ortiz), and Fang (David Fane). They believe that Blackbeard’s actions may have deeply traumatized them, which is why they all have been acting so strange since their return. Wanting to help, they decide to offer support to their friends by reminding them of their value and making sure they know that the Revenge, despite Blackbeard’s past leadership, is a safe space.

Meanwhile, Stede and Ed find themselves as dinner guests at Mary and Anne’s place. The two women share a bit of their story together, prompting Stede to recount how he and Ed first met. To no one’s surprise, the exchange between these two quickly turns into a bickering match that ends only when Anne and Mary leave to check on the food.

Stede is really trying to talk to Ed, to apologize and tell him what he didn’t tell him the last time he saw him, but Ed is not in the right place for it. And it doesn’t help either that, in a bizarre twist, Anne and Mary’s relationship takes a dark and twisted turn, leaving Ed and Stede bewildered by the toxic dynamics at play.

On the Revenge, the crew’s attempts to surprise their fellow crew members with a piñata and a cake aren’t very successful. The trauma endured under Blackbeard’s captaincy runs deeper than they thought, causing the returning crew members to react with fear and aggression to the memories associated with their former captain.

As the dinner – and the episode – unfolds, we see Ed and Stede slowly have an emotional confrontation that uncovers deep-seated emotions and unresolved issues from their shared past. However, tensions rise when Ed finally discovers that Stede left him to go back to his wife Mary (Claudia O’Doherty).

Stede tries to explain the complexity of what really happened to Ed, but Ed just feels like an idiot for trusting Stede. He thinks he was just a whim for the man. But Stede feels the same way, that he was just a whim for Ed. *rolls eyes* But anyway, Stede opens up about his feelings and tells Ed how scared he felt when he realized they were moving too fast, and then finally confesses his love and tells Ed that he’s under no obligation to say it back.

We told y’all in our last recap that Stede was in his romantic era and we stand by that. This big mushy lovebird takes the opportunity to make sure Ed knows that he loves everything about him, that he loves being near him because it’s nice and it feels good. He adds that he loves breathing the same air as Ed and just when it looks like Ed is about to say something back, their hosts decide to make their presence known. Yeah, way to burst the bubble! 

But anyway, Anne and Mary tease them about their lack of sexual intimacy, causing Ed and Stede’s discomfort to grow as they realize that they have unwittingly become pawns in the other couple’s twisted game. Long story short, the night ends in flames (literally), leaving Ed and Stede to move forward in the aftermath of the mess Anne and Mary caused. Lesbians, man. We love how chaotic they are.

Back on the ship, the crew struggles to resolve their lingering issues with tempers flaring and knives being drawn. Izzy, who has been going through hell and back since losing his leg, breaks down again. This time, however, both figuratively and literally, as his wooden leg shatters and he finds himself crawling away in emotional distress.

Izzy is hurt and needs help, but despite not wanting to let anyone in, he has a crew that cares about him. And, as he struggles to accept the disabled man he’s become, the rest of the crew decides to reuse the unicorn legs that Izzy had chopped from the ship’s figurehead to craft him a new leg, creating a bizarre and touching tribute with it.

On land, Stede and Ed appear to be on better terms than they were at the beginning of the episode. Stede even offers Ed the chance to stay one more night on the Revenge – since Mary and Anne’s place is now on fire – and Ed accepts. When Stede leaves to consult with the crew about his decision, Buttons begins a transformation ritual to become a seagull, bewildering an incredulous Ed.

The episode concludes with Izzy reading with a smile the note that was attached to his new leg. It says, “for the new unicorn.” And just when you think 2×04 couldn’t get any stranger, Buttons – now a seagull – crosses the sky, reminding us that in this world, anything is possible.

Episode 5 Recap: “The Curse of the Seafaring Life” – Curses, Redemption and a New Course for Love

In the fifth episode of Our Flag Means Death Season 2, we witness a complex dynamic on the Revenge as Ed attempts to redeem himself from the events of the previous four episodes, Stede seeks to improve as a pirate, and superstitions grow as the crew believes that their captain is cursed. 

At the beginning of 2×05, Stede addresses the crew and after reminding them that it takes guts to own up to own’s actions, he gives the floor to Ed, who awkwardly expresses gratitude for being allowed back on the ship. But there’s a condition for his stay though, Ed will have to don simple robes and wear a bell around his neck to avoid sneaking up on anyone. Ed wants to leave all the dark stuff he did in the past so they all can move on and feel safe on the ship. Even though the crew thinks Ed killed Buttons – no one believes he actually turned into a bird – they all seem to accept Ed’s “apology.” 

However, not all members of the crew are thrilled about Ed’s return. Lucius, in particular, still harbors deep-seated resentment and questions Ed’s sincerity in apologizing for his past actions. He even confronts Izzy about it. He knows that of the entire crew, he is the one who has suffered the most significant losses due to Ed’s actions, but Izzy, embracing the pirate life, seems more forgiving.

In private, Ed asks Stede how long he thinks he’ll have to wear the bell and Stede mentions that until the crew feels comfortable with him again. Stede knows it’s weird for Ed to apologize, after all, he never had to do it when he was captain. Ed acknowledges that Stede is right, but it doesn’t matter anymore because he’s no longer the captain – Stede is.

Stede confesses that he hasn’t really felt like the captain since he got back. Ed encourages him to own his title and asks him to tell him what he should do to restore his reputation. Stede orders Ed to be more helpful on the ship and to stop scaring people off. Ed goes to do as he’s told, but before leaving he also offers some advice to Stede, suggesting that he needs to work on his “mean voice.”

Ed starts his redemption path by fixing a door, but in doing so he inadvertently startles Lucius, who seems to be really triggered by Ed’s presence. Ed offers Lucius a chance to settle the score by pushing him overboard, and Lucius accepts.

Meanwhile, Stede finds himself observing Izzy’s jaw-dropping fighting skills as the latter relearns all the “basics,” but now with one leg. Stede, very impressed, asks him for training. Although these two don’t usually get along, Stede and Izzy engage in training sessions in which Izzy imparts his knowledge in fighting, rope swinging, and shooting.

Elsewhere on the Revenge, Lucius throws Ed overboard, but the action doesn’t bring him the satisfaction he hoped for. Upon coming out of the water, Ed decides to join Fang on a fishing trip.

To test his new abilities, Stede decides to raid a seemingly abandoned ship they encounter. When boarding, however, they realize that the entire crew is dead, having been tortured. But there’s someone alive. It’s a priest (Daniel Fernandez), who warns them about a curse and advises them against taking anything. However, Stede can’t resist the allure of a flashy red suit hanging by the door and he takes it.

Back on the Revenge, the crew celebrates their most recent score, but Jim is quick to point out that Stede’s new suit is cursed. Stede dismisses this notion but Jim reminds him that the priest explicitly mentioned the curse before dying.

In confidence, Izzy advises Stede to burn the suit to appease the superstitious crew. Although Izzy doesn’t believe in curses himself, he recognizes the importance of maintaining the crew’s morale. Stede doesn’t want to listen.

Pete discovers that Lucius is still haunted by his past with Blackbeard and confronts him when he realizes that the infamous pirate’s face is on every single one of his boyfriend’s drawings. Lucius snaps and tells Pete that he doesn’t know what he went through when Blackbeard threw him overboard, but Pete reminds him that Blackbeard actually hurt them both. Pete went through hell and back thinking that the man he loved was dead. Before storming out, Pete tells Lucius that he needs to focus on celebrating the fact that he lived instead of dwelling on the fact that he almost died.

Meanwhile, some crew members, including Jim, Olu, and Archie, seem to be taking the curse seriously, resorting to superstitious measures such as wearing garlic necklaces and creating protective salt circles. Frenchie and Roach also begin to believe in the curse when Frenchie develops a rash after eating peanut butter chatting with Stede.

Fang and Blackbeard share a heart-to-heart conversation while fishing, allowing Ed to gain insight into Fang’s true feelings during their previous adventures.

After a failed attack by his crew, Stede finally changes his clothes and, following Izzy’s advice, acknowledges his friends’ beliefs in the curse and suggests devising a plan to rid themselves of the cursed suit. The crew’s bond deepens as they board a new ship and leave the suit there.

Lucius eventually realizes that holding onto his trauma is more damaging than letting it go, so he prepares a touching surprise for Pete, confessing his love for him and getting down on one knee. Yes, crew! There’s a wedding on the horizon! Anyway, Pete happily accepts, and the pair seal their new engaged status with a kiss.

In the finale scene and after returning from his fishing trip, Ed compliments Stede on his shirt, recalling what Stede once told him about wearing fine things well. Stede and Ed share a tender moment and kiss under the moonlight. But just as Stede starts to intensify the kiss (we don’t blame him, he’s in love), Ed stops him. Ed reminds Stede that they’re both whim-prone, and suggests taking things slow, waiting for the right moment, and enjoying the anticipation.

Stede agrees and holds Ed’s hand, asking if the gesture is okay. Ed smiles and says it’s perfect. Little by little these lovers are rekindling their connection and we absolutely love that. They’re so precious!

But anyway, that’s it, end of the episode! Oh, no we forgot! As an afterthought, Ed shares with Stede that he found out that Fang’s real name is Kevin. Go figure! 

As we sail further into the second installment of Our Flag Means Death, it’s clear that this season is shaping up to be its best so far. Episodes 2×04 and 2×05 gave us a perfect blend of humor, emotion, and complexity, providing us with deeper insights into our beloved characters. Stede and Ed’s journey back to each other, Ed’s path to redemption, the crew’s eccentricities, and the ever-present touch of the supernatural make this season a must-watch.

We truly can’t wait to see what unfolds in episodes 6 and 7 as we continue to navigate treacherous yet endlessly entertaining seas with this unforgettable crew. But until then, stay afloat, crew, and don’t forget to share with us your thoughts on episodes 2×04 and 2×05 of the greatest pirate show on the seven seas!

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Episodes 2×04 and 2×05 of Our Flag Means Death are available to stream on Max. Episodes 6 and 7 will be available on October, 19. The season finale will be available on October 26. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!

Featured Image: Courtesy of Max