Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death.
The Big Picture
- Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death introduces many influential female pirates, highlighting the power women held at sea during the Golden Age of Piracy.
- Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao, played by Ruibo Qian, leads the Red Flag Fleet and personally controls over 1,800 pirate ships, making her the greatest pirate in history.
- The addition of historical figures like Zheng, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read adds comedic misadventures and reminds viewers that female pirates are just as lethal as men.
Our Flag Means Deathis one of the most-watched Max Original series since its launch last year! Created by David Jenkins, with directing and executive producing credits to the show's deuteragonist Taika Waititi, the pirate comedy received worldwide praise for its positive representation of the LGBTQ+ community and its comical portrayal of historical pirates. The show has made an explosive comeback after leaving viewers heartbroken by Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Blackbeard's (Waititi) unexpected breakup. Season 2 not only reunites the odd-ball, good-for-nothing pirate crew of the Revenge, but it also makes the best decision yet by introducing the most prominent, fierce, and badass pirates of the deep blue sea: Women!
Sticking to its loosely authentic theme, the latest season adds three historical female pirates into the chaos, Chinese Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao, Irish pirate Anne Bonny, and English pirate Mary Read, alongside sidekicks Archie, a new member of Blackbeard's crew, and Auntie, navigator for Zheng's ship the Red Flag. Though the timelines are stretched, writing in these pivotal characters is vital for the longevity of the show, and Season 2 doesn't fail to acknowledge the power women held at sea during and after the Golden Age of Piracy. As the most recent season of Our Flag Means Death explores the domino effect a captain’s heartbreak has on his crew and mental health, these legendary women are there to teach the misfits of the Revenge that love is hard work!
Who Is the "Pirate Queen" Zheng Yi Sao in 'Our Flag Means Death'?
Most audiences might recognize the "Pirate Queen" from her popular appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Apart from being the most successful female pirate of her era, Zheng Yi Sao is also deemed to be the greatest pirate who ever lived! In 1801, Sao was only 26 years old when she married the vigorous pirate Zheng Yi,who had powerful control of the South China Sea. After his death only six years later, Sao took command over her husband's crew — the Guangdong Pirate Confederation, better known as the Red Flag Fleet. She personally controlled more than 1,800 pirate ships and an estimated 80,000 outlawed men. Under Zheng Yi Sao influential leadership, the undefeated Red Flag Fleet conquered over three Chinese fleets and became the largest pirate confederation in history.
Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death introduces Zheng Yi Sao, played by Ruibo Qian, in its first episode, titled "Impossible Birds." With no ship to call home, the Revenge crew wanders the Republic of Pirates where they resort to begging Spanish Jackie (Leslie Jones), who owns a pirate bar, for work. Stede and his misfits settle into their laborious days, but they are soon sold away to the alleged soup merchant of the town, "Susan," who reveals herself to be the notorious Zheng Yi Sao. Stede and his crew are met with a surprise on the Red Flag when they are reunited with crew member Lucius Spriggs (Nathan Foad). As Auntie, Zheng's first mate, witnesses the overly emotional reunion, she perfectly captures the essence of this season in her hilarious one-liner: "Oh, my God... Men are so fucking emotional."
The crew members experience a different type of leadership and lifestyle under Zheng's gentle command as the pirate queen focuses on the unity, cohesion, and balance of her crew, typically beginning the day with a meditative session of tai chi. Zheng also quickly grows fond of Oluwande (Samson Kayo) caring demeanor, and the pair shares an adorable chemistry that allows viewers to understand Olu's thirst for romantic connection and to root for a new budding romance. Season 2 might be blending historical timelines for characters like Zheng and Stede to cross paths; however, Zheng's intimidating yet witty personality seamlessly flows into the show's wacky buffoonery. As the latest season approaches the finish line, the Pirate Queen could turn out to be a friend or foe, making the men realize they're in for more than they can handle.
‘Our Flag Means Death’ Season 2 Thankfully Avoids This Mistake
It's a slow burn both ways.Who Are Anne Bonny and Mary Read in 'Our Flag Means Death'?
In the fourth episode of Season 2, "Fun and Games," Ed miraculously awakens from his coma but is promptly banished to roam a nearby island as punishment for his traumatic wrongdoings towards his crew. Stede is searching for him on the island when the brooding couple stumble upon Blackbeard's old friends — Anne Bonny (Minnie Driver) and Mary Read (Rachel House).
Born during the 1700s, Anne Bonny held a violent temper as a young girl — she murdered a servant girl — and was later disowned by her father. She married sailor James Bonny in 1718, and the couple moved to the Bahamas, where she started an affair with pirate John “Calico Jack” Rackham (played by Will Arnett in Our Flag Means Death). The lovers ran away to Rackham's ship, where Anne joined his crew and then disguised herself as a man to make in the world of pirates. One of Calico Jack's crew members, also dressed as a man, revealed herself to Anne as a woman — Mary Read. Read had joined the British military where she met a Flemish soldier and married him after their discharge. Following her husband's death, she picked up pirating but was taken over by Rackham's crew in the West Indies.
According to A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates, Read and Bonny became lovers as they fought side by side at sea aboard Calico Jack'sship. This is how Our Flag Means Death Season 2 presents the famed duo — as lovers running an antique shop with a twist in that they've given up pirating for a simple life. Despite their own awkward tension, Stede and Blackbeard are invited into the couple's home for dinner, but they quickly face the hazardous "turn-ons" the ex-pirates like to practice on the daily. To keep their relationship spicy and exciting, Anne and Mary rely on stabbing, poisoning, and torching one another.
The duo's bizarre acts of love are a perfect contrast to Stede and Ed's current emotional separation. Anne and Mary's presence is a breath of fresh air, reminding the foolish men that love takes time and effort. Adding these famed women into the series gives viewers a chance to understand that female pirates are just as lethal as men. Blurring fact and fiction of these historical figures results in some of the show's funniest misadventures yet.
In Season 2 of 'Our Flag Means Death,' the Men Are Often More Emotional Than the Women
During the beginning moments of Our Flag Means Death Season 2, the episodes follow the lost connection between Stede and Blackbeard. Ed resorts to violent raids, sleepless, sobbing nights, and even the torturing of his crew. On the other hand, Stede turns toward a more valiant approach in coping with their split. Owning his mistake, Stede goes in search of Ed in hopes of winning back his affection after abandoning him for ex-wife Mary (Claudia O'Doherty) in Season 1. Stede tries to persuade Ed to forgive him, reminding him of his best points. Unfortunately, their reconciliation is held back by petty pride and the unwillingness to listen to each other's true feelings. Similarly, Black Pete (Matthew Maher) and Lucius run into a bump in their relationship as Lucius struggles to get over his near-death experience. He neglects Black Pete's love, becoming obsessed with taking revenge on Ed. Black Pete tries to remind Lucius that he should focus on the fact that he lived. Later, the couple reconvene when Lucius proposes to Black Pete.
On the other side, female characters like Archie (Madeleine Sami) and Auntie (Anapela Polataivao) are even more emotionally stable than their male counterparts. Archie does hesitate to hide her feelings for Jim (Vico Ortiz), quickly rushing into a romantic relationship with them aboard the Revenge. Auntie is clearly the wise one who sees all and knows all — she won't let anyone test her knowledge of the sea, not even when Olu accidentally reorders her maps. Spanish Jackie's reappearance also symbolizes the dominance the female pirates have over the weak-minded men as she adds The Swede (Nat Faxon) to her collection of 19 husbands. Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death made a brilliant choice to write in more female characters to the smash-hit series, which only paves the way for more swashbuckling, wacky adventures for the Revenge crew.
The Season 2 finale of Our Flag Means Death premieres Thursday on Max.
