Summary
“Red Flags” is a surprisingly dark installment, digging deeper than most comedies would dare to. The show is still infectiously funny though, whilst the ensemble cast is as endearing as ever. This is just an all-round delightful series that seems to be truly finding its feet now, whilst admirably exploring darker themes.
Our Flag Means Death gets a little darker in Season 2, Episode 2, “Red Flags,” exploring the brutality of the pirating scene. Ed continues to fall apart, heartbroken after his break-up, becoming suicidal and reckless. Stede (Rhys Darby) and his crew get to know their new boss Zheng Yi Sao, who runs a successful pirating business herself.
Our Flag Means Death Season 2 Episode 2 Recap and Breakdown
We start on Zheng’s ship, the Red Flag. Stede’s crew is fast asleep, but Stede cannot sleep. He spends the night remembering the good times with Ed. His ex is doing likewise, staring at the tiny figurine that reminds him of Stede. Ed chooses to bury these emotions though and pushes the figures overboard.
Stede’s crew wakes the next morning feeling refreshed and re-energized after their best night’s sleep in a long time. They are welcomed into Zheng’s crew and each given tasks. The crew are overjoyed to be reunited with their old pal Lucius, who has been missing for some time now.
During the introductions, Stede finds out that Zheng is a pirate queen who even conquered China. She runs a tight ship and introduces the new crew mates to her customs and cultures. Pete and Lucius are reunited and kiss one another, but Lucius is clearly hiding some rather dark secrets from his old crew.
Did Frenchie kill Izzy?
Meanwhile, on Ed’s ship, their fearless captain awakens feeling renewed himself. He’s decided to forget about Stede and detox his body. Ed asks new first mate Frenchie about Izzy’s death. He ordered Frenchie to kill him, but he’s actually being kept alive, hidden below deck.
Izzy’s foot is rotting after the shooting, and he screams for death. Jim decides to operate and amputates his leg. Of course, it isn’t long before Ed figures it all out: Izzy is still alive and living on the ship. Jim and Archie kiss, but their beautiful moment is interrupted by Ed’s sudden arrival. He asks to be alone with his old first mate, Izzy.
Ed wakes Izzy and then recounts his dream from the night before. In the dream, he was killed by Izzy. Ed passes Izzy a loaded gun, urging him to shoot the captain. Izzy can’t do it, though, and shoots himself instead. Then Frenchie apologizes for lying to Ed, but his life is spared.
Back on the Red Flag, Stede natters with the women about his relationship with Ed. He’s interrupted by Lucius, who blames him for all of his troubles. Lucius admits that he was pushed off the Revenge by Ed and had to do some horrible things on his journey to the Red Flag. He thinks that Stede broke Ed, and in turn, Ed broke him; it is all his fault.
Stede advises Lucius to talk with Pete, his lover. Elsewhere, Olu tidies Zheng’s office and accidentally causes chaos, ruining her system and maps. Zheng isn’t too bothered, though; she openly likes Olu. While Zheng’s second in command, Auntie, believes that Buttons is a sea witch in disguise. She hands him a spell book.
Our Flag Means Death Season 2 Episode 2 Ending Explained
The episode concludes with Ed’s crew. The captain has completely lost his mind and is having suicidal thoughts. He steers his ship into the middle of a raging storm. Ed damages the ship’s wheel beyond repair and orders Jim and Archie to fight each other to the death.
The lovers fight one another but are unable to finish off the job. They refuse to carry on, but it doesn’t matter. They are then overwhelmed by the power of the storm, as the ship is hit by gigantic waves.
Suddenly, Izzy appears out of nowhere. He shoots Ed instantly. A quick flashback reveals that Izzy did, in fact, shoot himself in the head but only grazed his forehead in the process. He is very much still alive.
After Izzy’s mutinous act, the rest of the crew attack Ed themselves. Ed welcomes this, though; he’s clearly so heartbroken that he wants to die. The episode ends with Jim throwing a cannonball in Ed’s direction. Have they killed Blackbeard, or did they purposely miss?
What did you think of Our Flag Means Death Season 2 Episode 2? Comment below.
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