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V.
Shipscollide
Season One
Number Five
Date Aired February 22th, 2014
Writer Doris Egan
Director Marc Munden
Previous IV.
Next VI.
"You hate her. I hate her. They all hate her. Look what good it's done us."
―Vane, regarding Eleanor

Flint and the Walrus crew play a deadly chess match on the open sea. Richard forces Eleanor's hand. Rackham makes a career change. Bonny confesses to Max.

Synopsis[]

The episode opens on the sea with the Walrus in hot pursuit on the Andromache and her 12 pound guns that Flint was promised. On the quarter deck, Captain Flint states to Billy Bones that he is aware that Bones doesn't trust him. With the battle approaching, Flint tries to clear the air between him and Bones. Bones asks Flint who the Barlow woman is that he has heard about. Flint tells him that the story behind Mrs. Barlow isn't as fantastical as some of the crew thinks. He states the boring truth that she is just a puritan woman that he shares a home with and that the two share a love of books. Suddenly, the Andromache is spotted on the horizon and the men go to their posts.

Brothel

Rackham and Mrs. Mapleton discuss the future of the brothel.

Vane, Rackham, and Anne Bonny arrive at Noonan's brothel. Much to Bonny's dismay, Rackham and Vane have formulated a plan to take over the recently deceased Noonan's brothel and make it their business. Putting their plan in play, Rackham approaches Mrs. Mapleton and hands her an obviously forged bill of transfer from Noonan giving Vane the brothel. Rackham tells a dubious Mapleton that Noonan sold them the brothel and has fled to Port Royal. Mapleton immediately sniffs out that this is a deception but turns it to her advantage, asking for a raise in exchange for her silence on the matter. When Mapleton tells Rackham that she currently makes 3 percent of the gross, Rackham tells her that he'll give her 40.

At Eleanor's tavern, Eleanor is pacing back and forth dismayed that Mr. Scott seems to have disappeared. In one of her rooms, she comes upon John Silver who is sitting on the floor chained to a sleeping Randall. Silver tells Eleanor that Flint commanded that he stay in Nassau and not take part in the expedition against the Andromache, lest his brains end up on the deck and that he is chained to recent amputee Randall to ensure that he doesn't run away. When Silver senses that Eleanor has some hostility toward him, he asks her why. She tells him that she blames him for what has happened to Max. They are interrupted by O'Malley who tells Eleanor that she needs to go outside right away.

Outside, Richard Guthrie is giving a speech to a crowd. He tells them that he is now a fugitive from the law and is facing execution. He tells them that his family in Boston has found out about his fugitive status and sent Captain Bryson and the Andromache down to liquidate his holdings. Guthrie tells the crowd that he convinced Bryson to leave their warehouse and that anyone owed credit by the Guthrie's or anyone that has goods in the warehouse should settle it up with Eleanor.

Back on board the Walrus, Captain Flint realizes that his ship isn't closing the gap between their prey, the Andromache.

Flinthunts

Flint hunts the Andromache.

To gain more speed, Flint orders the t'gallants to be raised. This is a risky move as it may make the ship so unstable that the rigging will snap, but Flint knows it is the only way to gain the extra knot they need in order to catch the Andromache. The Walrus begins to take a beating from the t'gallants being raised, but the crew eventually manages to stabilize her and upon testing, it is revealed that she is now making seven and a half knots, more than enough to catch the Andromache before nightfall.

Back at Eleanor's tavern, Richard approaches Eleanor. Eleanor curses him for sending Bryson's ship away and for lying right to her face. Richard tells her that she is a fool for letting Flint seduce her in his mad quest for the Urca de Lima. Richard tells her that Flint will likely come back from his pursuit of the Andromache empty handed or not at all and that'll be the end of his quest for the Urca de Lima. He tells her that he has a plan in place that will let them remain in power on the island. He states that he has made allies with many of the large land owners on the island and that when British rule comes to the island, they can make money the legitimate way.

Lilywhite

Captain Lilywhite rabble rouses.

Outside on the streets, Captain Lilywhite is rabble rousing and getting the crowd into a fury as he condemns the Guthrie's, stating that the Guthrie's have always been crooked, but now they are straight up thieving from them. As a member of the mob attempts to physically assault Eleanor, he is stopped by Captain Hornigold, who tells Eleanor that he and his crew will man the tavern in order to keep tempers from boiling over. He tells Eleanor that she must hurry up and square up with those that she owes money to. She tells Hornigold that she has no money to pay them back with. She then calls for a meeting with the leadership of the Intrepid and the Black Hind, as well as Frasier and Captain Hornigold.

At the brothel, Hamund announces that Eleanor Guthrie is finished and now that they are rid of her, Rackham needs to find them a ship. Rackham suggests that they exercise caution, being that Hornigold is apparently still backing her. This doesn't sit well with Hamund and he storms off to go attack Eleanor. Bonny offers to kill Hamund but Rackham tells her that they can't go around killing the few men they still have left that are loyal to Vane. Rackham tells Bonny to get Mrs. Mapleton out to the beach to check on Max.

On the beach, Mrs. Mapleton enters the tent where Max is being held. She proceeds to use a large syringe like device to inject Max with a chemical that is intended to keep her from becoming pregnant. This causes Max great pain. Bonny orders Mapleton to leave the tent and continues the treatment, although with a gentler touch that doesn't harm Max. Bonny begins to question Max about why she didn't leave when she had the opportunity (when Eleanor saved her from Hamund). When Max asks why Bonny cares, Bonny tells her that one time a man put his balls on her while she was sleeping and that upon finding out, she cut them off. Bonny then encourages Max to defend herself the next time she is assaulted.

Back at Eleanor's tavern, Eleanor is preparing for her meeting. Silver tells her that he doesn't think she is taking the threat of the mob very seriously and that she obviously hasn't ever seen a mob turn. Hamund then barges in and threatens Eleanor before O'Malley orders him out. Hamund jokes that he should go spend some more time with their friend on the beach (Max).

At the brothel, Idelle enters Vane's room to tend to his wounds. When Idelle states her disdain for Eleanor, Vane tells her that even though everyone hates her, Eleanor still has all the power, and that hating Eleanor hasn't gotten anyone anywhere. He states that no one has the power to take her on. Idelle suggests that Vane has that power. Vane says that it's probably time that he found out.

At Eleanor's tavern, Eleanor informs those captains present that she intends to carry on the family business without her father. She states that she wishes to form a consortium with everyone sharing in the profits. Eleanor tells Hornigold that she desperately needs a respected captain like him to back her. Hornigold tells Eleanor that he will only back her if she lifts the ban on Vane. Eleanor adamantly rejects his proposal.

Billycrew

Bones prepares the crew.

Aboard the Walrus, Bones, Logan, and Dufresne are going over the ship's supplies. They are bare. Logan explains that when they careened the ship, they had to take many of the supplies off the ship. Bones then hands Dufresne a pistol and tells him that they are going to need every man and that he must participate in the upcoming battle against the Andromache. On the top deck, Bones explains the tactics of the upcoming battle to the crew. He explains that the key to getting close enough to board the Andromache will be Beauclerc, the ship's sharpshooter. As the meeting ends, a nervous Dufresne approaches Bones and shows him how much that he has saved the crew through his wits and therefore should stick to keeping records and not participating in battles. Bones tells him that everyone must do their part and that Dufresne is long overdue for his first battle.

As the Walrus comes within range of the Andromache's guns, Bryson orders his ship to swing to port to fire full broadsides at the Walrus. These shots hit home hard and numerous Walrus crew members are wounded. Despite the damage, the Walrus continues to sail straight at the Andromache. Flint orders Beauclerc to shoot the helmsman, thus leaving the rudder unattended wherein the Andromache will be blown by the wind into the direction of the Walrus. Beauclerc must shoot two helmsmen before the plan finally succeeds. As the ships begin to close with each other, the crew of the Walrus swings hooks and nets onto the Andromache. Dufresne is scared out of his wits and the prospect of having to swing over to another ship and engage in close combat. Despite his fear, he jumps over to the Andromache and engages in the battle. Luckily, an enemy sailor's pistol misfires as he points it point blank in Dufresne's face. Dufresne and the sailor begin hand to hand combat, with Dufresne eventually killing the man when he bites into the man's neck.

The crew of the Walrus has successfully taken over the top deck of the Andromache, but are struggling getting into the cargo hold, where they know the majority of her crew is hiding, along with Captain Bryson. Below decks Bryson and his crew are indeed hiding and it is then revealed that they are transporting dozens of slaves. Among the slaves sits Mr. Scott. Bryson apologizes to Scott, but states that Guthrie told him that no matter what, Bryson must have Scott on board the Andromache when he left. Bryson then forces a slave to go up on the top deck with a message for Flint. Joshua translates the message. The message states that before he left Nassau, Bryson sent word to the Scarborough of the exact location where he was heading. Just then, the Scarborough is sighted on the horizon heading toward the ships. After reading the message, the slave then charges at Flint with a grenade, but Bones shoots the man dead before he can reach Flint.

Memorable Quotes[]

"If you take it, they'll give it."
―Anne Bonny, encouraging Max to defend herself
"Funny thing, the people most surprised when it happens are usually the ones that gave rise to it in the first place"
―John Silver, telling Eleanor about the danger of mob violence.
"You hate her. I hate her. They all hate her. Look what good it's done us. No captain on this island has ever known that kind of power. Power that doesn't care how many votes you can tally; who loves you, who hates you; power that just is."
―Vane to Idelle, about Eleanor

Trivia[]

  • Captain Hornigold uses the word "sabotage" to describe a danger the Consortium may face if Eleanor does not lift the ban on Captain Vane. The term sabotage was not coined until the early 19th century.
  • When Dufresne protests at being handed a pistol for the upcoming battle, Billy tells him that "half the time they don't even fire." In the previous episode, Noonan's henchman's pistol misfired during their attempt to kill Vane, and Dufresne's assailant suffers from the same problem during the battle.
  • The phrase "two six heave" appears in this episode for the first time in the series. The phrase is used to coordinate sailors pulling, and its origins are believed to be derived from the orders for firing shipboard cannons in the Royal Navy.
  • At the end of the episode, Joshua and the Slave are speaking West African Pidgin English, a language of commerce that developed between British and African slave traders during the period of the transatlantic slave trade.
  • One of the names that Billy lists as crew members who died in their first battle is Jean DuBois. Jean DuBois was also the name of the chief surgeon aboard La Concorde, the French ship that became the flagship of Edward Teach, the Queen Anne's Revenge. Teach released the bulk of the French crew, save for Dubois and the two other surgeons and a carpenter and a cook

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

First[]

  • Lilywhite
  • Geoffrey Lawrence
  • Naft
  • Distressed Whore
  • Harrison
  • Reginald Walker

Deaths[]

  • Burnett
  • Harris
  • Crisp
  • Slave

Locations[]

Ships[]

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