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XVII.
Ep17-9
Season Two
Number Seventeen
Date Aired March 21st, 2015
Writer Brad Caleb Kane
Director Lukas Ettlin
Previous XVI.
Next XVIII.
"You're right...they can't tell the difference between you and I"
―Vane to Bones

Vane claims a massive prize; Flint and Miranda meet with Ashe; Bonny returns; and Eleanor declares war.

Synopsis[]

The episode opens with the body of Richard Guthrie being prepared for burial as Eleanor watches. Later, she sits in her office greeting individual mourners lined up outside her tavern desiring to pay their respects to her father. One of the mourners is Max, who brings bread and fruit from the girls at Rackham's brothel. Eleanor explains to Max there is now a war between her and Charles Vane, concerning the future of the island and everyone must now choose sides.

Ep17-8

Max exits her meeting with Eleanor and encounters Jack Rackham on the street outside of Eleanor's tavern. Max feels Eleanor is up to something and wishes Rackham to launch his ship as soon as possible in order to retrieve the Urca gold. As they are speaking, Max notices Eleanor is watching them from her window. Inside the tavern, Frasier announces to Eleanor the arrival of two mysterious men.

In Charles Town, Captain Flint and Miranda Barlow are meeting with Peter Ashe discussing Flint's proposal to move forward with his plans for reconciliation between England and the pirates of Nassau. Ashe makes it clear the only reason they are sitting down together is because Flint brought Abigail back unharmed. He then says although they knew each other in the past, he does not recognize the two people that sit before him. Flint encourages him to ask any questions and promises he will be truthful in answering. When the subject of Alfred Hamilton is brought up, Miranda admits she is the one who arranged his execution. Flint then asks that Ashe not judge him for his past deeds and instead offer him redemption. Flint then outlines his plan, stating most of the pirates will agree to stop pirating and work legally as merchant sailors. Ashe eventually agrees to consider the plan. As they are talking, Miranda's attention is diverted to the chiming of a grandfather clock.

In the harbor at Charles Town, Billy Bones asks for volunteers among the riggers to repair the top sail footrope that killed Nicholas. When no one volunteers, Bones goes up the rigging to repair the footrope himself. As John Silver and Vincent look on, Silver asks Vincent if there is any way that Bones will discover Vincent's sabotage of the rope. Vincent tells him that it is unlikely. Elsewhere on the ship, Dooley tells Mr. Scott he thinks he sees something moving out in the marsh. Scott tells him to keep an eye on it.

In Nassau, the funeral for Richard Guthrie is underway. Following the burial, Eleanor encounters Mr. Underhill and asks for an audience with him.

Ep17-4

Back on Flint's ship, Bones continues working in the rigging during the night. As Silver is walking below decks, he encounters Randall, who has been stabbed and killed. Up in the rigging, Billy looks down and sees that the ship is being boarded by Vane's men. During the attack, Joshua and many other crew members are killed. Vane and Bones square off in a prolonged sword fight, which results in Bones' being captured when some of Vane's men arrive. Among those alive but captured are De Groot, Joji, Dooley and Muldoon.

In Charles Town, Flint and Miranda are preparing for dinner. Flint tells Miranda about where the name Flint came from. He states that when his grandfather was a young man, he worked as a deckhand on a privateer off the coast of Massachusetts. One night while he was on watch, a man climbed aboard his ship and stated that his name was Mr. Flint. The man then said that he had fled from another ship because he was accused of killing another man. He never stated whether he was innocent of the crime or not. He asked for some rum and then disappeared, never to be seen again. Flint tells Miranda he likes the idea of discarding his persona and says he is ready to retire Captain Flint back to the sea.

Back aboard Flint's ship, Silver and Vincent continue to hide below decks. Silver tells Vincent that they are in a tight spot, either be killed by Vane's crew or swim to the beach and risk being hanged as pirates.

In Miranda Barlow's house, Eleanor and Mr. Underhill are discussing Eleanor and Flint's plan to restore Nassau to English control. She explains that she will be the end of piracy on the island. She then tells Underhill about the plan that is already underway to take out Rackham's crew before they are able to set sail and secure the Urca gold. She is using the mysterious men from before to stealthily kill Rackham's crew.

In Rackham's tent, Anne Bonny appears, having been away for some time. Rackham is overjoyed to see her, stating that he truly never thought he was going to see her again. Bonny states that she thought about leaving for good but before she can say why she returned, Eleanor's men enter the tent and attack Featherstone and then Rackham. Bonny quickly disposes of both the men, killing them. They seek refuge in the brothel. Max states that they must leave immediately. Along with Anne, Featherstone and Rackham go to their ship to begin the voyage.

On Flint's ship, Silver tells Vincent that he has a plan to delay Vane from leaving the harbor with the ship. Silver plans to sabotage the ship by cutting the fore-stay, which holds the fore-mast in place. With the fore-stay severed, the fore-mast would likely snap completely if the ship were to sail. Silver knows that Vane would then have to spend a good deal of time continuing to sit in the harbor to repair the damage. Silver climbs out onto the bowsprit and attempts to sever the fore-stay.

In the captain's cabin, Vane approaches Bones and confesses that when he and Rackham backed Singleton to depose Flint, it was mainly done to try and steal away certain crew members of the Walrus, including Bones, whom Vane greatly admires for his courage and loyalty. Bones explains to Vane why they are in Charles Town. He states that they are there trying to gain forgiveness from England because the Royal Navy is about to take Nassau back and reconciliation is the only way for all of them to survive. Suddenly, Silver succeeds in cutting the fore-stay and the whole ship lurches from the damage. Knowing there are saboteurs onboard, Vane goes below decks to neutralize the threat.

Ep17-6

In Charles Town, Flint, Miranda, and Ashe are having dinner. Ashe states that he has given it much thought and the only way for Flint's plan to work is that they both return to London together where Flint will confess his crimes and ask forgiveness from Parliament. He states that Flint must tell the whole truth including the relationship with Thomas Hamilton. Ashe believes that this will work because Parliament will see that the most feared pirate in the New World is not a monster, but a very flawed man. Flint agrees. Just then, Miranda realizes why the clock is so familiar to her: it belonged to Thomas and was in their home in London. Ashe admits that it was a gift from Alfred Hamilton. It is then revealed that Ashe was the reason behind all of their misfortune. Miranda realizes that James McGraw was well liked and had a good reputation among the Navy and that there must have been another reason why everyone believed the affair between him and Hamilton was true. She stands to confront Ashe with the accusations and states that he sold them out to become governor of the Carolina colony. Ashe says that he was forced to betray them because Lord Hamilton was threatening his family. Miranda becomes increasingly aggravated and says she would like Ashe to take responsibility for ruining her life and that he should be swinging from the end of a rope. Suddenly, she is shot through the head and killed by Colonel Rhett. Flint then attacks Rhett but is subdued and knocked out by Ashe's men.

Aboard Flint's ship, Vane is searching for the saboteur below decks when he spots Silver. As he approaches Silver he is taken from behind by Vincent who puts a knife at his neck. Outside the ship, a launch approaches from shore. The men on the launch announce a message from Ashe. An agreement with Flint could not be met and he is now considered a threat to Charles Town and has been taken into custody. There will be a swift trial for Captain Flint the next day and if their ship is still in the harbor, they will seize or sink it. Vane then quickly disarms Vincent and Silver, taking them both prisoner. Vane, Silver and Vincent then come out on the deck and Vane proposes to Bones they attack the city and free Flint because if one of the most feared pirate captains in Nassau is hung then nobody will ever fear the pirates of Nassau again.

Ep17-7

In Mrs. Barlow's house, Eleanor is concluding her business with Underhill when she is confronted outside by Benjamin Hornigold and Dufresne who take her prisoner. They deliver her to Captain Hume and request the ten pardons that Hume promised to Bones if Bones were to deliver Flint. Hornigold tells Hume what a terrific prize Eleanor will make when he takes her back to London, as she is responsible for brokering all the illegal pirate trade in Nassau. Hume throws the pardons on the beach for Hornigold and the men and takes Eleanor captive.

Memorable Quotes[]

"Fuck it. Fuck her. We leave now."
―Anne Bonny to Max, about Eleanor.[src]
"I want to see this whole goddamned city, this city that you purchased with our misery, burned. I want to see you hanged on the very gallows that you use to hang men for crimes far slightly than this. I want to see that noose around your neck and I want to pull that fucking lever with my own two hands!"
―Barlow to Peter Ashe, her last words.[src]

Trivia[]

  • For some reason, De Groot is not listed in the credits even though he appears and has lines.
  • The Bible verse that Lambrick reads at Richard Guthrie's funeral is Psalm 23, which is traditionally recited at funerals.
  • After Miranda is shot, Ashe cries out "this is not what I wanted," echoing Flint's uttering the same line after killing Gates in VIII.
  • Miranda's death in this episode somewhat mimics a custom in Game of Thrones, where in the first 6 seasons (which all numbered 10 episodes), the ninth episode always featured a large battle or as in this case, the death of a major character, as happened in Game of Thrones Seasons 1 (Ned Stark), 3 (Red Wedding), and 5 (Shireen Baratheon).

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