XXXV

The aftermath of the Nassau slaughter. A lot of powerful scenes.

Rogers comes face to face with the death he pushed on Nassau. When Eleanore’s body is being prepared for her final resting place, he finds out she was pregnant. He has some words with Eleanore’s handmaiden and mourns his loss from the decisions he made (and what he ultimately figures he was forced to do).

With the newfound support at the hidden camp, Flint and Silver push forward on the next step for the resistance. Silver wants Madi’s death to mean something and Flint agrees. While Silver is mourning, Silver has no problem with steering the ship for awhile. He has much bigger goals than anyone. He wants them to push forward all the way into Boston. Julius scoffs at the idea and Madi’s mother tries to convince him that it’s the best course for them to take. Julius listens but that’s about it. If anything he instills some more doubt in her.

Jack and crew make it to the Americas to talk to Eleanore’s grandfather for help. It does not go as planned but using his gift with persuasion, he catches the ear of Grandma Guthrie. While the man might be the front of the show, Grandma has a heavy hand in piloting where the family pursues its interests. At a second meeting to discuss details, Jack brings Max along hoping that Grandma Guthrie sees herself in Max. In a show of Max flexing her gift of persuasion and reasoning (and a great turnaround on a metaphor), they win her over.

While Billy Bones was untied before the war broke out, he didn’t manage to get away. He was captured with many others. He asks to see Rogers and in a not surprising turn of events, he offers to throw Silver and Flint to him. Bones has been screwed over for the last time. He tells Rogers that he has an advantage over the pirates in his possession. He must turn Silver and Flint against each other and he can use one of his captors to do it. Madi is alive.

Rogers sends the pirates an ultimatum. Give me the money or Madi is dead. The pirates are now in a hostage situation. Silver is all about it, hand it over and we’ll go from there. Madi’s mother thinks they can’t risk the turmoil that giving the treasure over will do with their allies. Silver agrees, which infuriates Silver since not too long ago Flint was ready to throw the treasure away for a fort. Flint sees that Rogers is trying to split them apart and offers an alternative: we keep the money and go rescue her.

In my favorite scene, Rogers talks with Madi. First, he asks her if Eleanore died fighting and Madi doesn’t answer. From there he gets to business. He brings her a contract. All the slaves on the island will be granted emancipation but they will turn over any slave and pirate to the law who seeks refuge from them after that. If not, he will enslave them all, split them up and burn down what’s left. The diabolical Rogers is back. He gets what he wants or crushes those who say no. He let’s that on sit in the air and then Madi drops this on him as he leaves the cell:

Eleanore died fighting. As will I.

The absolute best response she could have had.

Finally, Jack returns to the boat to tell Anne what he and Max worked out with Grandma Guthrie. They have agreed to fight Rogers back and split the control over Nassau as partners. Anne will be staying behind to heal while he goes back to Nassau. But there is one final test that GG wants Jack to pass. Kill Flint. Anne questions throwing all their beliefs away for this, betray their pirate brothers and Vane’s name. Jack reasons that it’s basically inevitable. Flint is a problem to everyone. Flint would take this same move. And Vane is dead, he doesn’t have a say in anything anymore. He’s doing it for their future.

Jack heads back to Nassau without Anne into the final battle.

Silver, Flint, and their crew are also on their way to Nassau. All three parties that have been split apart are now aimed at each other…and Flint has all the bullseyes on him. Silver is moving with a backup plan of his own. Flint thinks he’s getting his way (as he always does) but Silver has brought the treasure with them. If they can’t get Madi Flint’s way, Silver is ready and able to bargain. Hands lays it all out for Silver. If and when Flint doesn’t get his way, you better be ready to kill him.

There are only three episodes left in the series and all the cannons are loaded.