Man on Fire

Man on Fire
Season	2
Episode	7
Air date	October 19, 2023
Writer(s)	Jes Tom & Natalie Torres
Director	Fernando Frias
Episode guide
Previous	Calypso's Birthday
Next	Mermen

Man on Fire is the seventh episode of the second season of Our Flag Means Death. It aired on October 19, 2023.

Synopsis

As Blackbeard reevaluates his life, Stede revels in his newfound infamy. With some help from Jim, Oluwande reunites with a hesitant Zheng.

Plot

In the early hours of the morning, Edward, wearing a blue robe, gathers all of his Blackbeard attire and gun, straps it to a cannonball, and tosses it over the side of the Revenge. He then takes a tray of food to Stede's cabin, where Stede is still shirtless in bed, and they share breakfast. He thanks Stede for appearing to him as "a mermaid, merman, merperson" and saving him. As they're talking, Izzy throws back the curtain and announces they've docked at the Republic of Pirates. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the harbor, Zheng Yi Sao and Auntie observe a grandfather clock in Zheng's office that Auntie describes as a gift from Prince Ricky, who has delivered one to every ship in their fleet.

Out in the streets of The Republic, Frenchie and the crew notice that many of the locals are wearing red knotted tassels, which Olu recognizes as belonging to Zheng. Jim teases him for it while Archie notices Zheng is there in the crowd and calls out to her. Zheng flees and Auntie makes a rude gesture in their direction. Meanwhile, Ed (dressed in plain clothes) and Stede are having lunch at a shack outside of town that Ed is a regular patron of. Stede mentions he wrote letters in bottles to Ed while they were apart. As they're talking, they're approached by a group of tough-looking individuals. Ed assumes they want his autograph, but they say they're actually fans of Stede and offer to buy him a round at Jackie's for killing Ned Low. Ed says Stede should enjoy his new infamy, and they run off without paying for their meal, laughing.

At Spanish Jackie's Stede is holding a drink while he's offered a second, but Ed intercepts and puts it aside, then offers some advice about how to handle fame. He pats Stede on the shoulder and tells him to enjoy the night. The rest of the crew of The Revenge arrive cautiously to avoid Spanish Jackie, who catches them immediately. They go to leave, but Jackie announces they're welcome in since they killed Ned Low, and that The Swede (who is currently bartending) will be happy to see them. Once they're settled at a table, Frenchie pulls Black Pete aside and they agree to use their newfound fame for more than just free drinks.

Jackie sits at a table with Ed, watching Stede enjoy himself across the room. Jackie eyes Ed's plain clothes and guesses he's "going through that 'if I was a regular dude' phase." Ed admits it may not be a phase as the Swede serves them drinks, and across the room, the crowd chants for Stede. Olu laments the loss of Zheng to the Swede, who offers to put in a good word with Jackie for him instead. Outside in town, Jim and Archie are talking to Zheng and Auntie on Oluwande's behalf. Zheng agrees to talk with Olu.

At the Republic's dock, Ed is sitting, watching fishermen at work, when Izzy approaches. Ed admits it felt good to throw away his leathers, and Izzy says "maybe you should listen to it." Elsewhere, on the stairs outside of Jackie's Stede is talking to a group of fans about Ned Low when he realizes Ed is missing. He's then called out by a man who smashes a bottle on his own head and threatens to kill him. Stede flicks a fan's lit cigar at the man, lighting him on fire to the applause of his fans. Some time later, Stede finds Ed at the docks, excitedly tells him about what happened, and also that he got his ear pierced. "It's been a great day." Ed, however, is morose. He says they're moving too fast, and "I think last night was a mistake." Stede argues, but Ed insists that he doesn't want to be a pirate, he got a job as a fisherman and he's leaving. Ed leaves, and Stede calls after him that he's a coward.

Auntie is on a ship with one of the clocks and argues with Tiff about whether it should be above or below deck. Meanwhile, at Spanish Jackie's, Frenchie is selling "100% authentic planks, Gentleman Pirate certified.," Black Pete is selling Gentleman Pirate signatures (which Lucius can't make quickly enough), and Wee John is tattooing Stede's face on a fan's back. Stede is drinking with his fans again, but sullenly now. Izzy approaches and tells them to fuck off, which they obey instantly despite Stede's objection. Once they're alone, Izzy says he knows Ed left, and that he thinks Ed and Stede are good together, that they balance each other. Outside, Jim escorts Olu to where Zheng is waiting, and they talk. Olu apologizes and Zheng admits she's missed him. They hold hands. Inside the bar, Izzy tells Stede they should go back to the ship before Stede ends up "on the wrong end of a sword."

Olu and Zheng meet up inside Jackie's with Jim and Archie, and he tells them he's going with Zheng, but there's room on the ship. Archie asks if they'll get their own room, or they could share, Jim offers, when Stede interrupts and tells Zheng to leave his crew alone. Olu admits he's going with Zheng. Stede and Zheng argue. Stede puts his hand on his sword threateningly and Zheng tells him to "Maybe spend some time with your serial-killer boyfriend. Or did he already leave you again?" Steak Knife steps between them and threatens Zheng, who disables him with a series of punches. Stede draws his sword and asks Zheng to do the same, and they begin to duel. When Stede is pinned, he throws a bottle at Zheng, which misses and hits someone else in the bar. Archie laughs, and he throws a bottle at her, Jim launches themself at him, and the bar breaks out into a brawl. Jackie arrives and shouts at them to take it outside.

Zheng and Stede's "duel" continues out in the street with her punching and kicking him and his crew telling him to stay down, but he refuses. Zheng begins to beat him with a plank. As this is happening, the clock on Zheng's ship strikes midnight and, to Zheng's horror, the fleet begins to explode. Canonfire strikes the Republic's streets and Stede runs for cover while Zheng watches the burning ships in shock.

After credits scene: Roach approaches Fang, who complains that the rope is "So rough on my tender fingies." Roach then takes Fang to a creek where they soak their feet and relax. To Fang's surprise, Roach gives himself a mud mask.

Starring

• Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet
• Joel Fry as Frenchie
• Samson Kayo as Oluwande Boodhari
• Nathan Foad as Lucius Spriggs
• Vico Ortiz as Jim Jimenez
• Con O'Neill as Israel "Izzy" Hands
• Matthew Maher as Black Pete
• Kristian Nairn as Wee John Feeney
• David Fane as Fang
• Samba Schutte as Roach

and

• Taika Waititi as Blackbeard

Guest Starring

• Nat Faxon as The Swede
• Leslie Jones as Spanish Jackie
• Ruibo Qian as Zheng Yi Sao
• Madeleine Sami as Archie
• Anapela Polataivao as Auntie

Co-Starring

• Jennifer Onyeiwu as Roughneck #1
• Shayne Martin as Roughneck #2
• David Perrett as Scariest Pirate
• Grant Lobban as Bloodbucket Bill
• Jonny McBride as Scary Man
• Amanda Grace Leo as Tiff
• Aaron Richardson as Tattooed Pirate
• Colm Woulfe as Steak Knife

Quotes

Izzy Hands: It's good to see that it's not just the ship that has been well and truly docked. Congratulations.

Jim Jimenez: Olu came with me because we're like anchors for each other. We're family.
Archie: Oh, yeah. Family who fucked.

Edward: You know what I did this morning, bright and early?
Izzy: Made your boyfriend blush?

Ed: I got a job on a fishing boat, and I'm leaving. I'm a fisherman now.
Stede Bonnet: Ed... Seriously? You're not a fisherman.
Ed: I am! I caught a fish. You saw that.
Stede: One fish.
Ed: Yeah! You liked that fish. You said it was a good fish.

Izzy Hands: You know what he did when I told him I loved him.
Stede Bonnet: He shot you.
Izzy: He shot me.
Stede: Yeah, I know.
Izzy: He's a complicated man.

Oluwande: As I understand it, there might be a bit of room on the ship.
Archie]]: Oh, would we get our own room? Or...
Zheng Yi Sao:Don't push it.
Jim Jimenez: We can also share. I mean, we've been doing that-

Stede Bonnet: Et tu, Olu? You're going to stab me in the back, right in front of me? For her? I took her whole crew down with chamomile tea!

Zheng Yi Sao: I've killed mediocre men. I've killed exceptional men. But you're the worst kind: a mediocre man who thinks he's exceptional.

Trivia

Behind the scenes

• Fans noticed that, while Ed is wearing his jewelry during the morning-after scene, Stede has removed his, and his rings are set on the windowsill, which some fans read as the equivalent of a queer manicure.
• Before this season aired, Taika posted a picture of himself on his Instagram wearing a t-shirt version of the Spanish Jackie's crop-top the Swede wears in this (and the subsequent) episode. Presumably a crew gift, fans then recreated the image to make their own versions of the shirt.
• For the scene of Stede burning a man who threatens him, a stuntman was really set on fire.
• When Zheng is beating Stede with the plank, Roach is visible in the background with mud smeared on his hand and face, presumably from the after-credits scene with Fang.

Improvised scenes

• Rhys was encouraged to improvise the "cool thing" he says after lighting the angry man on fire. "Looks like I got someone all hot and bothered" was only one of multiple lines he tried. (citation needed)

Gallery