Black Sails: XVII Recap [SEASON FINALE]

Synopsis of 2×10: Vane attempts to save Flint, while Flint comes to a startling discovery. Silver gains allies of Flint’s crew but suffers a significant loss. Rackham and his crew return to Nassau victoriously and Nassau deals with the fallout of Eleanor’s absence.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Black Sails wraps up its second season this week and it’s an episode that will surely leave fans reeling in shock and surprise.

Tensions are at an all time high in Charleston as Flint awaits trial and the Ashe household deals with the death of Miranda. Young Abigail in particular, having become fond of Miranda, isolates herself and calls her father out on his cowardice and fear. Her father makes arrangements for her to visit a family friend out of the city for a few days, attempting to spare her from the trial to come.

On board the Spanish man-o-war, Vane meets unexpected resistance from many of his crew members after he has announced that he wishes to save flint, rather than take the ship and immediately depart. Vane is adamant though, believing saving Flint’s namesake is more important than their petty lust. Many men, including one of Vane’s men named Jenks, are flat out displeased but they luckily don’t have enough men to sail the ship alone.

Billy is less than agreeable, believing that while Vane may want to prevent Ashe from making a trophy of Flint, there is nothing stopping him from killing Flint the minute he steps back on board the ship. Still, Billy belligerently offers to help Vane with his plan and informs him of Abigail’s journal.

Chained in the town square, Flint has become the laughing stock of Charleston, and Ashe fears he is powerless to control the outcome of Flint’s trial at the hands of Admiral Lord Kensington. Ashe pleads with Flint to sign a full confession to spare him the humiliation to come, but Flint decisively rebukes his offer after Ashe uses Miranda’s name in vain. Flint claims Miranda wanted nothing but the truth and instead all she got from Ashe was cowardice.

Back in Nassau, Eleanor’s absence has been noted and her capture at Hornigold’s hand is surprisingly celebrated by many in Nassau. Still, max is disturbed by her disappearance and she later visits Mr. Frasier, who is all that’s remains of Eleanor’s empty tavern. Max asks Frasier to sell Eleanor’s interest to her but he is clearly hesitant. She makes an extremely generous offer to Frasier that is enough to pique his interest.

While chained as prisoners, Billy and Silver share a heart to heart where Billy divulges to Silver that many of the men have come to trust him. This unexpected match up between Silver and Billy is interesting, as both men are equally skilled with strategy and words. Before long, Vane’s man seize Silver and attempt to take him to Jenks, who has assumed command of Vane’s remaining men. To Silver’s surprise, the remaining men of Flint’s crew rise and rally to Silver’s aide, even calling him their brother. While Billy makes a feeble attempt to save Silver from being taken, Vane’s crew quickly put down the rebellion before it can progress any further.

Attacked with allegations from Kensington, Flint remains stoic, only announcing his reget at coming to Charleston with the belief that reconciliation could be found. Charles soon proudly saunters in, having surrendered himself, and claims to offer testimony in defense of Captain Flint. Vane candidly produces Abigails’ journal as testimony to Flint and Miranda’s true character and as evidence that raises questions concerning the future of pirates. Still, Vane seems to still have an ulterior motive. In private, Kensington insists to Ashe that Flint will still hang, despite the new evidence at hand.

Back on board the man-o-war, Silver is forced to sit in front of Jenks. Jenks demands that Silver give him a list of ten men from Flint’s crew that are most likely to consent to joining Jenk’s new crew to sail away from Charleston without Flint. Silver’s scout and second confidante, who he was formerly in league with for the Urca gold, sought Jenks out and claimed Silver had no real interest in Flint’s crew. Silver however seems to have had a change in heart, refusing to turn on his crew.  To make himself absolutely clear, Jenks shoots the scout in the chest and plans to torture Silver until he surrenders those names.

With all of Charleston’s attention on Flint’s trial, the men loyal to Vane sneak over Charleston’s wall and ready for attack. Flint, having also had a change in heart, shares with Vane that they adamantly need to remind those in charge that they need to be feared. Vane’s men use the canons at the wall to rein havoc down on the trial within the city. Flint mercilessly kills those in his path to lord Ashe, and eagerly stabs him in the chest, gaining his revenge for not only Miranda’s death, but his role in Thomas’s as well.

Back on board the Man-O-War, Jenks’ men are alerted to the canon fire from shore while torturing Silver. before they they can take any further action, Billy and the remaining member of Flint’s crew barge in, having stolen a pair of keys from a guard when Silver was first taken. They slaughter Jenk and his men and quickly retake the ship, preparing their own weapons for battle against Charleston. In town, Flint and Vane attempt to make their way out of the city, killing those that remain in their path. They, along with the rest of Vane’s men commander a boat and sail back to Flint’s ship.

After being rescued, Silver is taken below where he, along with many of the crew discover that his foot and lower leg will likely not be able to be saved. The men refuse to leave Silver’s side though and loyally promise to look after him. Held down by his fellow brothers, the men grimly remove Silver’s leg from below the knee.

 After climbing aboard, Vane is held at gunpoint and Billy fills Flint in on what has happened in his absence. Flint asks that Billy let Vane’s crew go, claiming that he won’t hold pirates prisoners on his ship anymore. Flint then orders his men to mercilessly target what’s left of Charleston, determined to completely eradicate the poison that he had once hoped to ally himself with again. From the ashes of Charleston, the monster and legend known as Captain James Flint has risen once more. Flint, Vane, and his men look on at the destruction with a mix of pride and pity.

Silver later awakens in Flint’s cabin days later. It seems that while Silver was unconscious the crew voted him quartermaster, after his gallant effort to save the men and his refusal to divulge names to Jenks. Silver takes that moment to share with Flint the critical news that the Urca gold was not in fact recovered by the Spanish, but Silver conveniently leaves out his role in the entire situation and instead claims it was all the scout’s plan. Flint is enraged that one of his men lied to and sold the information to Max and Rackham.

Back in Nassau, Rackham returns from sea, claiming there was more resistance on the beach than expected. None the less they were still victorious and he shares with Max the prize of the century, a hold full of gleaming Urca gold.