Our Flag Means Death: One Quote From Each Character That Perfectly Sums Up Their Personality
Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the HBO show Our Flag Means Death.
The hilarious, rowdy, and surprisingly relatable pirates on HBO's Our Flag Means Death have already said some unforgettable lines in the first season of the period rom-com. Some of these quotes perfectly capture their unique personalities, with the best examples likely sticking to viewers' minds.
From Blackbeard's admission about how sad he really is to Jackie's terrifying threat about starting a new nose jar, some quotes stand out for the way that they sum up the well-written characters' motivations, traits, and even origin stories. As fans eagerly wait for more news about a potential second season, it's the perfect time to look back at some of the pirates' unforgettable lines.
Early on in the series, it became clear that Lucius is among the smartest characters in Our Flag Means Death, if only because he's the one pirate on the Revenge's crew who can read and write (aside from Stede). He has shown this intelligence in the way he gives surprisingly insightful advice and, of course, through his witty comebacks.
One particularly memorable quote that highlights Lucius' witty and playful side is said after Izzy confronts him and Pete for not working enough on the ship. When Izzy asks if he thinks he's cute, he doesn't hesitate to snap back with a funny line.
When the crew of the Revenge finds themselves in need of a new captain (who isn't Izzy), they hold a secret meeting to discuss who should take on the role. Oluwande describes the ideal trait the leader should have and doesn't expect everyone to say that he's the only person in that room who fits the description.
It's just like Oluwande to be humble about how capable he really is. He's shown through his relationship with Jim that he's kind, considerate, and caring, which is why it's not surprising that the other pirates would turn to him in the absence of Blackbeard and Stede.
One of the show's funniest quotes comes from Buttons, who says a line that also happens to capture his eccentric personality. When Calico Jack rudely makes a ton of noise in the middle of the night, Buttons calls him out for it and claims he's interrupting his nightly "moon glow" routine.
This tendency to suddenly snap at someone and then say something completely nonsensical is typical of Buttons, who has shown that he does his own thing and has his own world. In his reality, he can talk to pigeons, absorb the power of the moon, and who knows, maybe even predict the future.
Although Pete is showing some steady improvement with his attitude, fans still likely remember him best for his endless stories about allegedly working for Blackbeard. No one really believes him (except for Stede), as it's obvious that he's making the wild tales up to make the other pirates see him as tougher than he actually is.
When Stede is hesitant to go on a mission to retrieve oranges, Pete immediately volunteers for the task, which surprises his captain. His motivations become clear soon after, though, as he just wants Stede to put in a good word for him the next time he talks to Ed.
Frenchie is an underrated character who deserves more screen time on the show. He has a quiet confidence and self-assurance that makes him fascinating – these are traits that are best seen right before his "pyramid scheme" with Oluwande.
It's apparent that Frenchie is up to something when he introduces Oluwande as a prince from Egypt, and himself as a viceroy. When Oluwande asks him what a viceroy even does, he responds in a sure and confident way. Sure enough, the duo, led by Frenchie, do whatever they want during the party and swindle a bunch of people on the fancy ship in the process.
Jackie's character as a badass business owner has rightly made fans fall in love with her on the show, as not only is she portrayed as being tough as nails, but she's also incredibly hilarious. She demonstrates how funny and terrifying she can be in one specific moment on the show.
Fans may remember how Stede makes the terrible mistake of breaking her "nose jar," which prompts Jackie to threaten him with a knife. She doesn't even bother to properly listen to his nervous introduction as a "gentle pirate" and just jumps straight into (almost) slicing his nose off.
Jim has one of the most fascinating and tragic backstories on the show. Jim's past has shaped and defined the pirate in so many ways, as Jim wouldn't be a skilled killer today without the motivation from the murderous Siete Gallos.
Jim admits to Jackie during a serious conversation that it's impossible to move on until all the gang members are dead. The quote about putting the revenge in the past perfectly captures Jim's main internal conflict and the defining part of the pirate's character so far.
Easily among the most annoying pirates on the show, Izzy knows he's nothing without Blackbeard. Since he has served his captain for so many years, he has become dependent on him. That said, at the same time, he has this image in his head of who Blackbeard should be, and it's not Ed.
Izzy claims to respect and follow Blackbeard, but can just as quickly insult and berate Ed, as if they were two separate people. He makes this clear in a threat to Ed, which eventually costs him his toe. Unfortunately, it's also a quote that underscores how manipulative he can be, as it ends up convincing Ed to reclaim his old persona.
Stede is the more naive half of the main ship in the rom-com, with Ed being the mature, decisive other half. From the start of the series, Stede is shown to be way over his head on the Revenge, with his own crew ridiculing him for his "brand" of being a "gentleman pirate." He seems oblivious to the fact that he's not and may never be on the same level as legendary pirates like Blackbeard.
This naivety is obvious in his line about being the "polite menace," which he tells Lucius when he's explaining how he's working on his brand. It's an odd approach to the profession, which everyone except for Stede can see.
Despite being built up during the first few episodes as a legendary, tough, invincible, and murderous badass, Blackbeard turned out to be a sweet and caring pirate who's sick of his profession. In one of his earliest conversations with Stede, he confesses just how hard it is to keep up with his own exaggerated image.
He talks about how he feels trapped and is just "treading water," which understandably shocks Stede. Fans soon learn how Blackbeard is just Ed's "brand," and he's desperate to shed it and embrace who he really is and "start over" with his life, especially if that new life includes Stede.