#izzy meta

[carrymelikeimcute]

Do you think Izzy went to visit Ed's 'body' after insisting they kept it aboard? Do you think he held his hand and wished things had been different, begged him to come back, even after everything? Even though it most likely would have been a death sentence, given that he shot him and mutinied with the others.

Do you think he heard Stede calling out, yelling that Ed was awake, and knew, deep down, that Stede had been the one to bring him back?

That once again his love wasn't enough?

#yes hello i like to hurt myself emotionally #edizzy #blackhands #izzy meta #izzy hands

[internerdionality]

For all the people complaining that Izzy is acting out of character in episodes 5-7, I wanna add one more thing.

I’ve seen lots of people pointing out that speedrunning character growth is A Thing this show does (time is made up and physics don’t matter) and how given Izzy’s past and trauma and the very specific stressed circumstances that we got to know him in the first place, all of this isn’t necessarily out of character, and I agree with all that.

But I also want to point out that Izzy is canonically drinking heavily if not outright drunk during most of these episodes. Like, we pretty much never see him eat or sleep this season. More often than not, he has a drink or just a whole ass liquor bottle in his hand. This is most evident in Episode 4, sure, when he’s actually falling down drunk, but even in Episode 6, Ed—who’s known him the longest—is commenting concernedly on the drinking.

Izzy is Not Okay during these episodes, no matter how cheery he may seem. I’d be surprised if he WAS acting like “himself.”

#our flag means death #izzy hands #ofmd s2 spoilers #izzy meta

[izzyjazzhands]

Izzy telling Ed that "maybe you should listen to it" (how it felt to throw away his leathers) is so touching and it took me aback

this is the man who was insisting that Ed conform to the Blackbeard tale no matter what

now he knows that the real stories that matter are the ones we seek out for ourselves rather than the ones we're expected to tell

#I'm mushy about the old man on a friday night leave me be #izzy #izzy hands #israel hands #ofmd #ofmd meta #captain's log #also yes I'm watching s2 for the first time #2.07 #man on fire #our flag means death #izzy meta

[izzyholdmyhands]

Chauncey Badminton: You will be released to Captain Hands in exchange for his service to the king.

Why haven’t I seen anyone talk about this part in episode 9???!! Izzy did the same thing for Ed that Ed did for Stede! He gave up his freedom to ensure Ed’s protection!

I’m not sure, then, why he’s still on the ship after Ed and Stede leave—did Ed signing the Act of Grace make Izzy’s deal with Chauncey null? Is he still supposed to be in service to the king, and that’ll come up in the next season? Or did he just not follow through with his end of the bargain?

In any case, it makes his line, “Think about what you’re doing, Ed. Do you really want to lick the king’s boots?” all the more interesting because you were about to do the same, Israel Hands. You were prepared to go into service for the king to save your Captain. And here he is, doing the same thing, which you know would kill him, for someone else, which kills you.

Excuse me while I scream now !

#izzy hands #izzy hands meta #our flag means death #ofmd #blackbeard ofmd #edward teach #ed x izzy #blackhands #blackbonnet #mac speaks #izzy meta

[ragingstillness]

Had a power thought

(to my fellow Cody Ko enjoyers hello sorry the joke had to be made)

So we’ve all covered how Izzy’s a terrible captain once he finally gets the role and how the crew mutinies in like three hours and how funny that is, because it is hilarious, but the more I think about it, the more I become convinced that Izzy was attempting to sort of combine Ed and Stede’s captaining styles into one person in order to lead the crew best, he was just doing horrendously at it. 

I mean think about it, Izzy has shown no particular desire to have fine things or food but when we see him as captain he’s sitting in the middle of the deck at a table covered by a fancy table cloth, eating something that he demands needs more salt. It’s Stede’s love of fine things mixed with Ed’s (well, Blackbeard’s, in this case) determination to get exactly what he wants. It feels out of character because it is out of character. Because Izzy is trying to be some sort of fusion of Ed and Stede. 

We see it again later when he’s being thrown overboard. He begins to ask for suggestions for improvement, saying he’s open to discussion. When has Izzy ever been open to discussion or suggestions? That’s Stede’s thing. And, while it’s a bit of a stretch, he calls out for his first mate, Black Pete, to get him out of this situation, which, as can be reasonably assumed, is Ed’s thing, i.e. calling on Izzy to get him out of bad situations. 

So I’m not entirely convinced we’ve seen what Izzy would really be like as a captain. Like if he was given a new ship and a new crew in a vacuum and just told to captain them. Izzy noticed that for all he hated it, Stede and Ed’s co-captaining style was working with this specific crew and tried to copy it, he just failed miserably. 

#ofmd #izzy hands #izzy meta #our flag means death #our flag means death meta #ofmd meta #izzy hands meta

[theorderofthetriad]

Lots headcanon Izzy and Ed growing up as children/teens together. But consider for a moment that their actors have a ten year age gap, and so what if the characters did as well.

Imagine a 26 y/o seasoned pirate Izzy showing 16 y/o fresh-off-the-heels-of-killing-his-father new pirate Ed the ropes. Izzy takes on a mentor role towards Ed, and for Ed this is the first positive male figure he's had so far in his life.

And then years pass, Ed is no longer a teenager, he's almost/past 30, he's not working under Izzy's wing anymore, he's about to pass him in rank.

And something clicks in Izzy's brain that Edward is an immensely attractive man.

This thought is met with immediate internal conflict because Izzy cannot mentally separate Ed-the-adult with Ed-the-teenager, so Izzy feels ashamed of himself as though he had been lusting after 16 y/o Edward who he's responsible for and not 29ish y/o Edward who's responsible for himself and other members of the crew. It was fully-adult-and-in-charge Edward that caught Izzy's eye, but being able to remember when Ed wasn't that makes Izzy doubt his own intentions.

So Izzy represses his feeling for years, never acting on his feelings towards Ed except through acts of assistance, reinforcing his former mentor role. Izzy acts with an acknowledgement that Ed is competent and capable, but also with the reminder that Izzy is there in case Ed needs any help, which is big mom energy (but for some reason I'm thinking of the mom Amy Poehler played in Mean Girls?)

And maybe at some point Ed actually did try to initiate a relationship (or tryst) with Izzy, but Izzy literally wouldn't let himself accept it. Ed's well into adulthood at this point, but Izzy just won't stop thinking of him as the teenager in crisis he met all those years ago.

And this does explain a why Izzy was at times treating Ed like a petulant child, because Izzy has been scolding Edwards since he was one.

#you'd think this idea was original. but no. #this is literally Pete White's fucking conundrum #except Pete White's situation was somehow MORE endangering to the child at hand than being a Literal Fucking Pirate #like Pete you and Billy make a fine couple as 35 y/o and 45 y/o 'business' partners and roommates #but when Pete was traveling around the country on a moped with FIFTEEN YEAR OLD Billy in tow Pete shoulda been arrested #just realized there is humor in me talking about Pete White in the tags of a post from a fandom where Black Pete is a character #ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd meta #izzy meta #edward teach #blackhands #izzy hands #Top Tino Post

[missunsympathetic]

omg I just saw someone say Izzy touching the candle and burning himself is sort of a way to punish himself for lying? And like. oh my god.

the first time we see him do it is when he talks to Ed about Stede declining the invitation to meet and Izzy lying in saying that he told Stede that Blackbeard is asking for him. We know Izzy didn't say Blackbeard's name so he is lying to Ed's face here. And touching the candle.

the second time we see him do it is when he is meeting with Spanish Jackie to plot against Stede and, to an extent, Edward. He knows Stede is important to Ed and that this is gonna hurt him, but he makes the decision anyway (and also thinks it's the right thing to do). So he plots against Ed together with the fucking Navy and shortly before they arrive. He is touching the candle.

Izzy is punishing himself for hurting/lying to Edward. And he does the things does anyway because he thinks it's in Ed' best interest, even if he can't see that. But all that time, he is punishing himself by inflicting pain upon himself.

#izzy hands #ofmd #our flag means death #edward teach #blackbeard #I mean izzy is also a little masochist #but that's secondary here I think #izzy meta #? idk

[stede-fuckin-bonnet]

Having Izzy Thoughts at 2 am and accidentally gave myself feelings. As someone whose broken a fair few bones doing dumb shit, breaking your pinky toe completely fucks the way you walk, balance, and move generally.

So Izzy losing his? I'd put money on him having to spend hella time after it heals relearning how to do so much even beyond walking. Swordfighting, scaling the rigging, balancing in choppy waters? All sorts of basic pirate things that have been second nature for decades? Back at square one.

That has to be devastating for someone who's persona is built on competence. How can he manage a crew if he can't do basic fucking tasks better than them anymore. Why else have him around if he can hold his own?

And even better, Blackbeard being the one to do that? The man who Izzy basically fucking worships? Fate worse than death.

Not saying it was unjustified, he did cause the chain of events that ended in Ed's arrest and fist heartbreak. And Izzy definitely enjoyed it whant it happened because he's a little fucked but like. Actions have consequences and that sure is a rough way to learn that.

Double angst, those realizations set in when Stede eventually finds them and the Kraken is put to rest. Because until then, Izzy rides on the high of being the only person who knows this version of Blackbeard, and he had far more authority than before because everyone else is fucking terrified.

The eventually realization that is not longer needed by Ed or by the crew would probably wreck him. I know none of this is terribly original and better writers have articulated this better than me but Izzy really out here giving me Feelings so I have to infect others lmao

#izzy hands #izzy meta #long post #sorry folks #im cracked out on caffine because final exams and this was better than trying to study lol

[sir-libearian]

Honestly the funniest thing about the whole Izzy hands discourse is that the Izzy haters are like "his fans are excusing his behavior and saying he's an innocent uwu who can do no wrong."

Meanwhile Izzy fans are that post about the person holding up the cat and going "stinky bastard man".

The most common tag, even on Izzy sympathetic and Izzy centric fic is "Israel Hands has issues."

Like. We're just putting our fucked up little guy in situations and projecting onto him. Most people who like him do because he's such a crunchy character.

But also like. Yes. the characters in the pirate tv show do morally dubious/bad things.

#izzy discourse #izzy meta #fandom wank

[gaynfl]

this is so fucking insidious

#fuck mark suckerberg #be quiet izzy #meta #threads

[ourflagmeansgayrights]

"killing off izzy after he went through all this growth and finally got to be happy means all that healing was for nothing"

goddamn that is a bleak way to look at life. we all die, man. healing is still worth the effort.

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd season 2 #ofmd s2 #ofmd 2 #izzy hands #dizzy izzy #israel hands #s2e08 #ofmd meta #<-eh #meta #txt #mine #og #the izcourse

[carrymelikeimcute]

I love all the mythological creature stuff about Ed and Stede being merpeople and mer-krakens and sirens and stuff. Water elementals, very fitting.

Can I suggest that, due to 'the candle thing' Izzy is some kind of fire elemental, like a phoenix, or a dragon? He's just that much of a masochist that he decided he'd live his life on the largest body of fucking water imaginable, in a wooden vessel.

Phoenix because, duh, they come back to life, but also because he could nest in the ridiculous fireplace and that would be cute AF.

Dragon because they fucking love treasure and they have hard, leathery skins and 'dragon' apparently comes from the greek 'drakon' meaning 'to watch'???

#izzy hands #omfd meta #izzy meta #omfd mermaids

[ulgapodatkowa]

I have so many thoughts but I at least want to address the "for the new unicorn" note. because first of all it's so incredibly gratifying for izzy to finally be accepted into a community. it was shown before that the crew cares for him in some way but it was the first time he really saw that. that he isn't useless and alone, that he still has a place on the ship. even more so the crew WANTS HIM to be on the ship. and also that they want him to embrace his disability which doesn't make them think any less of him.

but also the choice of words. because inherently it rings queer, unicorn as a symbol of queerness. and even if it may have a negative sound when you use it differently here it is extremely positive. izzy is not only accepted to the crew, he's also accepted to the queer community, to the family. the unicorn on the revenge was also the one that was leading the ship, so one can argue that they want him to take that role in their dynamic.

and you can see that he does so immediately. he puts himself together and starts helping the crew. he's still bitchy but no longer violent and cruel. he helps stede and lucius immensely because that is what he does now. he's part of the family. twat.

#ofmd #also don't talk to me about the shark or the cigarette scenes. i need 3-5 business days to recover #our flag means death #izzy hands #once again feral bc of con o'neill's acting choices #ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd spoilers #ofmd meta

[izzyjazzhands]

I'm a little worried that this is throwing a rock at a hornet's nest, but one thing I'm feeling in s2 so far is how while Izzy gets an intervention from the crew for how Ed is treating him (which I actually like), Ed doesn't really get the same even though his violence towards Izzy is a reaction in large part due to the emotional abuse and demands from Izzy that we saw in s1.

while I'm writing this as I've watched through episode 7 and I'm queuing this, it still feels like a big influence that's missing from the exploration of their relationships and expectations placed on these men.

their relationship to me is most interesting when it's acknowledged how much Izzy has hurt Ed, and how's Ed's sharp turn in s2 isn't just because Stede hurt him by leaving him, it's because of how Izzy's been hurting him all along. that makes it more rewarding to see them find ways to live with the pain of their pasts.

#queued #and I'm saying this as someone who enjoys Izzy as a character! #captain's log #ofmd #ofmd meta #izzy #izzy meta #ed #ed meta #blackhands #I don't want to get into fandom in-fighting bc that's ruined shows for me but I do really want to talk about them #writing this during the strike so it's going in the queue

[my-thyla-my-captain]

the fact that they use the figurehead izzy defaced for "not doing its job" to instead give him his purpose and identity back. the fact that figureheads were historically not only fixtures of stature and power but also, to their crews, "the eyes of the ship guiding them safely home". the fact that izzy protected the goth crew from a lot of edward's spiraling ire physically, the fact that when izzy was presumed gone and dead the ship was steered and then moored in a storm. the fact that without his intervention they would have likely died in that storm, but instead afterwards were able to be come across by the other half of their crew and brought "home". you see the vision, don't you?

#ofmd s2 #ofmd spoilers #Izzy hands #ofmd meta #our flag means death #Our flag means death spoilers #ofmd season 2 #ofmd #jim jimenez #ofmd archie #ofmd fang #ofmd frenchie #edward teach #Ed teach #revenge crew #Ugh they're all so good this season #Also don't get me started that izzy sawed off the legs of a unicorn #Which were later used on him #When unicorns also symbolize healing

[theorderofthetriad]

So this is the shot that introduces Izzy to the show. He's flanked by Fang and Ivan.

This is the last shot with Izzy in it in the show. He's flanking Blackbeard.

#something something paralells #izzy hands #ofmd #our flag means death #izzy meta #Top Tino Post