Max spies ominous figures on the horizon!
Season 4, Episode 5
Air Date: Sunday, February 25, 2017 at 9PM E/P on Starz
Rating:
“XXXIII” represents the halfway mark to the series finale and boy, it does not disappoint. There’s action and nerve-wracking plot twists that get your heart racing with anticipation. Eleanor’s (Hannah New) proposition to exchange Nassau for the remaining treasure of the Urca de Lima is at the heart of the episode, the aftermath of which sets the course for disaster, in more ways than one.
The Game Changer
The best laid plans are put to the test in “XXXIII” after Captain James Flint (Toby Stephens) and “Long” John Silver (Luke Arnold) accept Eleanor’s offer. At first, I didn’t understand how Eleanor would convince Woodes Rogers (Luke Roberts), her husband, to go along with her plan. Rogers and his crew remain close to the port, prepared to go to war. It’s not until Mrs. Hudson (Anna-Louise Plowman) delivers the news to Rogers from Eleanor that my heart sank. As if adding insult to injury, not only does Rogers discover Eleanor is letting Silver’s crew take over Nassau, she’s asking him to leave and join her in Port Royale. Since his introduction in Black Sails, Rogers never struck me as a humble man, let alone the type who would obey orders from a woman. If there’s anything I learned after watching “XXXII,” it’s that Rogers is as vengeful as he is obsessed with putting an end to piracy in Nassau. So imagine my surprise when he goes along with Eleanor’s plan—albeit begrudgingly. But I wasn’t fooled. Another lesson learned from years of watching Black Sails is that when situations appear to go according to plan, disaster usually follows, quickly.
Eleanor’s plans don’t go quite as planned,
Interestingly, Eleanor’s story line in “XXXIII” serves as a major turning point for all the characters involved. Her actions set the stage for what transpires between Silver and Billy Bones (Tom Hopper). Along with Silver, Billy has been evolving as a character this season and I can’t say it’s for the better. Still, as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. What I love about Silver’s story line is how he struggles to do what is best for the overall cause while fighting with his conscience. I didn’t expect it would take Israel Hands (David Wilmot) to smack some sense into him…literally.
Undoubtedly, “XXXIII” is the point of no return, but the moments I did find to be the most earnest are those between Madi (Zethu Dlomo) and Silver. Although they don’t share many scenes, their screen presence adds a bit of heart to the episode. I just hope nothing happens to Madi because if there’s one person who keeps Silver grounded, it’s her. Damn anyone in his way if she’s not by his side.
Overall
Billy makes his last stand
Over the past several seasons of Black Sails, I’ve been riveted by the lengths to which characters like Flint go to secure the treasure from the Urca de Lima. After all the bloodshed, I can’t help but feel as if the treasure has cursed Nassau and everyone who touched it. Still, what I’ve come to realize after watching “XXXIII” is that more tempting than any treasure is the cruelty that comes from acquiring power. Season four has demonstrated the tragic and dark side in order to maintain that power through the war to secure Nassau. All the sacrifices, betrayals, and shocking new alliances made in “XXXIII” leave me with a lot to think about regarding the series finale. Episodic writers Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz and director Alik Sakharov worked perfectly together to deliver some of the most dramatic scenes of the season yet! While the danger at hand for all the main characters is present from start to finish, there’s a point in the episode where I didn’t know who would live or die. The pacing is spot on, building up to the climatic final scenes that leave viewers anxious and eager for the next installment. Hold on tight, because if “XXXIII” is any indication of what to expect this season, we’ve ain’t seen nothing yet!
Tune in to the final episodes of Black Sails, Sundays at 9PM E/P, only on Starz.
For more on the show, go to http://www.starz.com/originals/blacksails/
Follow Black Sails on its official twitter: @BlkSails_Starz, and don’t forget the cast and crew: @BlkSailsCreatrs (Black Sails Creators), @TobyStephensInV (Toby Stephens / Captain James Flint) @LongLukeArnold (Luke Arnold/John Silver), @ClaraPaget (Clara Paget/Anne Bonny), @hannahnewuk (Hannah New/Eleanor Guthrie), @JParkerK (Jessica P Kennedy/Max), @fallofasparrow (Toby Schmitz/Jack Rackham), and @luke_j_roberts (Luke Roberts/Woodes Rogers).
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Connie Allen
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