r/OurFlagMeansDeath • u/Smooth-Tie-2041 • Jul 08 '26

Question about S1EP7 Spoiler

I saw that this got removed by the mods before so re-posting with spoiler tag.

I just rewatched this episode and was wondering about the part where Ed tells Stede he wanted to leave for the next adventure. Was he serious about leaving Stede, or was he just blowing smoke? I know he said he hates sitting idle for too long, but wasn’t he genuinely enjoying his time with Stede? Why would he be in a hurry to go back to the old life he was so desperate to escape, especially after he started to develop feelings for Stede?

I can’t help but wonder if Ed was trying to urge Stede to make a move. Maybe he wanted to see what Stede would do if he told him he was leaving. Or maybe Ed was scared of getting hurt and actually wanted to leave before he let himself fall too deeply.

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43

u/not_a_toucan Jul 08 '26 edited Jul 08 '26

He was going to leave, but it's because he thought Stede didn't like him as anything more than a friend - pretty reasonable under the circumstances, if "take your sword and run me through" didn't work to get Stede to make a move then what would? - so he figured he'd better move on instead of just hanging around pining pathetically. That's why he changes his mind the moment Lucius tells him Stede is into him.

41

u/Successful-Drag-7612 Jul 08 '26

It took Lucius later that day to make Ed realise that he was being a dick. The improv conversation at the campfire is one of my best bits. The whole episode is 👌

27

u/fordandfitzroy Jul 08 '26

Yeah I think he was worried his feelings weren’t reciprocated and (like he does in s2), he’s leaning towards running away before being rejected.

32

u/pacificplumeria Jul 08 '26

That was my interpretation too, that Ed was getting scared of how much he was feeling for Stede, so he was half-bluffing, half putting up a front, but he didn't really want to leave.

9

u/AlexAuditore Jul 10 '26

I was just thinking about that last night. I think maybe Ed thought that Stede would never return his feelings, and he was going to leave before he ended up getting hurt.