Black Sails is certainly seeing things go from bad to worse. Can anyone stop the oncoming storm?

When we last left the island of New Providence, Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) had made her best efforts as a diplomat of sorts trying to stop Captain Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) and Captain James Flint (Toby Stephens) from blowing each other up. It’s not so much that she cares what they do to each other at this point, it’s that their petty lust for power is going to render the port of Nassau demolished.

For his part, Flint is fighting many demons, not the least of which is his own failure to achieve the goal of a civilized Bahamas that he dreamed of a decade earlier. The bitter irony is that he has now become that which he loathed: a pirate. It looks like he has fully convinced himself that the end justifies whatever means he is willing to take. So far those means include murder, manipulation, and firing on the port, and that’s in just the last three days.

Vane is struggling to keep his position as the veritable king of the mountain, the fort atop Nassau. He fought his way back from absolute degradation, and raised up similar men to follow him. He can’t afford to back down, and lose it all again. He’d rather die fighting that to give up.

The really interesting thing is going to be how three, up until now, relatively minor players figure in. One, will Billy Bones be able to reach the crew and stop the madness? Two, will the ransoming of Abigail Ash look like a better option than a firefight with Flint? Three, Mr. Guthrie is back. Can he be trusted to help Eleanor on her quest to save the island?

Black Sails airs tonight on Starz 9:00PM ET/PT.