Black Sails is ramping up the tension between the two factions. Whose side are you on?
In the ever-shifting world of piracy politics, two strong contingencies have emerged who want to control New Providence and Nassau. Their two leaders are Captain Charles Vane and Captain James Flint. Each is ruthless, manipulative, ambitious, and yet at the same time, each has a weak spot.
If you are Eleanor Guthrie, who do you think better for a long-term business partner? Here’s how we break down the pros and cons of each side.
Team Vane
For starters, you have to give credit to the sheer brute force that is Charles Vane. The man is over six feet of towering muscle. He can literally rip people apart with his bare hands. As Ned Low found out this past week, it doesn’t matter if you are armed or not, Vane will take you down if he thinks you are a threat.
But brawn isn’t everything. Sometimes it takes a subtler hand. Vane managed to reconcile with Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny this week, and it wasn’t just because Max has Vane wrapped around her finger. Vane knew that in the long run, his former quartermaster and his henchman are people he needs. At a certain point, Vane knows he needs an ally who owes him, and who has his back. Vane is likely counting on Rackham and Bonny to be just that.
There is one big weak spot when it comes to Charles Vane, and that’s Eleanor Guthrie. He currently “got the girl” due to taking out Ned Low. The only thing is, now that Ned Low is out of the picture, is Eleanor sticking around, or will she once again be sticking it to Charles Vane?
Team Flint
Flint might not have an amazing physical presence like Vane, but that works to his advantage. People frequently underestimate him, but he’s more than able to defend himself in an emotionally charged fight. It doesn’t matter whether it’s one-on-one with Mr. Gates, or on a suicide mission to overtake a ship, Flint has skills and determination that overcome his size.
The real weapon in Flint’s arsenal is that he’s a master manipulator. He’s the ultimate chess player who is setting up moves five and six steps ahead. Billy and Eleanor recognize this trait, and they are among the few who fully realize the depths of Flint’s talent in this area. Even Mr. Dufresne, who just lost control of the ship to Flint, doesn’t have the full picture where Flint is concerned.
As far as weaknesses go, Flint’s may be a tie: his own ambition and Mrs. Barlow. Granted, the two items seem to go together, but there may be a limit to Flint’s loyalties. As the current series of flashbacks are proving, Flint was gradually won over to to Thomas Hamilton’s radical ideas of an independent and non-corrupt New Providence. Even though it seems likely that Mrs. Barlow, Hamilton’s former wife, and Flint are a team, Flint may dump her over his love of control. She’s gotten in the way once, and Flint may not tolerate that again.