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Max
Max 648x1080
Vital statistics
Title Madame
Gender Female
Status Alive
Ships None
Relationships Eleanor Guthrie (Ex-Lover/Friend; deceased)
Anne Bonny (Lover)
Georgia (Lover)
Jack Rackham (Friend)
Idelle (Friend)
Woodes Rogers (former ally/enemy)
Appearances First: I.
Last: XXXVIII.
Portrayed by Jessica Parker Kennedy
Gallery Max Gallery
"The world is so full of surprises. Let it surprise you."
―Max to Eleanor Guthrie[src]

Max is a seductive, cunning, and cool-headed prostitute in the brothel on Nassau. In Eleanor Guthrie, she’s found a kindred spirit, a lover, maybe even a savior, but when her aspirations and Eleanor’s begin to conflict, their relationship, and Max’s well-being, take a dark turn for the worse.

At the end of the series, Augustus Featherstone becomes the new governor of Nassau with Idelle and Max is seen with a smile, the real power behind the throne.

Biography

Background

Max was born into slavery, possibly somewhere in French Hispaniola  since she speaks French creole. She was the child of a slave-woman and the slave-owner. As a child, she would watch while the slave-owner’s trueborn daughter eat and read and danced in the safety of the big house. Max has always wanted that life for herself. At some point, she was sold and bought[1]. At the start of the series she is working as one of the many prostitutes in Noonan's brothel.

Season One

One day, Max is part of a number of other women are hired as a welcoming gift for John Silver, the new recruit on the crew of the Walrus. During the orgy, Silver's eyes keep drifting to the page he took from the Ship's cook. After the other women leave, Max confronts Silver and asks him its importance. She then threatens to turn him in to his Captain unless he cuts her in on the profits, but offers to help him sell it to the highest bidder using her knowledge of Nassau. Silver tries to dissuade her from joining his scheme, but she ignores it. Silver reluctantly agrees to accept her help, and admits that he doesn't know what the page is. Later that night, Max rows Silver the Walrus, where he sneaks aboard to discover the meaning of the page. In Flint's cabin, he finds the book the page was torn from; a ledger owned by the previous Captain. Silver realizes that it's the schedule of the Spanish treasure galleon L'Urca de Lima. Returning to the brothel, Max finds her lover Eleanor Guthrie, bruised and shaken after a confrontation with her former lover Charles Vane. Max takes Eleanor to her room to clean her up and comfort her, before the two have sex. That morning, Max approaches Jack Rackham and offers to sell him the Urca schedule[2].

Later in the morning, Eleanor wakes up, and reminisces about the dismal state of Nassau when her father, Richard Guthrie, was in charge. Max asks her why she is talking about him, and Eleanor explains that a Royal Navy warship was spotted nearby, and fears that soon the British will move to retake the island. After the island is pacified by force and the pirates killed or dispersed, Richard will arrive after having spent five years off-island waving the commission from the Lords Proprietor naming him governor. Max jests that Eleanor could by the Inn, with Max as her partner. Eleanor asks how Noonan, the Inn's proprietor, will feel about this and Max replies that soon Noonan's feelings are going to be irrelevant to her. Mr. Scott then knocks and asks for Eleanor to come down, and she promises to meet him in a minute. However, Max says it may be longer than a minute and invites Eleanor to have sex with her again. Later in the day, Max gives a pirate customer a handjob while he complains that Eleanor keeps her all to herself before Silver bursts in the room. After he refuses to leave, the customer angrily leaves, and Max excoriates Silver for costing her money. Silver then reveals that Flint knows he stole the page, but he successfully evaded his pursuers. Max fears that this will bring Flint's wrath down upon her, but Silver promises that they will get the payment from Rackham and leave Nassau. Noticing that Max looks distraught, Silver asks if there is something keeping Max in Nassau, and she declines to answer, clearly thinking of Eleanor.

Vanemax

Vane assaults Max.

Later that afternoon, Max and Jack Rackham prepare to complete the deal in Max's room, with Anne Bonny standing guard. Max has Frasier come to appraise the value of the pearls to ensure she is not being cheated. After Frasier assures her that the pearls are all of excellent quality, Max informs Jack that her partner will deliver him the schedule at the Wrecks at sundown. However, the meeting is abruptly broken up by Vane, who accuses Max planning to cheat them after hearing from Flint's men that he recovered the page from Singleton's body. Max denies this and Jack agrees that it seems awfully convenient for Flint that he gets rid of his challenger and finds the missing page all in one move but a furious Vane ignores them and begins choking Max. Noticing Max signaling to a peephole in the wall, Jack stabs it with his dagger and rushes to the other room and finds blood on the blade, proving that her partner was watching all along. Vane releases her and leaves, though not before vowing to kill her should the deal go south. 

As soon as they leave, Max is next confronted Eleanor, who has figured out that she is working as a middle man for Silver with the Urca schedule. Max pleads with Eleanor to leave the island with her and start a new life, but Eleanor says Nassau is all she has and cannot just walk away. Max screams that Nassau is just sand, and it cannot love her back. Max further reminds Eleanor that her father abandoned her and her mother was taken from her, but she is here for Eleanor. Hal Gates and Billy Bones then arrive, and Max realizes that Eleanor led them to her. Much to Max's shock and pain, Eleanor insists that she must give up the page. Max shouts at Eleanor to admit that she is willing to let the men beat and torture her for the information before tearfully confessing the plan to sell the schedule to Vane, Max pleads with Eleanor to leave the island with her and start a new life. Eleanor turns her down, but offers Max protection from Vane. That night, feeling betrayed by Eleanor, Max prepares to leave the island alone. Idelle pleads with her not to leave, pointing out that both Noonan and Eleanor have posted guards at her door, but the heartbroken Max is determined to leave. Idelle helps her sneak away by distracting the guards However, Max is caught fleeing by Anne and imprisoned by Vane and his men[3].

Max beaten-0

While a captive, Max is routinely beaten and raped by Vane's men. After reaching a deal brokered by Eleanor to serve as Flint's consort in his quest for the Urca, Vane asks her why she refused Eleanor's protection. Max tells him that he of all people must understand the pain of losing Eleanor's affection. Vane then orders Rackham, who advocates killing her, to sneak her off the island after dark. Despite Rackham's attempt to get her away, he is caught by several of the Ranger's crew led by Hamund, who refuse to give her up. They proceed to assault her right in the street. Her screams attract a crowd, and eventually Eleanor. Enraged, Eleanor beats the men off Max and announces that none of them will ever do business on the island again, unless they abandon Vane and join Flint's crew. All but a handful desert Vane. Max, still hurt from Eleanor's rejection and betrayal, refuses her help, choosing to remain Vane and his remaining crew's captive until her debt is paid off[4].

While "paying off" her debt, she continues to be abused by the Ranger's crew. She tries to convince them that they would get more pleasure from her if they treated her gently, and succeeds with Slade, who tells the other men about Max's "skills." However, Hamund continues to mistreat her. Hamund's abuse of Max especially distresses Anne Bonny. Noonan is also furious about the situation with Max, but only because she is not earning him any money[5].

After Vane kills Noonan, Rackham engineers their take over of the Inn after promising to increase Mrs. Mapleton's pay to 40% of gross. While Hamund and his cronies are distracted by Eleanor's seeming downfall, Jack sends Mapleton to tend to Max on the beach. Mapleton uses a large syringe-like device in order to prevent Max from getting pregnant, however her rough treatment visibly pains Max. Bonny orders Mapleton to leave the tent and continues the treatment, although with a gentler touch that doesn't harm Max. Bonny begins to question Max about why she didn't leave when she had the opportunity (when Eleanor saved her from Hamund). When Max asks why Bonny cares, Bonny tells her that one time a man put his balls on her while she was sleeping and that upon finding out, she cut them off. Bonny then encourages Max to defend herself the next time she is assaulted[6].

That night, Anne guards Max's tent on the beach. Later, Hamund returns with the news that Eleanor has given into Benjamin Hornigold's demands and lifted the black mark on their crew. He and his friends approach the tent, and Anne bars their way. Before angry words can turn into blows, Jack steps in and dissuades her from trying to defend Max, warning that the men will take her and treat her as they do Max. Unable to tolerate their treatment of Max any longer, Anne organizes a scheme with Eleanor to lure Hamund and the rest of the men to the Wrecks where they are slaughtered by Eleanor's mercenaries, with Anne personally killing Hamund. That night, Max returns to the brothel. She slowly walks up the stairs to her room, accompanied by Bonny. She thanks Bonny for what she did for her. Bonny states that she didn't do it for Max, but that she did it for herself. Max enters her room and collapses to the floor, content to be back home[7].

Sometime later, Max is sitting in her room staring out the window when Idelle enters, bringing Max food. She tells Max that all the girls in the brothel are talking about what Max is going to do next. She states that the girls all wonder what kind of voodoo Max used to get all her abusers to up and disappear. Max tells her that they've all gone to Port Royal, to which Idelle sarcastically declares herself Henry Avery. Idelle then tells Max that if she ever wants to work again, she better hurry up and get busy because Rackham has no idea how to run a brothel and the girls are barely reporting any of their earnings to him. and Mrs. Mapleton is robbing him blind. As Rackham is attempting to fire one of the prostitutes who isn't pulling her keep, a prostitute named Alice then walks up and gives Rackham five gold pieces. Max then appears and asks Alice who she just serviced. Max states that it was Captain Hallendale who she saw leaving Alice's room. Hallindale has a very specific service that he always requests and that he always pays 20 gold pieces. Realizing that she is caught, Alice apologizes to Rackham and states that it will never happen again. Max then berates Rackham and tells him to get his house in order[8].

During a hurricane, the Inn Jack and Anne host an event titled "Evenings in Paris," which is Max's idea. During the storm, Mapleton approaches Rackham after the bursar refused to give her her share of the house profits. He explains that he has decided to stop paying the 40% distribution of house profits that he promised her in exchange for her silence regarding the murder of Noonan in order to make up for all the money she stole. Mapleton then threatens to tell the other merchants on the island how Rackham came to own the brothel, and Rackham promptly fires her. Mapleton repeats her threat to tell all the merchants on the island about his murder of Noonan. Max then arrives and calls Mapleton's bluff, asking her who she is going to tell on the island?.She points out that all of the influential merchants on the island are now receiving tremendous discounts at the brothel and are unlikely to care how Rackham came into business. Mapleton then threatens to tell Eleanor Guthrie but Jack lies and says she already knows and does not care. After Mapleton leaves, promising they'll regret this, Max asks if he is worried that she will retaliate. Jack waves off her concern, happy that she is gone, and toasts his new partner and their profitable venture. The next day, Anne excoriates Rackham for firing Mrs. Mapleton given all the secrets she knows about them. When Rackham says he does not care, Bonny begins to suspect that all of his nonchalance has to do with Max. She suggests that Rackham must have slept with Max. After Rackham denies this, Bonny storms off. As she is leaving the brothel, she spies a naked Max and stops to look. Max catches her staring and smiles at her.

Max and Eleanor S1E8

Vane soon returns with a new crew of 40 men, and they seize of Fort Nassau from Hornigold's men, sinking his ship and forcing Eleanor to accept their control of the fort by threatening to sink the other ships in the harbor. Afterwards, Vane, having been told by Mapleton about Jack's role in the massacre of their men, places a black mark on Jack, declaring that he will never sail beneath the Black again. After calm is restored, Max approaches Eleanor on the bridge between the Tavern and the Inn. Eleanor begins to apologize for all that has happened but Max stops her, acknowledging that Eleanor did what she had to do for the sake of her dreams for Nassau. Eleanor reminds Max that she said Nassau was just sand, but Max replies that sand has its virtues: nothing is fixed or permanent, and fates can change quickly. Max points out that yesterday Hornigold was immovable from the fort and Vane a beggar, and now things have changed. Similarly, yesterday Max was a prostitute of little consequence, while now she is a madam, and has an income, allies, and learned an important lesson from Eleanor: never let anyone stand in the way of you or your dreams. Max thanks Eleanor for teaching her this lesson, and then O'Malley arrives and informs Eleanor that Captain Geoffrey Lawrence is ready to depart. As they part, Max congratulates Eleanor on the launch of her venture, pointing out that Eleanor now has everything she ever wanted, and adds that they can only guess what tomorrow will bring[9].

Season Two

With Max now the Madam of the brothel, she begins selling leads from the girls to pirate captains. Eleanor Guthrie soon arrives and sits with Rackham, Bonny, and Max, demanding to know why the Good Fortune was captured by Ned Low's crew, who put the entire merchant crew to the sword, and not by Captain Hallendale and his ship, the Straight Arrow, to whom she had given the lead. Max admits that she sold that lead to Low for 90 gold pieces. When Eleanor demands to know why Max would subvert her authority like that, Max fires back and states that she doesn't live her life according to what Eleanor thinks. Bonny in incensed that Max is actually such a schemer, figuring that she was just a helpless woman who needed to be saved from pirates. She tells Rackham that Max needs to be put on the streets by the next day or else she will deal with Max in her own way.

Max and Anne IX

Later that night, Jack tells Max that she has nothing to worry about, but advises avoiding Anne. Max goes into Bonny's room and attempts to smooth things over, saying that if they are to make something of their situation then it's in their interest to make peace. Max admits that Anne's anger is understandable given all she has suffered for helping Max. She begins to move closer to Anne as she posits that there is something hidden deep in Anne causing her anger towards Max, and they should bring it to light. As she approaches Bonny, Bonny pulls a knife and puts it to Max's throat. However, Bonny is overcome with her hidden passion for Max and allows herself to be kissed[10].

The next day, Max finds Anne Bonny drinking alone downstairs.Bonny seems to express regret about what happened the night before during her sexual encounter with Max, feeling that she owes Jack some part of her life after he rescuing her from her previous circumstances. Max tell her that she will respect Bonny's wishes and that the previous night can be the last time. While Max is gently touching Bonny, Rackham sees their interaction from a distance. Later while Max is shopping, she is confronted by Rackham who demands to know what is going on between her and Bonny. Max implies that Bonny has been secretly in love with her for a while and that that is why Bonny saved Max from the tent. Rackham expresses serious doubt about that and believes that Max is simply trying to drive a wedge between he and Bonny and when he tells Anne her anger towards Max will return. Max counters that Jack has known Anne has wanted this for a long time and it both upsets and frightens him. Max apologizes but says there is nothing he can do about it.

That night, Anne visits Max again. While she and Max are passionately kissing, Rackham shows up and declares that he has a solution to their problem. Max has a wealth of leads but no way to exploit them other than for a fee and risking Eleanor's retaliation. Meanwhile, Jack has unparalleled skill in managing a crew, but no way to use it. His solution is that Max will give all leads on prizes directly to him, and he will decide which to follow and which are too risky. He and Anne will then procure a ship and a crew with all three of them having a share. Before he leaves, Jack tells Anne that he understands why she would not want to tell him about this, but reminds her that all he wants is for her to be happy and asks her to come back to bed when she is finished[11].

The next morning, Max and Anne have sex, after which Max holds Anne, who is clearly troubled by something. Later, as she descends from the second floor, she finds Vane waiting for her on the staircase. Vane remarks that the Inn is once again a place where information is gathered, and assures her that he doesn't want to stop it. He says that Captain Low's crew is hiding a valuable piece of cargo from their last prize and he wants Max to learn what it is, offering her money. Max explains that she too recently saw Eleanor, and told her that she was unbroken by her. However, when Eleanor turned to leave, Max had to overcome the urge to comfort her and remarks that the spell Eleanor casts on them is amazing. Vane frustratedly asks what the point of this is. Max remarks that she has been hearing Low's men talk about all the awful things they'd like to do to Eleanor, implying that she knows Vane still has feelings for her. Vane is impressed by Max.

However, due to his betrayal of Vane's crew, Rackham's attempts to raise a crew end in abject failure. This continues until Max finds out information on Ned Low's mysterious hostage for Charles Vane. In exchange he forgives Rackham and Bonny, so that they may sail again. Meanwhile, a tense three-way sexual relationship has develops between Max, Bonny and Rackham.

Max continues to demonstrate her shrewdness when she helps manipulate an influential pirate named Featherstone to join Rackham, along with 28 of his crew and their ship. However, the new crew will not accept both Max and Bonny receiving such a significant share of the profits. When Rackham tells Bonny she must stay ashore for awhile, Bonny storms off.

While Rackham is at sea, Bonny kills a sailor called Logan, as well as prostitute Charlotte in the brothel, in a foolish attempt to gain information on the Urca gold. Max promises to stand between Bonny and the consequences of her actions, and protect her. However, Bonny eventually decides to leave Nassau.

In the brothel, Silver comes to Max for help in his latest scheme. Silver admits to Max that when Flint's scouts returned on the island, they told him that the Urca gold was actually still at the wreck of the Urca; what had occurred was that the Spanish sailors on the beach had all become ill and died, leaving the gold virtually defenseless. He then asks Max if she knows of a crew who would be willing to go there and collect the gold.

Ep17-8

Soon, Rackham and his crew return to Nassau. Rackham is clearly distraught at Bonny's departure, but immediately begin preparations to retrieve the gold.

After Richard Guthrie funeral, Max brings bread and fruit from the girls in the brothel to Eleanor. Eleanor explains to Max there is now a war between her and Charles Vane over the future of the island, and everyone must now choose sides. Max exits feeling that Eleanor is up to something and demands that Rackham launch his ship as soon as possible. Her fear proves well-founded, when men try to assassinate Rackham and his quartermaster Featherstone. However, Bonny reappears and saves them, killing both men. Taking refuge in the brothel, Max insists that they must leave immediately.

When news of Eleanor Guthrie's arrest by the English reaches Nassau, Max is visibly upset, but her thoughts quickly turn to the future of the island. Max asks Idelle collect all the money the brothel and the girls have in reserve, and buys the interest in Eleanor's tavern.

Ep18-23

A short time later, Max is summoned to the beach from her new tavern. On the beach, Rackham and Bonny look a bit beat up, but alive. Rackham tells her that the Spanish men on the beach put up an admirable fight, but that they won the day. Rackham's crew also had to salvage the wrecked Walrus in order to carry all the gold back to Nassau. Rackham tells Max he wants to show her something "shiny" and takes her into the hold of one of the ships, revealing the long desired Urca gold. Max smiles in the light of the glittering gold.

Season Three

In the months since the end of Season 2, Max has established herself as Eleanor's replacement as the merchant queen of Nassau, while the Urca gold has been split between Max, Flint, Rackham, Vane, and their crews. However, fearing that the Spanish or English will respond in overwhelming force to the theft of the gold, Max tries to persuade Rackham and Bonny to exchange some of the gold for pearls, so it is easier to transport should they need to abandon Nassau. When Blackbeard arrives on the island, and proves himself a volcano building towards its inevitable eruption, Rackham agrees to Max's plan - as long as it's done quietly.

Her concerns are proven well-founded, as news soon reaches Nassau of the imminent arrival of Woodes Rogers and his fleet, intent of re-establishing English governance of the island. The pirates fight to save Nassau proves short-lived; Rogers offers all the pirates pardons and most accept, with only Blackbeard, Vane, Rackham, and Bonny fleeing. Max elects to stay and build a life for herself under English governance, ending her relationship with Bonny.

Rogers quickly starts to form a governing council, composed of leading merchants from Nassau and the Governor’s men, although on Eleanor’s advice Max is not selected. However, Max has made herself a power in her world the hard way, and will risk all to keep her place at the top. She approaches Governor Rogers, and enticed him with her share of the Spanish gold in return for a place on the council.

XXV 1

Governor Rogers has no time to celebrate his newfound wealth. He learns that the Spanish are insisting that ALL of the Urca gold must be returned, including Rackham and Bonny’s shares. Max proves that she has chosen to side with Rodgers and Eleanor, when she tries to persuade Bonny to return the cache after Rackham is arrested. However, Max is soon forced to make an awful and lonely compromise to remain in power; she must betray Bonny and allow Rackham to be handed over to the Spanish.

XXV 2

Meanwhile, Max employs the hated Mrs. Mapleton as the new madam in the whorehouse. However, this proves a mistake, and helps turn her friend Idelle against her. Idelle becomes a spy for the pirate resistance led by Flint. Idelle helps them plot an ambush on Roger’s convoy, transporting Rackham and the pearls to the Spanish.

Over time, Max and Eleanor have grown closer to each other again. When Charles Vane is arrested, Max tries to warn Eleanor of the dangerous path she is following. However, Eleanor refuses to listen, and fast-tracks Vane’s trial and conviction for piracy. Max watches on with increasing concern for the stability of Nassau, as Vane is shuttled into the town square, and hanged before a troubled crowd of former pirates. The pirate rebellion begins with the killing of Captain Throckmorton, and the promise of future retribution from a new boogieman for the governing powers to fear, Long John Silver. Max seems to seek to let the drama play out and once again land on the winning side.

Season Four

EpXXIX-2

Max remains allied with Governor Rogers and Eleanor in the hope that they can return commerce to Nassau. She even uses her network of spies to intercept a message from Billy Bones warning the invading pirate fleet of the hidden blockade of sunken ships. However, she’s increasingly concerned by the Governor’s methods; the spectacle of show-trials and executions of captured pirates after the failed pirate invasion is sure to lead to more defiance and instability.

One evening, Max gets a note from one of her spies asking her to a secret parley with John Silver and Israel Hands; Silver had been washed ashore during the disastrous invasion. At the meeting Silver tries to make a deal with Max; money for his favour when the pirates retake Nassau. However, Max is invested in going straight and pirates are bad for business. In acknowledgement of their former friendship, she won’t hand him over to redcoats, but will detain him and take him far far away from Nassau. As her men move in, they are single-handedly cut down by Hands, with Max barely escaping with her life.

XXX-max-berringer

When Rogers leaves Nassau for Port Royal to lead Blackbeard away, Max is left at the mercy of his odious second in command Captain Berringer. Berringer had a spy follow Max the night before, and knows she met with Silver. He has her arrested and threatens her with charges of treason if she doesn’t give up her informants. However, Max refuses and meets his gaze with equal resolve.

As Max predicted, the execution of the pirates results in a violent backlash, as Silver and the pirate resistance takeover Nassau. Max tries to flee with Eleanor to Fort Nassau, but is captured by Billy Bones. Max is handed over to Silver, who exchanges her for the twenty pirate prisoners. In Fort Nassau, Eleanor and Max concoct a plan to leave Nassau behind; they’ll surrender the fort without a fight, in exchange for Urca gold. Rogers is less than thrilled with the deal, but after a few warning shots, he seems to agree.

However, while Eleanor is off making the exchange, Rogers returns with an entire Spanish invasion fleet still determined to destroy the pirate threat in New Providence Island. Max rushes to warn Eleanor, but only finds Jack Rackham on the isolated beach. Jack isn’t too  happy to see her, but when he learns of the Spanish Armada, he allows her to join him aboard their ship.

XXXIV-12

At sea, Max asks to see Anne Bonny, who is bedridden from her fight with the English bruiser. Max tries to make peace with her but Bonny wants none of it. Silver and the rest of the survivors of the Spanish invasion join them on-board, and head for the Maroon Island. Max, however, will have her revenge for Eleanor’s death. She convinces Rackham to head to Philadelphia and seek help from Eleanor’s grandfather.

In Philadelphia, Jack plans to speak with the Eleanor’s grandfather and win him as a partner in revitalizing Nassau, while imprisoning Rogers for causing the death of his granddaughter. Although Mr. Guthrie rejects his offer, Eleanor’s grandmother is the real brains behind the Guthrie business, and sees merit in his proposal. However, she will need convincing. Jack decides to bring Max to help make their case with Marion Guthrie. With the help of Max’s financial ledgers and feminine wiles, they convince her… but there is a catch. Rackham must kill the one man who will continue the never-ending circle of violence in Nassau; James Flint.

XXXVI-1

With the deal almost struck, Max and Anne stay behind in Philadelphia. Max tries to secure their alliance with Marion Guthrie, and she sees Max as a woman to be reckoned with, however there is a catch. Max must marry someone easily manipulated with little ambition, but a man from society none the less. However, she decides not to marry into Mrs. Guthrie's scheme, for fear that it will ruin her chances of rekindling things with Bonny.

After Jack’s confrontation with Rogers on Skeleton Island, he returns to Philadelphia to bring word that Captain Flint is no longer a concern to them; he’s not dead, but retired. Mrs. Guthrie isn’t exactly pleased with the outcome, but Max and Rackham assure her that Flint is now not a martyr to the cause and will never be heard from again. Seeming Mrs. Guthrie agreed as some months later we see that Nassau is now a flourishing legitimate port, while in the background the new Governor Featherstone shakes hands with yet more respectable business partner. From the balcony opposite, Max looks on with a smile, the real power behind the throne.

Personality

Max begins the series as a seductive and cunning prostitute with a knack for manipulating people, who dreams of a better life for herself through her powerful lover Eleanor. However, when her aspirations and Eleanor's conflict, Eleanor betrays her. Their relationship and Max’s well-being, take a dark turn for the worse. After, Bonny saves her from sexual enslavement to Vane’s crew, Max becomes far more assertive, first becoming the wily madam of the brothel, and later the owner of Eleanor’s tavern.

Max is very cool-headed, often playing both sides, in bed and in business, and landing on the winning side, such as convincing Vane to forgive Rackham, and converting the gold to pearls before the English invasion. She can be very loyal to her friends, protecting Bonny from the consequences of her actions, and running things in Nassau without creating enemies, unlike Eleanor.

Though Max becomes a power in her world after Eleanor's arrest, she recognises the fragile nature of her business empire. When the prospect of legitimacy presents itself, Max sides with the new English Governor against the pirates, though she eventually learns that to remain in power, requires awful and lonely compromises when she's forced to betray her lover Bonny.

Max's alliance with Rogers only leads to the destruction of everything she'd built, when he leads a Spanish invasion fleet to the port. The death of Eleanor reveals something of a vengeful streak in Max, as she invites Marion Guthrie to financially ruin Rogers, avenging Eleanor. Max is usually led by her survival instincts, but in the end she rejects Marion Guthrie's plans for her, having learned from her mistake in betraying those she truly cares for.

Trivia

  • In the original novel, it's mentioned that Silver married "a woman of colour", which led many to believe that Silver and Max will eventually get together. However, this woman of colour now seems far more likely to be the daughter of the Maroon Queen, Madi.

Memorable Quotes

By Max

"When the sea grows rough, you come to Max, Max is your harbour." ― Max to Eleanor.[2]

"When a man is being fucked he wants to know whose cock was in him." ― Max to Silver.[3]

“We could have left. We could have been free. He didn't do this to me. You did.” ― Max to Eleanor; III.

"She's not mad. She is adrift. Alone is the most terrifying way." ― Max about Bonny; XIV.

"You would be amazed what could change in a week in my bed." - Max to Rackham; XII.

That fucking chair. To gain it, it demands you win partners, call them friends, make them promises. To keep it, it demands you break them all. One day when all is settled here, we should burn that fucking chair.” ― Max ponders the price of success; XXV.

"You and I both know that there are men on both sides of this war whose identities are so enmeshed in this conflict that they are more afraid of ending it than they are of losing it." ― Max to Eleanor; XXX.

About Max

"It's unclear which is more appealing, your beauty or your intelligence." - Jack in II.

Appearances

Season One
I. II. III. IV.
V. VI. VII. VIII.
Season Two
IX. X. XI. XII. XIII.
XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII.
Season Three
XIX. XX. XXI. XXII. XXIII.
XXIV. XXV. XXVI. XXVII. XXVIII.
Season Four
XXIX. XXX. XXXI. XXXII. XXXIII.
XXXIV. XXXV. XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII.

References

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