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VII.
Vaneundead
Season One
Number Seven
Date Aired March 8th, 2014
Writer Michael Angeli
Director Marc Munden
Previous VI.
Next VIII.
"The lying we could forgive, Singleton we could forgive, we could forgive all of it...but not Billy. That requires an answer."
―Dufresne to Gates

Flint admits the truth to Gates; Eleanor reconnects with Mr. Scott; Randall makes things difficult for Silver; Max helps Rackham with the brothel; and Vane struggles to overcome his past.

Synopsis[]

The episode begins with Pastor Lambrick giving one of his sermons, alone and in a cane field. He is sweating profusely. He appears to be inflicting a penance on himself for his sinful act with Miranda Barlow. Suddenly a slave on a horse bursts through the cane on his way to Barlow's cottage. He arrives and tells her that Captain Flint has returned.

Eleanoroffice2

At Eleanor's tavern, Gates, Silver, and Flint sit in Eleanor's office. Eleanor is asking Flint about how the Scarborough managed to find them. Flint tells her that it was her father's doing and that her father will have to answer to him as soon as he sees him. Eleanor responds by pointing out that Barlow should also be questioned because Mr. Guthrie was under her care. Eleanor proceeds to tell Flint about the changes that have occurred while he was gone, such as her father leaving and her forming the new consortium. Before Flint leaves, Eleanor bring up to him the fact that Silver was of great help in helping her sort things out the past few days. She states that in lieu of his help to her, she demands that Flint not ever harm him, else it might hurt her relationship with Flint. Flint seems to reluctantly agree.

In their room, Anne Bonny and Rackham are on the bed having sex. When Rackham is no longer able to perform, Bonny berates him. Rackham apologizes and explains that he has a lot on his mind, such as having to find a new crew and what he is going to tell Vane once he returns. He is also puzzled by the lack of profit coming in from the brothel. Bonny says that he'll figure it out and leaves the room, with Rackham still tied to the bed.

Inside her room, Max is sitting staring out the window. 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. 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.

On the beach, Dufresne sits while a tattoo of a shark's mouth is placed on his arm. He is also sporting a very shortly cropped new hairdo. He explains to Gates that his new hairdo is a post-election initiation. Following Bones's disappearance, the crew has elected Dufresne as Quartermaster of the Walrus.

Gatesflintconfront

Gates then corners Flint in a cabin and says that they need to discuss the letter that Bones found from Barlow stating that Flint is going to betray his crew. Flint has difficulty answering Gates's questions about Barlow, stating that their relationship is so complex that he has trouble figuring it out for himself. Gates then asks about what happened the night before with Bones falling overboard. He insinuates that Flint had something to do with it. He then tells Flint that he knows what happened on the Maria Aleyne. He states that he knows that they captured that ship just so Flint could murder certain people on the ship. He tells Flint that Bones was like a son to him. Flint responds by saying that if that were the case, then Gates should have been a better father to Bones and not let his suspicions run rampant. Gates then says that he is tired of expending the energy required to keep believing in Flint's promises.

When Gates tells Flint that he is going to take everything about the letter and Bones to the crew, Flint stops him and admits that he is taking the prize money for himself. He states that he is going to put the prize money in a warehouse and then sequester a portion of it away from the crew. He says that he knows the crew will just drink, whore, and piss all their money away. He wants to keep a portion to be used for creating a safe place for the men to live in. Gates finally states that he will sail with Flint to take the prize, but after that, they are done working together.

Elsewhere on the beach, Randall is in a panic trying to get at Silver. He is being held back by De Groot and Dr. Howell. De Groot tells Silver that Randall has been voted out by the ship's council because a one legged crew member is a liability aboard the ship. De Groot says that Randall wishes to speak to Silver and that the least Silver could do is honour that request. When Silver approaches Randall, Randall immediately begins calling out Silver as a thief. He states that when he was recovering from his amputation, he heard all about Silver's involvement with the theft of the schedule. Silver tries to play it off as Randall making things up due to Randall being on pain killing opiates the past two days. Before Silver can leave, De Groot grabs him and calls for the quartermaster.

When Dufresne arrives, Dr. Howell and De Groot realize that they are the only members of the crew who know about Randall's accusations against Flint. They then consider what's at stake: the prize money. If they tell the other members of the crew about what Randall has said, then surely Silver and Flint will be immediately hanged as liars and that would therefore mean no prize money because the hunt for the Urca de Lima would surely end. They eventually come up with a test to give to Silver to see if his brain really is capable of memorizing something in a short time. They attempt to have him memorize a page from one of Dr. Howell's medical books in five minutes. Silver tells them that this is hardly a fair test because he had days with the Urca's schedule where he could have memorized it. Nevertheless, he attempts the test. After taking the test, Silver confronts Dufresne and states that Dufresne would never have administered such a test if he did not think that Silver was the thief. Thus, he asks Dufresne who told him about him. Silver suggests that it must have been Bones. Dufresne has no answer for him.

Youareathief

Desperate, Silver attempts to convince Randall to change his story for the sake of both of their lives. Knowing that Randall, above all else, desires to be a member of the crew, Silver offers that if Randall changes his story, that he will offer to the crew that he be placed in charge of Randall and that if anything were to happen to Randall, that it would come out of Silver's share. Thus, he offers Randall a chance to get back on the ship if he will only just change his story. When Dufresne and the others enter the tent with the bad news that Silver did not pass their test, Randall begins pointing at everyone and calling them thieves. Everyone then believes that crazy Randall was just being crazy Randall when he originally accused Silver.

Inside Eleanor's tavern, a meeting of the consortium is being held. Captain Naft clumsily states that the name that he has come up with for their new consortium: "The Guthrie Frasier Naft Lawrence Consortium for the Purposes of Shipping and Trade in the West Indes, Excelsior." When the silence from the others overwhelms him, Naft asks that a new name be looked into during their next meeting. Naft then asks Captain Lawrence what the status of his ship, the Black Hind, is. Lawrence states that a good number of his crew defected when they were offered the chance to be legitimate sailors and that the Black Hind currently is undermanned.

Eleanor is called outside of the meeting by O'Malley who tells her that Mr. Scott is downstairs. When she confronts Scott, Eleanor tells him that she has heard all about his deeds in leading the revolt by the slaves aboard the Andromache. Scott then tells Eleanor that everything he did against her was actually done out of love for her. His chief concern is always her safety and well being. When Eleanor asks him if he thinks he can just waltz back in there and everything will be OK, Scott responds by telling her "where else would I go?". It is then revealed that he is still a slave and is property of the Guthrie estate. Eleanor tells him that she has never seen him in that way. Scott then tells Eleanor that he has a favor he'd like to ask of her.

Somewhere in a highly forested area, Vane awakens to a boy standing over him. The boy tells Vane that Albinus is waiting on him. Vane tells Albinus about Nassau's vulnerability and that he wishes to use some of Albinus's men to crew his ship. He offers to give Albinus a share for every six men that he is given. Before answering, Albinus then asks Vane how he knew where to find him. He asks what their connection is. Vane tells him that it doesn't matter. Albinus then agrees, but only if he gets one share per every three men he gives Vane.

Vanebeaten

When Albinus is giving his men to Vane, he realizes that Vane bears a brand upon his chest that all of the other young men in bondage under Albinus have. Albinus says that Vane was "one of ours" and that it must have taken great strength to come back to that place. When Albinus walks off, Vane then begins to give a speech to his new men. He tells them that they used to be a strong pirate crew and can now, under him, return to terrorizing the sea as they once did. He states that they now have the chance to be free men again, and be as they once were, before Albinus dragged them to that place and made them manual laborers. Albinus then runs up to Vane and the two begin to fight. While Vane originally has the upper hand, the tide turns against him and he is beaten to a bloody mess by Albinus who, before giving the coup de' grace kick to Vane's head, tells Vane that he is proud of him. Vane's lifeless body is then thrown into a shallow grave.

Back in Nassau, Mr. Scott brings food to the slaves who have been now moved on shore. He talks to Eme and tells her that he is attempting to gain their freedom somehow because if the slaves hadn’t helped overthrow the Andromache that Eleanor wouldn't have the guns that she needs for the expedition. As he is leaving, Scott is confronted by Captain Hornigold. Hornigold tells Scott that he needs Scott's help in trying to figure out how to control Eleanor, although Hornigold eventually concedes that there probably is no way to control her.

Later, Scott is summoned into Eleanor's office. She tells him that she has given the able bodied male slaves to Captain Lawrence to replace the depleted crew on the Black Hind. The females will now be under her employ at the tavern. Scott is obviously very pleased with this. When Eleanor asks that Scott come back as her adviser, he tells her that he has joined Captain Hornigold's crew. He states that as long as she is working with Flint, he will always be tempted to interfere.

At Barlow's cottage, Flint storms in looking for Richard Guthrie. Barlow tells him that Guthrie has absconded and is now staying with Mr. Underhill. Flint then demands to know why Barlow sent that letter when it so obviously placed him in danger if the crew were to find it. Barlow tells Flint that her intent in writing the letter was to show Flint that there was a way out of the pirate life, to show him that they could be accepted in Boston if Flint were to accept the King's pardon. Flint emphatically states that he would never beg for the King's pardon.

Rackmapleton

At the brothel, 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 Hallindale 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.

At Eleanor's tavern, Eleanor is cleaning up when she comes upon a drunken Captain Flint. She asks how wise it is for him to get drunk when he is about to embark upon the most dangerous mission of his career. Flint then expresses much doubt in what he and Eleanor are trying to do to change Nassau. Eleanor insists that she believes Flint is the only person who can do the things necessary to make Nassau a better place. Flint kisses her on the forehead and then leaves.

The next day, the Walrus and the Ranger are preparing to cast off. Below decks, Silver suggests that, given what he has seen, he believes that Randall is not as stupid or crazy as people believe. He goes on to surmise that Randall is actually a genius and that he has just been playing dumb as a way to remain on the crew and still profit without incurring the extra risk. Randall's only response to being called a genius is to break wind.

On the quarter deck of the Walrus, Flint looks over to the Ranger at Gates. There is then a flashback to the previous night with Gates and Dufresne at a tavern. When Gates asks about the situation with Silver, Dufresne says that it has all been resolved, but admits that Silver was aware that Dufresne knew about the page, but that Silver assumed his knowledge came from Bones. Dufresne's knowledge of the page actually came from Gates. Dufresne then tells Gates that De Groot and Dr. Howell are sceptical of Gates's ability to do what is necessary when the time is right, i.e. to kill Flint. Gates reassures Dufresne that there will not be a problem from him on that account. Flash forward to the present and the two ships sail off to chase the Urca.

Inside of his shallow grave, Vane comes to life. He hears Eleanor's voice telling him that he could be strong; that he could take the whole island from her if he was not so afraid. Vane emerges from the grave. A nude and dirt-covered Vane then sneaks up behind Albinus and stabs him through the back with a wooden stake.

Memorable Quotes[]

" They took everything from us. Then they call me a monster? The moment I sign that pardon, the moment that I ask for one, I proclaim the world that they were right. This ends when I grant them my forgiveness, not the other way around."
―Flint to Barlow
" How can you run a brothel here and make no money?"
"I have no fucking idea!
"
―Anne Bonny and Rackham
" You're a thief!"
―Randall to Silver
" I"ll have you know I have slit men's throats while they have wept, begging my forbearance, and slept soundly that very night."
―Rackham to a crying prostitute
" It is with great pleasure that we shall now commence our inaugural meeting of the Guthrie-Frasier-Naft-Lawrence Shipping Consortium for the Purposes of Trade in the West Indies, Excelsior. ...Reginald, add to the agenda discussion of a shorter name."
― Naft
" You don't know me, but you once did, when I was the lowest among you. Now I return, and I offer you a chance to be free of this place. I'm Charles Vane and you were a strong crew once, proper pirates, feared as you should have been, before he dragged you away from the sea, before he convinced you to live here like animals because it suits his weaknesses. There is a place not far from here where strong men live lives of pleasure, not labor. A place where you could be feared and respected once again. Follow me and I will show you what life is."
― Vane to his new crew.
" Now you think you can waltz back in here and pick up where we left off like nothing happened."
"Where else would I go? I belong to you. Chattel property of the Guthrie estate.
"
― Eleanor and Mr. Scott
" Alright, yes, I'm a thief. I took the page and I shouldn't have. I should have counted my blessings to be let off that merchant ship. But what can I say, Randall, I'm not a joiner, never have been...but I'm willing to do it now. So pull your head from your ass and let's both live to fight another day."
―Silver to Randall
" If you need me, I will be here for you. But as long as you insist upon this course with Captain Flint, I will always be tempted to interfere. "
―Mr. Scott to Eleanor

Trivia[]

  • While not named as such, Albinus and his crew appear to be heavily based on the Baymen. In real life, the Baymen were former pirates who settled the area of what is modern day Belize after fleeing from the Spanish. They realized they could make a profit cutting and selling logwood, and made that their primary source of income and used slave labor to do so. In the show, they are portrayed as settling in the Bahamas and being generic lumberjacks.
  • Gates' first name is revealed to be Hal, although it is unclear if this is his full name or a nickname.
  • At the end of the episode, the Parson's Farewell begins as background music in the Tavern before transitioning to a rock version as the Walrus and the Ranger sail out of Nassau's harbor. The Parson's Farewell is an English country dance tune, first published in 1651, and frequently appears as background music throughout the series.

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Deaths[]

  • Albinus

Organizations[]

  • Pirates
    • Crew of the Walrus
    • Crew of the Ranger

Locations[]

Ships[]

Trivia[]

  • Albinus and his men appear to be based off the Baymen, pirates who settled the area of what is modern day Belize after fleeing from the Spanish. They realized they could make a profit cutting and selling logwood, and made that their primary source of income. However, Albinus and his men are clearly not in Belize, as it is much farther from Nassau than Albinus' island is portrayed as being. 

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