Pistols and then swords was the name of the game. There was one real duel, but the others were no less real or dangerous. Keep reading to learn more about episode XXV, spoilers ahead!

I’m a little behind with this review, so sorry. I went on vacation and couldn’t watch my favorite pirate show for two weeks! So I’m catching up now. Watch out for the review of XXV later today.

There was a lot less action in this episode than in the previous few, but that doesn’t mean it was boring. Somehow the writers were again able to turn everything on it’s head and change every persons allegiance around, save for the seemingly unbreakable one of Jack and Anne.

First we find out that Eleanor’s maid became a spy because they threatened her children’s lives if she didn’t. Spain is becoming a real villain here. Woodes Rogers thinks if he can just get Jack and Anne, than everything will work out for him. For some reason Eleanor doesn’t tell him that this might not go as easily as he had hoped. Actually Eleanor in general was quite diminutive this episode which was strange to see. I’m hoping she’ll become a pirate again soon instead of trying to play the good English woman role.

Jack does make his return rather easy with his ill fated trip back into town to receive his pardon. He gives in almost comically easily to Rogers plans and I knew something had to be up with that. When Max visits him, he tells her straight away what he’s done. That he knows the letter sent to Anne to give up will sound so off that she’ll run with the money instead. Why? Because Jack will refuse to give up that gold and Anne and would rather see Nassau burn to the ground and rebuild than to lose.

Max doesn’t take this the way I’m sure he was hoping she would. She tells Rogers that she has worked too hard to let this all go now and is in league with him. I don’t know how much, but I think Max is just trying to save herself and the wealth and power she’s gained. Actually she reminded me a lot of the old Eleanor, refusing to back down and give up what she had worked for. I wonder how those two will get along now?  Anne does exactly what Jack thought she would do and kills the messenger and presumably takes off.

We also see John Silver and Madi (Mr. Scott’s daughter) start to form a more close relationship. After she finds out about his hurt leg and how he is now fevered from it, she is able to convince him to seek medical help for it. He opens up to her about his troubles with Flint and how he’s afraid of losing himself in that man’s darkness (a valid concern). It looks as if she really may be his future wife that the Treasure Island book speaks about. I thought Luke Arnold did an exceptional job in this episode. His range of emotions while being ill and wounded were impressive to watch.

Finally we have where all the action in this episode was, with Flint, of course. He and some of the island inhabitants and the rest of the crew are back out to sea and they stop by when they see Blackbeard and his gang. Flint is determined to have Vane back because that was their partnership and he needs him to help rally the men to fight England. Blackbeard of course declines and it ends up with them going to duel. Pistols and then swords.

Blackbeard is grazed by the bullet against his temple and is stunned for a short time. Then they pull their swords and Blackbeard has Flint beat. That’s when Vane steps in and betrays Blackbeard. They don’t kill each other, but Blackbeard is so disgusted that he throws down his sword and tells Flint to take Vane and get the f*%$ off his beach. I have a feeling that won’t be the last we see of that man.

Vane and Flint are heading back to Nassau and Vane spills the beans about the information from the Spanish man he had gathered.

There was also a great scene where Billy admitted to Ben Gunn that he sometimes stood by Flint was because he wanted to be there when the world caught up to him and took him out. Ouch Billy. No love lost there hm? I hope Billy gets more of his own story line soon. His character is really interesting, but we rarely get to see inside his head and he has zero personal life to speak of for now other than keeping his men in order and questioning Flint.

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