5 Mistakes David Jenkins Must Avoid to Not Ruin the OFMD Finale

As sad as it is, we will soon be bidding farewell to our favorite pirates. Our Flag Means Death Season 2 finale will drop on Max on October 26th.

The silver lining is that this won't be the last we see of Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate, and Ed Teach, aka Blackbeard. Creator David Jenkins has promised one final season of the offbeat pirate comedy featuring one of the finest LGBTQ+ romances on television.

But before we get to Season 3, there's one more episode and a long wait ahead. There was a gap of over 1.5 years between Seasons 1 and 2. With the actors' strike still unresolved, the next hiatus will probably be just as long, if not longer.

To end the season on a high note, Jenkins and the team should steer clear of certain pitfalls that could jeopardize the Season 2 finale and disappoint the show's loyal fanbase.

Too Much Repetition

We all remember the Season 1 finale. Believing Stede had abandoned him for good, Ed reverted to his darker side and embarked on a self-destructive path. We endured a 19-month break between seasons, anxious about whether the pirates would reconcile.

The recent episode hinted at a similar scenario but with a role reversal. Now Ed has chosen to leave, and Stede is the one devastated. If the season finale doesn't reunite them, there could be major fan backlash, as that would be the season 1 finale all over again, and nobody wants that. We need assurance that Ed and Stede's bond is firm as we go into the hiatus.

Shifting Focus

S2E7 concluded on a highly dramatic note. Prince Ricky deceived the Pirate Queen and decimated her fleet. Furthermore, the English army is on its way to apprehend the pirates on land. That sets up multiple storylines for the next episode.

With Ed away with the fishermen, a shift in focus from him and Stede to secondary characters would not play well with fans.

Killing Off a Major Character

Given the current events at the pirates' haven, there's potential peril for the Revenge crew. But Our Flag Means Death doesn't typically kill off central characters. If someone does die, they might then resurface, like Lucius did in Season 1. So why rehash such the same plot twist at all?

Relying on Clichés

It is common to use cliches like love triangles and infidelity to advance romantic arcs. But nothing about Ed and Stede's bond is clichéd. They've already weathered significant challenges, so any betrayal from either side would feel forced and detract from the show's essence.

Single-Genre Trap

Our Flag Means Death is a unique creation. It defies a singular genre classification. Is it a comedy? A romantic drama? A pirate-themed sitcom? It encapsulates all these and more, which is central to its charm. Hence, pigeonholing it into one genre for the finale would be a misstep.

As the series unfolds, evading the typical pitfalls becomes increasingly challenging. But we have faith in David Jenkins, don't we?