History YMMV / BlackSails

** Anne Bonny was abused, tortured, and likely raped at the hands of her first husband, all before she was 13. The man who rescued her from that was Jack, which explains why she's so loyal to him.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: As expected of BearMcCreary. Exhibit A: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMSoo4B2hFU The Main Theme]].

* BrokenBase: Eleanor. Some like her for being a driven, tough young woman who does not allow a patriarchal world to stand in the way of her ambition, and who remains strongly independent. Others despise her for her ChronicBackstabbingDisorder, her extreme self-righteousness, and her loyalty only to herself.

** Even Silver. We don't hear much but we know that he grew up in an orphanage, and anybody familiar with the social history of England will know that orphanages at the time were absolutely horrible. For a man coming from a childhood little better than Vane's, one can understand why Silver is so ruthlessly greed and opportunistic.

* GeniusBonus: Those familiar with ''Literature/TreasureIsland'' will enjoy a few more details:
** Billy Bones bringing back the old pirate threat of the "black spot" is ironic, given that Billy receives one himself at the beginning of the book.
** The origin of John Silver's "Long John" nickname is revealed. It has to do with his memory, not his height.
** In the book, John Silver's African wife is mentioned but never portrayed. The show's pairing of Silver with Madi either teases at this or will actually portray their relationship.

** The origin John Silver's "Long John" nickname is revealed. It has to do with his memory, not his height.

* {{Narm}}: Rackham's four-lensed sunglasses.

** Even Silver. We don't hear much but we know that he grew up in an orphanage, and anybody familiar with the social history of England will know that orphanages at the time were absolutely horrible.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Brought up by Silver in regards to Eleanor Guthrie in Episode 6. Were her actions, [[spoiler:killing Vane's remaining crew]], motivated by a desire to protect/save/avenge Max, or to show that "No one fucks with Eleanor Guthrie?" Both?

* StealthPun: Max say to Rackham "Get your fucking house in order" when he's mismanaging the brothel (a fucking house, as in a house where fucking occurs).

* LesYay: Eleanor and Max's relationship was a heavy marketing point; though they do seem to have a genuine relationship so far, not simply made for FanService. Also Max and Anne Bonny.

* CompleteMonster: Ned Low, captain of ''The Fancy'', outdoes any other pirate in series for evil and cruelty. In the opening scenes of Season 2, Low waylays a ship called ''The Good Fortune'' that peacefully surrenders, but upon finding a valuable hostage on the ship, Low has the crew massacred and personally shoots the captain dead as the man pleads he has a family. Low sets up shop at Nassau and tries to intimidate the head of business Eleanor Guthrie with a speech of how his crew knows Low is a monster. He later fantasizes about raping Eleanor to within an inch of her life. When his quartermaster, Meeks, tries to ally with Eleanor, Low [[ColdBloodedTorture tortures]] and [[OffWithHisHead beheads him]] in full view of Eleanor's entire bar, then kills her bodyguard when the man tries to make him leave. Low makes clear he will eventually come for Eleanor and confesses he is a man driven solely by cruelty and instinct that he often surrenders to. As he himself says: "When they see me slaughter the crew of ''The Good Fortune''. When they see me [[TongueTrauma cut out a man's tongue]] for lying. When they see me [[ManOnFire burn]] a [[WouldHurtAChild boy]] alive in front of his father. There's no lie there. There's no remorse. I simply don't have it in me."

* MagnificentBastard: Both James Flint and Eleanor Guthrie. James managed to talk his way back to being Captain after a mutiny in a span of two days. Eleanor managed to rebuild her business empire after it was destroy by her father in the span of one night.

* LesYay: Eleanor and Max's relationship was a heavy marketing point; though they do seem to have a genuine relationship so far, not simply made for FanService.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Brought up by Silver in regards to Eleanor Guthrie in episode 6. Were her actions, [[spoiler:killing Vane's remaining crew]], motivated by a desire to protect/save/avenge Max, or to show that "No one fucks with Eleanor Guthrie?" Both?

* {{Narm}}: Rackham's four-lensed sunglasses.

* MoralEventHorizon: Vane giving Max to [[spoiler:his crew for them to rape at their leisure.]]
** [[spoiler: Flint strangling Gates to death.]]

** [[spoiler: Flint throwing Billy overboard and later strangling Gates to death.]]

* FakeBrit: Vane. Played by one of the few Americans on the show. You'd never know it.

** [[spoiler: Flint throwing Billy overboard.]]

* * FakeBrit: Vane. Played by one of the few Americans on the show. You'd never know it.

* MoralEventHorizon: Vane giving Max to [[spoiler:his crew for them to rape at their leisure.]]