Worried that they've lost their sense of fun, the crew of the Revenge put together a giant party for "Calypso's birthday", a nonexistent holiday. Their festivities are interrupted by Ned Low, angry that Blackbeard stole his record for most consecutive raids. Elsewhere, Ricky Banes gets a nose and a message from Zheng Yi Sao, who has an offer for him.
Tropes include:
- Bad Boss: Ned Low's insistence on musical perfection and constant verbal abuse of his crew causes them to turn on him, with a little encouragement from Stede and the crew.Ned: You're mercenaries, you don't have feelings!
- Beware the Nice Ones: After Ned tortures the whole crew and Ed specifically, Stede finally has enough and makes him walk the plank.
- "Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word: Zheng Yi Sao says this when blackmailing Banes to go along with her plan to end persecution of piracy.
- Bullying a Dragon: Ricky Banes tells Zheng Yi Sao to be careful who she trifles with, saying he's a minor prince. While she laughs him off, announcing her own title of "pirate queen who bent China to her will" makes clear she's not impressed.
- Combat Compliment: When he has Hellkat Maggie at knifepoint, Stede flatters her and comments that she has "a beautiful name," while pointing out how badly Ned Low is treating her. This helps turn her and the rest of Low's hired mercenaries to the side of the Revenge.
- Fictional Holiday: Calypso's birthday. Subverted in that everyone knows it's a fake holiday, which is part of the fun.
- Fireworks of Love: When Ed and Stede have sex for the first time, the scene cuts from passionate kissing to fireworks over the Revenge and even literal cannonfire.
- Gaining the Will to Kill: Stede commits his first murder, forcing Ned Low to walk the plank and then knocking him into the sea. Ed tries to convince him otherwise, but his mind's made up, and he's quite shaken afterwards.
- Hidden Depths:
- Wee John is quite good at makeup, dressing up in drag for his role as Calypso.
- Izzy puts on makeup himself and sings "La Vie en rose" for the party. He later sings it again in French.
- Interplay of Sex and Violence: Ed goes to Stede's quarters after Ned dies to see how he's holding up, and they have sex for the first time.
- Open Secret: Everyone, including Stede, realizes that Calypso's birthday is not a real holiday or religion, but just an excuse to have a giant party.
- Shout-Out: John's Calypso drag bears a striking resemblance to Ursula the sea witch from Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989), who in turn was inspired by real-life drag performer Divine (Actor).
- Walk the Plank: Stede executes Ned Low this way.
