Normally I do not particularly care about emphasis on a character’s sexuality because frankly, I consider that to be the least defining characteristic of a person. However given the context of Black Sails and the fact that homophobia and shame play such active and driving roles in the storyline it feels remiss of me to make a decision without explaining it.

In a show that explores so openly the sexualities of its characters and displays so brazenly the love shared between women, the love shared between men, I feel it a disservice to the original content to analyse for subtext when the true story is offered to us so freely. 

When I state that John Silver is bisexual, I do so knowing there is no canonical evidence to speak of and I will not be particularly tolerant of drawn out explanations of why he is “so clearly attracted” to any male character in the show when we have seen full well the effects of attraction in nearly all of these characters. Their romances play dynamic, driving roles and I will not supplant John into any of them. 

He has a canonical romance and contrary to the widespread tumblr belief that male / female relationships are ‘gross’ or whatever narrative is presently being pushed to excuse ignoring canon to push out more overtly gay narratives, there is a beauty and a power in the relationship he has canonically that I will not ignore. There are consequences and manipulations in that relationship I will not ignore. 

But pairing off with John Silver means accepting manipulation will be part of it. Consequences, will be part of it. He is self motivated and even in romance, he is orchestrating things into his favor at all times. While I may go more deeply into his relationship with Madi at another time, what I want made abundantly clear is I am not here to ship John with Billy, or Flint, or Vane, or whoever the fandom is pairing him off with. 

I am here to explore a character whose ability to convince people to love him while telling them straight to their faces he doesn’t care about anything beyond his own advancements, and that character just happens to be bisexual. In the story, as we see it, he makes no moves or advancements on anyone not expressly female. If, in the context of a narrative, it makes sense to me that John may attempt a flirtation, or to test the waters with another man in the interest of – you guessed it – furthering his own ambitions and goals – then that is fine. 

As it stands right now however, I do not see him as particularly attracted to any man we see him interact with on the show, let alone attracted enough to bear the shame of revealing his own deviance in the hopes of manipulating someone else’s. Silver will not act without evidence that it will suit and benefit him to do so, so if you wish to ship with him you’ll have to communicate that with me ooc and commit to discussing it, as I do not enjoy writing toxic relationships and Silver, by the very definition of who he is and how he operates, is a dangerous man to be in a relationship with. 

What is more, please know that I am familiar with the fact Silver is very commonly shipped with Flint – and that is fine, each to their own. I, however, will not abide it without considerable discussion into how to make it healthy – and frankly, that won’t be easy to accomplish as I refuse to ignore the way Silver has manipulated that man, the way he has inserted himself into the narrative of that man’s trauma in order to control him, or the way Flint consistently sees the truth of Silver and dismisses it.