Warning: contains SPOILERS for Our Flag Means Death.
Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Blackbeard (Taika Waititi) form a bond in Our Flag Means Death that's largely inspired by their real-life partnership. Stede Bonnet, known as the "Gentleman Pirate" for his wealthy upbringing and high-class demeanor, chose the pirate life for reasons unknown to this day. Captaining the Revenge, he pirated between 1717 and 1718 and eventually ran into the more experienced Edward "Blackbeard" Teach.
Our Flag Means Death shows Blackbeard taking a keen interest in Bonnet after he outsmarts his crew on an island in episode 2, "A Damned Man." In episode 3, "A Gentleman Pirate," Blackbeard and his crew board Stede's ship, the Revenge, where he and Bonnet become friends over a mutual midlife crisis bond. In a secret conversation with his first mate, Blackbeard proposes that Stede should eventually be murdered, with Blackbeard taking his place as the Revenge's captain. However, Blackbeard's no kill rule and growing bond with Stede makes it harder for him to enact this plan, despite his attempts. He confronts his plan to Stede after attempting to kill him, and affirms to Stede that his plan is off. Whether or not Blackbeard follows through with this promise remains to be seen in later episodes.
While their partnership is embellished for comedic effect, Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet did work together for a time in real life. However, as Our Flag Means Death s, the connection wasn't entirely on equal . Bonnet met Blackbeard in Honduras. Being excited to meet the notorious pirate, Bonnet decided to sail with Blackbeard on his ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, which Our Flag Means Death gives an inaccurate flag to. Blackbeard saw how inexperienced Bonnet was and kept this in mind when he and Bonnet later met a second time. He decided to send his first mate over to the Revenge to captain the ship, while he kept Bonnet on the Queen Anne's Revenge effectively as his prisoner. When Bonnet went ashore, Blackbeard took most of the Revenge's loot and crew, with the crew willingly ing the more competent Blackbeard. Stede continued captaining the Revenge, with only five crew remaining.
Despite the show combining their two meetings into one for narrative purposes, there are nonetheless accurate s of Our Flag Means Death regarding his partnership with Blackbeard. After Blackbeard pirated the Revenge, Bonnet felt betrayed and sought after him. Having become a better captain, ironically under Blackbeard's tutelage, Bonnet continued raiding ships with mounting success yet never again saw Blackbeard to lay his vengeance. Bonnet became crueler to sailors, civilians, and his crew, and while this built a menacing reputation for him, it did contribute to his crew immediately abandoning him upon capture at the mouth of the Cape Fear River by Colonel William Rhett. Bonnet was imprisoned and hanged for piracy in South Carolina, one month after Blackbeard's own demise.
Even though Outlander's fourth and fifth seasons, and various literary works keep the story of Stede Bonnet alive.
New episodes of Our Flag Means Death release Thursdays on HBO Max.