How faithful is Gotham to Batman mythology?

Gotham is hardly an exact replica of the Batman mythos most viewers are familiar with. But that doesn’t mean they’re getting it wrong all the time either. And to be fair, Batman comprises a huge world filled with intricate characters and their winding histories. Even Gotham City is like an unofficial character, with a voice and a heartbeat that thrives on crime, corruption, and dark secrets tucked away in smoky alleys.

There’s a distinct identity here and an even more distinct mood and atmosphere that viewers are expecting to capture that Batman essence. But this is a lofty chore, and Batman purists will probably find themselves at odds with the final product no matter what.

And Gotham is hardly expected to follow the Batman comics or other works as if they’re one-direction maps; they just need to give the audience what it wants, but not necessarily what it expects. However, some of the series’ choices have left viewers a little confused, especially with how far they stray from the source material because they’re not sure why they need to.

Adding new characters to the Batman world (if done properly) could be a good idea. Yes, there are already plenty; but if this new character has a well-developed persona, story, and even manages to enhance other characters, then it should be attempted. Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a new character to the Batman world. Initially, she seems like an exciting addition to the series. She’s tough, rebellious, and has significant power in Gotham’s organized crime, not to mention she’s doing all this in high heels.

But her character is a bit ill conceived; her presence facilitates Oswald Cobblepot’s (Robin Lord Taylor) rise in the crime world, and that’s about it. She tries to overthrow Falcone (John Doman), gets undermined by Cobblepot, flees Gotham, meets and escapes Dollmaker (Colm Feore), returns to Gotham to reassert herself as queen, and falls from a rooftop to her death. It seems strange to do all this character inventing just to erase her in the end.

But in this case, it’s probably for the best.

There’s a bit of a complication in having Fish Mooney kill mobster Sal Maroni (David Zayas). As most Batman fans know, “Don Maroni is supposed to be the guy who scars Harvey Dent (Nicholas D’Agosto) and creates Two-Face” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us). Since this is obviously not going to be the case on Gotham, one can only wonder what the show has in mind for Harvey Dent’s transformation.

Clearly they’re not 100% concerned with doing things by the Batman book, but this doesn’t necessarily spell disaster. This gives Gotham a chance to make things even more interesting, to bring even more to the table and make the series more of an original creation that’s not completely reliant upon a beloved mythos. But if they don’t deliver with their new material and ideas, it’s only going to make viewers question why they deviated from such solid source material in the first place.

Typically when the Joker is portrayed (Cameron Monaghan) in DC comics or the Batman franchise, he’s shrouded in mystery. There is little to nothing available on his past, upbringing, or family life. However, when viewers are introduced to Gotham’s take on the character, they’re presented with the young boy Jerome, whose mother is a snake dancer with Haly’s Circus, also giving him a connection to the Grayson family.

It also turns out that Jerome murdered his mother, already hinting at his severe and dangerous mental instability. This certainly gives the Joker a more detailed and colorful past, but it also tarnishes his enigmatic eeriness; knowing less about such a famous, sinister villain enhances his unpredictability and the fear he brings to Gotham City.

One detail that’s also typically accepted about the Joker is his membership and affiliation with the Red Hood Gang. Gotham does deliver an episode on said gang (“Red Hood,” which is the episode following the Joker’s intro, “The Blind Fortune Teller”), but it’s hard to imagine how this can be applied to the Joker at this point, especially considering the timeline the series has adopted.

The Joker was the Red Hood at one point, which actually led him to becoming the Joker: He and the Red Hood Gang were robbing a chemical plant, when Batman cornered him, leaving him with nowhere to run. Desperate to flee, he dropped into a vat of chemicals and was able to swim away, but at the expense of permanent disfigurement. His hair turned green, his skin became pale, and his lips were permanently tinged red.

This event proved to be a tipping point for the Joker, making him even more insane. It’s doubtful Gotham is going to follow through with this comic reference, but that does create worry in how they’re going to handle a new path for the Joker when his original path is so cemented in our minds.

The changes the series has adopted thus far aren’t necessarily deal breakers, but the more senseless the changes appear to be, the more the audience is going to worry. There needs to be some familiarity and strong connection to Batman mythology, otherwise there’s really no point in Gotham exploring this world.

Reinterpretation of Batman lore is to be expected, but when viewers can no longer recognize the heroes, the villains, the city, and the message, then it’s time to go back to the beginning. Gotham has a chance to make this special world even more special; let’s hope they do it justice.

Why do Gotham’s female characters seem secondary to the male ones?

Gotham is a series that is hardly short on characters. And the list only continues to grow. But as a result, the show’s female characters seem to suffer, as they’re underdeveloped and neglected. This issue becomes even more glaring when considering how much attention the male characters receive; the difference is almost criminal. Consider how Gotham aims the spotlight on police detectives James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), up-and-coming criminal Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), riddle-loving Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith), and gangsters Carmine Falcone (John Doman) and Sal Maroni (David Zayas). Their places in the series will undoubtedly be different come next season, but they’re certainly receiving better treatment than their fellow females. The only female who receives a decent amount of screen time and isn’t suffering any character defamation is young Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), but she is only a child and not fully immersed in the larger issues that cling to the heels of Gotham’s adults.

Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a problematic character on Gotham. Problematic because she actually is an important character in the first season, but she is portrayed as a “laughable caricature” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us). Initially, her presence draws a good deal of interest and potential promise. She’s a strong antagonist, leading the male-dominated world of organized crime in Gotham City. And she almost seizes power from her rival Falcone, but her sneakier rival Cobblepot always one-ups her.

After a while, it seems like her only purpose is to further Cobblepot, showing how he’s able to rise above all his competitors and finally seize power. In an Entertainment Weekly interview, Pinkett Smith even states “[Fish Mooney] was there to service a purpose, as far as helping to tell Penguin’s story. I’m a smart girl. I understood I was there to service Penguin.” But her servicing Cobblepot comes at the expense of her own character and that character’s development. And just killing her off doesn’t exactly help matters either: why bring Fish Mooney into Gotham and give her so much attention if she’s just there to enhance Cobblepot’s story arc and then fall off a rooftop? She’s a tease, falsely promising audiences action that will shake up Gotham’s power dynamic. Sadly, she wasn’t even given a proper chance to rattle a cage.

Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) could easily be the most unpredictable character on Gotham. She starts off as Jim Gordon’s stable fiancée and morphs into a substance abusing hot mess, falling victim to Falcone and the Ogre (Milo Ventimiglia). Many find that her transformation has rendered her “an odious, offensive character. At various points this season she has been: a one-dimensional love interest, a devious/promiscuous bisexual stereotype, a caricature of someone with addiction issues, and finally…a murderer. And not just any murderer. A murderer who then uses her recent trauma to attempt murder of her ex-boyfriend’s current lover” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us).

These aspects certainly make her character’s decline a fascinating watch, but why must she suffer so many abuses? As Jim Gordon’s initial love interest, why relentlessly drag her character’s potential through such murky water? Perhaps the writers have some redemption in store for Barbara come season two, but here’s hoping she’s treated with a bit more respect and doesn’t end up in Arkham Asylum. Locking up their already poorly represented female characters would hardly be a good direction for Gotham to go in at this point.

Police detective Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) is almost a non-existent character on Gotham, and that’s unfortunate. Like Gordon, she’s on a quest to rid Gotham of its ubiquitous corruption and had a romantic relationship with Barbara. Of the few moments she’s entitled to grace the screen, her character does offer moments of intrigue.

When she and Barbara were together in the past, it appears they were addicts, each contributing to the other’s self-destruction. Once their romance is fleetingly rekindled, Montoya calls it off as she sees Barbara is reverting to old ways and doesn’t want to risk doing the same. Of course these details are only mentioned in passing, and it’s difficult for viewers to determine what they’re supposed to do with this information, if anything at all. A little more attention here could provide some answers regarding Barbara’s erratic behavior and deliver some much needed substance in Montoya’s direction. But Montoya’s disappearing act will actually have to come to an end.

Jim Gordon’s new girlfriend, Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin), does offer up some potential for Gotham’s female characters. She has some depth and smarts, and is overall on equal footing with Jim in that they share the same workspace. She’s prying through and investigating the same case files and Gotham history that Gordon is, both equally contributing to solving cases and apprehending bad guys. This is a vital aspect to her character, since she can’t simply be viewed as a damsel in distress or mere eye candy; she has to keep Jim on his toes while also remaining an equal part of his world.

If Gotham continues to keep Thompkins up to Jim’s speed, keeps Fish Mooney dead, includes Montoya a bit more, and reigns in Barbara, there could be a chance of keeping these women from falling through Gotham’s cracks. All have the potential to deliver some captivating stories, they just need to be given the opportunity to do it.

Is Gotham unveiling too many villains too soon?

So far, Gotham has introduced us to plenty of Batman villains. This is completely understandable considering how many villains comprise the world of Batman; there’s pressure to not leave out any details from the source material while also giving these varied characters a decent introduction. But it also seems like Gotham may be introducing too many villains at too brisk a pace. According to IGN’s website, show developer Bruno Heller assures “they don’t want to bow to any pressure to overstuff or front-load the series with so many popular villains because they need to make sure they have enough characters and story for future seasons” (Jim Vejvoda, IGN.com).

It’s good that the concern is there, but it may not be enough to prevent Gotham from getting a little too villain-crazed. It’s important to remember that the series already has stable villains that are nearly always present, like Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) and Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith). This makes the selection of new villains and how it’s done all the more difficult, as actual thought and consideration are what need to guide the process, and not simply a fondness for beloved Batman villains.

On the plus side, introducing audiences to their fair share of Batman villains has the potential for some compelling origin stories. It’s always fun and satisfying for fans to see some of their favorite characters in the spotlight, even if it’s a reimagining of the source material. Watching a young Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), and Poison Ivy (Clare Foley) find their places in a seedy Gotham City provides viewers a unique window into lives that have had multiple interpretations. It’s an opportunity to better understand how and why these characters become their later selves and what corrupted them. If their past stories are told well enough, viewers may even be able to sympathize with these villains’ actions.

And just because these characters are so popular hardly means that all their mannerisms and behaviors need to be constantly spelled out; “leav[ing] the audience a little room for uncertainty” would go a long way. “Would Edward Nygma’s journey toward his OCD master criminal future [have] been diminished if he didn’t speak in a riddle every time he made an appearance? No. If anything it would have been enhanced” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us).

On the negative side, if Gotham viewers are relentlessly inundated with new villains, then there’s no way these characters are receiving the time and attention they deserve. It’ll be nearly impossible for viewers to build any kind of connection with these characters. The Scarecrow (Charlie Tahan), the Dollmaker (Colm Feore), the Joker (Cameron Monaghan), and the Red Hood Gang, all significant villains with colorful histories, are only given surface details because there’s no time for much else.

And what’s the rush? Would anything be lost if Gotham slowed down and delivered the detailed goods on these villains? It seems like more of a gain in the long run. “Gotham needs to make sure that these characters, the heroes and the villains, earn their place in viewers’ hearts. Relying on clever pop culture shorthand and the fact that [viewers] already know these characters from other movies, TV shows, and comics isn’t enough” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us).

What’s needed on Gotham is some balance, a balance that can usher in new villains at a pace that will also accommodate their stories. Of course it’s unrealistic to expect to learn almost every detail about these characters, especially when Batman is such a vast and constantly changing world. And there’s nothing wrong with bringing in a new villain each episode, but he/she better be given his/her due, and nothing less. After all, what good is it to invite viewers into the Joker’s life if they’re just going to be forced out the minute they start to learn who he is? Bring on the villains, Gotham, and let them stay a while.

Gotham: Was Barbara Kean telling the truth when she confessed to Dr. Thompkins that she killed her parents?

At Gotham’s start, Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) appears to be a fairly stable character: her relationship with police detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is solid, along with her career in the art world. However, things quickly change for Barbara once she implores Jim to start bringing his work home, allowing her to help take some of the darker burden off his shoulders.

She hardly realizes the ramifications of this request, and it sends her on a downward spiral. Barbara is a recovering addict, and with the pressures of Jim’s job and the dangers that go along with it, she’s already falling into bad patterns again. As if Barbara’s fragile mental state couldn’t suffer any more, she is kidnapped by brutal serial killer Jason Lennon aka the Ogre (Milo Ventimiglia).

After being rescued by Jim, Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin), Jim’s new girlfriend, wants to help her work through her trauma. Barbara makes the shocking confession to Dr. Thompkins that she actually murdered her parents, and it wasn’t the Ogre’s doing. But did Barbara really do this? Or is her trauma so overwhelming that she just thinks she did? And if she did murder her parents, did all the psychological trauma drive her to do it, along with the Ogre’s bidding?

In Barbara’s defense, she does endure much distress and danger before finally breaking down and succumbing to it. With Jim giving Barbara half of his work drama, her swank apartment now has an open-door policy for gangsters, Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), and even young vagrants Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) and Ivy Pepper (Clare Foley).

And then there’s Carmine Falcone (John Doman), who holds Barbara hostage when she tries to appeal to him for Jim’s life. Unable to handle the dark side of Jim’s new world, Barbara turns to drugs in order to cope. She also briefly rekindles a past romance with police detective Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena), which only sends her into more of a tailspin since Montoya, a previous user, is doing her best to stay clean.

When Barbara is finally able to see that she needs help, she ends up going back home to her parents. There’s a lot of tension here, and viewers aren’t exactly sure why. It’s clear that she hasn’t seen her parents for some time, and there’s probably good reason for that. It could be the typical wealthy parents disapproving of rebellious daughter’s lifestyle and choices, or something a bit more pressing. Either way, with Jim Gordon in her life, she’s always going to have a target on her back, and it looks like she’s running low on escape routes.

When Barbara first meets and is wooed by the Ogre, they oddly seem to connect. In some dark, insidious way, he seems to understand her and even wants her to be “the one.” Part of Barbara is won over by him, that is until his killer charm takes over, and he demands she select someone for him to murder. She picks her parents.

Even though this is being forced upon her, it seems as if the Ogre is allowing Barbara to act out some deeply buried secret fantasy. The Ogre is forcing her hand but also giving her choices. Why does she hate her parents so? Did they do something to her, or is it what they failed to do? Judging by Barbara’s clear hatred of her parents, it’s very possible the Ogre forced her to kill her parents, or he awakened something in her that made her do it willingly. After committing such a foul and brutal crime, it’s understandable that she’d lose it and could explain why she “attempt[s] to make the good doctor her next victim” (Kevin Fitzpatrick, ScreenCrush.com).

So if “Barbara has officially gone cuckoo-pants,” how will Gotham manage “to shoehorn her back” (Kevin Fitzpatrick, ScreenCrush.com) into the series? Well, Barbara’s definitely going to need some psychological help, and preferably not from Dr. Thompkins. Even then, she has a lot to come back from, as it’s not going to be easy to forgive her crimes, even if they were committed under duress. This does at least make her character a lot more interesting than being a mere damsel in distress, waiting around in her fancy loft for Jim to return home safely.

But is she too far gone, too far past redemption at this point?

In Batman lore, Barbara is often married to Jim Gordon for some years, even though they do divorce. With that in mind, she must achieve some stability in order for Jim to commit to her. Then again, Gotham could take Barbara in a completely different and untraveled direction like it’s been doing so far. Some viewers “feel like [there’s] a different Barbara every episode,” and that her “knife-wielding psycho” act does not constitute “legitimate character development” (Vinnie Mancuso, Observer.com). There’s a valid point there, but considering the importance of Barbara’s character to Jim and his story arc, she shouldn’t be abandoned just yet.

Black Sails: What does Flint’s romance with Thomas reveal about his character?

When viewers first meet Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) on Black Sails, he’s all mystery. One can only guess as to what drove this man to become the stern-faced and stern-hearted pirate captain he now appears to be. No one seems to know his story or his motivations, though there are plenty of guesses. Even when Miranda Barlow (Louise Barnes) comes into the picture, assumptions are made that she’s the force that’s steering him and holding all his secrets. But that’s not completely true either. Flint’s real truths aren’t learned until season two’s flashbacks. To most viewers’ shock, it is revealed that Flint had a romantic relationship with Miranda’s husband, Thomas Hamilton (Rupert Penry-Jones). This wasn’t just some torrid affair either; “Thomas wanted to clean up piracy in the Bahamas and make New Providence Island a British colony” (Jethro Nededog, TheWrap.com), and he needed Flint’s help as an officer in the British Royal Navy to do that. It doesn’t take long for Hamilton’s vision to influence Flint, and both share that dream of a better world that further enhances their love. But what’s most remarkable here is how this revelation changes the viewer’s perception of Flint.

Initially, Flint has an affair with Hamilton’s wife, Miranda. As Hamilton and Flint work together, one assumes Flint’s continuing his dalliance with Miranda behind Hamilton’s back. But oddly enough, once Hamilton makes his feelings for Flint clear (in front of Miranda no less), viewers bear witness to a rather complex love triad, one in which all three participants are loved and willing to boldly fight those who would condemn them. It’s their rebellious nature and willingness to pursue “pardoning the pirates in order to work with them for commerce to and from Nassau” (Jethro Nededog, TheWrap.com) that ends their romance and dooms their careers. Despite Thomas and Flint bringing out the best in each other and trying to make a difference and establish progress in England’s name, their relationship cannot be tolerated and all sides are severely punished.

Things seem hopeful when Miranda and Flint make it to Charlestown with their old friend Lord Ashe’s (Nick Boraine) daughter, Abigail (Meganne Young), who they rescued from a kidnapping scheme involving Captain Charles Vane (Zach McGowan). They’re hoping this peace offering will bend Lord Ashe to their wills, perhaps making him remember the past goals they all shared and their vision for Nassau’s future. But things don’t go well: Miranda deducts that Lord Ashe was the one who betrayed Flint and Hamilton, and that he did so for his position at Charlestown, which was orchestrated by Hamilton’s father, Lord Proprietor Alfred Hamilton (Danny Keogh). Miranda wants justice for her men, for the devastation of their lives and dreams. She wants Lord Ashe dead, and nothing less will do. Miranda is shot dead for her bold declarations, and what was left of Flint’s dreams and chance of happiness dies with her.

Flint is not the same man he was when he sailed into Charlestown; he was slightly broken, but he remained hopeful with Miranda and Nassau’s potential at his side. With her death, there are no more rules to follow, no more false hopes to cling to. He and Vane form an unlikely alliance, escaping their trials and authority, and sending Charlestown to its knees. Flint is changed forever and “destroyed as a person” (Jethro Nededog, TheWrap.com). With Flint, it was never just about gold, power, or glory; it was about becoming something more than himself, and delivering on a promise of a better Nassau. Toby Stephens puts it succinctly when he claims Flint “became himself with Thomas Hamilton. His potential was unleashed with Hamilton” (Jethro Nededog, TheWrap.com). Viewers can discern that Hamilton was the best thing to happen to Flint, providing both opportunity and self-discovery. Flint may have formed a man unjustly stripped of his naval career, robbed of his loves, and cheated by a corrupt and duplicitous system; but British authority created the pirate, and now they’ll have to deal with him.

Black Sails: How has the power dynamic changed now that Rackham and Anne have the Spanish gold?

Jack Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and Anne Bonny (Clara Paget) aren’t exactly on top of the world on the second season of Black Sails. They’re both shamefully without a crew and barely clinging to a brothel they don’t have much business running. So how do these two underdog pirates manage to rake in the biggest prize of all: the Urca gold? A lot of it is luck, and then there’s Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy), who becomes almost a guardian angel for the duo. Rackham and Bonny have changed things in Nassau, and “the balance of power is spinning” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us). They’re undermining and challenging the whole operation, and many won’t see it coming until it’s too late. The only thing that remains certain is that they’ll have to fight to maintain their new positions, as Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and Captain Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) have their eyes on the Spanish prize and will do what is necessary to get their hands on it.

Watching Rackham and Bonny attempt to run a brothel is a pitiful display. Rackham is utterly clueless that prostitutes aren’t divvying their earnings fairly, and is even less aware that certain special requests are priced differently than a prostitute’s usual services. Fortunately, Max points out the inconsistencies and money scams, quickly earning herself the position of madame. Once they’re finally earning a profit, Max continues to help Rackham and Bonny, and in a way they probably never anticipated. “As a madam, [Max knows everyone], and a lot about [them]” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us). And by knowing Flint’s quartermaster John Silver (Luke Arnold), she’s able to set up Rackham and his new crew with the location of the Spanish gold, allowing them to be the first ones to take the prize back to Nassau. Max has proven to be more than a useful ally for these two and “a powerful force. She’s bought out other interests on the island, and she has the smarts to run things very, very well while not making a big deal out of her gender” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us).

As Charlestown is demolished, two unlikely allies rise from its screams and ashes: Flint and Vane. The trials at Charlestown reminded both men that their rivalry is of little importance when their freedom is at stake. Flint and his crew have been on an obsessive quest to obtain the Urca gold for some time, only encountering obstacles and delays at every turn, which Silver has both contributed to and helped with. They’re not going to be pleased once they learn the gold is not only gone, but at the hands of one of their own. And Vane, while not directly in pursuit or interested in the Urca gold, will still want his share and won’t be willing to accept Rackham and Bonny as newly-minted power players of Nassau. This could spell “a profound shift in the politics of Nassau, as Vane and Flint team up for the first time, ready to take on the newly-rich Rackham-Bonny combo” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us). It also spells danger for Rackham, Bonny, Max and Silver.

So, it’s Rackham, Bonny and Max vs. Vane and Flint. This could get ugly and interesting very fast. Vane and Flint are two very determined pirate captains with a lot of muscle behind them; they’ve both cheated death and overcome impossible odds. On the other end, Rackham, Bonny and Max have been countlessly underestimated by those around them, and they’re the ones who managed to capture the biggest prize the island has ever seen. They’ve risen from rock bottom with the potential to acquire even more power and influence. But are they rising too fast and will they end up falling just as quickly? If they manage to maintain their position, Nassau may end up looking and operating a lot differently. But they’re not considering the one thing that Vane and Flint are all too aware of from Charlestown’s events: English law is coming to Nassau, and pirate life may not be able to fight it off, at least not without a little help.

Black Sails: Will Silver’s betrayal to Flint and the crew finally cost him, or will he talk his way out of it?

John Silver (Luke Arnold) has a silver tongue. He’s a bit too clever for his own good. How else could he go from being a prisoner to reluctant pirate posing as a cook to quartermaster? One thing he understands all too well is survival; he knows he’s never truly safe and that death could potentially be right around the corner. Somehow, though, Silver manages to become an unexpectedly significant part of Captain Flint’s (Toby Stephens) crew. By committing a treasure map to memory and disposing of it, he turns himself into a necessary nuisance that can no longer be threatened with death. Without him, there’s no treasure. And treasure is the only thing holding Flint and his crew together. At the conclusion of Black Sails’ second season, “Silver’s betrayals and machinations are coming home to roost” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us), as knowledge of his selling the Spanish gold intel to Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and his new crew will surface soon enough. Will this be the final straw that costs Silver his life, and if not, how will he get out of it?

One thing that manages to keep Silver alive is his choice of allies. He usually goes for the least popular person, someone who is a bit of an underdog and even pariah. Captain Flint’s operational methods aren’t too different from Silver’s; he too lies and manipulates, hoping his crew won’t ask questions and will trust in his command. However, when rough battles at sea are lost, gold isn’t delivered, and Gates (Mark Ryan) and Billy Bones (Tom Hopper) are believed to be dead by Flint’s hand, his crew’s loyalty wanes. Seeing that Flint could use a friend, Silver steps in and goes along with all of his plans (even ones that involve stealing Spanish war ships), smartly knowing this will prolong his lifespan. It’s established early on that Silver has a way with words, but he possesses true artistry when speaking with Flint’s crew. His words liven their spirits, encouraging them to believe and have faith in being a pirate again. He’s a bit like a siren, his words acting like an entrancing song they can’t shake or disregard. And most importantly, Flint takes notice of the effect and what Silver can do for him, as he’ll need all the help he can get in winning over his crew again.

Silver’s partnership with Max, while appearing beneficial, can often seem questionable. As the two plot and try to sell the schedule revealing the location of the Spanish gold, they don’t anticipate just how much trouble they’ll get themselves into. Silver knows that by working with Max, who has full access to secrets and valuable information, he has a leg up on his competition and easier access to riches. It’s by working with Max that he’s able to sell the location of the Spanish gold to Rackham, and at least dream of a life in which he’s not masquerading as a pirate. It seems safe to say that without Max, many of Silver’s plans would not amount to much. But both don’t seem to have much protection if anything doesn’t go according to plan.

At the end of the second season of Black Sails, Silver undergoes quite a transformation. During their trip to Charlestown, Flint’s crew is held hostage by Captain Charles Vane’s (Zach McGowan) men, and Silver is tortured when he refuses to give up names of the crew. He ends up losing his leg as a result. Silver’s sacrifice almost seems a bit out of character: Are viewers meant to believe that the greedy, manipulative Silver now respects and cares for his fellow pirates enough to lose a limb for them? It seems more likely that Silver put on this act of bravery, almost accepting the torture to win over the crew. If the crew discovers that Silver is responsible for sabotaging their attempts at retrieving the Spanish gold, he’s going to need them to remember what he did for them.

Maybe Silver is a brave character, brave in how he’s so willing to dive into dangerous situations. He plays with powerful people, undermines rules, and often it looks like there’s potential for things to go his way. But what if they don’t and something goes wrong? It’s probably going to cost him a lot more than a leg. Once Flint discovers Silver’s betrayal, how will he react? Flint may want Silver to finally pay for his many crimes and deceptions with his life, as Flint wanted him dead to begin with. Or Flint may remember how he lost his crew with all his lies and betrayals, and how Silver was able to win them over with his gift of words. How might the crew react to Silver’s double-crossing? Can they forgive a man who gave up a limb so they wouldn’t have to? It may be “that Silver has finally found himself in a place where he can’t talk his way out of a problem” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us).

Black Sails: Will the women on Black Sails ever truly get ahead, or are they doomed to just survive?

The female characters that make up the world of the pirate drama Black Sails are unarguably strong, fierce, and relentless. The world they live in and adapt to is littered with murder, rape, betrayal, and deception. They know what they’re dealing with; they’re clever, and more often than not, far more clever than the men who make their lives all the more difficult. Whether they’re dealing with business matters, running a brothel, or scoring some serious loot, they all fall prey to the circumstances that surround them regardless of how strong they may be. The first two seasons of Black Sails have audiences accustomed to seeing these women seize power, have it taken from them, or watch them rise from nothing and ease into the greatness they’ve only dreamed of. So what’s in store for business-savvy Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New), brothel-running Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy), and ruthless lady pirate Anne Bonny (Clara Paget)?

Eleanor Guthrie is an intriguing character on Black Sails. For the majority of seasons one and two of the series, she runs Nassau’s supplies and business dealings strictly and tightly, commanding a good deal of respect from most of the pirates and their captains. Many attribute her influence and power as a direct line from her father, Nassau Governor Richard Guthrie (Sean Cameron Michael). There is a good deal of truth to that, but most of the time Eleanor is running Nassau devoid of her father’s aid, and even rebelling against his wishes and orders. However, many resent her for her power and her father’s influence, along with her ability to punish those who don’t follow the rules, like her on-off lover, the fierce pirate Captain Charles Vane (Zach McGowan). There’s a fear there, even more potently felt because she is a woman.

By season two’s finale, we see Eleanor delivered by Captain Benjamin Hornigold (Patrick Lyster) and Dufresne (Roland Reed) to English authorities, as they’re unable to deliver who they really want: Captain Flint (Toby Stephens). Dufresne and Hornigold don’t just gain immunity from their piracy for delivering Eleanor; they’re taking down a pivotal, power player and her vision for stability in a land ruled by tumult and uncertainty. Eleanor is headed for the gallows at this point, her fate in the air. It’s possible viewers will see “Vane’s potential rage at Hornigold for turning her in…and it would drive [the] story if Vane went off on a mission to rescue her” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us).

Max knows how to take advantage of any given situation. She goes from being a disgraced prostitute to brothel madame to essentially taking over Eleanor’s duties once she’s handed over to authorities. Not bad for someone quietly lurking in the background, cashing in on vital bits of gossip and intel that float around the brothel in Nassau. And as a prostitute, she’s good at luring just the right people to her bed. When it comes to Eleanor, it’s possible that Max’s heart is in it; but with Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and Anne Bonny, Max knows it’s a power game involving emotional manipulation.

As she ends up bringing both to her bed and laying her charm on heavy, she manages to separate two devoted companions, as Rackham leaves Bonny off his crew but keeps Max in the game. Max has even managed to team up with a more manipulative partner than she: John Silver (Luke Arnold). Now, with John Silver’s intel, resulting in Rackham and Bonny’s successful retrieval of the Spanish gold, Max is sitting pretty. She “will get her share [of the Spanish gold], and now she owns a powerful lot of island business” (TS Rhodes, DenofGeek.us). However, she and her accomplices need to remember that Vane and Flint won’t stand for the mind games, and they’re going to want their share (if not all) of that gold.

Anne Bonny is dangerous. She’s the only female on an all-male pirate crew, and she can hold her own. More than anything, Anne is a fighter, and has killed more men than she can count protecting her companion Rackham. But as devoted and connected as Anne and Rackham seem to be, when promised his own crew through Max’s machinations, he leaves Anne in the dust. Once betrayed, Anne loses something that quietly grounded her. The inner storms brewing within her that she’s always managed to slightly tame burst forth, and she recklessly starts killing and falling apart.

Everyone fears her, except for Max. She at least seems to understand what Anne’s going through, and wants to help her. And Max seems to be Anne’s one true weakness, able to penetrate her soft spot. Or she’s playing Max’s game, and merely enjoying the physical benefits. What needs to be remembered about Anne is she’s unpredictable and a force all her own, but she’s also a valuable asset or a formidable enemy, with the potential to harness some serious power as a result. Without her help, it’s unlikely that her cohorts would have gotten their hands on that Spanish gold.

These women are clearly strong and able to harness considerable power when their scheming works. But even like the men who make up their world, they’re always going to be victims of their circumstances. Whether in Nassau or Charlestown, there’s always going to be a power struggle, and an endless one at that. What’s really going to earn these women influence, power and the freedom they endlessly seek is their own fortitude. They’re all survivors and able to withstand plenty of abuses and lethal threats; they just have to be willing to fight and not accept defeat as an option.

Orphan Black: Why is Alison’s story arc kept separate from the clone intrigue?

Out of all the Leda clones on Orphan Black, Alison Hendrix (Tatiana Maslany) makes a most unexpected and unusual impression. She’s someone who can easily be underestimated, often pigeonholed for her appearance and socioeconomic status. Alison’s various roles/monikers are simple enough: mother, wife, soccer coach (and keep in mind alcoholic, adulterer, drug peddler and occasional murderer can also be tagged on)…but who is she? And why does her storyline seem separate from the clone intrigue? Is she simply providing comic relief, as many viewers seem to think?

Often when Alison is on screen, she’s either in her suburban home, especially the garage, on the soccer field, or in her minivan, with her blubbering husband, Donnie (Kristian Bruun), not far behind. Her location is interesting to note considering her other sister clones are usually in an urban setting, even imprisoned in labs and military bases, which provide quite a contrast to the safety of suburbia. Other than the first episode of the current season, Alison seems to have almost escaped the hazards of Proletheans, Castor clones, and corrupt labs only to thrust herself into danger of her own design. No one has forgotten Alison’s obsessive quest to find her monitor, and the severe consequences that befell her wrongly accused friend and neighbor, Aynsley (Natalie Lisinska). Nor can anyone forget real monitor Donnie accidentally shooting and killing Dr. Leekie (Matt Frewer) for his many deceptions.

As separate as Alison’s story may appear, the clone intrigue still finds its way in. Inadvertently, she and her husband exterminated one of Dyad’s power-playing scientists, and so far appear to have gotten away with it. As Alison and Donnie take on the new role of “pharmaceutical entrepreneurs,” dealing drugs via neatly wrapped soap packages so Alison can blackmail her way to school trustee, one need only remember that Dr. Leekie is buried just under their feet, beneath the garage floor. Alison can do her best to bury Dyad, the Proletheans, the Castor clones and whatever other deadly threat that may come her way, but the reality of the danger she faces is always there, no matter how squeaky clean the surface may be.

Alison is an enjoyable and funny character, so it’s understandable that viewers associate her odd sayings and quirkiness with comic relief; it’s obvious her presence is meant to elicit laughter. But by solely viewing her as a clown, were overlooking her complexity, charm, vulnerability and unexpected resolve. These, after all, are what make Alison shine. Noam Cohen of the Observer shares this train of thought: “It is always tempting to treat Alison’s life, so separate from the intrigue surrounding her sisters, as a kind of comic relief sideshow. But her scenes are always so cleverly and subtly written that it’s a mistake to do so; her world is always reflecting, distorting or underlining what’s happening in the rest of the show.”

It’s possible that a good part of Alison’s place on the show is to provide some lightheartedness, a break from the dark, brooding seriousness. It’s also possible that Alison’s character may offer a different perspective on how a mother and wife struggling for normalcy deals with an extraordinary set of circumstances. She’s juggling more than just traffic, dinner and her kids’ soccer games; she’s a clone, and her battle for her own safety and survival and that of her family’s will not be easily won. Much like the play she was in that went disastrously, Alison continues to put on her own show, keeping even herself at bay from the true danger that lurks so closely. Once things get serious for Alison, it’s doubtful there will be much room for laughter.

Orphan Black: Will the relationship between Castor and Leda clones change now that they’re family?

The male Castor clones (Ari Millen) have been a pain in the Leda clones’ (Tatiana Maslany) sides for much of Orphan Black’s new season. For the most part, the Castor clones’ presence hasn’t seemed to be much more than an annoyance for Sarah and her sisters, albeit a dangerous one. Still, it seems like this has the potential to change now that one crucial fact has been unveiled: the Castor and Leda clones are siblings (the mythology behind these names has hinted at a connection). Will this revelation change the way the Castor clones view Sarah and her sister clones? Might the siblings form a type of alliance later on this season?

There’s already been a brief introduction to Sarah forming a type of alliance (though quite brief) with Castor clone Mark, actually going as far as to save his life from Gracie’s (Zoe De Grand Maison) Prolethean, rifle-wielding mother, Bonnie (Kristin Booth). If Sarah lacked the gumption to drag Mark’s bullet-riddled body through that corn field, Bonnie would have undoubtedly executed her daughter’s new husband without hesitation. This raises some interesting questions about Sarah, like would she have saved Mark even if Cosima didn’t alert her that they’re related to the Castor clones? It’s difficult to say with certainty.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marisa Roffman points out that “while Sarah has fiercely embraced her new sisterhood, the discovery [of her being related to the Castor clones] will lead to her own mixed feelings on the matter.” Co-creator John Fawcett further stresses that “it certainly adds a massive layer of complexity for Sarah, especially.” This also brings a new outlook on family to Sarah’s life, as she’s gone from being an orphan to discovering she has quite a lot of siblings, some she may prefer not to be related to. But even if the Castor and Leda clones remain at odds, it won’t be long before they realize they’re all they have, and no one will ever understand their predicament better than they do.

A great example of this empathetic connection occurs when Helena stumbles upon a lab located in the desert military base where she’s imprisoned, somewhere in Mexico. An unfortunate Castor clone is fastened to a chair, wired up to devices, with his brain exposed. He looks at her pleadingly and begs her to kill him. Fully understanding the pain he’s going through as she too has endured tortures and guinea pig abuses, she punctures his brain, killing him. At this point, both sets of clones seem to be on an even playing field, both victims of their own genetics, trapped in worlds filled with mad scientists and terrible danger that they must fight to escape and survive. Castor and Leda clones needn’t be enemies; it’s the corrupt corporations, religious groups, and abusers of science they need to keep an eye out for.

If Leda and Castor clones do ever decide to work together or simply call a truce, it’s not something that will be an easy adjustment. Understandably, there’s plenty of distrust and confusion holding them back. It’s not like the Castor clones will be winning over Sarah and her sisters with their charm; it’s becoming difficult to count how many times they’ve held Sarah at gunpoint. As bad as the Castor clones may seem, though, there’s always another enemy who plays far dirtier, like Dr. Coady (Kyra Harper), who’s got the Castor boys wrapped around her finger and may not have their best interests at heart. Co-creator Graeme Manson notes the challenges of Leda and Castor clones uniting, as the Castor clones “have not acted like family to this point, and we’ll have to wait and see if they learn to.”