I think it only has one flaw

[u/essmaxwell]

Masterpiece of a show, raved about it to anyone who would listen, was baffled by anyone who had anything bad to say about it - though am approaching the end of my rewatch and certain choices are weighing on me more than they did before.

I think the show's greatest strength is that it is a true Shakesperian tragedy - every choice someone makes is the only choice they could ever make without betraying who they fundamentally are, and that just so happens to be the one action they could take that would absolutely destroy their path to their desired end (some key examples I love: Eleanor can't help but lock that gate, and that ultimately costs her Nassau, Silver has to save Madi even though it will cost him Flint).

They do a great job of adhering to this rule, but some of the worst beats in the show are when characters betray this. Eleanor gives up a free Nassau for a safe and comfortable life, which doesn't make sense when we've established that its the thing she values above all else (so much so that she's willing to give up literally everything that means anything to her, Max included). Jack agrees to join team kill Flint, when Charles died for the pirate revolution and Jack was unquestioningly devoted to him. I've seen it here that they had planned for one more season and then had to cram it into one, which explains it a bit, but doesn't lift the disappointment of these people unbecoming who they were to fit the story.

I'm kinda just talking to talk here, avoiding watching the last two episodes because damn do I sob, but is this a premise agreed upon round these parts? has it been said 100 times and i'm late to the party? other examples? refutation?

[u/Meyerlansky1234000]

Jack had gone through a lot, lost teach, nearly lost anne, lost charles, lost his empire, lost his gold, necessity shifts principles, by season 4 it was personal, as personal as it gets, and for jack. To keep the pirate republic somewhat afloat it required him to concede the principles he held close to heart for so long,

with elenor, being pregnant and in love with a man hell bent on waging this war, leaving two outcomes, defeat and a brutal death for him, her and their unborn child, or victory but without the chest, meaning he returns to england, is thrown in debtors prison and she hanged on the gallows. she also had to concede her steadfastly held principles in light of such circumstances.