List of Black Sails episodes

Black Sails is an American television drama series created by Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine for Starz that debuted on January 25, 2014.^[1] It is produced by Film Afrika Worldwide and Platinum Dunes. It is written as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. The series was renewed for a fourth season on July 31, 2015, before the third season had premiered.^[2]

As of March 26, 2016, 28 episodes of Black Sails have aired, concluding the third season. On July 20, 2016, Starz announced that the series' upcoming fourth season would be its last; the season is scheduled to premiere on January 29, 2017.^[3][4]

Series overview

Season		Episodes		Originally aired
				First aired	Last aired
	1	8		January 25, 2014	March 15, 2014
	2	10		January 24, 2015	March 28, 2015
	3	10		January 23, 2016	March 26, 2016
	4	10[3]		January 29, 2017[4]	TBA

Episodes

Season 1 (2014)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"I."	Neil Marshall	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	January 25, 2014	0.846[5]
In the series premiere, John Silver joins Captain Flint's crew as the ship's new cook while holding a highly valuable page of the Captain's Log from the English ship he was previously on. Meanwhile Captain Flint faces a potential mutiny from his crew and must work to secure their support and recruits his first mate Billy Bones's help to overthrow the mutineer's leader Singleton. Also Eleanor Guthrie tries to keep order on the lawless island of New Providence conducting her father's business as the Royal Navy's suspicions of the pirates grow stronger.
2	2	"II."	Sam Miller	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	February 1, 2014	0.840[6]
After Captain Flint reveals Singleton as the thief in front of his crew, he has Gates convince Billy who knows the truth about his captain that this is for the good of the ship. Meanwhile, Silver and Max are forced to hide in the brothel when they put themselves in danger as Captain Vane and his new partners Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny are determined to get a hold of the missing page in the hunt for the wrecked Spanish galleon, Urca de Lima. Also, Eleanor is given an ultimatum by Max and has to decide on wealth or love.
3	3	"III."	Neil Marshall	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	February 8, 2014	0.671[7]
Flint asks Gates to seek additional help from Captain Hornigold to borrow his ship, Royal Lion, in search of the Urca de Lima. Meanwhile, Silver and Billy tackle a morale problem when they work together on the finding out the remaining mutineers. During a captains meeting to strike a deal, Eleanor is impressed by Vane's voice of reason and calm demeanor, which leads to them having an intimate encounter. However, once she finds out Max is raped by his crew, she punishes Vane by giving them an ultimatum. Also Gates is promoted from quartermaster to captaining his own ship.
4	4	"IV."	Sam Miller	Brad Caleb Kane	February 15, 2014	0.672[8]
The Walrus suffers a disastrous undertaking when the crew takes on the mission careening the ship's hull under the new quartermaster's orders. Meanwhile, Silver warns Flint about Billy's allegiance with Morley as the story of Mrs. Barlow comes to light. When Captain Bryson arrives in New Providence, Eleanor wants the cannon aboard his supply ship, Andromache for protection in the search for Urca de Lima. However, after he denies her, she turns to her father for help in persuading him despite betraying Mr. Scott's wishes. Also, Vane is surprised to see a figure from his past.
5	5	"V."	Marc Munden	Doris Egan	February 22, 2014	0.744[9]
Flint and his crew of the Walrus play a deadly game of naval warfare when they engage Captain Bryson and the Andromache on the open sea to gain precious cargo. Meanwhile, Richard forces his daughter's hand about his business when he makes an announcement to the locals about his assets being liquidated, causing a mob to riot against Eleanor who seeks help from Hornigold. Rackham makes a career change for him and Vane when they become owners of the brothel. Also, Billy questions Flint about Mrs. Barlow and Bonny confesses to Max about her past with men.
6	6	"VI."	T.J. Scott	Heather Bellson	March 1, 2014	0.847[10]
Capturing the Andromache proves to be a costly endeavor when Flint loses a few of his crew to Bryson's men who are holed up in the hull. Meanwhile, Bonny decides to take a stand against Hamund and his men from harming Max. Eleanor gets a visit from an unlikely ally who needs her help and turns to Silver to form a plan. Billy reads a private letter from Mrs. Barlow asking for a pardon for Flint's murderous actions aboard the Maria Aleyne, and asks Gates to confront him before the men learn of his betrayal. Vane reaches his destination from his self-made voyage.
7	7	"VII."	Marc Munden	Michael Angeli	March 8, 2014	0.703[11]
Flint explains to Gates about Mrs. Barlow's letter after Billy's disappearance. Randell's accusation of Silver being a thief causes problems when he is put in a tight spot with Dufresne, the new quartermaster. Eleanor suffers a loss when Mr. Scott wants nothing to do with her partnership with Flint and becomes a part of Captain Hornigold's crew. When Rackham can't turn a profit, Max helps run his business at the brothel. In need of a new crew, Captain Vane makes a deal with the man from his past to borrow his men, but ends up fighting a battle to the death.
8	8	"VIII."	T.J. Scott	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	March 15, 2014	0.762[12]
The hunt for the Urca de Lima begins when Silver divulges the schedule to Flint, taking them to the ship's location. Not satisfied with her share of the brothel’s profits, Mrs. Mapleton tries to blackmail Rackham that if he does not approve of the new profits sharing in the brothel, she will tell the locals what really happened to Mr. Noonan. Meanwhile, Vane makes his way back to New Providence with his new crew. Eleanor’s situation changes when a small band of men take over Hornigolds’s fort and start sinking supply ships in the bay. While managing the mutiny aboard the Walrus, Gates calls off the attack of the Ranger, putting his fate in Flint’s hands.

Season 2 (2015)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
9	1	"IX."	Steve Boyum	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	January 24, 2015	0.860[13]
The Walrus crew is stranded on the beach with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and the gold on Urca de Lima. When going before his former crew to face judgment for his crimes, Flint devises a plan for survival to sneak aboard the warship and take out the watchman. Thinking he means to escape, Silver volunteers to go on the mission. Meanwhile, Eleanor struggles to maintain her hold on Nassau as a new threat arrives; the murderous pirate Ned Low and his equally violent crew from his ship, Fancy. Also, Vane has a new position at the fort on New Providence, while Jack is reduced to being labeled a "crew-killer" and endures daily beatings.
10	2	"X."	Clark Johnson	Michael Chernuchin	January 31, 2015	0.746[14]
A member of the Walrus crew unexpectedly returns, but finds himself crudely tethered down on a beach. Flint, still stuck in the bowels of the ship, sets his plan in motion to become captain in two days' time by offering advice to Dufresne on a certain route to navigate the galleon through. Meanwhile, Silver tries to make himself indispensable to his crewmates by reading them gossip that the quiet cook Randall witnesses daily aboard the ship. Meeks asks Eleanor to depose of his captain, Ned Low since his unquenchable thirst for power is causing the crew to be reckless. After Jack learns about the intimate encounter between Max and Anne, he accepts it and later proposes his next money-making scheme with them.
11	3	"XI."	Stefan Schwartz	Brad Caleb Kane	February 7, 2015	0.691[15]
When Flint returns to Nassau to retrieve the gold, he encounters a problem when he learns that Hornigold no longer commands the fort on the island, and anchors the Spanish warship in the bay directly in line with it. No longer a "crew-killer", Rackham's reputation is restored, but he is worried that Anne is being taking advantage of by Max, driving a wedge between them. Later, Vane is confronted by Ned Low who learns of his intimate relationship with Eleanor and threatens her well-being after being provoked. This causes Vane to take action and devises a plan to board Low's ship, kill him and steal his crew, but discovers he is carrying precious "cargo" in the brig.
12	4	"XII."	Clark Johnson	Story by : Julie Siege Teleplay by : Jonathan E. Steinberg & Dan Shotz	February 14, 2015	0.752[16]
Wanting to remove Vane from the fort, Flint sends a messenger to him issuing a warning. But Eleanor tries to put an end to Flint's plan to demolish the fort, giving him an ultimatum, however, the final decision rests in his hands only. Meanwhile, Vane learns that Low's special cargo is Abigail Ashe, daughter of the Carolinas governor and plots to ransom her off. Rackham admires what Max can do with the help of one of her ladies in order to gain him a ship and crew, making him a captain again. Silver, insuring his portion of the gold, makes use of his time on the island by playing to the locals with gossip, but in doing so, he is reunited with an old crew member from the Walrus who is badly malnourished.
13	5	"XIII."	Alik Sakharov	Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing	February 21, 2015	0.750[17]
Flint begins the bombardment of Vane's fort in earnest. After destroying a portion of the wall Flint and Hornigold stage their crews on the beach, arming them to retake the fort. During the bombardment through a series of flashbacks we learn that not only had Flint wholly committed himself to Hamilton's plan to retake Nassau and pardon the pirates, but has also begun an affair with him. We see that he is confronted by his commander and Lord Hamilton who strip Flint of rank and expel him from the Royal Navy while giving Flint and Mrs Hamilton till nightfall to flee London, while Mr Hamilton is committed to a mental hospital. In the present, Ms Hamiliton, now Ms Barlow, rides into town attempting to avert the bloodshed of the coming battle. She finally gets him alone and tells him of Abigail Ashe, the daughter of a once trusted friend, and that they should trade her for safety in the Colonies. She leaves a copy of Marcus Aurelius, then leaves Flint to his thoughts just as Vane bursts into the room with a dagger intent on killing him.
14	6	"XIV."	Michael Nankin	Heather Bellson	February 28, 2015	0.778[18]
15	7	"XV."	Alik Sakharov	Lisa Schultz Boyd	March 7, 2015	0.632[19]
16	8	"XVI."	Steve Boyum	Story by : Marc Berzenski & Maria Melnik Teleplay by : Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	March 14, 2015	0.743[20]
17	9	"XVII."	Lukas Ettlin	Story by : Dan Shotz Teleplay by : Brad Caleb Kane	March 21, 2015	0.653[21]
18	10	"XVIII."	Steve Boyum	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	March 28, 2015	0.668[22]
In Charles Town, the day of Captain Flint's trial comes. Lord Ashe offers him a chance to avoid humiliation, but Flint declines, still bitter at Ashe for Mrs Barlow's death. However, help for Flint arrives in the unlikeliest form: Charles Vane. Vane's men launch their attack on the city and Flint and Vane fight their way out, with Flint murdering Ashe en route. They reach the ship to find Flint's crew have regained leadership, but Flint orders Vane's crew to be released - realising pirates have to unite against the world. Silver, after being tortured, is forced to have his leg cut off. When he finally awakens, he reveals the spy they hired to watch the Spanish soldiers sold the location to another crew. The crew of Jack Rackham. The ending scene pictures Max celebrating Jack's successful attempt to bring the treasure back to Nassau.

Season 3 (2016)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
19	1	"XIX."	Alik Sakharov	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	January 23, 2016	0.843[23]
A formidable new character is introduced. Flint and his crew wage war against anyone who has taken a stance against piracy. John Silver thinks this is becoming dangerous and reckless. Max has Anne persuade Jack to start repairs on New Providence Island's fort, which is still in ruins after the events of Season 2. Jack has sent Vane to take a ship, claiming there is much needed timber aboard. Vane finds slaves instead and angrily confronts Jack, who convinces Vane that slave labor is the only way to fix the fort. Back in England, Eleanor is offered a deal in exchange for her life and a new British threat emerges. Flint and the Walrus come across Hornigold and his crew and are forced to make a difficult decision.
20	2	"XX."	Lukas Ettlin	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Brad Caleb Kane	January 30, 2016	0.759[24]
21	3	"XXI."	Stefan Schwartz	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Dan Shotz	February 6, 2016	0.501[25]
22	4	"XXII."	Steve Boyum	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Lisa Schultz Boyd	February 13, 2016	0.640[26]
Flint and his crew are captured by islanders, marched to a hidden village and imprisoned. Rogers tells Eleanor he wants her as his counselor during his move onto Nassau. Jack blows up the fort so that Vane, aided by Teach, can escape. Flint identifies their captors as escaped slaves. On ship, Teach shows Vane that Eleanor is aboard a British vessel, and later wonders where his loyalties lie. Flint, Silver and Billy realize that they must convince their captors that their interests are aligned. Rogers and his men believe they have trapped the remaining pirates until a single ship begins moving across the bay. When it is closer to the British fleet, Vane lights the ship on fire and jumps overboard. As the burning ship smashes into a British vessel, they fail to notice the pirate ships slipping through the gauntlet. At the village, Flint tells Silver that the islanders will kill them because they can not risk their secret being revealed. Under cover of darkness, Mr. Scott approaches the slaves who escaped from the fort but is challenged by two British sailors and gunfire is exchanged, injuring Mr. Scott. The slaves load him into a boat and make for the open ocean.
23	5	"XXIII."	Alik Sakharov	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	February 20, 2016	0.679[27]
24	6	"XXIV."	Lukas Ettlin	Dan Shotz	February 27, 2016	0.603[28]
25	7	"XXV."	Rob Bailey	Marc Berzenski & Josh Rothenberger	March 5, 2016	0.658[29]
26	8	"XXVI."	Stefan Schwartz	Evan Bleiweiss	March 12, 2016	0.677[30]
27	9	"XXVII."	Steve Boyum	Story by : Brad Caleb Kane & Tyler Van Patten Teleplay by : Brad Caleb Kane	March 19, 2016	0.608[31]
Eleanor visits Vane in prison and redoubles her commitment to his execution. Later, she visits Rogers, who has fallen ill with fever and is bedridden. Rogers grants her emergency power to govern New Providence Island until he recovers. On the Walrus, Flint and Silver attempt a risky maneuver to shake Captain Hornigold's pursuit. Billy plots a way to buy time before Vane's execution. Rogers becomes unresponsive; Eleanor orders an expedited trial to execute Vane the next day. Flint and Silver discuss leadership styles. Billy prepares to rescue Vane but things don't go according to plan. Flint and Rackham plan how to best defend themselves while Eleanor plans the British offensive. Teach is informed of the outcome of Vane's execution.
28	10	"XXVIII."	Alik Sakharov	Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine	March 26, 2016	0.644[32]
As Flint buries the treasure he is questioned by Silver about his true reasons for the war against the British and the tactics for the upcoming battle on the island. On the day of the attack, the British and Hornigold manage to take the beach with superior firepower forcing Flint and his men to retreat. Meanwhile on Sea Rackham and Bonny unite with the Fleet of Blackbeard, who seeks revenge for the death of Charles Vane. In Nassau, Eleanor is confronted by an anonymous message which claims the removal of the remains of Charles Vane and the gibbet from the market aquare. Rogers recovers and reassures Ealeanor his support in overcoming her enemies. Silver sends Dobbs to the beach to kill Hornigold. Apparently, Dobbs changes sides and guides Hornigold and the British into a deadly ambush laid by Flint. Hornigold shoots Dobbs and eventually is killed by Flint. In Nassau, a pardoned pirate captain is murdered by Billy as there was no reaction on the message with the black spot. With the help of Bonny and Rackham Blackbeards Fleet manage to force the British fleet to retreat. In Nassau, Billy creates the claim of responsibility for the murder and a warning using the name "Long John Silver".

Season 4

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
29	1	"XXIX."[33]	TBA	TBA	January 29, 2017	TBD

References

1. "Black Sails: Starz Series Starts January 25th". TV Series Finale. November 20, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
2. Berman, Marc (July 31, 2015). "Starz Renews 'Black Sails' and Jumps on the Binge-Watching Bandwagon". TV Media Insights. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
3. Mitovich, Matt Webb (July 20, 2016). "Black Sails to End With Season 4". TVLine. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
4. "Black Sails Season 4 Trailer from the New York Comic Con". ComingSoon. October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
5. Patten, Dominic. "Starz's 'Black Sails' Debuts Ok". Deadline. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
6. "Saturday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "48 Hours" Tops Viewers, College Basketball Leads Demos". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
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16. Mitch Metcalf (February 18, 2015). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Saturday Cable Originals: 2.14.15(with Expanded Chart)". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
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20. Mitch Metcalf (March 17, 2015). "UPDATED SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Saturday Cable Originals: 3.14.15". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
21. Mitch Metcalf (March 24, 2015). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 25 Saturday Cable Originals: 3.21.15". Showbuzzdaily. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
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27. Metcalf, Mitch (February 23, 2016). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Saturday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.20.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
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External links

• Official website
• List of Black Sails episodes at the Internet Movie Database
• List of Black Sails episodes at TV Guide