Our Flag Means Death takes several liberties in terms of historical accuracy, but the depiction of Blackbeard's "head of smoke" is based on fact.

HBO's Our Flag Means Death takes a lot of liberties in terms of staying true to the real lives of the 18th-century pirates it portrays, but it does use one surprising and true Blackbeard fact. Since its March 2022 release date, Our Flag Means Death has garnered positive reviews due to its clever writing, LGBTQ+ representation, and outstanding cast. In Our Flag Means Death season 1, episode 2, one of the pirates, Black Pete, tells a story about Blackbeard’s head being made of smoke “when he wants it to be,” a reference to a historically real trick that Blackbeard used to play on his enemies.

Pete long told stories of his former days working as Blackbeard’s firsthand, and none of the pirates, except Stede Bonnet, believe him in the slightest. However, in Our Flag Means Death episode 4, Blackbeard crosses paths with Stede Bonnet and his crew. When Bonnet is about to be killed by Spaniards, Blackbeard rescues him and takes over his ship. Blackbeard and Bonnet quickly become close, and in episode 5, Blackbeard teaches Stede and his crew about all the tricks he uses to scare his enemies in battle.

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As Blackbeard begins describing and teaching the other pirates about the tactics and illusions he uses to scare others, it becomes clear that Pete was telling the truth, and Blackbeard's "head made of smoke" was one of his illusions. What's more, the character trait was pulled directly from the historical record. The Our Flag Means Death detail is backed up by historical accounts of the pirate as Blackbeard is believed to have woven canon fuses through his beard and light them before battle so that the slow-burning fuses would smoke around his head and scare his enemies. The scene in episode 2 that depicts Blackbeard’s head engulfed in smoke is visually ridiculous and over the top, but rooted in truth.

The historical accuracy of Our Flag Means Death varies. The creator of the show, David Jenkins, has stated they are not trying to imitate real life, but the show is not wholly inaccurate either. The creators take several liberties in terms of characters, costumes, and relationships, but most of the plot is at least loosely rooted in truth. Most of the characters in the show are based on real pirates who knew each other, but most of the specific situations in the show are fabricated.

However, blurring the lines between fact and fiction hasn’t seemed to bother viewers much, as they eagerly await the arrival of season 2. The show has officially been renewed, speculation has already begun on what was teased in season 1 that will be elaborated on in Our Flag Means Death season 2. Audiences can look forward to another season of hilarious pirate antics, gripping romance, and artful blending of historical fact with fiction.