Legends Unveiled: The Untold Tale of Izzy Hands and Blackbeard's Flag

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Our Flag Means Death season 2, episode 5.

Summary

In Our Flag Means Death, Izzy Hands undergoes a gripping twist of events that leads to the loss of his leg, however, it is important to note that this fictional occurrence does not align with the real-life experience of the historical figure, Israel Hands. The series indulges in creative freedom by altering characters and events, introducing Izzy's fictional journey with a wooden leg. In truth, Hands endured a distinct injury caused by Blackbeard.

Historical accounts are unclear about the reasons behind Blackbeard accidentally shooting Izzy in the knee, but this incident ultimately played a role in saving Hands' life as it kept him away from the conflict that resulted in Blackbeard's death.

In season 2 of Our Flag Means Death, the character Izzy Hands loses his leg, leaving viewers to question if this significant event is inspired by a true story. The initial episodes of the first season of this period romantic comedy show Taika Waititi's portrayal of Blackbeard, who places his trust in his loyal first mate and advisor Israel "Izzy" Hands, portrayed by Con O'Neil. However, the introduction of Rhys Darby's character, Stede Bonnet, a respectable man-turned-pirate whom Blackbeard is meant to kill, creates tension between the two pirates. It becomes evident that Blackbeard is developing feelings for Stede, and Izzy believes that this romantic connection is causing Blackbeard, also known as Ed Teach, to become weak and lose his fierceness.

Israel Hands Never Lost His Leg In Real Life

: In a shocking turn of events at the conclusion of the show's inaugural season, Izzy's betrayal of Stede (and Ed) causes their once solid relationship to crumble. These developments set the stage for the initial installments of Our Flag Means Death season 2. While Stede remains determined to reunite with his beloved, Ed struggles to cope with the painful split. However, Ed's anguish drives him to a newfound level of savagery, unleashing his heartbreak and rage upon the Revenge's crew. Exhausted by Ed's toxic behavior, a fed-up Izzy confronts him, prompting the grief-stricken captain to draw his pistol and shoot Izzy in the leg. Despite the crew's covert efforts, their only option to save the lives of their former first mate is to amputate Izzy's injured leg.

Israel Hands, the sailing master on Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge, served as Teach's second-in-command for a considerable period. In 1718, Teach entrusted Hands with the command of the Adventure, a vessel intended to provide assistance to Blackbeard's flagship. Details regarding Hands' life before joining forces with Blackbeard are scarce. While Hands' destiny is closely intertwined with Teach's, the duration of their shared voyage did not span as extensively as depicted in Our Flag Means Death. Additionally, Hands did not harbor as many grievances with Stede Bonnet as the show suggests.

Blackbeard Accidentally Shoot Izzy In The Knee In 1718 (Which Saved His Life)

: Our Flag Means Death's characters draw inspiration from real-life pirates, but they do take creative liberties, and one such character is Izzy Hands. In the second season, Izzy's journey is significantly shaped by the loss of his leg. Following a gunshot from Blackbeard, Jim (Vico Ortiz) and Archie (Madeleine Sami) make the tough decision to amputate Izzy's leg in order to save his life. While assuming a leadership role aboard the Revenge, Izzy is profoundly impacted by both Ed's actions and his newfound reality. To uplift his spirits, the crew ingeniously constructs a wooden leg for Izzy using the bow's unicorn statue. This gesture brings solace to the pirate. However, in reality, Hands did not experience the amputation of his leg, although he did suffer a life-altering injury at the hands of Blackbeard.

In the series Our Flag Means Death, Ed almost ends Izzy's life, but historical accounts differ greatly as to why the real-life Blackbeard shot Hands in the knee. According to Captain Charles Johnson's written account from Gutenberg.org, Teach mistakenly aimed at another crew member and inadvertently hit Hands in the knee. On the other hand, other records suggest that Blackbeard targeted Hands' knee to assert his authority as captain. In any case, this injury turned out to be a fortunate twist of fate for Hands: he was compelled to temporarily depart from Blackbeard's crew in order to recover, thereby avoiding the North Carolina conflict that ultimately led to Teach's demise at the hands of the Royal Navy.

Sources: Gutenberg.org

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