After an extremely well-received first season, Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby return as Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet in “Our Flag Means Death,” which premiered its first three episodes of season two on Oct. 5. The first season followed the blossoming relationship of Waititi and Darby’s characters onboard the pirate ship, The Revenge, alongside their ensemble of colorful crewmates. The story concluded with a pretty nasty break-up and the return of the original, merciless Blackbeard who, despite finding a softer side with Stede, was now reeling from the emotional damage of getting ghosted.

The initial season — filled with queer romance, swashbuckling action, dry wit and award-nominated acting performances — left its successor with strong expectations to live up to. Luckily for fans, the first three episodes seem to indicate a season that may surpass the first.

Picking up almost immediately after the last, season two follows Stede struggling without a ship while Blackbeard wreaks havoc on the sea, the crew split evenly among them. Stede spends weeks searching for Blackbeard while characters like Olu, Jim, Lucius and Pete deal with their own budding romances. However, these early episodes also exhibit plenty of gory action and potential antagonists stronger than ever seen before.

The pacing of this season is quicker than the last, hopping deftly from one subplot to another while maintaining the central forward momentum. Ensemble characters are given a balance of screen time as to not overwhelm the story but to flesh out their personalities. Still, this season ambitions itself to add even more intriguing players, such as the Pirate Queen Zheng “Sue” Yi Sao, Auntie and Archie, and doing so in a way that is refreshing and funny.

Speaking of, comedy was one of the shining aspects of the first season, and this season still holds its signature snappy repartee and silly humor. However, it also isn’t afraid to deal with more mature, emotional moments, often looking at toxicity, self-acceptance, reckoning and the nature of good versus evil. Waititi really stands out in his tender-hearted and frightening Blackbeard moments, yet still evokes sympathy from the audience. Despite this, the show does nothing to taper the evilness that infects Blackbeard’s reign, creating a fascinatingly complex protagonist.

The new season adds even more diverse pairings — with the advent of Jim and Archie, for example — while keeping the emotional through line of Stede and Blackbeard’s tumultuous relationship engaging. Queerness extends beyond romance in this show through the expansion of vulnerable pirate masculinity and stunning androgynous looks focusing on hair, earrings, tattoos, makeup and unique costumes.

To wrap it up, in disagreement with The New York Times review that claims it is “ruinous for the comedy,” the focus on relationships does not at all detract from the silliness that codified season one as a legendary show. Comedic bits like those that include Auntie and the Sea Witch, as well as the insane dreamscapes and campy merpeople, show how much comedy continues to remain a priority for the writers and actors.

Season two of “Our Flag Means Death” asks “what if Blackbeard struggles through a messy, queer break-up” and runs with it, adding and building intriguing characters, settings and emotional beats that leave audiences excited for the next two episodes coming Oct. 12.

Review: Early 5/5 stars