#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

For some ungodly reason, the first half of this scene was cut out of Potc3 despite it adding some needed context to the moment. I’ve gone ahead and rectified that...anyway as promised here is my overly analytical take on this scene.

I believe the best way to start this off is by stating the obvious. Jack is a good man. It’s a bit of a running theme in the trilogy (and in books) that this “goodness” is what can often get him into trouble He saves Teague’s life, which leads to him getting pressganged by Christophe. He saves Elizabeth, which leads to his capture. He allows James Norrington to join his crew (with some prodding), which leads to him losing the heart of Davy Jones. He returns to save his crew, knowing that it would likely lead to his demise. For a man who is often characterized by others as a coward, Jack is selfless at his own peril. Until it eventually gets him killed. 

Jack’s desire to reject the pieces of himself which landed him in the locker is a running theme throughout the film. Interestingly, the only three people who seem to reference it are the three of the most important male figures in Jack’s life: Barbossa, Mr. Gibbs, and Teague. Obviously, we’ll be focusing on the latter two. 

Now let’s look at Gibbs and Teague. One a father by blood, the other a much-needed surrogate. I could spend the next five paragraphs explaining how completely opposite his relationship with Teague vs Gibbs is, but for the sake of time let’s just put it this way: Jack loves Gibbs and fears Teague. He seeks their acceptance and approval but really only gets it from Gibbs. And it’s Gibbs who so often is able to bring out the best in Jack. Yet at the moment when he likely needs his first mate the most, Jack shuts him out. 

At the beginning of this scene, Jack immediately turns to face Teague with a sort of ‘what’d you think about that’ face. After the brief interruption from Gibbs, he immediately goes back to seeking Teague’s approval. What’s interesting is that Jack is both defensive (assuming Teague's deadpan expression to be one of judgment as it so often was before) and desiring Teague's approval. After all, this behavior is what Teague had been trying to instill in him. His upbringing was filled with Teague’s frustration at Jack’s inability to be as ruthless as Teague believed he needed to be. Jack fought him on this at every turn 

So why not be relieved when Jack finally comes to his senses? Well, by that point it’s not really Jack. It’s a beaten-down, warped version of Jack. 

Teague is uncharacteristically gentle in the way he presents his advice. While their relationship is characterized by Teague being overly judgmental that isn’t present here. Teague is perhaps the only person in Jack’s life who understands his struggle. Life isn’t kind to pirates. The older you are the more scars you have, and the more hardened your heart becomes. 

The iconic scene is essentially Jack's way of saying 'you were right' and Teague replying 'no I wasn't.’ 

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

I’ve basically gone 6 years without really writing an official headcanon post on Teague’s alcoholism. Mostly this is because I like to think most people can pick up on it in my writing. But I’ve seen enough people mislabel characters as alcoholics without fully understanding what an addict is (this is not directed at anyone I follow, it’s just a general thing). 

Alcoholism is a substance abuse disorder, in other words, it’s a mental health issue. While many classify alcoholism as a physical dependency it’s not necessarily so. Not all alcoholics are physically dependent on alcohol. The withdrawal symptoms which are associated with alcoholism are merely a result of drinking daily. But there are generally signs of emotional dependency before that. 

Teague is a functioning alcoholic. The age he started drinking varies between verses (in canon it’s fairly young since rations were diluted with rum), but I’d say the average is around 15 years old. 

Teague grew up in an abusive household (physical and emotional). He never learned to deal with negative emotions or trauma in a healthy manner. The result was him using alcohol to alleviate some of that burden. While he’s used alcohol as a crutch most of his life it wasn’t an issue until Maria’s death. Her death served as a trigger for his alcoholism and he began drinking heavily on a daily basis. The severity subsided a bit after Teague was appointed keeper. He still drinks daily and he’s physically dependent on alcohol. 

Now, as I said Teague is a functioning alcoholic. From what I’ve observed and discussed with those who have a.) known functioning alcoholics or b.) were/are ones themselves, the way it works is that the alcoholic has a system. They work the alcohol into the day. In Teague’s case, he maintains during the day and drinks mostly at night when he’s alone and not saddled with as many immediate responsibilities. 

While Teague functions in professional environments his personal life is a damn mess and alcohol has definitely played its part. The most notable example is how his drinking contributed to his abuse and neglect of his son, Jack. However, it also served as a point of contention between himself and his youngest brother, Adam, as well as serving as fuel for unhealthy relationships.

Note: I’ve jokingly said that Teague’s plot armor is saving his liver....honestly it’s not even a joke. He’s alive in POTC4 and I’m not about to fuck with that for the sake of “realism”. If you want end-stage alcoholism go watch Shameless (US).

Special PSA in an attempt to save the sanity of my dearest @trickstercaptain : Jack thankfully did not inherit his father’s SAD. While alcohol was normalized in the Teague household and this did contribute to Jack abusing alcohol at a young age, Jack is not an alcoholic. Ignoring the weirdness that is DMTNT, Jack has only gotten drunk twice in the trilogy (both times under severe emotional stress). Unlike Teague who almost always has a drink in his hand or flask in his pocket, Jack is never seen drinking outside the norm (beyond those two incidents). So, yeah, I don’t know who needs to hear it but: Jack = abuses alcohol when times are tough; Teague = alcoholic (Both need therapy though, let’s be honest).

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.) #/ i may edit this later to add more information #but for now this is it

[thecodekeeper]

😤 = How would/does your muse handle unruly, difficult or dangerous behavior from their children? - sent by @twistedwit

Stares at @trickstercaptain @harringtontm @musecraft @kegstandin @scoopstrooptm​ @piraticalwit​ @dxdger @verumlibertas @immobiliter @lighthouseborn @ @ @ ........ Whatever stupid shit they’re doing he’s probably right there with them. Chastising them while pretending he doesn’t do equally stupid and dangerous shit on a weekly basis.

Okay, jokes (with a hint of truth) aside, He might nod approvingly, he might backhand him. It truly depends on what Jack did. 

That said, in a general sense, Teague was both an overbearing parent and supremely negligent in his attention to Jack. On one hand, he had a fairly lazefare attitude toward parenting. The reason Jack thinks he raised himself is that he did. Teague let trounce around Shipwreck without much supervision and whatever happened happened. His theory behind this being that if a child burns his hand on fire he’ll learn that fire hurts and not do it again- I’ll be real with you though, Teague also just didn’t want to deal with a child. 

I’ll just break this up into three categories:

Difficult:  When it came to difficult behaviour... I mean, Jack was a pretty easy kid and terrified of his father so I don’t imagine he was particularly difficult by normal standards. Note I said “normal standards”. I think it’s important to note that Jack wasn’t a difficult kid but he did have many personality traits which Teague found difficult and this is likely where the issues truly stemmed. Jack was a curious and kind-hearted kid who wasn’t really socialized properly. He was apt to stick his nose where it didn’t belong or put his trust in people when he shouldn’t. When these traits inevitably got Jack in trouble Teague’s response was annoyance and sharp words. 

Dangerous: When Teague would catch on to Jack doing something he deemed truly dangerous he would step in. However, the bar for these instances was rather high. In canon, we know that he stopped Jack from being sold into slavery and on another occasion prevented someone from cutting off his hand. Yet, Jack was not comfortable expressing injuries he may have received outside of Teague’s purview. Why? Likely because the kind of chastisement he received wasn’t worth it. Basically, Teague will save you from yourself but he’ll bitch about your foolishness as he does it.

Unruly: Again, Jack was a good kid, but even the best of kids hit their rebellious teen streak. Jack hit his between 15-16 when he ran away from home as a boy (15) and came back a slightly more worldly boy (16). I think Teague genuinely struggled with Jack for the next few years because Jack knew he could survive without Teague. He was still afraid of his father but also wanted to move on and do his own thing. Meanwhile, Teague still thought of Jack as a young, naive boy and refused to properly acknowledge how much he had grown. The “unruly” behaviour was really just Jack growing into himself. He could no longer control Jack JUST through the force of his personality which is why I think much of the physical abuse (backhands, slapping, etc) happened around this time. But I will say, for what it’s worth, Teague did handle this a bit differently. First, Jack was promoted to ABS. Second, he was allowed to shadow specialized crew members (eg. carpenter, cooper, gunsmith, etc) and properly learn how a ship was run. Third, Teague occasionally allowed him to sail with other (trusted) captains. This was Teague’s way of acknowledging that Jack was thrashing against his cage. 

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.) #/ i may come back to this because I'm not entirely satisfied but also brain dead

[thecodekeeper]

TATTOO BREAKDOWN: CANON

1.) A pig on his left foot and a rooster on his right: These were his first tattoos. He received them a week before he left on his first voyage as Bartholomew’s cabin boy. He was nine at the time. Due to his young age, they are very small and aren’t shaded. Traditionally having such tattoos was meant to prevent drowning. 

2.) A rope around his right wrist: Teague received this tattoo when he was around fifteen and dated his transition from cabin boy to ABS. It can also be interpreted as a symbol for the term “hold fast” which was meant to help a sailor keep a good hold on rigging. 

3.)  A small sea turtle tattooed on the web of his right hand (between the thumb and index finger): Teague received this tattoo after he was promoted to the position of boatswain around the age of twenty-three. 

Traditionally boatswains received an anchor tattoo but I personally could not resist giving Teague a sea turtle tattoo so y’all are just going to have to deal with it

4.) A compass rose on the right side of his chest: This tattoo traditionally symbolized always being able to find your way home. However, Teague’s is designed to look much more like a compass. While it may simply be the design of the tattoo it can also be interpreted as him having no true home beyond the sea. He received this tattoo when he was twenty-five. 

5.) A swallow holding an anchor surrounded by three nautical stars on the inside of his left forearm: This tattoo remains the most emotionally significant. It’s the only tattoo that Teague has updated over time. He received the nautical stars sometime in his late twenties. The swallow was added sometime after Maria’s death. Swallows were often used to represent returning home. If a sailor were to die at sea the swallow would guide his soul “home”. The tattoo can be interpreted as Teague seeing Maria as his anchor and wishing to return to her once he dies.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

What about learning to swim ? Sail ? - headcanon question sent by @musecraft

It wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration to say that Teague knew to sail before he knew how to walk. The first years of his life were spent at the family manor located on Libertatia. He was surrounded by sailors and always wanted to be one himself so it was only natural that he began learning the ins and outs before he even set foot on a ship. He was taught to read and write at a fairly young age and it’s fair to say that Anne groomed all of her children to become captains. The keeper at the time, Captain Bartholomew, was his first captain and Teague began serving as his cabin boy at the age of nine- short voyages only. It was then that he learned the ins and outs of sailing. As he grew older he was also taught to navigate. 

While Teague technically began sailing at a ridiculously young age he did spend long periods of time landbound as well. Even during these times though he was taught knots, mathematics, ships, and so forth. It was very structured and Teague found it rather laborious. 

When Teague was around sixteen his ‘man strength’ began to kick in and he was finally able to begin work as an able-bodied sailor. This was something he enjoyed and was very good at. I guess, strictly speaking, his ‘learning how to sail’ peaked at that time but he does have working knowledge of most other positions aboard a ship. He notably worked as a navigator, bosun, and briefly as a musician. 

It was the fact that he had been working at sea for decades plus luck (and his family’s position, let’s be real) that allowed him to become a captain at such a young age. 

As far as learning to swim... he was very young. He’s a strong swimmer and was taught at a very young age (three or four maybe). There were too many drowning hazards for it to not be a vital skill. Anne was (thankfully) out at sea during this time and Teague had the pleasure of not being traumatized by her teaching methods. One of their servants taught him.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

What was Teague's favorite toy as a kid? If there was none, what's his first like "prized possession" ? - sent by @musecraft​

Teague was always more of an outdoorsy kid. Like, you probably won’t catch him playing sports but he also refused to be cooped up inside. He lived on Libertatia, Madagascar and there were plenty of places to explore. I guess you could say his favorite toys were mud, sand, and the sea. When it came to physical possessions though he likely had a few toys. Bartholomew did woodwork as a hobby and many of Teague’s earliest toys were made by him. His favourite was probably a wooden hoop which he would hit with a stick. He also had a little toy boat which he technically prized above the wooden hoop but didn’t use as often. For the most part though, I don’t think he was very big on toys. He liked romping, playing with his brothers and any other local children he’d come across. 

As far as first prized possession... while the little wooden boat was probably his most treasured childhood toy I think the first item he truly treasured was his first guitar. His first guitar was an old baroque and was given to him by Bartholomew. 

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

HEADCANON. Teague was a handful as a kid. Not necessarily in an ‘oh he’s a bad kid’ sense but rather he was very daring and adventurous. He wasn’t the kind of child who would ask what a thing was, no, this kid would just march forward and experience it for himself. From the moment he could walk he was on the move. Neither Anne nor Bart were the types of parents to intervene unless they absolutely had to (although Bart was a bit better on this front) so many of his earliest scars came from climbing where he didn’t belong and jumping headfirst when caution was needed. When he inevitably became injured there was always a very unsympathetic ‘see, this is what happens’ attitude. He came out of it all feeling as if he were very independent, but I think this can be more accurately attributed to him realizing the only person who would look after Teague was Teague. 

#childhood tag. #⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

Was there ever a point at which Teague pushed against the way things were and tried to break from all the generational trauma going on or did he just not have the tools or resources for that? Does he think of his life in terms of, like, "that should not have been that way" or is it more of a "that's just the way it is" ?

I think I can say that I sorta answered part of this here. But this is definitely more specific so let's delve into it a bit...

I think what's interesting about Teague is that he understands Anne was abusive, at least to a point. One of the reasons he received the worst of it is because he pushed against the grain and refused to be totally cowled by her. While he never really made a break from the family he did call her out and shield his brothers whenever possible. But, as I said, this was only up to a certain point. Teague understands the physical abuse was abuse but fails to fully recognize that the mental and emotional stuff was just as severe. I mention this not only because it influenced the way he treated Jack but also because it played into his toxic family values.

I think when it comes to his inability to break free from the generational trauma it often circles back to his unhealthy relationship with family (specifically Anne). Okay, so I'm not sure if I'll explain this well but his identity is deeply intertwined with family and piracy. He never broke away from the family (specifically Anne) because as bad as it was, as horrible as SHE WAS, it was better (in his mind) than losing that connection.

In some ways, you can say that Teague managed to unshackle a few limbs, even if he wasn't entirely free. He's far more prone to intervening when he sees wrong being done than either Anne or Bartholomew ever were. He also did try to do better by Jack. He took the position as keeper not because he wanted the job but because Jack wouldn't have to live with Anne. In verses where he's not Jack's captain, there are also some very awkward attempts at being some sort of parental figure....he sucks at it though.

I'll never excuse his actions. But he's one of those victims who never really made it out of the trenches entirely.

That said, Teague doesn't lament his lot in life. He accepts the cards he was dealt. I don't...I don't even think he would blame his trauma for the mistakes he's made, either. Even if he had a true understanding of everything. It's very much, 'this is the lot I was given, these are the choices I made'. Maybe they weren't the right choices. But they're his and he'll own them (likely without apology).

I'll sorta end it on this note... Teague was a piss poor father and isn't always the best person (definitely not the most likable one). But I don't consider him a bad one either. Having come from a household where the mother was a raging narcissist Teague has gone in the opposite direction. He has focused on being a good brother, captain, and guardian of Shipwreck. All of these positions require you to think about the group/others. In a world where he was constantly encouraged to look after himself and his family (Anne's interests) before everything else, Teague rejected that mindset.

That's something, and as you @lighthouseborn have pointed out. Something is more than nothing.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

Does Teague ever regret the choices he made in life, the way he raised (or didn't raise) Jack, the losses that he's suffered through the years? If so, what is his greatest regret, and what would he change if he could?

Uhhh….can I say yes and no? I don't mean to make this convoluted, but Teague isn't the kind of guy who laments about the what if's in life, which isn't the same as not having regrets. I don't know…it's a weird question for me to answer because I think Teague lived a full life. Furthermore, he knows he lived a full life and likely wouldn't change much of it. But, again, he has regrets. There are moments he looks back on and feels guilt over. For example, Teague regrets being at sea when Maria fell ill. Had he known she would get sick he wouldn't have left (obviously) but there's also little good that can be had from obsessing over that.

His whole relationship with Jack is a bloody mess, mate. Again, he has some very specific regrets regarding Jack, but he doesn't regret the way he raised him. Teague made sure that Jack had a roof over his head, learned a trade, and was capable of making it on his own at a young age. Why? Because the life of a pirate is unpredictable and Teague wanted to make sure Jack wasn't reliant on him. This doesn't negate the fact that he was abusive, of course (which I'm assuming is what you're referring to). Unfortunately, Teague struggles to comprehend how poorly he treated Jack. Like, I don't know how else to explain this other than he doesn't see most of what he did as abuse. Teague's own home life was a wreck, leaving him very unaware of how to nurture a child.

Teague recognizes physical abuse as abuse and I think most of the regrets Teague has in regards to raising Jack to go back to the occasions in which he struck him. He also regrets dropping Jack off at Anne's and would take that back in an instant as well.

I don't know, man. Teague would both like to have a better relationship with Jack, doesn't know how to do so, and remains stubbornly resistant to the ways he could make amends. It is a nightmare of a relationship. He's…not a good dad.

Honestly, though, I don't know if there's much Teague would change unless we're really giving him powers to stop death and massively alter the future. He lived a full life. Sure, there was a lot of pain and suffering, but also a lot of love and happiness. The way he sees it, he did the best he could for Shipwreck, his crew, and his family. He made some shitty, selfish choices, but many others in which he put the safety and wellbeing of others before himself. Maybe that's not enough. Maybe it doesn't all even out. If that's the case, he'll deal with it when the time comes.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.) #/ teague is literally ready to fist fight everything EXCEPT the consequences of his own decisions

[thecodekeeper]

HEADCANON. Teague is very awkward when it comes to physical affection. He’s not opposed to giving it...it’s just...not always the kind of physical contact people want. With kids, specifically Jack and Henry, he would often ruffle their hair when they were younger or sorta give them a very quick, strange-looking side hug (click here for a visual). In general, he’ll also give shoulder squeezes or pat you on the back in a way that if you’re not paying attention may knock you forward a little. There are a few exceptions to this (Maria being the best example) but overall he struggles with this love language even if it’s one of his preferred methods of receiving affection/love.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

@lighthouseborn​ asked -  👫

---

1.)     Their relationship is somewhere between grandson/grandfather and mentee/mentor. This came about naturally as Teague and Elizabeth work closely together. Teague took Elizabeth under his wing and it appears that Henry simply fell under this same umbrella. Since there weren’t many (read: any...including Teague) babysitters on Shipwreck Teague found himself agreeing to keep an eye on Henry while Elizabeth dashed off to do one thing or another. As Henry got older he began coming around without his mother. Teague rarely turned him away. It wasn’t an uncommon sight to see Teague in his cabin, looking rather pained by Henry’s incessant questioning. Sometimes he’d snap at the young boy to stop pestering him, but he never made a move to make him leave. They spent so much time together that people began to assume Henry was Teague’s protégé. They weren’t wrong.

2.)     By the time Henry rolled around Teague had resigned himself to the fact that he’d likely die without an heir. His position, while powerful, isn’t desirable. Those who would desire such a position generally hold little intention of maintaining a pirate society. So he was resigned...until Henry. It wasn’t intentional. Henry’s constant chattering simply got to the point where Teague needed a reprieve, and it just so happened that the only time Henry was silent was when he was reading. So he allowed Henry to read the codex. Much to Teague’s surprise, Henry devoured it. Naturally, Henry’s questions started again, this time about the codex, pirate society, and their customs. It spiraled from there. Henry’s attachment to Shipwreck Cove and its inhabitants has only solidified Teague’s decision to offer Henry the position at some point. 

3.)     Teague gave Henry his first knife, taught him how to shoot his first gun, showed him how to tie his first knot, gave him his first sip of rum, and plenty of more firsts none of which were done at age-appropriate times.

4.)     Much like Jack, he finds Henry to be too kind and trusting. Willing to put his faith in others where Teague would never. He is slightly more forgiving of this than he was with Jack. Perhaps he has mellowed in his old age, or maybe he’s realized that Henry, like Jack, has his own way of doing things. It’s doubtful even Teague knows the answer. 

5.)      When Henry was younger and Teague was in one of his better moods he’d regal Henry with stories of his youth. Often when this happened it would be in connection to some trinket or furnishing that Teague kept as a trophy. Now that Henry is older and more experienced he gets to regal Teague about his own adventures. Everything comes full circle. 

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.) #lighthouseborn #henry turner tag.

[thecodekeeper]

how are you ruined:

ruined by lonliness.     you are so lonely. you are miserable in your solitude. you hate that you cannot bring yourself to reach out, to ask for help. you will be forgotten by all who never knew you. your biggest fear is that you will die alone, and you know this fear will be seen to fruition. you refuse to extend yourself beyond the box that others put you in. and it is a box that no one dare come near. you are lonely because you are afraid of yourself.

Tagged by:  @spynorth​ Tagging:  @harringtontm @scoopstrooptm (robin or dustin) @trickstercaptain @hargrovetm @kingrove​

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.) #/ intersting and accurate for the most part #something tells me Teague won't be forgotten though lmao #if only because he tends to leave his mark #but he'll definitely go down as that go guy who everyone knew of without actually knowing

[thecodekeeper]

what was his relationship like with his parents? did he have a favorite parent? how did he view their relationship with each other and how did it impact his own relationships as an adult? - sent by @twistedwit

Deep breath. Okay, folks, this is a weird one. So I think the best way to explain this is to give a summary of Anne and Bartholomew’s relationship. These two met at an orphanage located somewhere in Britain (I’ve not decided where yet). Anne was around six and Bartholomew was five. From childhood, they were practically inseparable and this didn’t change much as teenagers. They do love each other deeply but it’s definitely an atypical relationship (especially in non-canon settings). To start with, it’s an open relationship. They both sleep with other people and, honestly, I’m not joking when I say that all of Anne’s kids are probably from separate fathers. Furthermore, by adulthood, they do have separate lives. They don’t live together, although the manor on Madagascar did serve as a residence for both of them. I lay this out because Teague didn’t grow up with a traditional “father”. Bartholomew was a father figure and mentor but not someone Teague ever called dad. I this is an important distinction because you can see the reflection of this in how Teague acted toward Jack. While Teague was definitely closer with Bart than he is with Jack there’s this ‘never quite a father’ nature of the relationship. 

Okay, so circling back to Teague and his parents...

Anne: Teague’s relationship with Anne is a fuckfest of awfulness. Just a complete disaster. She’s completely unfit to be a mother and I will forever be horrified that a bloody book series targeted toward children birthed that awful excuse for a woman. Teague and his fraternal twin sister, Hazel, were actually Anne’s second and third children respectively (Hazel was born first by a few minutes). Even then, Teague was the scapegoat between the two. It’s not clear why. Perhaps he was too fussy or kicked too much while in gestation. Whatever the reason, Anne and Teague’s relationship struggled from day one. Perhaps it would have just lived and died as just that except when Teague was seven he and Hazel got sick and, well, I’m sure you can see where this is going. Hazel, the golden child, and presumed heir died. So Anne was left with Teague. This led to a very intense trauma bond. Anne was incredibly abusive but also groomed him to take over the family legacy/business (what it depends on the verse). The result was Teague was left resenting Anne but never feeling assured in his own identity enough to break away from her. He also desperately craved approval which was rarely given. I literally can’t stress enough how deeply their toxic relationship has impacted Teague. 

Bartholomew: Teague’s relationship with Bartholomew is less clear-cut. On one hand, Bartholomew was 100% the superior parental figure.  It was an incredibly low bar but hot damn if he didn’t clear it. Bartholomew rarely raised a hand to Teague, and while he had high expectations which could be very hard to reach, he never made Teague feel lesser the way Anne did. He was also a mediating force between Anne and Teague (technically all her children, but Teague received the worst of it so). Teague naturally looked up to him and idealized Bartholomew both as a captain and mentor. Yet there was always something unreachable about Bartholomew. He was stoic and...much of his advice could be chalked up to ‘suck it up and push through’ which is what Teague did. Basically, emotional vulnerability was nearly impossible in his family. Bartholomew was somewhat more sympathetic toward it but ultimately thought that boys needed to learn to be men. 

That said, Teague loved Bartholomew and was very close to him. Bart was definitely the “favourite parent” and Teague was 100% Bartholomew’s favourite kid. He groomed Teague to be the next keeper because he trusted him more than Anne or any of the other children to uphold the code and keep Shipwreck afloat. 

Now, on the topic of how Teague perceived Anne & Bartholomew’s relationship... he knew that they loved each other. More specifically he knew that Bartholomew loved Anne and Anne loved that he loved her. Their relationship was typically warm. In the privacy of their own home/family they didn’t hide the fact that they loved each other. In fact, there was a warmth and familiarity to their relationship which you often see in old married couples. Neither Anne nor Bartholomew are particularly healthy people (although Anne is definitely the worst between the two of them). But I guess you could say their relationship was as healthy as it could be considering who they were.  Teague was also semi-aware that their relationship wasn’t monogamous (he never sat down to question the ins and outs though since he’d rather not think about their sex life). Anne and Bart were devoted to each other in their own way and Teague knew that. 

Interestingly, Teague does believe in love and can even be labeled a bit of a hopeless romantic (you’ll pry that information out of his cold dead hands though). I’d say that when Teague is in a relationship you can see some impact of how he was raised on his distaste for loud arguing (which he never really saw growing up), one of his biggest love languages being ‘spending time together’, and his devotion. However, Teague generally avoids committed relationships but when he’s in them he’s in them for the long haul. The issue isn’t that Teague doesn’t know what a loving relationship is, or that he’s not willing to put the work in. The issue is that Teague’s ability to open himself up and be in a healthy relationship is very limited. He has an okay idea of what it should look like but isn’t willing to go through the pains necessary to obtain it. This aversion has more to do with household abuse and losing Maria than any dysfunction he witnessed between Anne and Bart.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

Not related to childhood necessarily but what's Teague like in a fight ? - sent by @musecraft

Honestly, like, just the biggest pain in the ass. I mean the absolute worst person to get into a scuff with. Not because he’s particularly big or strong. He’s just mean. When it comes to hand-to-hand combat Teague is that prick who will poke you in the eyes, slap you, and kick you in the groin. A man who has pride in battle is a man with limited options. 

I’ve spoken about this before but he’s also very durable. Not in the sense that he can’t be injured but he’s never as injured as he should be. He’s very hard to knock down, much less put his lights out. On top of that, he’s slippery. While he rarely has a strength advantage Teague is fast, quick to react, and accurate when he hits back. 

If he’s not part of the action just assume he’s dead or something because this dude will just throw himself into the middle of it. His swordsmanship is passable. Not sloppy enough to get him killed but he won’t be winning fending tournaments any time soon. He has very good spatial awareness and will often use his environment to his advantage. It’s never just a sword fight. Expect him to throw, club, and shoot his way out of any situation. He seriously doesn’t give a shit. Fighting isn’t meant to look pretty.

Also, I don’t know where else to put this but...his aim is just freakishly good. Even when he’s drunk he can hit the bullseye. He uses this to his advantage in his older age and now often sticks to mid/long-range weapons (he’ll still scrap though.)

In regards to his mindset, I often think about the quote from Punisher where it goes something like “you hit them and they get back up, I hit them and they stay down.” Excluding fist fights which are just a thing that happens but necessarily signify hard grudges, Teague is ruthless. Note I said “ruthless” though. He’s not cruel. He’s looking to finish fights, not prolong them for pleasure. In his mind, if you’re on the other end of his sword/pistol then you’ve either done something to deserve your fate or pose a risk to his life/loved ones  In other words, he kills his enemies because they’d kill him if given the chance.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

What did his parents call him ? Any nicknames ? Did they pull out the full name when he was in trouble ? - sent by @musecraft​

It’s a bit of a running gag that literally everyone, including close friends and family (aka Jack), call him Teague. I think the only people who have consistently used the name “Edward” were his brothers, Maria, and parents.

Anne only uses “Edward” or refers to him as boy. Occasionally she just whistled because using his name required too much effort or something of that nature.

Bartholomew wasn’t one for nicknames but would endearingly use terms like “lad” and (in modern) “kiddo”. 

His brothers will call him “Ed” and use “Eddie” if they want to annoy him. Once, a very long time ago, Jonathan called him “Ned” and promptly got punched in the arm for it. 

Captain Don Rafael called him “Eduardo” which is not a nickname, technically, but I find it cute and wanted to mention it anyway. 

At this point, his first name is more of a nickname than anything. It’s a rather intimate way to refer to him since it’s so rarely used by others.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.)

[thecodekeeper]

Anonymous asked: a random headcanon about teague and cersei?

I know you asked for one but I refuse to be contained so here you go:

(also this is all very haphazardly put together because i had go way back into my notes for this. RIP)

- I once asked @aworldofyou why Cersei was attracted to Teague and she literally said it was because he’s a sassy bitch. To be more precise, she was originally attracted to him because he’s a blunt asshole and this reminded her of Jaime so...do with that what you will. Anyway, there wasn’t an emotional attachment between either of them in the beginning. It was originally just about good sex and booze. Things did eventually begin to evolve into something more, although I wouldn’t claim it as love. It’s more like they were two very lonely people who had already experienced deep love for their respective partners. The lack of expectation for anything more than what they have at that moment between each other is weirdly enough what brought them closer together. And, I don’t know, it’s too intimate to be casual but too casual to be intimate. 

- They do have an expiration date though. Neither are particularly healthy individuals. Inevitably they burn each other out. They’re too alike and there is too much pride involved to maintain the relationship. However, whether it’s weeks, months, or years they end up forgetting how bad it was the last time and hooking up again like the fools they are. 

- She’s a bitch who constantly steals his rum so he steals her cigarettes and honestly they’re actual children who resort to crime over petty disagreements.

- She has a key to his house and he literally doesn’t know how she got it. Zero physical boundaries in this relationship, I tell you. 

Also, and this is very relevant, this ship happened entirely on accident.

#⌈ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴀɪɴ ᴇᴅᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴇᴀɢᴜᴇ⌋ ― (headcanon.) #⌈sʜɪᴘ. ᴛᴡᴏ ʟᴇss ʟᴏɴᴇʟʏ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ⌋ ― (teague & cersei.)