While the show has mostly been about Stede up until this point, it's nice to be able to focus on his counterpart in Ed, along with his foil in Izzy. Ed's backstory is a tragic one, and it only makes it more sad that he's been forced into a life which relies on violence. Whether or not he "enjoys a good maim," that doesn't mean he wants to be a pirate, and this episode does a good job of continuing the narrative of why that role weighs so heavily on him. Seeing Izzy Hands vying so desperately for his captain's respect, attempting to keep him safe by forcing him to stay within the usual rules and expectations of piracy, is sad to witness, since he's clearly going against what would make Ed happy.