The nautical superstition that it's bad luck to kill a seagull is corroborated in Our Flag Means Death episode 8, "We Gull Way Back." This historical sailor’s belief is depicted in various shows and films but has a notable payoff in creator David Jenkin’s recent pirate-themed comedy. While the series generally respects its historical lore, it does not elaborate on the reason why killing a seagull is unlucky.
Our Flag Means Death revolves around a ship of amateur pirates who are captained by Stede Bonnet, an ex-aristocrat going by the moniker “The Gentleman Pirate” due to his inherent pacifism in the field of pirating. Each pirate has their own quirk; Ewen Bremner’s character Buttons is often seen with a seagull named Karl standing atop his head and is very superstitious. When Karl is killed by a visiting pirate played by Will Arnett in Our Flag Means Death episode 8, Buttons curses him for his ignorance. Arnett’s character is soon confronted by another seagull before a cannonball crushes him. The karmic justice is celebrated by Buttons, but the death isn't a mere coincidence.
The superstition that killing a seabird is unlucky originated because sailors centuries ago viewed how Albatrosses flew swiftly downward to meet low-speed surface winds which then thrust them upward. The technique was considered supernatural and inspired the concept that the wandering souls of dead sailors possessed the birds. The saying “an Albatross around one’s neck” is referenced originally in a 19th-century poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge where a seaman kills an albatross, subsequently bringing death and destruction to his ship. The cursed seaman wears the dead bird around his neck to express guilt. In Our Flag Means Death, Will Arnett’s character does not acknowledge his guilt toward the untimely death of Karl, nor does he respect seagulls themselves as shown when he taunts a different seagull later in the eighth episode. The cannonball directly striking him confirms his mockery of the seabirds influenced this virtually supernatural death and implies that Buttons’ superstitions are founded in reality. Our Flag Means Death further hints at the possibility that seagulls do carry the dead souls of sailors when Buttons later speaks to a member of Karl’s family, insinuating that Buttons may be a medium of sorts or at least fully believes that the seagull will understand him.
Horror films such as Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse have utilized the seabird superstition to create a suspenseful atmosphere in contrast to Our Flag Means Death's irreverent tone. In Eggers’ film, the mythical aspects of life as a mariner are openly discussed and elaborated on. The seagull’s murder in The Lighthouse directly links to Robert Pattinson’s demise at the end of the film, where he gets eaten alive by a flock of seagulls. The myth is an effective plot device that adds layers to nautical worldbuilding because it implies an overarching ominous supernatural force at hand in an otherwise historically accurate environment. While Our Flag Means Death does not always abide by historical accuracies, fear of the supernatural has not been officially established outside of Buttons’ superstitions which are only implied to be based in fact. The show is considered a comedy, but the death of Will Arnett’s Calico Jack is still a brutal one thus respecting the idea that killing a seabird will cause bad luck.
Seagulls are an integral facet of Our Flag Means Death despite receiving a direct focus only in season 1 episode 8. While the series doesn't elaborate on the lore behind killing seabirds, Buttons’ blatant cursing of Karl the seagull’s murder establishes that there is a unique history to be recognized. The fate of Will Arnett’s Jack Calico proves that David Jenkins hasn't dismissed all historical accuracies in the show, and that sailor superstition plays a key role in this pirate’s tale.