Our Flag Means Death: Ruibo Qian Was Worried She'd "Incur Some Serious Wrath" From Fans

The second season of Our Flag Means Death came to an end last month, and the season saw the return of many fan-favorite characters in addition to some exciting newcomers. Ruibo Qian joined the cast as the private queen, Zheng Yi Sao, who was a real-life woman conqueror. In the new season, Zheng sparks up a romance with Oluwande (Samson Kayo), but the first season left another Oluwande romance up in the air after he kissed his best pal, Jim (Vico Ortiz). It's no secret the Our Flag Means Death fandom is extremely vocal, so when ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Qian, we asked if she was worried about how the fans would react to Zheng and Oluwande's romance. 

"Oh, absolutely. I was like, 'I'm going to incur some serious wrath. I know. No. I'm so sorry,'" Qian recalled. However, many fans ended up shipping Zheng and Oluwande while Jim also got a new love interest, Archie (Madeleine Sami). 

"And just so appreciative of the level of diversity on all fronts, from a gender perspective ... all of it. I think it's so brilliant and exactly the kind of humor and the kind of storytelling that I myself lean into. Yeah. It's been incredible," Qian when asked about being in such a diverse show that's also known for its queer representation. 

"I think some of the existing crew had briefed me on the enthusiasm of the fandom, but any kind of briefing cannot prepare you for what it actually is. It's been so amazing, so humbling, and I'm so grateful. The fans are incredible and the art is incredible, and it's just such a beautiful, beautiful community." 

You can watch Qian's interview with ComicBook.com at the top of the page.

Con O'Neill Addresses OFMD Fan Backlash:

Warning: Spoilers Ahead! Sadly, Izzy Hands (Con O'Neill) did not survive the Our Flag Means Death finale. While some fans praised the emotional punch of Izzy's death, others were left outraged. SOme fans took to social media to express their anger towards the choice to kill Izzy. Recently, ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with O'Neill and he spoke about the fan response and his own thoughts on Izzy's ending.

"I've been told about it," O'Neill said when asked about the reactions to Izzy's death. "I always find it quite... 'cause Izzy wasn't particularly loved in Season 1, and so the overwhelming love I've had or he's had in Season 2 has taken my breath away, really. David Jenkins brought us all together. David Jenkins created the show that we all love. David Jenkins created the show that brought us the fandom and brought us... all of us."

O'Neill continued, "He didn't take it lightly. We talked about it a lot. Narratively, it made sense. I love playing Izzy with my heart and soul, and I'm sorry that people are upset. I'm genuinely sorry because I understand it. I didn't realize until Episode 6 dropped how much love there was for him. Then I started to get a bit nervous about how they would respond to Episode 8. But the reason I think it works is because David Jenkins has a plan. He has a narrative in his head, and whatever that narrative is, I'm up for it. I think Izzy's demise was although painful, essential to his narrative, so yeah." 

Our Flag Means Death is now streaming on Max. Stay tuned for more from our interviews with the show's cast.