Diksha Sundriyal
The fourth season of Netflix’s ‘Outer Banks’ dials up the stakes for the Pogues as they are sent on the hunt for a treasure that promises to bring them a lot of money. Following their success at finding El Dorado, the friends try to have a new beginning, but even with the money they have, things are never as easy as they initially looked. Desperate to make money, they are drawn in by Wes Genrette, who tells them about his ancestor, Francis Genrette, who is said to have killed the infamous pirate Blackbeard. While Blackbeard himself is a real historical figure, Francis Genrette remains a fictional one. SPOILERS AHEAD
The Fictional Francis Genrette is Based on a Real Naval Officer
In ‘Outer Banks,’ Wes Genrette tells the Pogues that his ancestor, Francis Genrette, killed and beheaded Blackbeard, bringing his days as a pirate to an end. He also adds the part about Francis killing Blackbeard’s wife, Elizabeth, and the subsequent curse that has persisted in his family since then. In real life, there is no known naval officer by the name of Francis Genrette. He is a fictional character created by the show for plot purposes and is based on a British naval officer named Lieutenant Robert Maynard.
In 1718, with Blackbeard having set camp in North Carolina, the fear of his criminal activities raised concerns with the public of the surrounding states, particularly Virginia. The governor of the colony at the time was Alexander Spotswood, and he decided to do away with the pirate once and for all. He put Maynard in charge, sending him with two ships and a bunch of men to get the job done. Maynard played a trick on Blackbeard by hiding away with most of his crew to make it look like his ship was abandoned. When Blackbeard and his handful of men boarded it, they were caught off guard by Maynard and his men.
For about 6-7 minutes, a fight ensued between Maynard’s men and Blackbeard’s men. The British soldiers were known to be well-trained and experienced in hand-to-hand combat, which worked pretty well in their favor as they ended up neutralizing almost all of the pirates. At the end of the fight, Blackbeard died with “five shots” and “twenty dismal cuts” on his body. It has not been confirmed who made the fatal blow that killed the pirate, but the credit for his demise goes to Maynard. He also cut off Blackbeard’s head and took it back to Virginia as proof of his job well done. However, it was also aimed as a warning to other pirates.
Outer Banks Heavily Fictionalises Robert Maynard’s Character
In the show, Francis Genrette is said to have settled down in the Outer Banks, with his family taking the brunt of his actions, particularly in terms of the curse levied by Elizabeth. In real life, Maynard eventually went back to England and lived a full life. He died at the age of 66 at his home in Kent, and there is no evidence of whether he or his family ever had to suffer a curse cast upon them by Blackbeard’s wife or any other loved one.
The show uses the well-established real lore surrounding Blackbeard and his time in North Carolina as the basis for creating the fictional aspect to further the plot of its fourth season. Instead of using Maynard’s real name, they fabricate the character of Francis Genrette and create a new lore surrounding his family. It also works well, considering that one of the main characters in the series discovers a shocking connection he has with the Genrette family, which pushes the plot in a completely new direction while also setting the ground for more drama and tension in the story.
Read More: Outer Banks: Is The Blue Crown a Real Lost Artifact?
