Reply To: Emma + Baelfire = Swanfire

[Slurpeez]

RumplesGirl wrote: But think about it: if the SF stuff is yet to come and needs to be explored later then Neal CANT die in 316. How do you resolve a relationship from 313-315?????

Exactly…which is what I’ve been saying. Neal’s death would not only signal the end of his second chance, but it would also bring Emma’s individual character development to a halt.  Her way of dealing with things has always been not to deal with them, to keep her head down, and to shut off her feelings. Remember Emma’s confession in the Echo Cave; it would’ve been easier on her if Neal had died than to face all of the pain they went through all over again. Neal’s “death” would’ve been the easy out for Emma; but that means Neal’s survival is key to Emma facing her past, doing the hard thing, and believing she actually could open herself up to love and to Neal again. I think Emma allowed herself to kiss Hook as a distraction, a misdirection if you will, from the pain over her continued loss of Neal, the man she truly loves according to Eddy Kitsis. Remember when Emma confessed to Snow she’d kissed Hook. Snow’s reply? “Emma, I get what you’re doing  you know. You don’t want to hope that Neal could be alive, but you should….Because all happy endings start with hope, and you deserve a happy ending, Emma.”