So I know there are 1001 reasons why they keep Colin in the leather for marketing reasons, but look at how they dressed Neal. It is very Balefire, but who else is it like? Charming. Neal’s clothing is a lot like Charming’s–princely, knightly, heroic.
I think Neal is once again accepting he is Baelfire. He’s made peace with his papa, and now he’s even on a mission with Belle to save Rumple. His wardrobe transition from modern clothing to fairytale clothing shows the blending of Neal’s past persona as Baelfire with his adult identity as Neal. He’s Nealfire.
I also had a little theory going on during the winter hiatus about Neal’s EF attire. Reposting for reasons:
I was just thinking how distinguished Neal looks in this outfit, almost like a member of the gentry class. Do you think that Charming and Snow appoint him as nobleman? He probably inherited Rumple’s dark castle and fortune. His clothing appears expensive with the fine-woven cape and leather coat, gloves and suede pants. Also, Neal’s royal blue cape is almost suggests an elevation in his status from a peasant boy to a landed gentleman, perhaps even with a title! I was also thinking about the significance in coloration of Nealfire’s brown EF costume: Source:
The color brown is a serious, down-to-earth color signifying stability, structure and support. Relating to the protection and support of the family unit, with a keen sense of duty and responsibility, brown takes its obligations seriously. It encourages a strong need for security and a sense of belonging, with family and friends being of utmost importance. In the meaning of colors, brown is the color of material security and the accumulation of material possessions. The color brown relates to quality in everything – a comfortable home, the best food and drink and loyal companionship. It is a color of physical comfort, simplicity and quality. From a negative perspective it can also give the impression of cheapness and stinginess in certain circumstances. Brown is friendly and approachable. It is loyal, trustworthy and dependable in a practical and realistic way. In color psychology, brown is honest, genuine and sincere. It relates to the hardworking, the industrious and reliable, with both feet planted firmly on the ground. It is sensual, sensitive and warm, engulfing one in a feeling of calmness and comfort.
It is a practical and sensible color which implies common sense. It hides the dirt! The color brown is associated with wholesome, natural and organic produce and anything related to the great outdoors, agriculture and farming. Brown is a frugal color – it is not associated with frivolity, excess or waste in any form. While it is materialistic, it values quality above all else, and everything in moderation. Some browns can show a degree of sophistication or elegance, depending on other colors associated with the brown. For example, brown with a soft white or ivory can appear stylish and classy, although more casual than black with soft white or ivory. Brown suppresses the emotions, creating a safe haven from the stresses of the outside world within which problems can be contemplated and solved. Brown is a color of structure, although by no means does it encourage perfectionism – rather it encourages orderliness and organization. The color brown gives reassurance. It is quietly confident but never the life of the party! Brown does not seek attention – it prefers to stay in the background, allowing other colors around it to shine. Brown is solid with strength and maturity. It prefers to function in its own safe little world – it is not carefree and spontaneous and doesn’t like surprises. It can be considered dull, boring and unexciting by many. In fact it is one of the least preferred colors in the western world, along with orange and yellow.Doesn’t that description of brown line up exactly with Neal’s character? He’s loyal, sincere, warm, and practical. He doesn’t put on airs, but he looks to be a man of wealth now. He puts family first! I just wish Emma could take a gander at handsome Nealfire in his fairytale attire!
I remember when you brought up this color theory during the hiatus from Hades. 😀 I loved it then and I love it now! I actually highlighted my favorite parts of the brown description and the ones I feel most embody who Neal is as a character. The one that really stands out to me is the one about suppressing the emotions because we have seen Neal do that many times in his insane life. It makes me think about that one meme that came across Tumblr that described Neal as ‘jaded’ which basically is the same thing, suppressing everything and becoming numb because you’ve been hit with too many sad things. The more we find all these things that are not easy at all to find, the more I become convinced that there is NO WAY Neal is the death that’s coming later this season. We may not even see him in SB at all if he really was captured or turned into a monkey (don’t get me started on how freaked out I am that I could actually be right with my crazy monkey theory from like 20 pages ago, LOL) so his story won’t even totally become apparent until way later in the season. I can’t see any of his issues with Henry, Emma, or his father getting resolved in any of that time since he won’t even be with two of them (and one may not have his memories for most of the episodes) so there is NO WAY in my mind anymore that Neal is the one to go. Storyline wise it makes no sense (and they’ve said several times it’s storyline related) so right here, right now, I’m going to try to stop worrying so much about that doomsday spoiler and just hope we get to see a lot of Neal and Belle’s journey back to their loved ones and how it eventually succeeds. Good always wins so we know they’re going to succeed!!
Dang, he just looks so incredibly handsome in that FT garb. I can’t stop staring at him (and I seriously just changed my phone’s wallpaper to the pic of Neal walking over the grassy area, aka the BOOM picture before it got BOOM-ified) and honestly , it would be criminal if Emma never gets to see him rocking out that outfit. Mmmmmmmm. 😀
#MoreBOOMLessGloom