Reply To: Emma + Baelfire = Swanfire

[dontstopbelievin]

I think he thinks Emma is a new Milah, right? I was really turned off in ep. 312 (?) when he answered Emma’s question on why he came back with “For you Emma.” He didn’t say “for you and Henry”. Let’s not forget he’s into the hott moms but not into their kids. Kids cramp the adventurous lifestyle. And God forbid the mom should up and die and leave him feeling “responsible”…

Agree totally. I think subconsciously that’s part of my choosing of SF vs CS – while both realize that Emma and Henry come as a package deal, only one of them is SEEKING them as a package deal. Not to say that’s the only reason, and certainly, plenty of successful relationships have been launched when someone wants the parent but accepts the child. It just doesn’t have the same heartstring pull (for me) as a guy who is like, “That’s my family, and I want them back.” It trumps, “I have the hots for that girl, she seems like fun and I think maybe I could get over my 300-year-old broken heart. Her kid’s okay, too.”

This is not something that happens in a half-season arc. However, as I believe others have pointed out, Hook’s redemption must also involve Neal. He cannot be a father figure to Henry before admitting/regretting that he failed Bae. This would line up with the theme chez Snowing/Rumple/Neal/Emma all struggling with their own feelings of failure as a parent.

I agree that it’s not something that happens in a half-season arc, but I think that should they resolve it in 3B, it’s been a while coming. I am hopeful that he realizes Emma was a stepping stone to opening his heart again, and even if that realization comes from 3B, it’s built on the foundations of the last two seasons.

Additionally I wholeheartly concur that delving into the father figure to Henry/failing Bae would be straight up thematic with this show. I forget which post (I think it’s yours above) was discussing the fact that as fans, we focus on the romantic relationships – SF, CS, OQ, Rumbelle, Snowing etc. But as much as that’s used as a driving factor on the show, what this show REALLY boils down to is parental love. It’s what the TLK in 1×22 was about – not romantic TLK but parental TLK. There are fewer romantic pairings on this show than parent-child stories – not only the core stories of Rumple & Bae, Charmings & Emma, Regina & Henry, Emma & Henry, Neal & Henry, but even Regina & Cora, we see it with Philora wanting to protect their kid at the expense of the SB gang, Henry & Regina, Mo willing to take back Belle’s memories to keep her safe, Ruth willing to give her life for the Charmings to have Emma, etc. Hook doesn’t get that, he’s kind of on the outside of that huge theme of the show. He had a theoretical kid, whom he theoretically wanted to have a life with, but when push came to shove his piratey tendancies took over. I think if he wants a real future with Emma, he’s gotta get that, REALLY get it, or it would be totally unbelievable (completely outside of SF vs. CS.)

Are you using the Text editor or the visual editor? I had trouble w/my first post last night, but it seems to have fixed it by clicking the text tab and entering my tagging there.

I’d been using visual, but this post I tried text. We’ll see how it turns out – seems I can use HTML here and that makes me happier. BBCode and I never did get along terribly well, but HTML is an old friend 🙂