Couldn’t agree more.
But I get the pain some people feel, somewhat. Out of respect I tried hard to hold back on views and commentaries for past two days (not that easy sometimes). Expected though the anger going around, haven’t seen any death threats to the writers and showmakers yet, but wouldn’t surprise me either. Some people are just getting a lot more invested in characters than others and a few maybe overly.
Story telling is pretty much about drama, there is a reason why is called happy ending. I expect good story telling to take me to places, I don’t always feel comfortable to to or don’t want to go to at all. Explore my own issues as much as how other people feel and think to broaden my horizon and understanding. To confront me with things, feelings that can hit me in real life as well, and when they do it might help to have gone with someone else, even if it’s a fictional character through these emotions, help to handle and survive them. Of course I want as well pleasant entertainment and happy moments, but for me story telling is good if it doesn’t make it easy for me. Everything else is mind-relaxing entertainment to consume and forget about.
I don’t think that all development and writing for the character Neal was good, and there sure is more story about him to tell, but to me a while ago, before the rumors started it made story telling sense to kill him. I haven’t decided yet, if I find it just okay or good, how they now killed Neal, but I am okay that they took the story there.
See, I am one of the few who really likes the Blue Fairy, and more so like to see Keegan Connor Tracy to have work and great roles to play, but I was okay with killing the Blue Fairy. I was not okay with her coming back. It destroyed what story telling sense the death had, and more important, it tainted the possibility and impact of other deaths maybe to come. And look at what is happening. People do cry foul, that the Blue Fairy came back, that her coming back already broke the rule of dead being dead, and of course so people now rightfully ask, why not bring Neal back. There are story telling reasons not to, to make this a death to stick, but it could have been easier for more to accept, if they had not brought the Blue Fairy back. It was a mistake. I am sure, Neal’s death would have a different impact now if they hadn’t butchered that story line before.
I can imagine other versions. Keeping Rumple dead, but very sure plenty of Rumbelle and Rumple fans than as well would of suffered. Keep Rumple dead, let Neal’s attempt to resurrect him or get to the power of the Dark One going wrong in the way, that Neal would have turned into the Dark One, which though I guess would have set up some fans because of making him dark and a villain.
As I see it, keeping Neal around as just Rumple’s son, Henry’s father and former and maybe future love interest for Emma wouldn’t have done him good long (it already didn’t), he would have needed a story to make him stand as character on his own, to be not just a major character (one with high impact on the story) but become a main character, one to carry a good chunk of the show with his own story. Yes, I make a difference between major character and main character. For example Hook as well in my eyes might be a major but is still far from being a main character, even though we got a bit of background. That is not to confuse with just supporting characters like Sneezy, Doctor, Granny or even the Blue Fairy, who are there because a plot needs some friends or foes or whatever extra speaking characters, but have not a central role, no major impact on the overall story of a show.
At the same time I felt the character development of the main characters (to me Emma, Regina, Rumple, maybe Snow and Charming as team, no, not Henry, he’s just major) was a bit in a stalemate by now, and it seems the writers might have felt something alike. Bringing in the next big bad and the next action doesn’t keep a show interesting for long, it’s character development that does (and I think that is even true for action super hero serials, and OUaT is not even that kind of show, just has elements of it).
No, Neal didn’t deserve to die, sure not, like most others he deserved a happy ending (but what defines a happy ending?). I don’t even think, it was a hero death or making that much sense (the Wicked Witch controls the Dark One now, not that smart, is it), it was tragic, kinda senseless, but Neal let go with a sense of doing the right thing from his POV. Death never is great, and there is no thing like a heroic “good” death IMO, just someone making an often dumb sacrifice, which with some luck though turns things better for the people left behind.
But Neal’s death is perhaps the one with the biggest impact on most of the main and some other characters on the show. It will impact Rumple and Emma, Henry and through them others. It makes sense for story telling.
Doesn’t mean I am throwing now a party (I know that on other sites opinions, views of some sound like they would), Neal’s death is meant as tragic momentum, and it makes people sad. I respect that. But if it comes to the show and the work of the writers I have a different view.
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