This story is still about hope. Emma and Neal’s story took place in the real world, therefore their “fairytale” would be based in reality and in real life, it’s not all happily ever afters. Fairytales themselves are an exploration of real life issues through stories.
Friendly jumping into the conversation above if you don’t mind. Sure if one can cherry pick and place those who have done some twisted and evil things on a path to a redemption pedestal like some sort of hallo. As opposed to those who were to adamant about placing others before their own happiness had a pretty sub par arc the entire run of the series. Their reward is death. It’s a wonderful message of hope that perfectly reflects our real world. Meanwhile, disregard the outlandishness featuring magical fix it plot devices created out of thin air , tasers that defy science, dark voo doo magic used to bring back the dead, de-aging characters at will, and flying primates who were once humans. The power of the pen is a mighty tool indeed. Neal’s death didn’t represent a shred of our reality. He was manipulated into using dark magic because the writers wanted his character written off for whatever reason. The end. Their is no logic imo in using the real world angle to justify that writing when the show itself never bothered by following our rules. His sudden need to use dark magic was laughably contrived. It would have been better had he just decided to head back to NYC to pack up his stuff and getting shot from a robbery gone awry. A wrong place at the wrong time situation. It happens everyday. If the writing wanted his abrupt death to represent what happens in our world, that sometimes the good guy who may have deserved their elusive happy ending just never gets that chance. That **** just happens to those who get caught in the crossfire they would have written an ending for Neal that honored and better reflected the unique dynamic he had with Emma in their modern fairytale story. His ending did no such thing. And I get and respect that you may think differently. But I don’t belive this is the appropriate thread to be attempting to explain away a death that many of its posters will never find any logic in its mediocre writing.
AGREE!!!
