Yes. Adam and Eddie said earlier before the 3A began that they had a plan in place for Jared’s sudden growth spirt, and skipping ahead to one year in the winter finale and then also this, is part of that plan. And that makes me really excited going forward because we’re going to see Henry dealing with more adult situations and how he reacts to them. No more trying to destroy magic, or save magic or throw temper tantrums.
Thank God, season 2 Henry was so annoying and so bratty. I hated how he dangled himself as a reward in front of Regina then just blew her off when it suited him. He called her mom when it suited him, then didn’t want to see her the rest of the time. The stuff with the dynamite was soooooooooooo idiotic on a grand scale that it made Dopey look Brainy. I think the most annoying thing of season 2 Henry was that none of the adults called him out on his stupid behaviour, Charming didn’t tell him off about the snakes and neither Regina, Emma, Snowing or Neal told him off about the dynamite. They let him get away with it! Season 2 Henry liked to play the adults off against each other. First Emma was flavour of the month over Regina (even season 1 Henry was a bit like that “I found my real mom” No Henry you found your biological mom, your real mom raised you for 10 years) then when Emma inevitably fell off the pedestal Henry had put her on, Neal and Rumple were flavour of the month.
3A Henry was a slight improvement over bratty Henry but he was so gullible when it came to believing Pan, a person he’s only known for a week and was very suspicious of to the point he actually tried to shoot Pan with a crossbow. He had his 3 parents in the room telling him that Pan was lying and to not give Pan his heart. Does Henry listen? No, he ignores them and goes ahead and does the thing he’s not supposed to do anyway. Henry needed to learn that he doesn’t know best so he should listen to the adults around him.
3B Henry or rather New Henry is a vast improvement. He is listening to the adults in his life even though he may sometimes question what they say. For example, Henry questions why Emma brought them to Storybrooke but listens to he when she tells him to stay put. He doesn’t go out investigating like old Henry would have done. New Henry is a character whereas old Henry was a walking, talking, irritating plot-device.
I liked how Henry didn’t immediately believe Emma when she told him the good stuff about Neal because that felt natural. Henry spent his “whole” life hearing about how his dad was a jerk who let Emma go to prison so for her to suddenly turn around and say to him “your dad was a good man etc”, whilst true, would’ve been a bit suspicious. It actually took an independent source (Hook) to say to Henry “yeah your dad was a good man etc” for Henry to believe what Emma had said.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix