Very much there with you. Icequeen for sure, if they actually use Elsa, well, she looked a lot like her, so the thought will be there. No, the thought is there. They better work with this.
I also dislike the “why can’t she be a strong independent woman” line because that doesn’t seem to fly as a defense against the het romances.
Indeed, seldom used as argument against het romance, although, think I did once in a while, might have been even in connection with Emma. I am tired of women being whole only when they find their true love white knight, while for the white knights it’s their reward for being an accomplished guy, more the icing on top of finding a good life. And even less like it when finding true love is kinda used to put women into the “right” place, home, family, kitchen, kids, and that’s it, they’re reduced to it then. Yeah, great, with postfeminism it now has become a choice to stay there, ignoring how societal structures still make it a lot harder and close to impossible for women to be seen beyond (well, sorry, still more of an old fashioned feminist, so to speak, I see not much of a choice but plenty of societal constraints and restraining images).
Just to make that clear: strong never means having no weaknesses, flaws, struggle with things, it means interesting character, a character standing on its own and not just as an appendix to some other character. They’re trying with Emma, not always successful, but find it interesting, how people react to Emma. Prove to me that we still have to go a long way to overcome some images in all our heads.
So, strong female character doesn’t mean no romance, just doesn’t make romance all that she is about. It’s hilarious when people come with the strong, independent women trope any time when a woman might threaten masculinity and heteronormativity not just by being independent but maybe even by being attracted to women, and winning them. If a woman can do her own (sword) fights and doesn’t need a guy for pleasure either, that is scary.
Just hoping they’re not doing another whiny female big bad, because, Regina, Zelena – we had that, enough of it. Cora was a lot more intriguing as big bad until they decide to soften her and she became wishy-washy and her character development finally incoherent in this season. Time for a fiery cold female big bad. I could already sympathize with her when she simply calls out the main characters for their crap and foolishness, Rumple, Regina, Snow even Emma, they all are ignorant in some ways and too busy with themselves and their families to see how what they do does effect “bystanders”. No need for another sob story.
edit: One thing the TPTB (The Powers that Be, aka show runners, writers) did just with this last scene and tease for the new big bad: they got me intrigued again. My head is exploding with ideas for story, which I better should tune down, it’s so easy to get disappointed, particular on this show.
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