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It would have been great to see Bae/Hook reactions…if Bae had been portrayed decently as an adult. But that didn’t come to be. I still don’t see the brooding, dark little boy in surfer dude Neal at all.
When you say “portrayed decently”, do you mean in terms of acting or writing? I think MRJ did a good job with what he was given, however he suffered the same problem as what EdR had in season 2 and 3 which was lack of screentime. Belle got more screentime in 3B but poor Neal was shafted. His only real presence in 3B was his death episode. It seemed the writers didn’t know what to do with Neal or Belle in season 2 so they would disappear for entire episodes at a time then cameo in another episode just to show the audience they still existed. I’m glad that Belle has actually been given proper screentime and story in 3B. The other characters actually react to her now rather than just ignoring her or trying to use her as a pawn against Rumple.
I do agree that there is a disconnection between Neal and Bae. People do change overtime, however we never got to see that transition from Bae to Neal so it seems like they’re two different characters. Rolandgate was a very OOC moment for Neal. He hates magic, yet he’s suddenly okay using it to get to Neverland? Not only that but he’s willing to use a child for bait? The only reason that Neal’s actions in 315 AREN’T OOC is because Rolandgate was written as being in-character.
A&E had always intended for Bae to be Henry’s dad but they also wrote themselves into a corner because they needed an explanation for why season 1 Emma was the way she was. Unfortunately they more or less laid the blame at Neal’s door. The audience’s first real introduction with Neal was Tallahassee where he didn’t come off in the best light and that was it until Manhattan. That’s 7 episodes where the audience’s first impression of Neal (Betraying Emma, a beloved character) had time to cement itself in the audience’s opinion unchallenged. By the time the writer got round to showing Neal in a better light in the following episodes, for some it was a little too late. Neal was hooked up with Tamara (He didn’t just drop her when Emma came back- which was actually quite honourable of him, shame Tamara wasn’t the genuine article, yet some people saw it as him screwing around with Emma’s feelings once again. Poor Neal was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t).
Hook was quite a divisive character on his introduction. However, the following episodes gave him chance to challenge people’s first impressions of him. He bullied crippled Rumple (Hate him), he’s a cheeky chappy in The Doctor and Tallahassee (Kind of like him), he does other stuff (hate him, like him, hate him, like him), he shoots Belle (Hate him with the fire of a thousand suns, etc). Hook had the chance to change the audience’s perception of him almost every episode he was in. Neal didn’t get that chance.
Hook apologising to Belle was a must do in order to get me to like him. I liked his apology, I’ve seen complaints about it being insincere but I disagree, it was an in-character apology from a character who openly admitted a few episodes before that he doesn’t apologise often. The fact that he did apologise says a lot. I liked that Belle accepted it without rolling over, it showed she wasn’t a push over. Hook isn’t a sappy person therefore a sappy apology wouldn’t suit him. I don’t think his apology was just a show for Emma, Belle called him out in front of people, he probably felt uncomfortable because he knew he was in the wrong with what he did to Belle, and knowing you’re in the wrong in front of people is a very uncomfortable and awkward situation.
3B Hook was a very likeable character. In my favourite character rankings, Hook is now above Snow whereas he used to be very near the bottom of the list, he’s shot up the rankings in terms of favouritism. Hook is now somewhere in the top 10 whereas before he was in the bottom 5.
The “people only like Hook because he’s attractive” argument holds no weight because, whilst he is easy on the eyes, that alone is not enough to make you like a character (also practically all of the male cast members on the show are attractive in some way (Rumple and Hook are constantly voted as the top 2 sexiest, most handsome, etc males on the show). Attractiveness alone is not enough to make you like a character. The best example to use is David and James. Both are played by the reasonably handsome Josh Dallas, yet you don’t hear anyone saying “OMG James is so hot!!! He should’ve been the centre of the show because he’s so attractive.” You mostly hear “James was a bit of a douchebag”. Hook has fans because of his personality which has improved considerably since his introduction.
Some CS fans have claimed that Hook has demonstrated “real love” for Emma because he still stuck by her even when she was verbally abusive to him in 3B. However I disagree with that opinion. 1. Emma hasn’t been verbally abusive towards Hook. She’s been blunt (she has her father’s tact) and whilst it was a bit harsh her saying that Zelena should’ve cursed the lips of someone she actually intended to kiss (Hook was stood right there Emma you could’ve been a bit less blunt on that matter), Emma never set out to deliberately hurt Hook’s feeling or diminish his self-esteem or sense of self-worth. 2. IF Emma had been abusive towards Hook, then why would you route for that sort of relationship for your favourite character? Why wouldn’t you want him to find someone else who treated him with respect and deserved him instead of someone who abused him? An abusive relationship is not “real love”.
I am interested to see how CS progresses next year. They’ve gone past the will they won’t they phase so now the writers need to give CS some actual storylines as a couple. Hopefully we’ll get a new set next year of Emma and Henry’s new apartment, Hook may not live there permanently but he’ll probably have his own toothbrush.
I like your reasoning POM. And no, I can’t say I think Emma was verbally abusive to Hook — she was lashing out but she wasn’t abusive. The reason he stuck around is because he understands her well enough that the crap she’s giving him has little to do with Hook and a lot to do with Emma. Although I’m glad she came to her senses when she did!!