@Watcher
Storywise Neal had to leave Emma to break the curse.
Storywise they wanted Neal and Emma to fall in love and have Henry because original it was the son of the dark one feel in love with daughter of true love, or the Son of Rumpelstiltskin feel in love with the daughter of Snow White and Prince charming and give birth to Henry Mills who was adopted by the Evil Queen, or the reason for the curse fell in love with the savior of the course and later gave birth to the believer.
I think the writers were telling this new fairy tale of these three Original Characters.
MRJ was told that Neal had to break her heart so that she could save her people and reunite with their family. According the writers there was no other way to get Emma to do that. I think Neal leaving Emma because of August was suppose to be like Snowing leaving Charming because of King George, both left their loves and broke their heart for noble intentions. Tamara was suppose to be Emma and Neal’s Kathryn like she was for Mary Margret and David.
Unlike Some I can see the story perspective of the decisions of Neal leaving Emma, It didn’t make me loathed Neal or hate Neal or think of him as this big scary awful cold hearted demonic villainous creature. I did not approved of his actions but I understood them and saw the story flow, just as I saw the story flow of Bae being Neal Henry’s father and the loved of Emma, it just made sense. But I feel the tapestry that was woven together so perfectly and seemingly was torn asunder season 3B.
Now believe it or not, I did not ship Swanfire in the beginning. MadSwan was my thing in pure fanon dark lustly carnal sense, sure I would make up fluffly stuff like they were some happy family with Grace and Henry. But in the end I just thought they were hot and sexy aqnd I wanted them to rumble. Not Once did I ever want them to actually fall in love and raise Henry and Grace as a family. Because the message would be wrong after the physical violence, the drugging, the treatening, and attacking. But I digress.
For me Swanfire hit me at the portal scene, when I realized those two still loved each other very much. ( I never denied them having love) They can make work if they want to, they can get past the hurt. (Not to mention JMO and MRJ was fun as heck via twitter and comic con). But Alas if they didn’t go SwanfireFamily romantic I was fine with this just as long as we can get Swanfire family. Emma and Neal turn out to partners in crime as friends and parents, not as lovers, but loving, caring and supportive of each other). Of course that would mean Regina, Neal, and Emma having to be ADULTs in the real world and learn to raise their son together, and their would be some version of the SwanfireQueen family. Three parents who loved their son very much and willing to get past the hurt and anger to raise him and work together and be a family.
In the beginning I thought of Emma true love being Henry and her happy ending with family and friends. But darn Swanfire kind of turn that thought around and said I can see Neal and Emma ending up together. Ten years later and you still love each other, that’s love. But if they were just friends that would be fine, I was never averse to single Emma. I like the idea of happy and single (not popular but it was unique as a fairy tale concept).
But I guess to sum it all up, find Neal and Emma don’t have to be together but that lost boy deserved to find a family to, he deserve a home as well, he deserve a second chance at happiness, not a grave.
aka mini, rant/vent/ramblings are over.
"I will be kind but I will speak my mind."