Dipping my toe briefly into the CaptainSwan ship, Hook was a pirate for some 300 years and I’m going to assume it was not sunshine and rainbows. Does he owe it to Emma to explain his past, even his most recent past like killing Blackbeard to get the Jolly Roger back, even though Ariel was counting on Hook’s help? What kind of lies are okay to tell your significant other? Is total honesty more morally responsible? And if Hook never fesses up, do we approve of a relationship that hasn’t been perfectly honest with one another?
I’ve thought about that too, and also had that issue with the other relationships involving the “reformed villains” (Rumbelle and OQ). Do their partners actually know about all of the terrible things they’ve done? Do they have a right to know, or does it not matter because that isn’t who they are anymore (so they say)?
Does Robin know, for instance, that Regina had an entire village–men, women, and children–put to death because of her obsession with Snow? And even leaving aside all of the many other horrible things that these guys have done, I think someone’s current/potential romantic partner has a right to know if that someone has murdered romantic partners before–Leopold and Graham for Regina, and Milah (and one could argue indirectly Cora) for Rumple. I know I wouldn’t want to be involved with someone who had a history of murdering his/her past spouses or lovers when they upset him/her! I don’t think that sends a great message about relationships.