And secondly, what would Neal be coming back permanently to?
I know a lot of people seem to think the show has gone too far to bring him back. But first and foremost, Neal can be the dad Henry never got. That relationship would be so sweet and needed to maybe develop Henry’s character a little bit as well. Secondly, if Hook ends up being out of the picture by the end of this arc, Neal not only becomes more important in Henry’s life, but also Emma’s. And I don’t think it would be out of the realm of possibility for old feelings to start to crop up if Neal ends up sticking around and being a father to Henry. And then there’s the whole Rumple dynamic. What would it mean to have his son back? I know we have seen this song and dance before, but could this finally be the thing that let’s Rumple let go of his power? I can imagine if you lose your son, and then he somehow is returned to you, that would make you rethink things finally and possibly let go of the darkness for good this time. So Neal being back on a more permanent basis would give more substance for Henry, more complications with Emma, and a possible end for Rumple redemption. I disagree with most on this I guess. I think if done well, they could absolutely integrate Neal back into the show and it could be quite beautiful. But I don’t think Neal and Hook could coexist.