Neal- I don’t agree with the fact that, just because he was Emma’s first love and she had a child by him, that Emma has to end up with him.
That’s a fair point. I also found there reunion interesting. When she exposed her feelings to him about her anguish at what happened, he laughed at her. I was not cool with that. I know the show is fantasy, and fate and all, but I feel like Emma has never really had much control. And the scenes with August and Neal orchestrating her life was really annoying. I know it was all for the greater good – but how could he do that to her? How do forgive someone for what he did?
Hook- Emma and Hook can relate but building a relationship on mutual negative experiences isn’t exactly healthy. Not to mention that Hook has flirted with Emma’s own mother, as well as every other female that crosses his path (except Belle who he’s violent towards). Hook is a womaniser and a pirate, he doesn’t like to be tied down for too long, he has a reputation from being Captain Hook in Peter Pan and Emma couldn’t trust him at the top of the beanstalk despite the fact that, at the time, Hook had been on Team Emma rather than Cora.
I have to admit, the whole way the writers have handled and framed Hooks character has been extremely dissapointing. When Hook was announced, I was over the moon – he was one of my all time favourite characters. I had visions of a Patrick Stewert, Ian McKellen or Brian Blessed older type actor playing him to be honest, someone with alot of gravitas and presence. But Colin seems quite pleasant, and easy on the eye 😛 , so I had no issues. But to see what they’ve done with him – I’ve been horrified. I have to agree with the comments of Jeremy on the podcast – they’ve made Hook seem like a real pervert, a creep. And I don’t understand why. I get the swashbucking, womanising thing. OK. But the constant sexual innuendo and references to his genitalia? The borderline rape jokes? The abuse and sexual objectification of women for control? Why are the OUAT writers going there? It just seems a bit much for a “family show”. I don’t care if he is a pirate, if a man behaved the way he does, he’d be arrested. I’m amazed that people are ok with it. It’s even seen as appealing. Really? Would you want someone like that with your daughter? Or around your child, or children? (Disclaimer: I don’t ship any characters on the show – it just leads to arguing. But my fav character was Sidney Glass, so I’m still crying he dissapeared lol 😥 )
Henry- Henry is going to be the main factor in Emma’s future relationships. She’s not going to want to put him in a position where he could end up getting hurt. Can Emma trust Hook with Henry? Would she happily leave Henry in Hook’s care? What about Neal? Now that she’s a mother, Emma has to consider Henry in any life changing decision such as starting a new relationship. What she wants may not be best for Henry.
I probably think it’ll come down to this. As we have seen in the latest episodes, Emma really has no clue how to be a mother. But she would have his best interests at the forefront. She has responsibilities now. Neal will always be the father, plus it’s complicated with the whole Regina being Henrys other mother situation as well, so whats best for him should be paramount. But part of me wonders that making mistakes and bad decisions is part of life too – so a new relationship that ends disasterously (with Neal or Hook) could happen on the show, right?
Personally, I don’t see either as any good for her. If they really must pair her off with someone, then I’d prefer it was a completely fresh character. Or barring that, why does she have to “end up” with anyone at all? Is that like a rule or something? Emma’s tough – please OUAT writers don’t make her ‘dependent’ on anyone, just for the sake of it.
I ship Regina Mills with Happiness!