Reply To: Emma + Baelfire = Swanfire

[kfchimera]

I did thinkshe was being nicer to Hook and Regina both, perhaps because she was feeling tense around MM and David, but also to be the leader.  Regina called her Emma, not Miss Swan, and Hook shared another drink with her.   The difference is of course Hook continues to be interested in her, but I felt he toned down the flirt a bit, and as a result was given less hostile treatment.

I agree she still has walls up that she is not ready to lower but even more important was that her headspace was being a little girl again.  She was not thinking of romance, but on being an orphan.  It does not matter what romantic or parental love comes into her life.  Those childhood years are gone, and she will never get them back or get to experience them as a child with parents.

Yet she has parents now and though they are the same age, I think Snow and Charming can be in her life in a parental way.  Emma thinks they have the same wisdom but  it is not quite true.  David and Snow both grew up with loving parents at least part of the time and it is true of Neal too.  Emma did not really ever experience what that is like.

So what is Emma there to do? Be a mother!  I think the necklace that belonged to Eva was an interesting detail, perhaps meaningless or perhaps it might lead into the writers exploring that Snow and Charming having a sense of what it even means to be a mother that Emma lacks, because of the examples they had of Ruth and Eva.

I am a bit worried at the hidden depth of Emma’s resentment because while we knew she would still have issues with Neal, I thought she was further along on forgiving.  The only thing is, when Pan mentioned Henry I knew it is something Emma will have to heal because she has to believe that Henry would forgive her too. So fundamentally her situation has not changed, even if right now she has gone backwards emotionally, but I think she will make progress rapidly on it.  I have a feeling Charming’s injury might spark the realization that she truly loves her parents too despite the years of loss.  I hope that of course would feed into a much later realization with Neal.