Your right about how all of the terrible stuff Hook does against people doesn’t stick. Maybe that’s why he can be such a divisive character. Using the locking Emma and co in Rumple’s cell as an example:
One section of fandom sees it as: He locked up Emma and co to die BECAUSE SHE BETRAYED HIM FIRST AND THEY ESCAPED ANYWAY SO THEY DIDN’T DIE
whilst another section of fandom sees it as :HE LOCKED UP EMMA AND CO TO DIE because she betrayed him first and they escaped anyway so they didn’t die.
Another example is shooting Belle:
One section of fandom sees it as: He shot Belle and made her lose her memories BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET BACK AT RUMPLE AT THAT TIME
whilst another section of fandom sees it as: HE SHOT BELLE AND MADE HER LOSE HER MEMORIES because it was the only way to get back at Rumple at that time.
Hook fans (and I guess to some extent Rumple and Regina fans too)judge their favourite character’s actions differently to non-fans. Non-fans look at the action and consequence/possible consequence whilst fans tend to look at the reason why that character did what they did. Favourite characters in any given scenario can also affect the audience’s perception of any given situation.
Belle is one of my favourite characters so I will always dislike Hook more based on what he did to her rather than what he did to Archie. (Did Archie give up Belle and therefore throw her in front of the proverbial bus? Hook already knew about Belle in FTL but the way the scene transitioned made it seem like Archie gave up Belle as Rumple’s weakness)
Perhaps the whole crux of the CaptainSwanFire ship war isn’t who’s the better man for Emma but rather, of the three, who are your two favourite characters?
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix