Reply To: Emma + Baelfire = Swanfire

[kfchimera]

I fear too that the writers will change the story. But then again, I can see A&E thinking it is no fun if you think its too sure a thing so they almost have to tease things in the way they do. No one should be sure, that’s what they want, until the moment it happens. Then you’re not sure what you just saw!

Anyway, I am still often afraid of Tumblr, but occasionally I see something interesting, and saw this post on SwanFire from the writers and cast:

http://cassidyswan.tumblr.com/post/60021133316/pro-swan-thief-masterpost

I’ve seen a lot of people feeling down about Emma/Neal lately and what’s to come this season, so I decided to compile a list of quotes from the writers as well as Jen and Michael that will hopefully bring back some faith. Stay positive guys! 🙂 Special thanks to Aria and Ali for all of their help!

Feelings For Each Other

“I think what we love so much about Emma and Bae,is that they’re two people who grew up in similar ways without a family and with walls around their hearts and soI think they were each other’s loves and for us what’s interesting is why did they move on? What happened? And what happens nowand tomorrow’s definitely going to be a part of all that.”- Eddy

“We also see what Neal saw in August’s box, it was very simple and very elegant. So was it really fate that Emma and Neal met?” – Estelle
“Yeah.” – Adam
“Seems like it.” – Eddy
“Yeah, it is you know as kind of hinted that in the episode, there is an element to fate and destiny and that that is what we’re seeing transpired in these stories and we’ve seen characters who are fighting against and then coming to terms with those very issues.” – Adam (from the Manhattan podcast)

“Neal is always going to have feelings for Emma, no matter what. Those feelings can’t be put in a jar and set aside, you’re always carrying them with you. Neal is, anyway. As far as reconciliation between the two of them, there’s work that obviously needs to be done. In this week’s episode, you’re going to see them begin to scratch the surface of the unfinished business they have. Some of the things that haven’t yet been said we start to dance around.” – Michael

“It’s obvious she still holds a torch for Neal; it’s obvious that he still has feelings for her.” – Eddy

“Emma really doesn’t care about Neal’s fiancee or is she just hiding her jealousy behind that wall.”
”She looked to me like she cared a lot.” – Jane Espenson

“It’s sad because Emma loves Neal, but she’s never going to let her guard down again.” – Eddy (from he Queen is Dead podcast)

“Even though Emma’s saying she doesn’t care for him, you see that glimpse of, ‘Oh, I really don’t want to hear about this guy having someone he’s in love with.’” – Jennifer

“In the short-term, as glimpsed in these pics? A bit of side-by-side sword-brandishing. But as for them reconnecting in more intimate ways, “It’s hard for Emma,” says cocreator Eddy Kitsis. “Their dream was Tallahassee, to just go and get regular jobs — and now he’s doing that with [fiancée Tamara]. And since Emma’s the kind of character who has a wall up around her heart, I’m not sure she wants to admit it hurts her, but we’re definitely going to see that it does. And it affects him because we know that he didn’t want to leave her. He’s in love with her. What happened [in “Manhattan”] is a situation that neither of them ever thought would happen, so now what do you do? That’s what a lot of the rest of the season’s about.”- Ausiello

(about Rumbelle being the only couple to always be separated/other couples need to be separated too) “We’ve separated snow and charming multiple times. And Neal and Emma multiple times.” – Adam

“And he does of course love her.” – Eddy (from the Manhattan podcast)

“I think it is really sad, because we understand that Emma loves Neal, but she’s never going to let her guard down again. And what’s sad is that Neal clearly really loves Emma, but gave up on getting her back and that’s what’s the tragedy of their relationship, you know. They’re two people who were going to grow up without parents, that were trying to find their home together and what was so sad is that Emma realized that he did find it, but just not with her.” – Eddy (from The Queen Is Dead podcast)

Second Star To The Right

(about Emma saying “I love you” to Neal before he falls through the portal) “I wasn’t expecting it but I thought it was perfect. When the stakes are so high the truth tends to come out.” – Jennifer

“Bae really is a hero to me. He asked the blue fairy to help him save his dad, saved Wendy’s brothers from the shadow, left Emma for her destiny even when he loved her, and then he fought his fiance only to be sucked into another portal.” – Estelle
“And the more she tells Neal ‘It was ten years ago, I’ve moved on,’ we know she hasn’t, we know it’s hard for her to live Tallahassee with someone else. Neal has always regretted that day as he actually says out loud. So for us it’s how do two people who love each other come together when there’s so much hurt?” – Eddy (from the Second Star To The Right podcast)

“I think there’s no question that Emma is the absolutely love of Neal’s life. Whether or not that means anything is not for me to say. But when Neal lets her hand go, he knows he’s letting go of the woman he loves.” – Michael

“What was so heartbreaking about Tamara, he felt it was real, he thought he had found it, he had moved on, and I think secretly he’s always wanted to be with Emma, but never thought that was an option. I think he knew Emma well enough that it would be really hard to get her to forgive him. So he moved on, and then to find out that was wrong.” – Eddy (from the Second Star To The Right podcast)

“I am really secretly glad they finally admitted their love, even if it was like right before the moment he was ripped away.” – Estelle
“Seeing Emma say I love you to somebody is very powerful and to see that connection between the two of them was very powerful.” Eddy
“Even if it had to come at the most tragic moment in his life.” – Adam (from the Second Star To The Right podcast)

“So what’s your favorite scene from this episode?” – Estelle
“For me, it was watching Emma lose Neal. As heartbreaking as it is, it was so emotional, and so gut-wrenching, and they both played it so great, but to be at that moment that you can admit those feelings are still there, but then to lose the person you love, I mean there’s nothing that’s more heartbreaking than that.” – Adam (from the Second Star To The Right podcast)

Neal Isn’t Such A Bad Guy

(about Emma being underage when she and Neal were together/it being rape) “Your math is a bit off.” – Adam

(about Neal setting Emma up for jail) “He didn’t set her up for jail. That’s Not what happened” – Adam

“Neal never sent her to jail. Not what happened. And MRJ understands his character better than anyone.” – Adam

“Does Neal’s optimism play into his reluctance to see Tamara for who she really is?”
“Absolutely. It absolutely has to do with that. It also has to do with the eye sees what it wants to see. In this case, Neal is absolutely — he believes that there’s no way a second betrayal on the level of what happened with his dad could be on deck. He has been so completely fooled by — he can’t wrap his brain around that being a possibility. I think that sort of the eternal optimist, a street-wise optimist, but at the same time deeply wounded in things like love that he can’t — there’s no way it’s possible. It couldn’t happen again. That’s where Neal is coming from.” – Michael

“For us we loved that Neal came back for Emma. It showed his love for her.” – Eddy (from the Manhattan commentary)

“Whether he was protecting Emma’s destiny or not, do you think that Neal still harbors some guilt about what happened all those years ago?”
“I am glad you asked that. Yes. I think he does, but Neal feels that he really didn’t have a choice in the mater. It was a matter of her fulfilling her destiny and for the greater good. I mean, we’re talking about her saving a town full of people that I grew up with, people from Fairytale Land, so these aren’t total strangers where I can be like, “Screw them. This is about me and my love.”So, in Neal’s mind he was sort of jumping on the grenade for the greater good. But of course there’s guilt. Of course there’s pain for having inflicted pain on someone you care about. I don’t know how you get beyond that.” – Michael

“When you really love somebody, you just want to be with them. And to have to deny that is hard to yourself, and it’s also hard because he knew he was going to break her heart. So the fact that he would add to the pain that he was trying to take away is really hard to live with. He understands that this destiny is important for her, and he can’t be in the way, and that is, that is really a self sacrifice that I think he regrets everyday.” – Adam and Eddy

Kindred Spirits

“They were definitely kindred spirits. There was a reason that she was so drawn to him and him to her. They had to survive to make life OK. There’s an interesting parallel for them that they both are on their own in this world and have had to find inventive ways to make life OK.” – Jennifer

“She’s actually met a kindred spirit because he’s also stealing the car. What they knew at a young age, was the simple things were the important things. Being with each other, being in love, and finding a place to be together. They just wanted to love their lives and find a family, and wanted to be together.” – Adam (from The Price Of Magic special)

“He meets Emma, and here’s this kindred spirit, looking for the same sort of things. We fall deeply in love, and I start to scratch that itch again for the first time in a hundred years, at least.” – Michael

How The Cast Feels About Emma and Neal

“Emma has to end up with Henry’s real dad.” – Jared

“Snow likes her with Bae because snow’s experiences with Hook have not thus far instilled trust.” – Ginny

(about which couple she likes besides Rumbelle) “Emma and Neal” – Emilie

“Well my sister ships #SwanThief but I am good with however it works out, although I do think my dad is pretty cool.” – Jared

(about who he ships Emma with) “Maybe #swanthief he likes Neal” – Josh

“I love Emma and Bae.” – Ginny

Going Into Season 3

“I did not promote a triangle at CC. I can’t control questions asked. But I didn’t spoil anything.” – Adam

(about promoting Hook/Emma) “When? Not true. We have spoiled nothing about hook and Emma or Emma and anyone.” – Adam

(about promoting Hook/Emma and not giving hope to Emma/Neal fans) “Not what we said! Emma may be w/hook on boat but that has no reflection on possibility of ending up with Neal or someone else!” – Adam

(about Adam only being concerned about Hook/Emma fans and not other fans) “I want swanfire fans happy too!” – Adam

“Emma is not on the Jolly Roger thinking about romance. She’s not. She’s there to save her son.” – Jennifer (SDCC 2013)

(about a possible Mulan/Neal pairing) “Watch it! That’s my baby’s daddy your’e talking about!” – Jennifer

“It’s fun for us to have Emma on that ship with someone as handsome as Hook thinking the person she truly loves is dead, while he’s trying to get back to her.” – Eddy

“The last thing I saw Neal do was look up at the woman he’s loved for ten years and say ‘I love you too’, and right now, I mean, I can’t imagine he doesn’t want to get back to her and his son.” – Adam

“Neal’s gonna attempt at least to move heaven and hell and if there’s a captain in the way as well, so be it.” – Michael