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From carrielyne, since we’re talking about Killian making the choice to not be a villain anymore 🙂
Hook in S3
Lately, I’ve been seeing posts from OUAT confessions or posts on my dash — that heavily criticize Hook’s characterization in S3. Like, that he flipped a switch and is all of the sudden this new person and that some people don’t like who he’s become or just that, they don’t like how quickly he’s changed.
First of all — I just need to say this. If you haven’t seen the real struggle from Hook in trying to do the right thing, if you’ve missed Colin’s exquisite portrayal of a man jaded by 300+ years of revenge but so deeply in the rabbit hole for Emma that he uses her as his compass to his moral centre and struggles with it and the perception others have on him on a daily basis then I don’t know what to tell you.
You know, you never really change until you find that moment where you are given the opportunity and you just take it because you want it. After my mom passed away I went through a tailspin and I was an awful person. I did some awful things to people I care about, I was just so lost. And I didn’t find my way out of that until I met my fiance. He gave me a sympathetic ear and support and friendship when I felt like I had no one. And I woke up one morning going you know what, I’m better than this and I want to be more than what I’m letting myself become. And I did it. I made a choice.
That is the exact thing that happened to Hook. You saw glimpses of his softer side but he had to hit rock bottom before he could truly start to realize what he wanted. He had already been looking at this life like wtf was he doing. Hook was an awful villain. None of his plans ever worked out…LOL…and that’s by design. And when Emma gave him a chance, it struck a chord. He made a choice.
When he said “Maybe I just needed reminding that I could” to Emma. He was saying so much more. He was saying that he cares about her and the town and he’s making a choice to choose hope of love and a family over anger and revenge. Which is one of the MAIN themes of OUAT. And he does struggle with it — backing off from Emma was the hardest choice for him, which is why we saw him drinking constantly and trying to put her out of his mind. He couldn’t even accept a toast comfortably from David b/c he loathes himself so much he doesn’t feel he deserves it. And we won’t even discuss the echo caves. Even the initial decision to come back with the bean was a struggle b/c he actually LEFT with it and had to turn around.
Again, he just made a choice. He didn’t flip a switch. He just chose the honorable path, wherever that may lead him. He will continue to struggle, I expect him to mess up here and there on his path to redemption but the fact is, he was never meant to remain a villain and it’s exciting to watch him do a balancing act between being a pirate but also a hero. And yes, Emma is the motivation. And that’s okay — b/c through caring for and changing for her, he’s developing some bonds with people and those bonds carry him through a year without Emma and ultimately right back to her door. He’s lost none of his sass or bravado, he’s just living for love now instead of revenge. And that’s a beautiful thing.
PREACH
Keeper of Captain Swan's first kiss