28 Days of Once Upon A Time

PriceofMagic wrote:

Day 3- Favourite Male Regular Character (Past or Present)

Neal Cassidy I know. Most of you just blinked your eyes and went “what?” But there is something I’ve come to understand over the past few months. I love Rumple, I do. He was what brought me into this fandom; he was what made me love ONCE when it started. I loved his unique personality (shall we say) and I loved Rumbelle and I loved the idea that Rumple was just a father looking for his little boy and I adored Bobby Carlyle. But I am so utterly disappointed with what they’ve done to Rumple over the past few episodes that I don’t quite know where I stand with him anymore. But Neal…Neal I’ll never be disappointed in. Rumple might have drawn me in, but Neal spoke to me. I know what it’s like to be alone and afraid and feel like you aren’t good enough for anyone or anything. I know what it’s like to have to make really hard decisions that are for the greater good, but ultimately it devastates you and the those around you. And I know what it’s like to have people hate for making that decision. I understand his jaded outlook on life because I’m the same way. In so many ways, it felt like Neal was my Onciverse avatar. I will never be okay with the writers killing him off. It was a terrifically bad decision that still has not played out in any sort of watchable plot. In a world where children grow up without positive male role models and fathers walk out or abandon their children, never looking back, why was it so taboo to keep a character who learned he had a son and instead of running, stepped up like a man and I said, “yes. I will be a father.” And then went on to be one of the shinning examples of fatherhood in a series where Prince Charming’s papa was a drunk driver, where Rumple chose magic over his own flesh and blood and where Malcolm chose youth over his son. For a show that tries to sell itself as one that is about family and love, killing off a good father, a good son, and a good man flies in the face of that reality. Neal was more than just Rumple’s son or potential love interest for Emma. To me he was the embodiment of hope and second chances and killing him meant that the show I had dedicated so much of my time to didn’t really care about those two concepts.

Day 3- Favourite Male Regular Character (Past or Present) – Killian Jones aka Hook – I think if this thread had existed maybe three seasons ago, my answer would have been different. Probably Rumple. But Rumple hasn’t been my favorite male character for a long while. I used to really sympathize with him too but lately, as @rumplesgirl said, it’s been difficult to see and understand his motivations this past season (4A).

Now, my favorite is Killian Jones. I know I’m among a small minority on this board who loves Hook to death, but I really do. Why do I love him? Lately, I’ve found when it comes to my fictional fan favorites, I prefer the flawed ones. Killian Jones is flawed; when he first came onto the scene early in season two, he was the opposite of the ideal man of our show, Prince Charming. He’s loyal, when this man loves, as Colin said, ‘He’s a 100% in it.’ He makes mistakes, but he also learns from his mistakes and grows from them.

Deep down, all he wants to be is a man of honor, a man who believes in good form. And he’s a strong believer in true love. He doesn’t give up, he’s a survivor and he fights for what he wants, the people that he loves. He finds himself charming and always compliments himself on being attractive (which, he seriously is), but there’s also a lot of self-loathing going on. He’s with Emma finally, they’re happy together and yet he still feels, he needs to be a man truly worthy of her affection. He wants to be someone she can be proud of.

Day 3- Favourite Male Regular Character (Past or Present)

Rumpelstiltskin.

Though both the character and the actor have started to bore me since Neverland, and though the whole craving the whole world thing has been OOC (so recently he has been badly written) he still remains the best regular male actor, and the most interesting male character overall.

Least favorite Male Regular:

Henry. *gasps* I just think his character is very poorly written. I loved Season 1 Henry, but since then, he’s made stupid decisions and doesn’t seem to be given any direction. The kid is a teenager now, for goodness sake…give him something important to do!

Day 4- Least Favourite Male Regular Character (Past or Present) – Rumple. When I find more enjoyment in writing fanfiction about Rumple where he has a very small part versus watching him on screen, where every time I see him, I just want to throttle him — then yes, he is definitely my least favorite regular male character. Rumple’s done a lot of questionable things this past season and as a former favorite of mine, it was difficult for me to watch and understand why he was doing what he was doing. Then, of course there’s things that he did to my babies, Emma and Hook that I simply cannot forgive at all. Hook, who worked with Emma and the Charmings to free Rumple last season from Zelena. And tricking Emma into the hat and gloating about it to Ingrid’s face. Where Rumple clearly cared more about himself and could honestly care less about everyone else’s safety unless they were Henry or Belle.