Emma + Baelfire = Swanfire

[RumplesGirl]

I agree, have they ever confirmed that Red leaving was not planned/anticipated until AFTER Ory said it in press release ? They like to claim they’ve changed less than they have so it can sound like they’re in control of their “vision”.

Yup

Their original vision for Hook was a villain to match Rumple for only 10-12 episodes in S2. That changed

[Slurpeez]

kfchimera wrote:

I agree, have they ever confirmed that Red leaving was not planned/anticipated until AFTER Ory said it in press release ? They like to claim they’ve changed less than they have so it can sound like they’re in control of their “vision”.

Yup

Their original vision for Hook was a villain to match Rumple for only 10-12 episodes in S2. That changed

I’m not denying that things change, but that change was due to the acquisition of the rights for the full story of Peter Pan, which didn’t happen until sometime well into S2. Prior to that green-light, the writers wanted to introduce Hook as a potential love interest for Emma (that much is clear in “Tallhassee” interactions between Hook and Emma), but Adam and Eddy refrained from upgrading him to a series regular until it was certain the show was headed to Neverland. So, it was not completely left-field that the writers decided to keep Colin O’Donoghue around. They knew what they were doing, and they introduced him in the first half of S2 while hedging their bets that they’d acquire the full rights to PP.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[RumplesGirl]

I’m trying to be optimistic

It just looks bleak. The second we got the article, I said NEAL. The fandom and media reaction to Hook is much stronger

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Slurpeez]

RumplesGirl wrote: It just looks bleak. The second we got the article, I said NEAL. The fandom and media reaction to Hook is much stronger

I had the complete opposite first thought. My honest-to-goodess initial thought was Hook. From a story driven perspective, it makes sense he’d be leaving. The Neverland journey is complete, and in a very dissatisfying way.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[RumplesGirl]

I had the complete opposite thought. My honest-to-goodess initial thought was Hook. From a story driven perspective, it makes sense he’d be leaving. The Neverland journey is complete, and in a very dissatisfying way.

 

from a storytelling perspective yes. But we’ve made comments a few times so far this season wondering if A and E are still telling their story or if they’re playing to the fandom more

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Slurpeez]

In another thread, someone suggested that it’s possible that this actor knew all along he or she would be leaving. I think that’s very possible. Jamie Dornan, the actor who played the huntsman in S1, knew from the start he was only taking a job for 7 episodes, but the role really put him on the map. Now he’s starring in a big-time movie. Exactly a year ago from today, Emma called Hook “dead guy of the year” when In the Name of the Brother first aired. I wonder if Colin O’Donoghue signed a 1-year contract knowing his character’s fate in advance. He is a talented actor, and this current fame he’s experiencing could help launch a film career in the US or in England. He would do well in whatever role he pursues. Colin and his wife may want to return to the UK to be closer to family now that they have a baby of their own. Colin would now be on the map, so to speak, to star in major roles at home or abroad. He has that kind of talent, looks, and star-appeal to make it big, bigger than OUAT.

"That’s how you know you’ve really got a home. When you leave it, there’s this feeling that you can’t shake. You just miss it." Neal Cassidy

[RumplesGirl]

In another thread, someone suggested that it’s possible that this actor knew all along he or she would be leaving. I think that’s very possible. Jamie Dornan, the actor who played the huntsman in S1, knew from the start he was only taking a job for 7 episodes, but the role really put him on the map. Now he’s starring in a big-time movie. Exactly a year ago from today, Emma called Hook “dead guy of the year” when In the Name of the Brother first aired. I wonder if Colin O’Donoghue signed a 1-year contract knowing his character’s fate in advance. He is a talented actor, and this current fame he’s experiencing could help launch a film career in the US or in England. He would do well in whatever role he pursues. Colin and his wife may want to return to the UK to be closer to family now that they have a baby of their own. Colin would now be on the map, so to speak, to star in major roles at home or abroad. He has that kind of talent, looks, and star-appeal to make it big, bigger than OUAT.

 

that’s possible. Hook dies in the original work so they could twist it so that his death is a heroic one. Sorta a la Rumple. There is a ton of story to tell with Neal. His reconciliation with Emma–whatever that entails. His relationship with his father. His relationship with his son. Trying to be a co-parent. But then I look at the media and the fanbase and how hard ABC promotes the HECK out of Hook and while I know logically that they are two separate departments, MRJ is also successful enough that if he was unhappy about being left behind even though he was brought on by the creators himself, he might walk. He was brought on and promised a huge story–son of Rumple, the reason for the curse, IMO the TL of Emma, father of the magical kid who holds the family together. And instead he’s treated to hate and vitriol on Twitter, he gets shunted to the side, he’s never promoted. ABC can’t even SPELL HIS CHARACTER’S NAME RIGHT. If Neal is the one who dies, no one will EVER convince me that it was planned all along. I will always believe it was in service of shipping wars

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Phee]

Well, I’m siding with slurpeez, Heather and Schmacky on this one. The other day when the rumours about someone being unhappy came out, my first thought was Colin being disillusioned over how he didn’t get to play iconic Hook vs Pan stuff, which I’m sure he’d been expecting when he knew they were headed to NL. He was also really excited pre-season to get to act with MRJ and explore their characters’ relationship, and that didn’t exactly end up happening. So if he wanted out of a disatisfying role, with the added bonus of being able to take his newborn home to Ireland to be near their family, (like I said in the other thread, Christmas might have brought it home for them how much their family are missing out on with the baby growing up fast), I could see him maybe asking to leave, if his death hadn’t been written from the getgo, (which it may well have been).

All the Hook promo would make more sense if they’re building up to his death. Give him a heroic send off, like his promo poster suggest.

I don’t like that they’d use a character death to shut down the triangle, (it’d feel like a cop out), but as far as the wider scope of the show goes, there’s more logic to Hook dying than Neal. There’s so much more they can do with Neal, to build on what they’ve already shown of him. He’s their own creation. He’s Henry’s dad. He’s Rumple’s son. He’s (arguably) Emma’s true love. I just can’t see Kitswitz saying, “Well it sucks to lose you, but OK,” if MRJ wanted out, (which I honestly don’t think he would, we’ve seen how he speaks about the character, we know how he loves the cast), I really think they’d do whatever necessary to keep Neal in the story. So, yeah, basically, I’m not really worried that Neal’s dying and will be pretty shocked if he does.

[RumplesGirl]

There’s so much more they can do with Neal, to build on what they’ve already shown of him. He’s their own creation. He’s Henry’s dad. He’s Rumple’s son. He’s (arguably) Emma’s true love

I’m not trying to be “that person” but my issue is that you’re absolutely right. They have a TON to tell with Neal. But they haven’t done it. Instead it gets rug swept or ignored or pushed aside for the triangle. There is a ton they should be doing with Neal but haven’t. And then there are the ratings to consider. While everyone agrees that this death is going to play havoc on the ratings no matter who it is, Hook is the current “help us stay afloat” guy. They spoiled the HECK out of the CS kiss. They tweet Hook’s line. They make CS/Hook posters. They can plaster him on billboards and t-shirts and take him advertiser and says “lookit the sexy pirate.” And A and E are business men too. It might poetry they wanted to write but sometimes people don’t want poetry, they want the Harlequin Romance novel. Colin might be really disillusioned that he never got to play Hook, whom he once described as being a sociopath and that’s what he loved about him, but MRJ might be disillusioned about not getting the screentime, storyline that he was promised.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[RumplesGirl]

Just spent 10 mins at TVLine reading through the comments on the death spoiler and didn’t have a massive coronary! Most of the comments are “why does anyone have to die!!?” An almost equal number of Neal and Hook’s and a rather large “HENRY PLEASE”

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Author]

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