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Hurray for pretty things! Neal’s second chance is still forth-coming. I believe it!
RumplesGirl wrote: the one thing I’m seeing in various locations is the idea that Neal is superfluous to the plot as a whole. He isn’t doing anything on the show. I don’t understand this argument. He’s Rumple’s son, Henry’s father, the reason for the Curse (ie: the show), he’s part of the co-parenting team of Regina/Emma/Neal, Belle’s future step son, an old friend of Emma’s if nothing more. So while I’m still leaning towards Neal, it’s not because he’s expendable. He’s not expendable at all. Seriously, the sheer fact that he’s Henry’s FATHER means he’s not expendable
*sigh* That is just nonsense being perpetuated by CS fans. Neal is certainly an important character, both in a supporting role and in his own right. I saw this on Tumblr and thought I’d share here considering its relevance:
Why are people saying Neal hasn’t done much this season? How is that even true?
- He was in the EF.
- Found a way to get to Neverland to rescue Emma & Henry.
- Got to Neverland on the shadow.
- Reunited with Rumple, confronted Pan.
- Rescued Henry. Got captured himself.
- Got rescued.
- Explained the coconut.
- Went to the Dark Hallows
- Confronted Rumple.
- Reunited with Wendy.
- Went to Skull Island.
- Used the coconut to help get out of Neverland
- Was with everyone at the return party.
- Went to the tomb with everyone.
- Helped destroy the shadow.
- Was with everyone in the town when Rumple destroyed Pan.
- Said his goodbyes to Emma & Henry.
I’m not going to do the math, but I was thinking he even had more screen-time than Hook in the back portion of the Neverland arc. I mean, he was essential and involved, while Hook took a backseat. Neal has done a lot this season. He’s been essential to the plot. Fact.
Beyond the Neverland arc, however, Hook isn’t exactly central to the plot, and even in NL, his interactions with Peter Pan were cut short! We never found out what dirty work he did while working for Peter Pan! All we saw was Hook make goggly eyes at Emma. And after 3×7, Hook just sort of hung back while Neal stepped up and filled the natural role as Emma’s partner and co-parent of Henry and made peace with his father. Hook just hung out with Tinkerbell. Talk about expendable. If I had to choose an ending for Hook, I’d have chosen to partner him with Tinkerbell, his Neverland counterpart, and have them sailing off together in the Enchanted Forest. That would be a natural and happy conclusion to their story arc with the completion of Neverland now done. However, if someone has to die, I’d say Hook is the most expendable and the one whose death would least negatively impact the rest of the core characters. Neal’s final death, however, wouldn’t only be redundant and ruin his chance at a happy ending, but would ruin the happy endings of Rumple, Henry and arguably, Emma, who loves him.
[adrotate group="5"]"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
Rumple: I used a curse to find you, Bae. To tell you I made a mistake. To make sure you had a chance at happiness. And that happiness IS possible, just not with me.
Would they really have Rumple say (as recently as the mid season finale) that Neal has a chance at happiness if they were planning to kill him off? I really doubt it.
Phee wrote: As for promo, yeah they have promoted the wazoo out of Hook and CS, and Colin is undoubtedly a big draw for many viewers. But has that excessive promo seen ratings sky rocket? Nope. Ratings haven’t had a massive decline, they’re holding relatively steady, but all that Hook/CS promo hasn’t exactly drawn in more viewers. If people are staying away because they’re not super fussed about Hook, the ep of his death could likely see a ratings spike, and while they might lose some viewers after the fact, they might well win some others back.
What’s interesting is that if you study the ratings for S3, “Good Form” only received a slight spike in viewership after a marked decline after the season 3 premiere, despite the ABC promo’s department to sell the CS kiss. The next episode, “Ariel” drew a much higher viewership, however, because she’s a lot of people’s favorite princess. Then the ratings pretty much consistently fell, with a marked dip in “Dark Hollow” which focused too much on the triangle of doom. This attempt to white-wash Hook as a hero and to sell him as a viable suitor for Emma has not been successful across the board and has actually probably cost ABC more viewers than its attracted. A lot of the viewers who stopped watching the show did so after “Tallahassee” which means they lost interest. The other episode which generated a lot of attention was, “Manhattan” in which it was revealed Neal was really Baelfire, which was a major mystery that remained from S1, which was pre-Hook. Go figure. Getting rid of Hook once and for all might actually draw back a lot of viewers who felt he was a badly written character who didn’t add anything to the plot at all.
Phee wrote: Speaking of attempted heroic acts in NL, Hook was trying to act the hero part by saving the life of a man who Emma loves, but he did it for his own personal gain, so it wasn’t a true heroic act. So might they have him saving the life of another man who Emma loves, this time doing it truly not for any personal gain, because he’d give his own life in the process? Could be a nice little climax to his story arc where he’s striving to regain his good form.
While Hook may want to be a man of honor again, he doesn’t really know how, so long as he continues to only put his own interests first. Even when Hook played a hand in helping to save Henry, Charming, and Neal, he really only did it to be appealing to Emma. His “stepping back” from Emma wasn’t really honorable because he just expected Neal to fail miserably. And Hook’s drunken pass at Tinkerbell was in keeping with his womanizing history, and it was dishonorable to Tinkerbell and to Emma. Hook is still a pirate, and one whose redemptive arc is far from complete. Hook sacrificing himself for the cause of others, without expectation of self gain, would be a true hero’s end and a good send-off if ever there were one.
"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
Would they really have Rumple say (as recently as the mid season finale) that Neal has a chance at happiness if they were planning to kill him off? I really doubt it.
That just brightened my day.
Also I really need to applaud you guys for consistently using the spoiler tag. So far I haven’t had to make many edits and I really thank you guys for that.
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"Pretty SF things! From Tumblr
I screwed up the first time, hopefully I get another chance.
*Believe in second chances! * Rumple sacrificed himself to make sure Neal got another chance at happiness. This isn’t over guys! Neal will see Emma and Henry again! *Believe!*
Charming: “True love isn’t easy, but it must be fought for, because once you find it, it can never be replaced.”
Belle: I will never stop fighting for him!
Neal: I’ve got a secret, too, Emma. I’m never going to stop fighting for you. Never.This is true love all! Do you really think it was going to be easy? 🙂
"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
*Believe in second chances! * Rumple sacrificed himself to make sure Neal got another chance at happiness. This isn’t over guys! Neal will see Emma and Henry again! *Believe!*
This is true love all! Do you really think it was going to be easy? 🙂
😀 YAY!
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"More wonderful explanations and answers from Schmacky. Pretty much what we’ve been saying, but still nice to read it.
More pretty SF things!
Tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start"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
More wonderful explanations and answers from Schmacky. Pretty much what we’ve been saying, but still nice to read it.
Schmacky does have a way of making sense to a panic fandom. 🙂
Tell me you love me, come back and haunt me Oh and I rush to the start
ahhhhh. Love this one.
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"I’m more inclined to think that it’s will be Hook that dies. I think it will happen by him sacrificing his own life for Neal’s, Emma’s & Henry’s lives. Which would infact redeem Hook to become a hero
Keeper of Neal/BaelFire's Blood Magic, Neverland Crossbow, FTL Clothes,Room at Granny’s, Charming & Emma’s Father/Daughter Hugs, Henry's Neverland Crossbow, Rumplestlitskin/Mr.Gold's FTL Walking Stick
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