Emma Swan Character Analysis

[surayya]

It isn’t enough about Henry? OK, fine by me. Emma made the trip to *herself* in the second half of the season. She can’t be defined as a mother/savior/ independent kick butt warrior until she defines and accepts herself as a woman. She dealt with bitterness, anger, disgust, sadness, doubt, grief, fear, failure, loss, impotency/weakness, denial, and finally, realization. And she never ignored Henry or his safety in the process of finding herself. He was surrounded by family and caring adults every moment. Especially his mother. And this was her journey and her story, this time. And about time. This was Emma’s season to find herself and recognize exactly WHO she was…her mother’s daughter, her son’s mother, her father’s daughter, her soul’s magic, her partner’s lover, fate’s survivor, the total package finally combining all of that to stop her from once again running away from who she was…and who she was capable of being. If it took walking through ten thousand miles of woods, and three hundred years, so be it. She finally let her heart mold with her brain. Good. She will handle all those roles much better now that she loves herself and accepts herself for who she truly is. This was about Emma, creating a relationship with EMMA. In regard to the dance… Sometimes, you just have to wear a gorgeous dress, smile adoringly and simply enjoy being held in the arms of someone who loves you and take the joyous whirl. Just because it feels so darned good.

Agreed!

@RGF – I have to agree 100% with your post. I’m not going to speak for people 5-10 or so years older/younger because here in the US, at least, ‘times change’ and it seems like lightning speed. But for our age group, I do think your description of what is/was expected of us, what we grew up understanding, and what ended up being our reality is spot on.

@RG – I see where you’re coming from, and I’m thankful for the clarification in regard to Hook in the EF. I was thinking about it after my last post and you put into words what I was thinking, but better. No, Emma doesn’t need Hook in the EF. She doesn’t need anyone – except Henry – which is at times a good and a bad character trait. But I don’t think it was the intention of the writers or actors to suggest Hook was in the EF because Emma couldn’t handle herself, it was simply a way of showing that as someone who loves Emma, Hook wasn’t going to let her be alone goodness knows where/when. Which I think is an essential human trait – how many of us wouldn’t go to the ends of the earth for the people we love? That’s just what love is. Just like when Snow jumped in after Emma in S2, and Charming intended to do but for the portal closing.

RE: Henry – I get what you’re saying. But I think the only reason there wasn’t more emphasis on Henry was because we know Emma genuinely loves Henry and would never leave Henry, would do anything for Henry, etc. We don’t need to rehash that. The purpose of 3×21 & 3/22 was to get Emma to that same place with her parents – hence, her running to them when she returned. Realistic? Maybe, maybe not. It’s a really hard place to put yourself in, time travel and magic and seeing your parents before you were born and whatnot – but yeah, if I had just had an experience that made me realize how much I love and respect and don’t want to lose X, then X is the first person I’d run to, and my child second. Because X needs to know this. I think Henry would’ve understood that and would be happy Emma finally realized this love for her parents as well.

This- I really mean it- I just deleted a MASSIVE post, because I read this & saw you had addressed a number of things I was going to point out, in far fewer words lol *hands over cookie* 🙂

Nobody said it was that sort of discussion, I don’t think CaptainSwan has been brought up at all in that context in this discussion. Just because we didn’t see an Emma/Henry hug doesn’t mean one didn’t happen. A lot of stuff happens off screen unfortunately (such as Belle reuniting with her father) which is a flaw of the show, but Henry wasn’t the focus of the scene, Emma recognising Snowing as her parents and home was. Just because Emma doesn’t mention Henry in the EF isn’t absurd for the fact that Emma is busy trying to correct history which will in turn ensure Henry stays in existence. I’m glad we didn’t have to hear Emma whining about Henry for the reason that there was no reason why Henry needed to be mentioned in the EF, Henry had no significance on the EF events.

YES! I was going to make exactly this point as well! (I’m so glad I’m reading all these posted before I posted lol)

I disagree. A personality change is where Emma would go from the person she is to someone she isn’t. For example, she becomes a flaky girly-girl who only cares for pretty clothes and make up and only cares about what men think of her. That would be a personality change. NYC has changed Emma but only in the sense that she’s grown. She’s still independent, she’s still Emma.

Yep.

Emma won’t let Henry be sidelined in her life, but she needs to have a life outside of Henry. Emma is a character in her own right, not just an extension of Henry. Also if Henry’s off at Regina’s or wherever, Emma needs something to do. Being a mother is only part of Emma’s character, it’s not the sum of it.

Another point I no longer need to make- very well said.

I guess I don’t see Emma NOT interacting with Henry for an episode or two as that big of a deal. Probably because my son is the same age as Henry and I know what 12 year old boys are like – you really don’t spend a lot of time staring lovingly at each other. You are happy when you get a grunt and a short but informative sentence of how their day is going. I love my son to pieces but at his age he has his interests and I end up being the chauffeur to get him back and forth to said interests – that is the how I talk to him, he is held captive in the car and has no choice to listen and grunt responses when I demand them in return.

Hehe- the way I worded this point in my now deleted post was “Henry is at that age where he’s ready to step out from under his parents wings & start to spreed his own wings a bit more” 😉

Plus, as a woman I also have my own interests not to mention that I am married so I also spend time alone with my husband. My husband and I do actually go away on our own vacations (and so do all the other happily married couples we know). When we are on those vacations our rule is that we focus on US, not kids. We don’t talk about kids, about household stuff, parenting, etc. It is US time. Doesn’t mean I don’t love my son – does mean my entire world does not revolve around his existence.

Yet another point I was going to make.

I would say that the entire trip into the past was much more powerful than any modern *therapy* because she lived it with them for the short time she was there, it wasn’t a mental trip of her imagining how things were, or delving into her own background and memories…it was their physical life… and she was breathing it. And that is the most special kind of magic much more potent and immediate than modern therapy.

Oh, and lastly, yes, Hook needed to be there ( he wasn’t just there for Emma, he was there for David and his own realizations as well. But in regards to Emma)…he was needed…not necessarily for rescuing her, but for walking though the journey by her side and offering her the support, love, comfort and protection she MAY need, or in this case, want. So she was NOT alone. That is not a trivial thing. And it was another part of her relationship with herself she had to come to grips with. She was NOT alone.

Again, agreed. The way I worded my take on Hook ‘needing to be there’ was, it wasnt so much Emma “needing” Hook to be there, as it was to show the evolution of Hook in that one instance, by clearly showing the audience that he clearly chooses to let go & follow her though, as 1) he knows about her trust & abandonment issues & works to prove to her that isnt going to be the case with him, so there was no way he’d make her go through whatever she was going to have to face on the otherside alone & with no back up. 2) Shows his character’s evolution- he is ready & willing to risk his life & go to the ends of the worlds & time for another (ie. he truly is changing) & 3) His going through meant they could take additional steps forward with both characters evolutions, so they’d get to where they needed to be for the finale to make sense.

I question, why it was Hook, why the male lover, the romance. And I know they build it up for all of the season, he was made the logical companion, that is not my point. What the show lacks, and especially when it comes to Emma, is women empowering women.

Well who else to go with her?
Snow is out- Ginny was heavily pregnant & couldnt be expected to play 2 roles when they already had to use a stunt double & video editing already to marry a very pregnant Snow with a very slender, not with child Snow.
Charming couldnt go, he’d be the last person to make a good guide considering he’d stand out as the crowned “Prince” of the realm- hardly a help when you need to fly under the raider & neither of you actually has magic at that point to hide yourself with.
Henry going would have been plain stupid- he’d be more likely to get them in trouble than out of it (although I DO want Henry to experience EF for himself, given he is the only person in SB, who knows about the place, yet hasnt actually been there yet).
Red doesnt make much sense either, she & Emma are friends yes, but Red hasnt been present for the best part of S3, so her randomly popping up & spending 2hrs on screen after such an absence would have been….weird & truly ‘left field’
Regina doesnt make sense either, she was developing a relationship, getting to know Roland & reconnecting with Henry, why would she be running around with Emma & it’s not her style to go coddle Emma either.
The only person that made any sense to go with Emma was Hook/Killian, which is why he went.

We also have to take into consideration Emma was never going to be “the strong women who never settles down with a guy she loves”- JMo has said since S2/early S3, that Who Emma is- the product of TL, would drive her to seek that out for herself. So I guess that’s why I dont see Emma wanting to be in a relationship, making her less empowered.

This show was more progressive at the beginning of season 2, sending Emma and Snow on a shared trip in present EF. Sometimes it seems to me, like different from many in the audience the writers have chosen to forget about the first half of season 2, or that their memory about it is very selective. Remember that beautiful scene in season 2 at the end of episode 3, in the nursery? Well, I do. As I remember Snow saving her daughter from an Ogre with bow and arrow, them fighting together the zombies Cora send after them, and then Cora herself, not to mention mother and daughter teaming up with warrior Mulan and courageous princess Aurora. Where did that experience go? Is it worth so little that we now needed this sentimental journey to build new rapport? So that Emma now can embrace that part of herself, the family, relying on others and letting others in part?

2 or even 3 different situations IMO- In S2A we had Emma ‘see’ 1st hand what Snow gave up, when she gave her up & that spoke to her- but Emma, as always takes 2 steps forward, 1 step back emotionally- yes she saw what her mother gave up & let slip she wasnt used to someone putting her 1st. Then in all the chaos that was S2B, Snowing convinced Emma to do things their way- by doing the ‘right or hard’ thing & it cost her Henry. She blamed them for Henry being kidnapped & was livid about allowing them to talk her out of ensuring Henry safety. She also hadnt at that point truly acknowledge that she really was an unloved orphan, because that would hurt her deeply, as well as Snowing (she under stood why they did what they did, but it didnt change her reality for 28yrs)… this didnt come out until S3A & was closely followed
by Snow revealing she wanted another baby or do over, kind of awkward situation for Emma to be in (even if it was perfectly acceptable for Snow to want another baby/child). Then Henry looses his heart as a result of his kidnapping/Pan, so she had to deal with that, no sooner is that dealt with, another curse is coming & she has her family ripped from her & false memories implanted as she cant remember who they are, so goes through another year thinking she was still abandoned/an orphan, who’s parents never loved her, until Boom, she gets her memories back, only to find out everyones back, but cursed, have no memories of the last year, that shes going to be a ‘big sister’ in a few days/weeks & that someone is out to get them for some reason & she must ‘save’ them…again- not really a lot of time to process everything really. I think it’s been what 2-2&1/2yrs since Henry found Emma, of that almost 1yr was Emma in town but not believing who everyone was & 1yr with false memories, so she’s had what 6mths maybe to process who her parents are & try develop a strong relationship with her mother despite 28yrs worth of negative feelings.
I also strongly feel she finds David easier to talk to because he gives her space to think- Snow tends to push- this has been the case since 201, so in many ways I think Charming understands Emma more than Snow does, which is why she tends to be more open with him- look at the way David reacted to Emma leaving SB, compared to Snow for example- Snow pushes Emma, while David allows her room to breath (even if he doesnt agree with her), it’s the difference between Snow & Charming’s parenting styles.
I believe Josh & maybe Adam has also said something along these lines as well- David & Emma are very alike in many ways, so he tends to ‘get’ her more, but Emma is also very much her mothers (kick butt Snow’s) daughter.

The cycle of female empowerment has not been harmed by the presence of a male- lover, father, son, friend or otherwise. It has been enhanced and strengthened. In my eyes and mind what makes females so strong is the acceptance, recognition, support and celebration of their own and other women’s worth ~without discounting the worth and celebration of what males bring to  that cycle.

*Nods in agreement*

[surayya]

Just saw these from JMo bout Emma, so will post them here 🙂

What do you relate to most in Emma?
A~ I relate most to her desire to do the right thing. I would go about it in different ways. But she always has that as her goal. She has different ways of going about it than I would. I’ve realised how lucky I am growing up with parents who are still together and just a great home life. Studying a character who had none of that has taught me to be more grateful for my own life.

What would you change about Emma?
A~ I’m such a fan of Eddy and Adam’s writing and I feel really committed to doing what I’m given. Just hoping for her growth over time. In real life it takes a long time to change. A lot of hard work of breaking habits. Emma has a long hard journey ahead of her if she’s going to change. I hope she has more reasons to smile. But, you need crises on a TV show to keep people interested.
How does Emma feel about being a big sister?
A~ I think it’s going to be really good for Emma. She had to give up Henry and now she’s going to watch her sibling grow up. There will be heart-warming moments and heartbreaking ones. She’s going to realise moments she missed with Henry that she can never get back.

http://cailet.tumblr.com/post/90925160273/jennifer-morrison-oz-comic-con-sunday-panel

[ellemo78]

Just to change the subject, I’m curious about Emma’s magic. I saw an AU the other week about her magic corrupting her. (I don’t normally go in for AUs, but this one seemed interesting) Do you think they’ll head Emma down a path where her magic becomes more dominant of her? That she’ll become more reliant on it? Regina said she had a lot of potential, even managing mirror magic without being really told how to do it. “Look inside yourself” isn’t a recipe for a spell. Although it’s obvious that Emma doesn’t even need spells, she closes her eyes and thinks and boom things happen. Who knows what could happen if she continues down that path? When she rescued Henry from Zelena, was she thinking about *exactly* what happened – ie Zelena’s hands burning – or did her magic ‘choose’ the best option for her? What happens if she closes her eyes, thinks and something very unexpected happens? Or is Emma too ‘good’ for her magic to steer her wrong?

If one is to engage with the primordial forces of darkness, one must expect a little social awkwardness

[obisgirl]

I don’t think Emma would allow herself to become as corrupted by magic as Regina was. Play with magic, have fun with it–yes but not to think extent as say the way Willow crashed (figuratively and literally) on Buffy. I think Emma has great self control that she can recognize when she’s gone too far and she has a lot of people around her who will tell her when she has too.

[Bo-Peeps]

I believe Emma’s magic comes from a fiercely protective soul. She will unapologetically use it to protect and vehemently defend, not strike out in open aggression. Forceful, yet more goodly pure.

Hers is a whole ‘nother place and core of immense power…and one that is rightfully respected by those who practice magic for cruelty and darkness.

It’s a great and potent balance for the existence of magic in the show

***Always in search of a good flock***

[RumplesGirl]

A and E have said that Emma will always be tempted by magic. Magic is easy–it gets you what you want. Rumple wanted courage to protect his son, so he took a Dark Curse onto himself. Regina wanted revenge against Snow, so she learned from Rumple. Personally, I think it’d be an interesting storyline to see her struggle with her power and using it in morally ambiguous ways, for the sake of keeping those she loves safe. However, I doubt that A and E would take Emma too far over the edge.

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

[WickedRegal]

A and E have said that Emma will always be tempted by magic. Magic is easy–it gets you what you want. Rumple wanted courage to protect his son, so he took a Dark Curse onto himself. Regina wanted revenge against Snow, so she learned from Rumple. Personally, I think it’d be an interesting storyline to see her struggle with her power and using it in morally ambiguous ways, for the sake of keeping those she loves safe. However, I doubt that A and E would take Emma too far over the edge.

And now I finally understand the balance of magic in the show….Rumple has dark magic…Regina has dark and light magic….Emma has the potentially most powerful light magic! It’s nearly a perfect combination! Emma is Yin, Rumple is Yang, Regina is Yin and Yang.

"If you go as far as you can see...you will then see enough to go even further." - Finn Balor

[Jenna_B]

Hmmm…I like it WR!  One thing I like about magic in OUAT – you can use it for selfish reasons (unlike say the show Charmed).  Emma like the others would be tempted- really, who.wouldn’t?  I would love to.poof me up my own personal maid myself! – abd she may even dabble in dark magic should there be no choice but I thinkshe would REALLY need to be stuck between a rock and a hard place to do so.  I think if say, she were put in a situation like Neal’s, Emma still probably would choose not to.use dark magic because her motivation tends to be ‘for the greater good’…although with Emma finally coming to terms with her home and family that just might change

 

[surayya]

RumplesGirl wrote:

A and E have said that Emma will always be tempted by magic. Magic is easy–it gets you what you want. Rumple wanted courage to protect his son, so he took a Dark Curse onto himself. Regina wanted revenge against Snow, so she learned from Rumple. Personally, I think it’d be an interesting storyline to see her struggle with her power and using it in morally ambiguous ways, for the sake of keeping those she loves safe. However, I doubt that A and E would take Emma too far over the edge.

And now I finally understand the balance of magic in the show….Rumple has dark magic…Regina has dark and light magic….Emma has the potentially most powerful light magic! It’s nearly a perfect combination! Emma is Yin, Rumple is Yang, Regina is Yin and Yang.

Great take on it & well spotted! I love this idea 🙂

Hmmm…I like it WR! One thing I like about magic in OUAT – you can use it for selfish reasons (unlike say the show Charmed). Emma like the others would be tempted- really, who.wouldn’t? I would love to.poof me up my own personal maid myself! – abd she may even dabble in dark magic should there be no choice but I thinkshe would REALLY need to be stuck between a rock and a hard place to do so. I think if say, she were put in a situation like Neal’s, Emma still probably would choose not to.use dark magic because her motivation tends to be ‘for the greater good’…although with Emma finally coming to terms with her home and family that just might change

Yeah, this is pretty much my feeling on it as well- temptation- yes, in a situation with no other option or way out- probably, but blatantly ‘going dark’- No (& I agree with RG that A&E probably wouldnt go to far over the line with Emma).

[Andres Micheal]

Some time you have to make sure that we are looking for some thing better and unique for some good reason Emma Swan Leather Jacket

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