Prince James (Charming)/David

[RumplesGirl]

1) What do you think of Prince Charming’s character development over these last couple of seasons?

There hasn’t been any. Unless you want to count devolution as part of development.

Charming has never had much pizzazz on the show anyway; it was always focused on the females of Snow, Emma, and Regina with the male heavy lifting falling to Rumple. Charming is pretty stuck in his trope of White Knight. He does what knights are supposed to do–he fights for truth, justice, love, family, and “good.” The problem is that this rote, by the book take doesn’t lend much in the way of interesting character. David Nolan, as annoying as he could be in S1, was far more interesting because he was given complexity and actual human drama to work with. After the curse was broken, struggling to be a father for the first time worked as well because it was a challenge and didn’t come as easy. The problem lies in after the first two seasons when the villains of the show began to get the lion’s share of the story and sympathy and thus the heroes needed to be dirtied. The writers did it in a way that did not make the heroes more human but rather just make them look terrible and terribly incompetent.

2) What, in your opinion, were some highlights for the character?

Season 1 and 2. I dunno….Charming has about as much personality as dry wallpaper. But I did enjoy his little side adventure with Arthur in 5A. The line “I don’t want to only be remembered as the man who kissed a sleeping princess awake thirty years ago.” is probably Charming at his most self aware and, frankly, interesting but it went no where. That idea of introspection and finding oneself lacking in their cosmic trope just vanished the next episode.

3) Do you think Charming has any interesting stories left in him?

No. But he’s never really had all that many to begin with. His stories are always the same: he struggles to be a true knight, needs a bit of a pick me up in the form of womanly encouragement (Snow, Ruth, Emma, Anna) and then he goes and does the Knightly thing and proves himself a Knight.

4)  Do you wish Charming had gotten more character development, or are you happy for him to play second fiddle to the strong female characters?

I don’t mind him playing second fiddle because I’m all for female-centered drama but I do mind that his second fiddle-ness is so boring and by the numbers.

[PriceofMagic]

I think Charming has potential to do something. He’s the least offensive of Snowing where Snow tends to get up on her high horse whereas Charming tends to think things through some more. Charming would greatly benefit from spending time away from Snow instead of just being Snow’s appendage.

Ideally Snowing should have a big argument that is not resolved by the end of the episode and therefore they have to spend some time apart. Charming could hang out with Hook because that is actually when both characters are at their best. It can be rationalised as serving CS because Charming and Hook are bonding but with the added benefit that Hook and Charming aren’t in a scene with Emma and Snow respectively, and therefore both male characters get a chance to breathe instead of everything they do revolving around the women in their life.

All magic comes with a price!

Keeper of Felix

[AKA]

I think Charming is at his best during bromances.  I liked him in season 2 with Rumple and I really enjoyed the adventures with Arthur.  I also kind of like him with Hook.  He seems to shine when he is in a supportive and advice mode to other men.  I thought they could have done a lot more with him and James in the Underworld but that did not develop.  I would also like him to have more of a fatherly role to both of his kids.  Have we even seen him hold baby Neal without Snow?

[Author]

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