Stepfather Hook?

[Keb]

I think that the TL relationship trumps the marriage relationship in some sense in Once. But I also think that by just about every understanding of marriage, having a non-dissolved marriage with someone else preempts the possibility of marrying someone else. Hook and Milah were definitely lovers, and definitely had TL, but they were not married. In at least one sense, their being together was better than Milah staying with Rumple–because of the TL thing–but that doesn’t mean it was morally the right thing. We don’t know what annulment/divorce proceedings were available to Milah (though to say those things didn’t exist in their world is a bit presumptuous–they’ve existed in our world since the earliest written records at least, even if, during certain periods or in certain places, they were socially unacceptable or more difficult to obtain than they are now). What we do know is that she left Rumple without telling him or Bae that she was going, without offering them any sort of closure (and we see how important THAT was to Bae, in Manhattan). It was wrong and she acknowledges as much, at least where Bae’s concerned. Within the moral structure of the show, Milah is not in the right for what she did, though it is somewhat mitigated by her desire to be with her TL. The only thing that seems to equal TL’s value in the show is family (which we’ve seen has as much TL power as romantic TL), and she did break up her family through her choice to go with Killian.

But I think that reflects more on Milah than on Hook, in the end. He wanted to provide Bae with a family, apparently before and after Milah’s death. He was even willing to suspend his quest for revenge to give Bae that–or to honor Bae when he found out what happened to him. Killian’s not innocent in Milah’s affair and decision to leave her family, but he doesn’t bear the same moral burden to keep her family together that she does.

[kfchimera]

I agree with Keb. Emotionally, Hook & Milah had a bond. Enough of a bond that he wanted to make a family with Bae. From what we’ve seen, that ended up more of a “what could have been” then a true step-father/son connection between Bae and Hook. Although, we don’t know if we know the full story yet.

Somehow this reminds me of something from the movie Clueless. This movie is in turn based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma. There is an odd family relationship that happens. Cher (the “Emma” character) has a step-brother named Josh. Josh’s mother married Cher’s dad, but they divorced pretty quickly. We are told that Cher and Josh never really shared a daily routine as brother and sister, but somehow, Josh had a connection with her dad that lasted even after the divorce. Her father says “You divorce wives, not children”.
So even though Cher resents Josh and doesn’t consider him more than a “former” step-brother, her father still considers him his step-son, despite the very brief marriage. If you haven’t seen it, I’ll spoiler the rest, plus it is a little off-topic from Hook and Bae’s relationship. Josh and Cher end up dating. In the original novel, the relationship is different because Emma falls for her older sister's husband's brother (her brother-in-law), but he was looking out for her more like an Uncle or older brother. Either way, there's no blood relation there, but to different audiences the already existing close family connection sometimes draws criticism. I felt that Hook might have wanted to be a step-dad to Bae, and like Cher’s dad in the movie, feels this still long after the connecting relationship is over. Unlike that movie though, Bae has not been shown to feel the same.

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?” -- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

[obisgirl]

I get it Chimera. Never thought of that parallel before but 😎 .

[winlea78]

All very good points. I did/do still think Mila and Rumple we’re still married. But like someone said earlier Hook may may be operating by his own code and may have Officiated some kind of marriage to mila. And that could make him view Bae as his. I also agree that while Hook is certainly NOT INNOCENT, Mila was more responsable for tearing her family apart and shattering Bae’s home life. IMO, when a spouse cheats; it’s not so much the other man/woman that the offended spouse needs to be angry at (although anger is rightfully deserved) its the cheating spouse that’s the REAL PROBLEM.

It’s kind of funny how when Rumple thought Mila was still alive and In captivity that ultimately he wasn’t willing to do more than beg/plead but not fight for her. By contrast he was willing to do ANYTHING to save his son. Both fates would have been undesirable if you think about it. Mila would’ve been abused by multiple men and Bae would have been killed in war not to mention abused as well. Remember how Duke Hordor looked at Morraine??? I believe that deep in his heart Rumple knew what was really happening with Mila/hook and knew she didn’t love him at all and hadn’t since he came home from battle. I think the reason he fought so hard for Bae is because he was the only person Rumple felt truly loved by. I think the conversation rumple had with the begger shows this. Bae was bright, handsome and respectful but most of all he loved rumple with all his heart and rumple could feel that. And that was unbearable to loose to a pre dark one rumple.

[PriceofMagic]

I think Rumple didn’t fight for Milah because the odds were stacked against him. He had Bae to think about. If he died duelling Hook, who was far more experienced with a sword, who would’ve taken care of Bae? Rumple didn’t want Bae to have the childhood he had of growing up without a father? Bae had already lost one parent that day, he didn’t need to lose the other. Rumple fought for Bae because he had seen the ogre wars up close where being maimed made you one of the “lucky ones”. No parent would willingly stand by and watch whilst their beloved child got sent off to a war where the best chance of survival is to be severely injured.

I think the fact that Milah and Hook discussed taking Bae with them when she deemed him old enough actually makes her look worse then she did before. She chose to let Bae grow up without a mother then she would have just crashed back into Bae’s life and taken him away from the father who loved him. Rumple wouldn’t have had any say in the matter, Milah would have probably just took Bae and left again.

All magic comes with a price!

Keeper of Felix

[RumplesGirl]

I think the fact that Milah and Hook discussed taking Bae with them when she deemed him old enough actually makes her look worse then she did before. She chose to let Bae grow up without a mother then she would have just crashed back into Bae’s life and taken him away from the father who loved him. Rumple wouldn’t have had any say in the matter, Milah would have probably just took Bae and left again

This this this this this. When Hook told Bae this in ASOTM, I was livid toward Milah.

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

[obisgirl]

True.

I don’t we’re supposed to feel sympathetic towards Milah whatsoever. 😆

[RumplesGirl]

@obisgirl wrote:

True.

I don’t we’re supposed to feel sympathetic towards Milah whatsoever. 😆

I agree, and yet often times in the live chat on Wednesday’s people bring up Milah and some people do feel for her, they say she’s hated by the fan base for no reason, ect. We all see things differently, but Milah’s up there on my “I never want to see you again” list.

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

[Keb]

I dislike Milah rather intensely, but. Hook loved her, and apparently with him at least there was TL between the two. Rumple once loved her. She was capable of risking her life to save someone she loved (she faced the Dark One for Killian’s sake). She did TRY at least a little to fix things with Rumple, asking him to go elsewhere where her life would be less wretched. And she’s still Bae’s mother–and Baelfire is too wonderful a child for his mother to have been completely rotten. He’s selfless and brave and true and loving, and he could only gotten some of that from his father. And whether or not she “never loved” Rumple, she did act supportive and loving toward him before he deserted.

I still think she’s a horrible person in sum, who did horrible things (when she tells Rumple he should have died rather than coming home to be a father to his son…gah–almost more cruel than any of the killings on the show, srsly), but she’s more than just that. And I think we may learn more about her between Hook and Bae in the coming season that may round her out more. In fact, I hope we do.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[winlea78]

I’m sure Bae will forgive hook for his betrail, look at how he forgave rumple. And with the knowlage of what he did to his mother. Bae may also regret leaving hook.

[Author]

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