ONCE - Once Upon a Time podcast
Reviews, theories, and talk about ABC's Once Upon a Time TV show
If the revelation were of no importance there would be no reason for the show to establish Hook’s ignorance of the history between Cora and Regina. Instead they insert an exchange that has all the subtlty of an anvil. Knowing that Cora rips out hearts isn’t the same as knowing that she did exactly the same thing that Rumps did to him to her own daughter of all people. Realizing that he’s helping the woman who did to Regina what Rumple did to him shows Hook just how blind and twisted his quest for vengeance has become. If that doesn’t put a new perspective on his actions for him than I don’t think anything will. That is still a possibility, but I strongly suspect he will turn against Cora.
I can’t help but notice that when Hook met Regina in the past the show went out of its way to have Hook ask why Regina wanted her mother dead and for Regina to pointedly not answer. If Hook switches sides, I don’t expect it to be because of Emma or team Charming. I think it would be because he learns of Cora having done to Regina the same thing that Rumple did to Hook. There’s no way he could not remember his own tragedy once that revelation occurs. I think the reason he rescued Aurora’s heart from the portal was because of his love for Milah. He didn’t want Aurora’s heart accdentally crushed, because he’d be reminded of Milah’s death by that. It’s the strongest reason for Hook to turn against Cora, imo.
Neal being Bae and Peter Pan makes more sense to me than any other option. Rewatching the Disney movie the other night I found another correlation that I just wanted to share. The OUAT characters often carry key personality traits to the Disney versions, such as Belle loving books. In the big fight between Peter and Hook, Hook goads Peter into not using his abilty to fly by calling him a coward. Peter is affronted. “Coward? Me?” After further goading Peter exclaims, “Nobody calls Pan a coward and lives!” He nearly loses the fight, but he refuses to go back on his word and be branded a coward even to save himself. If that doesn’t fit with Bae angrily calling Rumple a coward when Rumple refuses to go through the portal, then I don’t know what does. If they make anyone else Pan, I’ll be very disappointed.