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A Neal Essay I found
I’ve never understood when people claim that Neal doesn’t have a story outside of Emma, that he’s useless, has no growth, no story of his own, no development, no relevence, isn’t important, etc When I look at this season, I don’t even see his relationship with Emma as his biggest story arc. I would give that to his relationship with his father, which is a story that started in season 1 and has been evolving and developing ever since. We saw him as a young boy who had no one but his father, we saw how much he was betrayed with his father let him go, we saw him reunite with his father, we saw how he went from being angry and unable to trust Rumple to “you came back for me, papa” and the love between them as they reconciled as they were coming home from Neverland. He then had to watch his father give up his life, and in the one episode of 3B we’ve already seen him focused on going back to his father’s castle and not being convinced of his father’s death. None of that has to do with Emma or him being a “prop” to a love triangle. Yes, his relationship and story with Emma is a big one for him and an important one. Emma is the woman he loves, Emma still loves him, and they have a child together. For their stories to not be intertwined with each other would be ridiculous. But just because Emma is a big part in his life doesn’t mean he doesn’t have other stories as well. After finding out about Henry, much of his attention has been focused on being a father to him, to doing what’s best for him, and saving him and getting back to him when they are apart. He was reunited with the Darlings this season. He has a past with Hook, with Tinkerbell, and the other Neverland characters. He’s quickly formed a bond with Belle, which is something that seems like it will continue to be explored this season. He met Robin Hood earlier this season, and that is a friendship that seems to be continuing. Neal has connections to and is important to many characters that aren’t Emma. And on top of that, Neal has been important story wise since the very beginning. He is literally the reason the first curse was even created. He has driven much of Rumple’s story throughout the entire show. He obviously played a big part in Emma’s story and the creation of Henry. He also played an important piece in Hook’s story. He was with Tamara, which was important in everything that happened at the end of season 2. He had knowledge that others didn’t in Neverland that were vital in getting Henry back, and then in getting everyone back home. Neal was the one who knew how to get them off the island, would they have made it back without him? Neal isn’t just a prop for a love interest, he’s not just a bump in the road for an opposing ship, he’s not some useless character who has done nothing. His character has been important since the first episode of the show, and he has continued to be important ever since. He has family ties, friendship ties, and romantic ties to most of the main characters and many supporting/guest characters. He has shown growth throughout the seasons, he’s made mistakes, he’s learned from his mistakes, he’s had relationships break and mend, he has jumped between worlds and time periods, and woven in and out of the other characters lives. Whether you like him or not, Neal/Bae has been an important part of the show and nothing about his story reduces him to a useless prop.
PREACH. It irks me to no end when someone tries to say that Neal/Baelfire is unimportant to the overall story. In my opinion, the only characters who are more important than him are Rumple, Emma, Regina, Snow, and Charming and probably in that order too (I might even have Neal above Snow & Charming at this point even though their Emma’s parents). He’s super important to the overall story and has been the driving force for some of the biggest stories in the last 2.5 years (Rumple’s overall journey, the entire first curse, and Henry’s parentage to name three of them). Some folks really need to get over their bias and watch the show again. I still wonder if I’m watching a different show than some of these weird non logical people who post on the internet, LOL 😉
I really love when some of the folks on Tumblr write out long essays because so many people are always so eloquent and well spoken about their subjects. I think that girl (CassidyDearie?) has written several Neal essays this season and they’re always awesome. Thanks for sharing that one today RG! 😀
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#MoreBOOMLessGloomInteresting stuff about the dreamcatcher Slurpeez and thanks for the screencaps! I wasn’t totally being flippant or anything when I asked my questions last night (I was however being slightly dorky which is par for the course for me, LOL). I was genuinely wondering what you guys thought about that stuff so thanks for answering them and I agree with most of your responses. I do think the fact that the dreamcatcher is broken is significant mainly because one, it wasn’t when they left NYC, and two, absolutely nothing is an accident on this show. Someone had to have broken that prop in just the right way for it not to be too noticeable but yet still show that it doesn’t look exactly the same as last time. I have NO clue what it all means but I do feel like it means something and maybe it is because her relationship with Neal is still broken or maybe it’s going to be the thing that clues Emma into the fact that Neal is in some type of trouble. I really don’t know but I’m curious about it and I really hope they don’t add that part of the story to the ‘things we were going to do but then dropped like a hot potato’ list. I honestly didn’t realize that she took it with her (I was hoping she did but I didn’t know for sure) so getting confirmation from the screenshots that she actually DID makes my heart feel happy. Even when she’s cursed she still cares enough about him to keep something that meant a lot to both of them. That’s pretty significant and now I’m going to be all warm & fuzzy inside the rest of the day. 🙂
#MoreBOOMLessGloom
flypaper for nightmares [x] Oh I love that dreamcatcher so much but I do have two questions that I’m curious about regarding it.
1. Why do you guys think it’s broken? It wasn’t broken when they left NYC so how is it broken now?
2. Do you think Emma took it with her when she left?
Discuss. 😉
#HopeforSwanFire
#MoreBOOMLessGloomMade me laugh out loud:
Snow: Neal, it’s impossible. Regina was very clear about the price of our return.
Neal:Regina? Seriously? We’re just going to take her word for it? The woman who didn’t even realize the curse could be recast?
Snow:It was a one way trip, you know that.
Neal:Do we? Do we really? Every time someone says that all of a sudden a magic bean or a realm traveling mermaid or a magic boat pops out of nowhere. That’s literally how we spent all of last year.
Charming:Even if we found them they wouldn’t remember us.
Neal:So? You’re her parents. True love kiss her memories back. Or have the blue fairy whip up another memory potion. This happens on, like, a regular basis at this point. There’s protocol for this. And since when do you do recognize the word impossible anyway?
Charming:Just let them be Neal.
Neal:Screw this. Someone find me Belle. I can’t–I just can’t.HAHA! That is the best thing I’ve read all day. I can actually hear Neal saying those things too, LOL 😉
#MoreBOOMLessGloomA very nice essay on Neal READ (linkage only for some language things
I read that when I was at lunch and it’s a fantastic essay. Anyone who doesn’t understand who Neal is as a character REALLY needs to read it! 😀
Is the board fixed yet?! It’s driving me crazy today, LOL 😉
#MoreBOOMLessGloomToday’s happy thought: when Emma drank the potion and started to get back her memories, there were three flashes directly associated with Neal: 1) finding the dream catcher in NYC right after she had learned the truth that Neal didn’t set up AND realizing that she had never stopped loving him 2) Watching Neal fall away down the portal right after she declared that she needed him and loved him 3) Finding Neal in the Echo Caves when she declared that she loved him and always would and that not facing the pain THEY went through was easier for her (but oh hey what’s this: I’m never going to stop fighting for you? Hmmmm” And that is today’s happy thought
I endorse these happy thoughts. #TheMoreYouKnow 😉
#MoreBOOMLessGloomOK, the board is definitely going a little crazy this morning. I posted something a few minutes ago and it never showed up and the whole board’s dragging something fierce too. Did it go offline for anyone else a little while ago?! Crazy weird and hopefully things settle down soon.
#HopeforSwanFireYes they broke. Daniel is working on it.
[quote]As far as the death spoiler. I have hope because story wise it doesn’t make sense to kill anyone in 316 but it’s also a subjective interpretation based on how I think the story hasp progressed so far. A and E could do anything. They really could. They could decide to cut the story off at the knees for “shock” value. But as of 312 I have a lot more hope that the story we’ve been saying they’re telling is in fact the story they’re telling [/quote]
Glad to hear that it wasn’t just me going crazy and that something was wrong with the board! Hope it’s an easy fix for Daniel. 🙂
I think the next few episodes will really tell the story of what they’re planning for S3B. This past episode was a huge set up for the rest of the season with seeds planted for some things and not really too much big information yet. I don’t think anyone of note dies in 3×16 (I still don’t think they were filming a funeral that day to be honest) and I think the biggest parts of this overall story have been kept under wraps quite well since we literally have no idea what’s actually coming next! I agree that the story seems to be going a direction that is more hopeful and more positive for SF and Neal (though it may take a while to get there). I think the ‘story’ that seemed to be told during the paparazzi/fan pics and in the media isn’t what A&E are actually doing at all and it’s a shame that so many people are taking those random things as canon when they have been proven over and over again to not always be trustworthy. Choosing to have hope here!
#MoreBOOMLessGloomOK, the board is definitely going a little crazy this morning. I posted something a few minutes ago and it never showed up and the whole board’s dragging something fierce too. Did it go offline for anyone else a little while ago?! Crazy weird and hopefully things settle down soon. 🙁
#HopeforSwanFire
#MoreBOOMLessGloomMRJ + Stitch = ADORABLE
X I love that drawing so much! It’s just adorable. Someone pointed on Tumblr the other day that Stitch is actually the thing that holds that family together….kind of fits for Neal and how he holds some families together too, don’t you think? 😉
#MoreBOOMLessGloom
