[Keb]

I’m suspecting that A&E have been using 9-10 months and a year pretty synonymously, to be honest.

However, while a few things in S3B don’t QUITE seem to follow the time cues that they offer, I haven’t found any true contradictions YET (with one possible exception: Belle is at Rapunzel’s welcome-home party, yet she returns to tell the Charmings about Neal and Rumple when they’re ready to announce the pregnancy. And I think there WERE captions that make that an issue, though I need to go back and check.)

They did insist constantly that it was a year that they were gone. And while I doubt Snow would know immediately that she was pregnant (don’t most women need a few weeks to figure that out?), they captioned the first announcements of her pregnancy as 9 months before the “present.”

And yes, I’m here and still working on the timeline.

But the basic pattern of things that happened in the missing year seems to be:

Our friends return to the EF (312) (a year ago)
Our friends retake the castle (313) (still a year ago)
Belle and Neal revive the Dark One (315) (captioned one year ago) (I may move this on reflection to after 314, but it seems weird to put it there for a few reasons)
Snow gets pregnant and David helps Rapunzel (314) (nine months before present)
Hook takes back the Jolly Roger instead of helping Ariel (317) (captioned as 9 months before present)
Emma meets Walsh (it’s said in 312 that they met 8 months ago)
Snow & David plan to announce the pregnancy, Zelena turns Philora into monkeys, and Belle reports on Neal & Rumple (319)
Our friends ask Rumple for help, and then Glinda. (319) (Captioned as eight months after the monkey thing)
Snow casts the curse, and Zelena spices it up; Regina uses Snow’s heart to save David. (319) (It takes a little time for the curse to take effect, and Hook has to get back to NY, but this has to be only a few days before Emma returns to Storybrooke)

Keep in mind that I’m only through my timelining process up to 317, so I don’t have full notes on eps beyond that yet. I’m in the process of moving for the second time in 3 months, so things have been a little complicated in Kebland.

[Keb]

It’s actually arguable whether in the Disney animated feature Snow and the Prince are meeting for the first time at the well. In “I’m Wishing,” Snow sings that she’s “wishing for the one I love to find me today.” It’s ambiguous, but it suggests that there’s already someone she loves–not that she’ll meet someone she CAN love.

His first words to her (all in song) are “Now that I’ve found you, hear what I have to say.” That can be read two ways: He’s just met her, OR he’s been looking for her for some time. Since the Queen forced her to dress in rags and act as a servant, it may be that she suddenly vanished from the royal scene, leaving the Prince searching for the girl he’d already fallen for.

It certainly CAN be read as love at first sight, but that’s not the only possible reading of their encounter at the well. Cinderella and Ariel are more guilty of this than most of the other Official Princesses. (And of course it’s a long-standing cinematic trope for two characters to meet, fall in love, and presumably/actually marry within the 90 or so minutes of a film–which necessarily shortens the relationship for the viewer even if a longer time is represented.)

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

[Keb]

Or perhaps Ana’s not dead, just lost/in trouble/holding down the fort while Will figures something out. Or maybe Will got caught up in the curse accidentally and just needs to get home again.

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

[Keb]

I think we should also look at the fact that this show has, repeatedly, pointed out that True Love extends beyond just romance. Henry’s mothers both have used True Love to break curses on him now, for example.

I would love to see the family/friendship aspects of love examined more. One reason it sucks that Red vanished is that her relationship with Snow was an interesting and close family-friendship relationship, and we didn’t get to explore that nearly enough.

Romance is awesome and I lovelovelove Rumbelle but the relationships that characters form beyond the bonds of romance–which have been proven to be capable of True Love–tend to interest me more. (Like, every friendship Belle’s ever had…more of that please? And David & Gold broshipping is delicious.)

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

[Keb]

Apologies for the long delay in updating the timeline…RL hit me hard over this summer, between having to move and then learning I have to move AGAIN in a couple of months and change all my plans for the next year or so…

But I have now updated the timelines through episode 315 and have hopes I’ll get the rest of S3 done before S4 starts. Of course, my move back to the states is the same week as the premiere…so who knows when I’ll get on S4.

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

[Keb]

Well, I finally put 315 in my timeline…it wasn’t easy. Maybe now that’s done I can get back to the rest of it, though.

*hugs everyone hard*

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

[Keb]

I just love how the floof family nominated each other. And could Emilie BE more adorable?

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

[Keb]

That IS an amazing graphic. I’m still secretly hoping that, even if they wait till the end, Nealfire will return.

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

[Keb]

Neal was at the heart of the story in a lot of ways. His character (as Baelfire) was introduced in the first season, and Rumplestiltskin’s entire backstory revolved around his relationship with his son. The show’s structure from the start always hinged on Rumple as one of the two antihero/antagonists; he’s not the whole show but he’s a MAJOR player. The home office plotline was not his whole reason for existing; he was already a major part of half the main character’s lives.

So I disagree with you that his purpose was lost in the home office plot. There was a lot that could have been explored with his past–I’d happily have seen more Neverland backstory, for example–and I still have some hope left that they will explore some of those loose ends. They have the opportunity. Heck, if they can do a complete remake of Snow Falls, they can go back and look at Neverland again if it fits into a particular story arc–very easily, and even without bringing Neal back from the dead.

I still have some hope that Rumple won’t let his son stay dead. It doesn’t quite seem within his character to ever let go.

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

[Keb]

I would not be shocked if they brought young Baelfire back, and used the younger actor. I think Neal is tragically gone, and I think that kills off part of the heart of the show.

They may not have done it for a ship, but I’m convinced there’s some reason beyond “story” behind it, because as a story decision it’s SO unsatisfying.

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

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