[storyteller]

I’ll just refer back to the themes of this season that A&E touched on belief and true self.  What Neal’s actions reveal is how far he has to go with his father.  I would recommend for those who haven’t read it mythologist Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces. In it one of the key steps on any heroic journey is atonement with the father, which can refer to the reconnection with one’s own father after a youthful rebellion against him or a reconnection with the broader human family.  Knowing the risk and taking a leap of faith is what is required of true heroes, failure to do so would’ve meant that for example that the trigger would’ve have destroyed Storybrooke and using that bean would leave David, Snow Emma and Henry with a life built on blood and selfishness.

Neal to my mind desperately wants a second chance with his Papa but abandoning him the way he was abandoned, and the way he abandoned Emma that is Neal’s nasty habit that he picked up from his Papa and has yet to shake. When he does he’ll be ready to get his Papa back but not before.

 

[storyteller]

To me its not a matter of seeing and treating the “villains” nicely, its about whether our “heroes” see them for their true selves or not and if we accept the baseline assumption that Rumple from when we first encounter him in “Desperate Souls” is indicative of his true self then, if Bae only wants his Papa back and Rumple utterly despises being a weak, cowardly sort, why would he want to go back to that? For Rumple I don’t think it’s so much as matter of going back as it is of finding his courage and overcoming the past. While for Regina, I believe her journey will culminate for her when her heart is healed.  The only characters who’ve shown the advanced insight into the plight of the “villains” that I would’ve hoped to see from Neal, David and Snow are Belle, who’s always seen good in Rumple and held true to that in spite of everything, Henry who has believed that he can have the love of his whole family and Emma on her good days because she aside from Henry is the only one I’ve seen Regina let her guard down for.

Not to beat a dead horse, but Neal has to recognize that he is his own father and all that running and hiding he’s done is coming back to bite him. I worry that Neal’s actions will have pushed Rumple over the edge and Rumple will conclude that his son is dead to him, Henry is dead to him and that all he has ever truly had is his power. Thus forcing him to embrace his identity as the Dark One and become the chief antagonist once again only this time with fewer scruples.

I frankly would love to have a scene where Neal is imprisoned and his father is the only one to let him out and Rumple willingly abandons him not in fear as he did before but in ire after reciting at length the deals he had to make, the lives ruined etc.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

But the bad decision caught up with him despite that.  Emma was right in the season premiere they all have to be believers in order for it to work and Neal wasn’t a believer. Remember what Rumple said about taking a leap of faith when you have no evidence and Neal demanded evidence and refused to ask his heart.  Likewise when Emma abandoned Hook he reaffirmed his alliance with Cora and took Aurora’s heart and Emma and Snow nearly didn’t get home after That’s at least how I read it.

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Clever animation, very clever indeed!

Now I doubt I’ll be interested enough in Once Wonderland to pay attention, but  from tonight’s episode we can glean a bit about A&E’s version of Robin and his Merrie Men. 1) Clearly Robin knows his way around magic and learned that it comes at a price. 2)  Robin is wise enough to know that what goes around comes around, since he knows that Will’s comeuppance will come due. Now Robin says he knows this by “experience” hmmmm… very interesting! I’ll bet that Robin had a run-in with his soul mate and doesn’t her to be so and that when he discovers the truth he will;  a) fight to win her back (maybe after some persuasion) or b) leave her to her fate.  I’m pulling for the former.

 

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Anastasia does mean “she will rise again” so there’s hope.

 

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Robin in Wonderland hmmm… Could portend a run in with the Queen of Hearts at some point perchance? Nous verrons ce que nous verrons.

Advice to those traveling in Wonderland: Shun the Bandersnatch but, “beware the Jabberwock my son!”

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Bravo!  J’aime votre histoire

Mes salutations:

Le Conteur

 

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

I agree. I get the feeling David’s father is more than a simple shepherd, perhaps a warrior maybe not as prestigious as a knight who saw his fair share of war and returned home to the peace of his farm and family.  If he were a nobleman or a royal who gave up everything for love the closest parallel I can draw is Regina who was ready to abandon a queenly prison sentence to in essence live rough w/ Daniel. (Truth be told Regina’s life has been nothing but rough) One could speculate on a blood connection bet. David and Regina. Ruth’s origins are unknown to us as well. Which leaves us a lot of room for what ifs too. Images of Luke on Tattooine keep  popping up when I think of David humble origins followed by a rise to prominence. Now Luke lost his innocence when his father’s identity was revealed, and we’ve seen David struggle over the gnawing sense that he has darkness in him like his brother.  Now one could of course argue the nature v. nurture  line “James was raised  by George therefore… while David was raised by Ruth therefore…”  but could David’s father be where the corruptible elements of the twins personalities begins?

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Last bit I’ll say on inheriting a kingdom

I don’t think we need to take the historical analogy to the Middle-Ages as far as all that, these are after all Fairy Tale characters. I’m just using a basic template of how dynastic succession works in practice in the real world and when/if  A&E write up something that breaks the precedent or solidifies it, I’ll adapt my arguments to suit it taking each kingdom on a case by case basis.   In addition, the degree at which references to the Arthurian Romances are cropping up makes me personally believe that a symbolic subtext is being established that will culminate somewhere down the line.  As far as Midas’ realm goes if his realm reflects the real world a realistic expectation would be that Abigail succeeds him and becomes queen regnant and Frederick would be a prince consort (think Victoria and Albert) by fairy tale conventions Midas could appoint Frederick his successor upon marriage. Given that 1×03 established that royal marriages in the EF are regarded as business transactions, then the fair assumption is that the modes and mores I’ve touched upon earlier stand.

Moving on, any thoughts on potential gaps in David’s family line? We still don’t know his father and Ruth’s family history would be interesting to know as well.

 

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[storyteller]

Now, who says that in the Once universe Gwen has to be adulterous? Maybe Regina is Gwen or A&E don’t even introduce their own version.   We also know that Lancelot and Cora have some history which may be illuminated upon. I’ll re-watch Lady of Lake and see what the facts support.

 

Custodian of Graham's darts, Rumple's spindle and Robin's quiver

[Author]

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