Showing posts with label baelfire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baelfire. Show all posts

Saturday, June 13, 2015

30 Days of Television - Day 11

A show that disappointed you

Two years ago I became obsessed with the fairytale based show Once Upon A Time. A year ago I fell out of love with it. I wasn't planning on it, but it happens. Typically happens when a show does a major cast shake up (House MD when Chase, Cameron and Foreman "left" and were sidelined by 13 and crew... or CSI when Warrick and Grissom left... Law & Order SVU when Elliot left, etc.) I am not a fan of change.

However OUAT is weird because the catalyst that did me in was the death of a character I didn't realize I enjoyed as much as I did until after he was gone. We all know where I'm going with this - you can read my lamenting many times over (just look at the tags Neal Cassidy, or OUAT, and you'll see haha). Baelfire was a SIGNIFICANT character in the storyline - not just for Rumpelstiltskin but for the whole lot of characters. He wasn't just a love interest of Emma Swan, he wasn't just a throw away character... until they made him one.

For the fourth season they worked diligently to prove that statement wrong - basically by rewriting or completely negating/forgetting the very GOOD base they set in season 1. We're not just talking Neal Cassidy, we're talking Baelfire, the tragic boy in season 1 who just wanted his father to be good and not evil. Wanted to run away to the land without magic to save his father from himself. The kid who the original curse was created so that Rumple could get to him. THAT character.

The cheesy dialogue, over acting, and even the lack of continuity I was able to handle for two and a half seasons... but then by the end of season 3 it was starting to feel ridiculous. I really did try to muscle through it. After all, I am not a fan of just one character - and really wasn't a fan of Neal until he was gone (seriously the bird thing... gets me every time) - but the more it becomes a soap opera (as if the crappy Neal - Emma - Hook love triangle wasn't stupid enough... now we have Robin - Regina - Marian/Zelena) the less interested I am. Oh, and don't EVEN get me started with how Emma's now The Dark One.

I tried watching a few episodes and couldn't make it through even one. It sucks. I love the cast. The Frozen casting was perfect, looks wise. I just, yeah. The show is a mess. So disappointing.

And, honestly, even if they "fixed it" by somehow bringing Nealfire back? It wouldn't save the show in my mind.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

30 Days of Fangirl-ism - Day 16: A quote from one of your fandoms that you love


"You know, there's not a ton about my father that I remember that doesn't suck. But he used to tell me that there are no coincidences. Everything that happens, happens by design, and there's nothing we can do about it; forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate, destiny, whatever you wanna called it, the point is... maybe we met for a reason. Maybe something good came from us being together." - Neal Cassidy 

I'm just gonna leave this here... and go in a corner and cry. I'll never be over the loss of this character. Never, ever, ever....

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

30 Days of OUAT - Day 29: Favorite Season Premiere



Day 29 - Favorite Season Premiere

I gotta go with the Pilot episode. It opens SO well, I mean from the intro to Prince Charming racing down the road towards finding his true love to awaken her with true love's kiss. Everything seems so much like what we know of the story... and then all hell breaks loose.

Season 2's premiere was nice, but at the same time the whole "Mystery Man" portion (aka Michael Raymond-James walking through NYC before coming home, losing his ipod, and getting a postcard with the word "broken") was just really annoying. Don't get me wrong, as an MRJ fangirl (now) I love seeing him, but it made NO SENSE! Especially since we don't see him again for several episodes and it just didn't seem to fit within the rest of the story (and I'm STILL not sure it does)!

Season 3's was somewhat of a let down (actually all of 3a feels that way), even though - once again - an MRJ fangirl gets some quality stuff out of the character of Neal (much more so than in Season 2's opener). There was just too much going on with Neal in the EF, Henry with Greg and Tamara finding out who they were taking orders from, and then the rescue party on the Jolly Roger (and all of the secondary characters back in Storybrooke). It was all just too convoluted.

But the Pilot episode had a beginning, middle, end... and a purpose. A real one, not just a "let's get back into this and introduce the new characters" kinda thing. Only thing that'd make it better is having MRJ in it, but we couldn't know who Neal was until Season 2... it wouldn't have fit the storyline... wouldn't have given us enough angst. We needed to work up to finding Baelfire... and besides we wouldn't have August trying to fool Rumple without us not knowing who Bae really was.

I had to get a few fangirl gush moments in, so sue me. Ha ha.


Monday, May 26, 2014

30 Days of OUAT - Day 27: Most Shocking Moment


Day 27 - Most Shocking Moment

Pretty sure this one ranks right up there. I had thought for weeks - really since the second half of season 3 began - that Neal was the one who sent Hook to get Emma. I don't know why, but I just thought that either they had both tried to get back to her and Neal had somehow failed to survive the trip (thinking to who could possibly be the character to die that they warned us about), or that he couldn't make it and knew that the Jolly Roger was the only way to get back to the Land Without Magic. Remember, Neal is probably the one who knows best how to travel from realm to realm (other than Jefferson who is a non-factor to the story these days due to the actor not being available).

However, after "Quiet Minds" where we see Neal essentially die in his father's arms (and get absorbed by him... still weirds me out), so I figured I was wrong. Because Neal had no knowledge past the flying monkeys being a signal that the Wicked Witch of the West was around what was going on with the Charmings ("You're acting like that's normal"). He didn't know Zelina had threatened them, or that no one but Emma could defeat her. That is, until "A Curious Thing" airred. There we find Belle and the others going to Rumple for help. He's locked away in his own castle with the madness that having his son in his body/mind keeping him from being controlled by Zelina. Belle asks him how they can defeat the witch and he riddles them with the answer - Emma.

Towards the end of the episode - after Zelina finds out that the Charmings have re-enacted the dark curse to get back to Storybrooke and find a way back to Emma - Zelina comes with a memory potion for Rumple so that he can retain his memories - should he so choose. Rumple contemplates taking it, and just as he puts it to his lips an unseen force throws him back against the wall. He struggles and then that all too familiar and creepy bad CGI melds two faces together - the same two faces as in Quiet Minds. Neal rips through his father's body taking the potion, saying they aren't the ones that need to remember - Emma is. He rips his shirt, writes a message, calls a dove (some say that's proof he's a Prince(ss)) and sends the message to Hook.

Some say this shows him out of character - because he trusts Hook. Neal has only ever not trusted Hook where his father was concerned. Post Neverland, I don't even think he much cared/worried about that. Yes, he saw Hook as a rival for Emma's affection, but even towards the end of that part of the season Neal was willing to "let her go" if that's what made her happy. But NONE of that was what was being done in this scene. It was not his "blessing" for CaptainSwan to happen. Neal knew his fate in that moment (and would've known it in Storybrooke had they had their memories of the year in the EF), he needed to have someone as desperate as he was to get back to Emma get her the message. He knows Hook's capabilities (probably better than most anyone else still alive on the show). He TRUSTED him with the most important task.

Like Neal said in Quiet Minds - he hadn't forgotten all that Hook did for him (yes there was a betrayal, but Neal knows better than anyone the regret of betraying someone you love and care for). Neal did what he had to do. Neal gave up his fears, wants, desires, needs to give Emma the best possible chance she had to save her family. To, once again, come back home. He needed to know that his son and the woman he has always loved would be SAFE. Hook could give him that.



What made this shocking to me - since "I called it" - is the fact that I was RIGHT. And how it was done. As devastating as the story is in this scene... it made me happy. Not just to be right, but that because we got to see MRJ once again. We'd see him one final time in Season 3 - in the season finale. These scenes were wonderful, but ripped open the fangirl wounds all over again. I've "self medicated" by binge watching the short lived Terriers (which they really need to have clips of on Youtube!)... Britt Pollack is Nealfire in the 11 years between leaving Emma and getting found in NYC I just know it! lol

Saturday, May 17, 2014

30 Days of OUAT - Day 19: Favorite Relationship

 Day 19 - Favorite Relationship

I'm going to cheat (Aimee said I could) and choose an "off camera" relationship that is probably one of the best bromances of all time. Michael Raymond-James and Colin O'Donoghue have to be the most adorable bffs OUAT has. While their characters on the show had a "love-hate" relationship, it seems the pair are actually quite fond of each other. They definitely fed off of one another during interviews - highly entertaining - and some of the stories they told on each other makes them sound like lifelong friends, not two dudes who found themselves newbies of the cast two years ago.

I have to say one the main reasons I love both of the characters and the actors is how they've interacted with each other and their castmates on social media (mainly Twitter). The OUAT cast seems to be very tight knit, which I think has really helped this show stay with fans. They're accessible, they're freaking hilarious, and we all eat it up!

One of the major reasons I'm so bummed about Neal's death on the show - which means MRJ is leaving - is we have seen less and less of the "Mikey Ray & Colin" moments on twitter. Pictures, banter... and then the interviews at Comic-Con and Good Morning America.

And the fan wars, oh the fan wars, why can't we all just be friends. Without this show, most of us wouldn't even know who these two are. So be thankful for Once Upon A Time and Adam & Eddie... and Michael, and Colin... and all of the cast. They've created magic and a lifelong fandom!


***Warning - MRJ likes to drop the F-bomb. I think he says it twice in this interview... maybe three times. You've been warned.***

Their friendship is what I think drove the part in Quiet Minds (there I go bringing that darn episode up again... I will forever obsess over it) where Hook and Neal have closure to their past. It would seem SO out of place if Neal wasn't the goner. I'm not sure if Hook knew what was coming - I'm still not convinced Hook wasn't aware that Neal sacrificed himself for his father and to get Hook the message to get Emma - or if we're just seeing Colin and Mike in this scene. In some ways their faces both tell that they know what's coming in this scene and later in the episode. And I can't help but believe that the scene was written with the two very much in mind. It just seems like it's a great way to give both actors that "farewell" moment. It was a touching scene that had a few winks to their past episodes (the jello reference is from a deleted hook scene from season 2), as well as a few winks to how they saw each other's characters. Just a great couple of minutes of television.




Because it's late and I'm lazy I'll just post photos of the "honorable mentions" of relationships I am a fan of in the actual show.
Emma & Charming - DADDY'S GIRL!
The most tragic, IMO, relationship.
Neal doesn't get back to his son, they don't
have the relationship they so desperately
need and crave. It's just WRONG!

How can anyone not love the story of
Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire? It's so sad,
but in the end they come together and
reconcile and it's beautiful... and sad...
and it's just not fair!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

30 Days of OUAT - Day 18: Best Twist on Original


Day 18 - Best Twist On Original

I love the creative "twists" on the classic fairytales, granted some of the "twists" people list are actually closer to the original story than not, but my favorite has been my favorite since my first viewing. The twist on the "Crocodile" of Peter Pan/Captain Hook. As we all know the original has it as an actual crocodile who has swallowed Hook's hand that was clutching a clock. The ticking sound signaled the crocodile's approach - and was a bit of symbolism at how time chases all of us. Captain Hook fears the beast, screaming for Mr. Smee whenever the reptile is near. It adds humor to the story, and shows that Hook does have a weakness for all his tough guy talk.

Once Upon A Time's Crocodile is far more sinister and evil than any previously imagined. The Crocodile is Rumpelstiltskin! Rumple's story of losing his wife due to his cowardliness comes full circle, we find out why he's a single father - it's his own doing. When Rumple comes back from the Ogre war with a self inflicted injury (he bashes his leg causing him to have a severe limp and unable to fight). He does this to be with his wife who he finds out is with child (by the time he returns home she has had their son). Upon meeting the babe, Rumple finds that his wife Milah is disgusted with what he has become.

Milah continues to grow unhappy with her life, and takes to the tavern where she meets a man who is far braver and exciting. He's a pirate, and they hit it off. Rumple comes searching for her with Baelfire in tow. Milah refuses to come with Rumple until Bae makes his way in asking his mother when she's coming home. She leaves with them, but then takes to her bed. She confesses her unhappiness. Later she leaves him for the Pirate (Killian Jones). Rumple goes looking for her, and when he finally catches up with the pirate on the Jolly Roger, he confronts the man. Begging the captain to let his wife go, that they have a son who needs his mother. Jones tells Rumple he's an honorable man, and as such suggests they duel to see who gets Milah.

Rumple, being the coward (not yet the Dark One, that comes later), refuses to fight. Jones then tells Rumple "aman unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets." Rumple still is unwilling to pick up a sword, asking Jones what he's to tell his son. Jones coldly tells him "The truth. That his father is a coward." Rumple is thrown off the ship, returns home where he tells a very young Baelfire that his mother is not coming back. (Later in the series Baelfire relays to Hook that his mother was killed by a pirate, which is why [Bae] hates all pirates.)

Sometime later, after Rumple becomes the Dark One and Baelfire is lost to the portal, Rumple finds himself in a tavern when Killian Jones and crew walks in. Rumple watches the pirate, and when Jones leaves for the evening Rumple follows him out to the alleyway. Rumple pretends to be a beggar, bumping into the pirate. Jones mocks him, seeing his scaly skin calling him a crocodile. When Rumple reveals himself Jones recognizes the coward, but is quickly lost of all smugness when Rumpelstiltskin gives him his title of Dark One. Suddenly sober, Jones is asked about Milah - and he feigns ignorance. Rumple knows better, and Jones finally gives in and tells him that she died.

Rumple calls for a duel, saying they never had a chance to finish the last time (kinda hard to finish something you wouldn't start, Dark One). Jones makes ready, but Rumple gives him until the next day. When the two meet up for their duel, Rumple bests the pirate - but before he can kill the man, a voice from the past screams for him to stop. It's Milah, she's alive and kicking. And she has something Rumple wants (a magic bean).

They bring the crocodile to the ship, but things go a little screwy when Rumple and Milah have it out about her leaving not just him but their son. Rumple's own guilt for having let his son go comes pouring out as anger towards her. When she apologizes for leaving Bae, he asks why, and she spits back that she never loved Rumple... a coward. He then rips her heart out, and crushes it. She dies in Jones' arms. Jones, holding the magic bean, calls Rumple a coward and refuses to give the magic bean. Rumple slices off the hand that [he believes] holds the bean. Jones vows to find a way to kill Rumple, and Rumple disappears in the cloud of smoke. Jones finds a rope hook on the deck, and gets the idea to put the hook where he once had a hand.

He takes the name Hook, and reveals he still has the bean. He throws it out into the open water and sails for Neverland. He will spend decades trying to find the way to kill the crocodile.


Saturday, May 3, 2014

30 Days of OUAT - Day 9: Best Dressed


Day 9 - Best Dressed

That honor goes to Neal Cassidy - though it was a hard decision. Most everyone dresses well in this show. Which I don't know how the curse knew to give them all designer duds, or how a drifter turned whatever he is now who has a trashy apartment can own the clothes Neal does... but still. There's not much this guy can't wear that doesn't look good. Even as the thief in Tallahassee, Neal's outfits never miss (his hair on the other hand definitely needed work... thankfully the Neal we all come to know and most love has a better look in that regard lol).

I love how Neal's style is comfort. Other than when he's just the "mystery man" in a suit and tie, he's normally running around in a sweater or hoodie. And his coat/sweater combos are always great. Ha ha. This prompt makes me feel silly. I feel like I should be talking about the character or the actor, not his clothes. But really the clothes do say a lot about his character. His appearance isn't the important thing about what he wears, it's about comfort. That they're stylish on him is just an added bonus.

When Neal is cursed back to his homeland at the end of Season 3a/beginning of 3b, we get to see what adult Baelfire's wardrobe looks like. And again it's pretty practical/comfortable. It took me a while to get into the whole Enchanted Forest costume, it seemed rather bulky, but once it was actually in a scene and not just stills it worked. Neal is back to the earth-tones that we saw on young Baelfire when he was living there.

I guess I should learn how to do what they do on tumblr and do those nifty little gif sets because obviously Neal's had more than two outfits (unlike his main rival for Emma's heart, Captain Hook ha ha). The blue/grey shirt he wore for most of Season 3a is probably my favorite look on him, even if it was soiled and bloody from being shot and worn for days on end all the while fighting off lost boys and traipsing through the Enchanted Forest, grabbing onto Pan's shadow, oh and hiking through Neverland. Just another day's work for Nealfire I suppose.

And, because I can, one of my favorite scenes in that shirt - where Neal confronts his father about the prophecy and Rumple's plans for Henry... best part is when Rumple calls him Baelfire and Neal balks shouting "It's Neal!" It's why I hope that this supposed reboot of the past that Zelena (though we're thinking Rumple is really going to pull it off) wants to cast is unsuccessful. Neal does not want to go back to the boy he once was - he even says as much to Rumple in Season 2: "14? I don't want to be 14 again are you insane?!... forget who I am? no thank you." While it would be great to see father and son reunited for good, I don't want it to be another reboot like what happened with August/Pinocchio. Anyway, I leave you with the scene from "Nasty Habits". Rest in Peace, Neal Cassidy... and thank you, Michael Raymond-James for being such an amazing actor. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE find a happy go lucky role, I just need to see you happy and alive in one show/movie... just once. It's all I ask!




Oh, and honorable mentions go to Prince Charming and Jefferson. Charming'd have gotten it if they weren't so obsessed with the fur capes and stuff. They are getting ridiculous! And Jefferson would've probably won out had it not been for my Neal obsession. Not going to lie. That and his Wonderland outfit is a little whackadoodle.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

30 Days of OUAT - Day 7: Favorite Action/Intense Moment



Day 7 - Favorite Action/Intense Moment

So I've had a heck of a time deciding how to answer this one. There are so many intense moments, and the action moments I'm either saving or have already used (ones that I enjoyed anyway). I tried finding an action scene of Charming's that would work... but nada.

One of the ones that kept coming to mind, though, was the scene where Baelfire confronts Captain Hook on the Jolly Roger about his mother. Bae is rescued by Hook when he reaches Neverland (having given his life so that the Darling children would not be taken). Hook grows attached to the boy after finding out the boy's name - he's the son of his lost love... and his most hated enemy. Originally he planned to use the boy to find the Dark One's weakness, but soon realized revenge was not so important.

Problems arose when Bae finds a drawing of his mother on the Captain's Desk. He takes after Hook with his cutlass and Hook confesses that he is the man who stole Bae's mother. Bae has been told and believes that a pirate killed his mother, and Hook tells him the truth, that it was Bae's father Rumpelstiltskin who did the deed. Baelfire tells Hook he wants to go back to the Darlings, when Hook says that isn't possible, Bae demands to be let off the ship and that he'd fend for himself as he always has.




This sets up the explanation as to how Neal knows Hook and all about the ship sailing which we learn earlier in season 2. It also sets up perfectly how their relationship will work in Season 3... first with Neal holding on to grudges of the past... and then letting go and trusting the man in what would turn out to be his final moments. Yup, I'm still on that Neal kick. Probably always will be. Thank you, Michael Raymond-James... you've officially turned me into one of THOSE types of fans.

For most "Nealfire" fans, it seems these days they're out to hate on Hook. That's mainly due to the fact that the man is quickly winning Emma and Henry's heart and most Nealfire fans are very anti that relationship. While I don't really enjoy the idea of Bae's "stepfather" getting involved with Bae's "true love" I absolutely love the complicated relationship of "Nealfire" and Captain Hook. It's more than just rivals, it's more than just family. These two have a history that gives them a bond that is not only believable but advances the emotions of the story. Sure, when Hook goes off with the rest to save Henry he's doing it for Emma - but he's also doing it for the memory of Baelfire. When Emma reveals that Henry's father has died, Hook asks who his father is, and is shocked to learn it's "Baelfire". The revelation brings him back to the moment when he let Bae go, and gives him over to the Lost Boys. An utter betrayal that apparently haunts the man. He sets to make things right in memory of the boy he once looked after.

Fast forward to Neal making his way back to Neverland after being saved from death by a few characters in the Enchanted Forest and suddenly Hook's less sentimental. Now Neal is just Neal in the eyes of the pirate, and they spend most of their time fighting over who should get Emma. Things don't really get better when they get back to Storybrooke - though Hook does offer to step aside and "let" Neal have Emma for the "sake of the boy". Neal never truly gets a chance to take him up on that offer. Emma's too preoccupied with the fact that something feels "off" about Henry (she's right, he's really Pan trapped in Henry's body) and she's confused about her feelings on the two men. Then Regina has to save everyone from a reboot of the curse (thanks to Pan) and so began the long hiatus of the show while they filmed the second half of the season...

... and we all know where I'm going with this. Neal doesn't make it back (or does he?) to Storybrooke when yet another dark curse is cast. Emma, getting her memories back thanks to Hook, asks for several episodes where Neal is and worries he's been turned into a Flying Monkey (if he's alive at all). When Neal is found they rush him to the hospital where Hook and Neal have one final - and extremely touching - scene in which Hook finally acknowledges that Neal and Bae are the same person and that they spent far too long fighting over stupid things in the last year. Hook supposedly has no clue that Neal is a walking dead man at this point, but either he's not telling the whole story, or the writers just wanted to really make sure we knew Neal was toast. It was closure, and it was sweet... and it makes the flashbacks of Hook and Bae all that more tragic.