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!

30 Days of OUAT - Day 17: Favorite Cliffhanger

Day 17 - Favorite Cliffhanger

Once Upon A Time is King of the Cliffhanger. I have a love hate relationship with it because of the cliffhangers. This show gets my creative brain going in overdrive (probably part of the reason why I can't "let go" of Neal's death. There are SO MANY plot/loopholes that could bring him back. So many quotes that suggest that it's a possibility or the thought... and then so many that suggest that nope, he's gone for good. But I can't shut off that creative side of me!)

With Season 3 we got two mini seasons in one. And the mid-season finale (episode 11, "Going Home") was by far the best. It actually felt like a series finale. It was so sad and yet hopeful at the same time. I haven't rewatched season 3 much - just the clips on youtube over and over and over again... (stinkin' Neal... I was not this obsessed with OUAT until he up and died. Thanks a lot MRJ!) I mean, they wrapped up the Neverland arc, saved Henry, Rumple finally releases his cowardess and reconciles with his son professing his love for Belle... it was a great "happy ending moment"... until Peter Pan enacts a reboot of the dark curse and Regina is forced to stop it. But to stop it, she has to let go of the thing she loves most - her son, Henry.

The reset will send all of Storybrooke back to the Enchanted Forest - all fairytale characters must go. Yep, even the two that were not part of the original curse (Emma & Neal)... knowing that that would leave Henry alone, Regina can save Emma from that fate... but there's a catch - they will not remember their family and friends from Storybrooke. They won't remember Neal coming back with them (FOR them). They will have good memories of Henry always being with Emma, but none of the Charmings... or Regina... or... well... Hook. They'll have never known that the odd little town ever existed or that they were once part of it. That it was once home.

After Emma accepts the inevitable, and a round of quickly said goodbyes (with Emma clearly being more upset about saying goodbye to the pirate than to her first love) Emma and Henry get into the yellow bug and drive across the town line with their family and friends watching. As they cross the town and everyone disappears as do the memories, Regina counteracts the curse. A purple haze falls over the town destroying everything in its path - including Henry's book.

The last seconds of the episode the EF is filled with its (formerly) missing characters, and then we see Emma and Henry in their NYC apartment. Happy, healthy, and a whole year has passed. A knock at the door and some weirdo in leather is at the door saying he knows Emma, that he knows she doesn't remember him, but her family is in trouble... and he goes in for a kiss, and she knees him in his misters. And then we had to wait through an insanely long hiatus for the creators to rip our hearts out slowly and crush them throughout the second half of the third season.

The obvious was that there was a way to get back to the land without magic from the EF... but how? And why was it Hook that left the EF to come get Emma?! We got most of our questions answered by the time Season 3b ended last night (great two hour season finale... though there were some major timeline issues... and a lot of plot/loopholes left open for people to get their hopes up for a future resurrection).

30 Days of OUAT - Day 16: Saddest Moment

Day 16: Saddest Moment

I can't think of a sadder one. Neal Cassidy's death is without doubt the saddest moment in the show's run. For me it probably always will be. It's far more emotional than when Emma is arrested for stealing watches (because Neal left her, and August called in a tip. jerks.), it's more emotional than Snow and Charming letting their daughter go through the wardrobe... the list goes on and on. None of those affected me like the episode Quiet Minds. Ironically, until Quiet Minds, I was pretty indifferent to Neal's story. I liked him as a father, and he had a great set of lines, but as far as feeling sorry for him or anything, nope. He was "the jerk that abandoned" (his words!) Emma (and Henry).

It wasn't the surprise that it should've been - the creators spoiled it weeks in advance "warning" fans that someone was going to die when the show returned from the mid-season hiatus. They gave those of us who are rabid "over-analyzers" tons of time to work it out and figure out who was most likely to go (they gave us a very short list of possibilities). It really came down to either Neal or Belle, and of the two Belle is more popular. She's never betrayed the one she loves. So even before Quiet Minds airred I was 85% sure that it would be Neal. I was just hoping they weren't going to go for the obvious. As much as I was indifferent to the character, there was still ton of potential storyline - and there's the whole father element that I totally buy into no matter who the character is. Be it Nealfire and Rumple or Henry and Nealfire.

If you weren't convinced it was going to be him, the promo for the episode should've definitely tipped you off. It was clearly Neal Cassidy falling to the ground in pain. I played the denial card as I just couldn't believe they would be THAT blatant. And even if you were still holding out hope - by the time the scene with Neal and Hook came around you should have had NO confusion. I'm still not sure that Hook didn't know that it was Neal who warned him about the danger coming and that Emma was needed. It would at least explain why Hook looked SO SAD when he talked with Neal in the hospital. I'm of the belief that Hook knew the entire time what Neal's fate was/would be. If not, then we're seeing Colin in that scene being super bummed that his buddy on the show was leaving (most likely a combination of both scenarios ha ha).

When Hook gave Neal the hug in the hospital I knew without a doubt that Neal was toast. I may have even said some words I shouldn't have. I hate when a show makes it obvious. They should've just been up front about it. "Hey, MRJ fans, he's leaving the show. We're killing him off. Thanks for watching!" Because, really, judging by the blogs and social media posts from that night - Michael has a ton of fans that did not see it coming even with all of the signs. And that's sad. It's also sad that he's not on our TV every Sunday night, he's a fantastic actor and while he's definitely been noticed by the business they never keep him around long (he's chosen for this type of role way too much).

But, I digress.

The Saddest Moment is the scene where Neal dies. He asks Emma to split him from his father to keep the town, and especially Emma & Henry, safe. Neal is able to say goodbye to his father, with the final reconciliation taking place with Neal's last breath. Emma, too, gets a sense of closure with Neal telling her to go and be happy and "find Tallahassee" even if it's without him. Earlier in the episode he tells her he wants her to be happy no matter who she's with, and that he would always love her. Emma begs Neal to hold on, that he needs to see Henry (doing a 180 from when she talked to him in the hospital saying that with Henry not having his memories it would be better if Neal didn't see him). And that is what is most tragic about Neal's death. It was pretty clear that Neal and Emma would not get back together. That there was a love there, but the trust was most likely forever broken... (and I'm not a big swanfire shipper... it's a nice idea, but it wasn't playing out that way.)

The saddest, most tragic thing (aside from no more Mikey Ray on Sunday Nights ha ha) was that Neal couldn't make good on his promise to his son of seeing him again. That Henry is forever without his father - oh, he has father figures in his life, but that's not the same. Yes, Neal was in Henry's life for the equivalent of only a couple of weeks, but they WERE bonding and they did have a connection. And that will most likely play some sort of role into Henry's psyche. There's only so much that Hook and Emma can tell him of who Nealfire was... and who's to say Grandfather Rumple is going to be all that willing to have a relationship with the only thing he has left of Baelfire? Especially since Henry is also supposed to be his undoing. Season 4, I hope, will not erase Neal's memory - and hopefully we get answers.

And, yes, I'm one of those holding out hope that there is a way to bring Neal back. I don't believe that the creators have that option out on the table, but I know there are enough loopholes that it'd be possible if they suddenly wanted/needed to bring it about. At the very least I want flashbacks. Grief can't be so easily overcome, though Emma already grieved for Neal when he "died" at the end of Season 2. Probably the biggest travesty of the writing of Neal's death (the only one from a writer standpoint IMO) is that it happened so soon after the last time he died. This is also why I don't believe Nealfire fans will get their wish of Neal coming back. The man's been dead in one way or another 3 times so far. He comes back and it'll be seen as a poor writing choice. And it won't hold to MRJ's wanting to "tell bold stories".

I've been watching this scene on youtube for the last few days knowing that this prompt was coming up, and I love catching more and more with each viewing. As sad as it makes me (seriously my heart still drops each time, MRJ was flawless. Jen's voice cracking when it did... ugh!) there's just so much that is said through visual cues and nuance. We do truly see both Neal and Baelfire in his final moments, and we do see the love that's shared between "Swanfire". When Emma pleads with Neal, to argue with him about it being too late, he once again goes into the protector mode from all those years ago telling her it is going to be okay. That he'll be watching her and Henry "from somewhere". And you can see that he's not totally okay with it himself, he has his own tears. He's not afraid to die, he's made his peace with that, but he's watching the woman he loves in pain... and he's lost his son without seeing him again to say goodbye.

But, I think Rumple says what all of us Nealfire fans truly feel (then and still)...

"No. I don't want to let you go."

And we won't fully let go. We can't. As much as Neal's plea of "I need you to," is what he wants (and what we need), We can't let go. Because it's too soon. Because it's too raw... because the trio of actors played that scene out far too well (DARN THEM!). So, obviously, I have a ways to go until I'm "over it." I accept it - I don't disagree that it was a bold choice, or even ultimately the "right" way to end the character arc. I may disagree as to when it needed to happen (middle of season 4 would've been much better), but I don't think that it's the death nell of the show.


I am not one of those fans that believes that Neal died just to make it easier for creators to push the "CaptainSwan" shipping. That had been hinted as far back as Season 2, well before they had decided Neal was going to die. I think the deciding factor was their getting the rights to the Wizard or Oz, and Rebecca coming on board to play the Wicked Witch. This question of "why did they kill Neal" was answered in last weeks episode. Rumple needed a reason to betray Belle's trust, and the only person who trumps the love of his life is his son. They needed a catalyst to "kill off" Zelena (I'm not convinced she's dead) and Neal was the only viable option. It sucks, but from a storytelling/writing perspective I see why and where they were going.

As I said earlier, however, the timing was wrong. They just "killed him off" at the end of season two and brought him back in Season 3, only to have him die once again. It was "too soon a killing" (again from a storytelling/writing perspective). That's really the only major fault I can find within their timeline. This episode was one of the best (if not the best) written in the show's history, the pacing was the best they've had in a long time. I know I've said before that Neal's final arc should've been two episodes - and I still believe that - but as quick as it was, the pacing worked. I'm not sure I could handle a two part farewell anyway. Ha ha.

I know people are saying that Neal was very out of character in this episode, but I really don't see it. This is not the first time Neal's willing to get back to Emma and Henry by any means necessary. In the Season 3 opener he's willing to go into his father's castle to find a way to get back - using "blood magic". No, it wasn't dark magic, but he was pretty determined and wasn't completely against the idea. I mean, he ends up using Robin Hood's son as bait to get Pan's shadow to appear!

Secondly, Neal does make rash decisions where family is concerned. Not always, but this IS the guy who sent Emma to prison because Pinocchio told him to (actually Neal didn't know about that until AFTER it happened, but still). This is the guy who watched his father give up his cowardly ways to save his family and sacrifice himself. Neal may not like what the dark magic did to his family, to his father, but at the same time he needed a loophole (much like his fans are now clinging to the hope of a loophole).

Third, the argument that he wouldn't give up on Emma and his relationship so easily - he already was starting to the "year prior" when crap hit the fan with Pan in Storybrooke. Neal even acknowledged in the hospital that he knew he couldn't come barging back into Emma's life. In season 2 it wasn't Neal who sought Emma out or even pursued her. The only time he "fought for" Emma was when it was Hook who was flirting. (Hook, btw, did think that Neal should have the first shot... when Emma blew off Neal that made it fair game.) Ultimately he wants Emma safe and happy - if that means all he is, is the guy who shares custody of their son, that's what he'll be. He's willing to put Emma before himself - which is a 180 in some ways (or at least in Emma's eyes) from what he was 11 years ago when he left her.

Was it an "easy" choice for the creators? Only they truly know. Did they mistreat Michael Raymond-James in some way? I would argue no, but again we will never know. Fans should take the actor at his word - even if what [little] he's said on the subject seems like a lot of "toeing the line". Both sides acknowledge that they discussed and agreed to this ending for Neal. I'm not saying it was the way MRJ wanted it to end, but ultimately he's made his peace with it - and was on board with it. To suggest anything else - at this point - is to suggest he's a liar... and I know his fans don't mean to come off that way (or at least I hope they don't).

Maybe once this season is over and his contract with OUAT is up he can "break radio silence" and answer those questions that folks have. Maybe. But to vilify the shows creators over it seems a little extreme. Remember, without Adam Horowitz and Eddie Kitsis, we would not have Neal Cassidy. Most of us wouldn't have a clue as to who Michael Raymond-James is (okay, unless you were into True Blood... or Terriers - which I am addicted to, and wish it'd made it). I'm not saying they did him favors (he's a bloody gifted actor who deserves a series that won't kill him off after 20 or so episodes), I'm just saying we wouldn't have had this awesome character without them. They've done things right and ultimately Once Upon A Time is still a great show. It's never been perfect, it's never been on par with the "best shows of all time", but it's a great fantasy show. Great twists. So I'm sticking with it - even with the "lovesick pirate".

And, who knows, maybe the "rumors" that MRJ denied are really true and we'll see him finally get his big break. I have hope and can keep dreaming. :)

30 Days of OUAT - Day 15: Funniest Moment

Day 15 - Funniest Moment

There aren't many scenes that don't come off corny when they try to be funny, but if Colin O'Donoghue is involved it normally works. I love the wit that Captain Hook has - some are using it against him these days, and that's a shame. He's really well written. And Colin's perfect in the role.

My favorite funny exchange is one of many from the second half of season 3. Not that there are a ton of funny moments (there aren't it's been a blood bath and so much darkness and emotion... but I'll leave that whine to tomorrow's prompt).

Anyway, my favorite moment is from the second episode of the second half of the third season. Emma has her memories back, has come back to Storybrooke (care of Hook getting her to drink a potion so her memories are restored and warns her of her family being in danger - which at this point in the story we don't know who sent Hook the message and potion, but it's much later revealed to be Neal's doing). They're trying to find out who is behind the curse and what they want when they begin to piece together the clues... and they can only come up with one conclusion: the Wicked Witch of the West.

This is where the fun part is as this show is only as funny as the characters that mock it. Emma questions her being real, and Hook points out that Emma is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. The way that Hook says it - the tone - is what sends me into giggles because it's SO TRUE! Why Emma is ever surprised or questions the fairlytale aspect of something at this point in the game is mind boggling.



It's the mocking of the show within the show that I love. Neal also has a few zingers that I still have to wonder if A&E wrote or if it wasn't something snarky the actor came up with. Ha ha. If it wasn't for the bits of humor, I think this show would make me nuts. Especially with the whole Zelena arc they did. I really really really hope the finale is lighthearted without being overly sappy with the CaptainSwan stuff.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 13: Favorite Name

Day 13 - Favorite Name

The Stranger of Season 1, played by Eion Bailey (hot!), has to have the best name on the show. We don't learn it for a while - Emma tries, but he's pretty coy and won't give in. But he finally gives her "August W. Booth". When she laughs about him using W he tells her it's for "Wayne". August Wayne is such a great name (I may or may not have it on my list of future child's names ha ha). There's definitely hidden meaning with why the writers chose to give him his name - from the OUAT Wiki page: "Wayne Booth was a literary critic who coined the term "unreliable narrator". An "unreliable narrator" is a narrator, usually in fiction, whose credibility is severely compromised and therefore cannot be trusted on the validity of their story."

Season 1 August is a very likable guy. We feel for him when he tells the story of why he didn't hold up his end of the deal and protect Emma. Who can blame a kid for wanting to leave a not so great foster situation for a supposedly better life. He couldn't take baby Emma, but he figured she'd be safe within the system. We also find that the self proclaimed writer is really a grown up Pinocchio, who is convinced he's turning back to wood.

Season 1 also finds Emma and August flirting a bit, and I will admit that the only "ship" I've ever truly accepted/supported was "Wooden Swan". Emma and Season 1 August were adorable, and I truly believe that August felt something for the girl he once (twice) promised to look after.

However, it's the Season 2 August that we find out he hasn't been such a good boy and why he is really desperate for Emma to break the curse: he's turning to wood because he did not remain "selfless, brave, and true". In a flashback scene in "Tallahassee" when he runs into Neal Cassidy (who is on his way to sell off the watches he stole and Emma helped recover) he admits that this world has so many temptations and he's not good at saying no, that he isn't built that way. This is where things turn sour for Neal and Emma's relationship because August breaks them apart by revealing to Neal that he knows who he really is (Baelfire) and tells him of Emma's true destiny. August convinces Neal that Emma needs to have her heart broken in order to fulfill her destiny and find her family (home, which is - essentially - what Neal wants for her. Home).

Neal argues but eventually relents and heads for Canada - while August turns Emma into the authorities. When they meet up sometime later in Vancouver, August tells Neal of Emma's fate and Neal flips out saying that Emma is taking the fall for him. August refuses to tell Neal which facility Emma's in, and reminds Neal that the deal was he stay away from her. Neal gives August the keys to the Yellow Bug (which Emma keeps all the way to present) as well as the money he got for the watches (minus what it cost to get a valid VIN number to make the Bug legit). August tells Neal that Emma doesn't need money for what she needs to do, but Neal wants to try and at least make some of what he's done right.

Unfortunately, Neal is trusting the wrong guy (should've gone with your gut, Buddy. August does a crap job as "guardian angel") and August ends up pocketing the cash and goes jetsetting. He mails the keys to the car from Phuket, and Emma gets them the day she finds out she's pregnant. So then folks end up hating both August and Neal for destroying Emma's happiness and all that jazz. I feel for Nealfire. He made a stupid decision based on trusting Pinocchio ("you sent me to prison because PINOCCHIO told you to?!") who is known for his lies (I mean, really, Neal, you saw the movie Mulan... you didn't watch the one about the puppet?!).

So while I LOVE August I also HATE him. Ha ha. But his name is still the best one in all of Once Upon A Time.



Oh, when August was adorable and awesome... stupid back story coming full circle.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 12: Favorite Storybrooke Male Character

Day 12: Favorite Storybrooke Male Character

Dr. Archie Hopper. You almost don't need to go any further than that. I think he is such an under utilized character - though for good reason, the actor is in several projects these days it seems - especially since he was so important to the story in Season 1. He is more than just a cricket, or a shrink. He genuinely cares for Henry, and is probably the closest thing to a father figure the kid has consistently had. In any case, he's the best friend a boy could have - just ask Geppetto (or Marco).

When I first saw the Pilot episode Archie was the character I was most excited about, and it was because I actually recognized him. Ha ha. I've loved watching Raphael Sbarge on TV since his turn on The Guardian (CBS). To be able to see him as a classic fairytale character (with a great twist) has been so much fun. Though I did have trouble figuring out who he was until Henry told us - his dog Pongo threw me! Ha ha.

Archie is soft spoken and something of a pushover when we first meet him. He allows Regina to manipulate him into entrapping Emma by giving her his confidential files on Henry's therapy - then calls the Sheriff (RIP Graham) to report an assault and theft. He feels guilty and apologizes to Emma, but is still afraid to cross the Mayor - who also employs him to treat Henry. His bond with the boy in wanting to take care of him and help him clouds his judgement and he does whatever Regina wants so that he can stay in Henry's life. He thinks he's helping, and it takes Henry running away and getting caught in an abandoned mining tunnel for Archie to realize he owes the boy so much more.

With Sbarge on three shows, we've seen less of Archie this season. While the show as in Neverland it made sense as Archie didn't go with the heroes to that realm. However in the battle of Wicked vs Evil one wants more of Archie. He was seen briefly in the 3b opener, and then he was not used by Emma to keep Henry out of the crossfire (which to me seems silly as he'd probably be the best one to "lie" to the boy who has no memory of these people). Archie did finally reunite with Henry in this week's episode, which was sweet, but it remains to be seen just how much we'll see of the good doctor in the future... or even if he's just the cricket (at this point I will take what I can get).




As I said in my post yesterday, I did not choose Neal Cassidy for the reason that I don't count him (or Emma) as a "Storybrooke Character". There's a separate category for Neal and Emma, I'm not sure what they should be considered, but they aren't part of the Dark Curse (which was created so Rumple could get to Nealfire, and Emma was put in the magic wardrobe to escape it). I'm still confused as to why Neal had to go back to the EF since he was not part of the original curse, but whatever. What's done is done. They at least answered the question this past week as to why they decided this season that Neal needed to die to "advance the story". Some fans argue that it was so that Hook would have an easy way to Emma's heart - but let's face it, that was written long before Neal's death was decided on. Neal needed to die in order to revert Rumple back into the creepy bad guy we all know and love. I actually have a whole rant on his final few scenes in this week's episode... but that's for another blog for another day I suppose.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 11: Favorite Storybrooke Female

Day 11: Favorite Storybrooke Female

Ashley Boyd, who we find out is Cinderella back in the Enchanted Forest, is one of the most adorable characters on the show. I don't know why we don't see more of Ashley and Sean in the later seasons as their story was interesting and I think they could be important to the show as the story moves on even if they are just "extra" characters and not the major plot. But I digress.

Ashley was brought in to appeal to the back story of Emma and Henry. How Emma was pregnant and gave up a child at a very early age. Ashley is also a "teen in trouble" and has promised her baby to Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin). Why Gold needs a baby really has to do with the fact that Cinderella promised her firstborn to Rumpelstiltskin way back when she was just an abused shut in dreaming of a better life. Rumple kills her fairy godmother in order to manipulate the situation (in classic Rumple fashion of course). Magic always comes with a price, and she agrees. Because she's young and naive.

We first meet her as an extremely pregnant girl who is overwhelmed by the burden of being a single mom who has agreed to give up her baby for adoption. The plan was cooked up by the baby daddy's father who has split the couple up because he has big plans for his son and being a young father is not in that plan. Ashley has a job as a housekeeper at Granny's and we meet her when Emma goes into the laundry room to clean her shirt that she's spilled coffee on. Ashley is there and has managed to ruin a load of laundry, turning the sheets pink. She confides in Emma that she's afraid and that she knows what people are saying. Emma tells her to forget what they're saying and prove them wrong. Emma gives up a little bit of her story (not much, we really won't learn all of what went on with Emma leading up to Henry's birth until Season 2 when we meet Henry's biological father - oh, look what I did there! ha ha!) and it inspires the young mom.

She ends up taking off to keep the baby, after ransacking Gold's shop to try and get the contract away from him. Gold hires Emma to "recover his property" that was stolen, but does not tell Emma what that is. She figures it out and decides that she'll have Ashley's back if she wants to keep the baby because no one should tell the girl what to do in this situation. Ashley wants the baby and Emma ends up owing Gold a favor (which he collects on in Manhattan when he sends her off to chase down his son - NEAL). Emma also goes and tells Sean about Ashley and the baby and how he needs to man up and not let Daddy be the deciding factor (oh the irony. if she only knew the real reason for her taking the fall and being abandoned by her first love, right?). Sean (Prince Thomas in the EF) steps up and comes to his princess and the family is reunited.

Later on after the baby is born and home and Ashley and Sean are together we see Ashley struggling to make it all work, and lament to Ruby, Emma, and Mary Margaret that she gets no time with Sean and that they want to get married but she doesn't see when they'll have the time or if Sean is even thinking that way for real. It's Valentine's Day and they decide to have a girls night. While out Ashley mentions that she thought Love was supposed to be different than what she has (aka she didn't think you had to work for it). Sean surprises her on his break from work and asks her to marry him. He sweeps her off her feet and... we only see her in a split second scene at the beginning of the spin off series "Once Upon A Time In Wonderland". Adam & Eddie, Cindy and Thomas aren't dead... bring them back! Let's see what they're up to now!




As to why Emma wasn't considered, I have 2 reasons. First I don't count her as a "storybrooke character" she transcends the EF and SB curses. She has never been cursed as she escaped it as a newborn. For this same reason I won't count Neal Cassidy as a Storybrooke character (he'd win with no problem ha ha). The second reason is, and I don't think this should shock anyone, is I'm not a big fan of Emma. I liked her in Season 1, but she's becoming incredibly frustrating in later seasons. The only time she's any good is when she's bantering with either Hook or Neal. I don't know if that's just how JMo works, or if it's the writing, or what it is. But something about her bugs me. I want to like her, and I love her storyline... it's just... unexplainable. Ha ha!

That time William Shatner Tweeted Me

So the other night I was tweeting back and forth with a few friends, mainly fangirling over a certain actor (who may or may not be the best dressed in my 30 days of OUAT list ha ha). It was getting late, but we were on a kick... and then I saw a tweet that William Shatner wrote about Once Upon A Time. He's become an OUAT fanboy recently, and was announcing he was caught up on the series. Like many Oncers, he was proud of himself for calling a certain plot twist. I'm not a fan of Shatner, really (I do like him in Miss Congeniality though), but I had been following him because of his auction where he was auctioning off some Once Upon A Time memorabilia.

It was a total knee jerk reaction when I decided to reply to his tweet. It was me being whiny about Neal Cassidy not being around to be his kid's father, and I wasn't expecting to get a reply when lo and behold Mr. Shatner did just that! It was cool - I mean earlier that week I had OUAT creator Adam Horowitz reply to a tweet, too - but I didn't think much of it. I mean, really, who would? My friend tweeted me to "hope you're ready for some random attention". But I just laughed and went to bed.

I wake up the next morning to find out I apparently went viral. Because of my start of the discussion Shatner and a few Nealfire fans began to discuss how Neal needs to come back! WILLIAM SHATNER IS A NEALFIRE FAN (and apparently a SwanFire shipper, but I don't really care too much about that). I was NOT expecting any of this, and I spent most of Thursday and Friday very embarrassed as I watched my twitter post go viral on all sorts of social media sites (it's all over tumblr, twitter, facebook and instagram... and I don't have a tumblr!). It's CRAZY. My friends weren't even the ones who started it, they just fed into it (I think just because I was freaking out lol).

So, yes, Captain Kirk tweeted me about Once Upon A Time. My dad is telling everyone he knows... my five seconds of fame... oh well, it's better than when I made it into the local paper because I flambed the kitchen.

And, yes, Aimee, you are correct I was NOT THRILLED... LOL

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.

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.

30 days of OUAT - Day 6: Favorite Romantic Moment

I'm finally over the worst of whatever bug I had. I actually have most of my voice today - though I took advantage of that and talked too much and now I'm hoarse again. But it's a start. I've been rewatching a lot of Once and other tv shows while being laid up. And this weekend I had the house to myself and so I took full advantage of having the living room tv and watched everything on Hulu. Which meant a lot of re-grieving over the loss of Baelfire/Neal. It's pathetic, I know, as it's *just* a tv show, but I'm hooked on the story of Nealfire... and I am bumming hard that Michael Raymond-James is not going to be on my tv every week any time soon (though I did love the tragic scene they gave us of Neal this weekend).

Day 6 - Favorite Romantic Moment

I don't find a lot of the characters to be all that romantic. I don't buy into the whole CaptainSwan thing - though when Hook first came into the picture I thought it would be an interesting twist. Then Season 3 happened with Neal fighting for Henry and I no longer wanted Emma with anyone (that includes Neal). I don't find either Hook or Neal all that romantic, though they try, they're adorable and they have their moments but nothing really screams "romance" to me (I'm one of the few Nealfire fans that doesn't find much of anything to enjoy about the episode Tallahassee. I know, I'm weird).

I'm also not a fan of the whole "Rumbelle" couple. There's just way too much creepy about it. I love the twist on Beauty & the Beast/Rumpelstiltskin, don't get me wrong... but it's still just... creepy. It could be that he's scaly in some of the scenes, but mainly it's the whole "she's younger than your son" thing that really gets me. (This is becoming one of the reasons that I don't like the Hook and Emma thing, yes physically he is close in age... but he once played father to the tween who would become the father of Emma's child. Not to mention that he was once "married" to Henry's grandmother!) I don't find Rumpel all that romantic, though he is nostalgic/sentimental. And Belle is just all over the map for me. (And I'm still mad at her for not fighting harder to save Neal, basically because she wanted her loverboy back. Grrr.)

Phillip and Aurora could have some very romantic moments if they'd let us see them more often (they are my favorite fairytale couple most times, just not when it's Once Upon A Time). Regina and Robin Hood are quickly becoming a great couple, but I'm not seeing much romance - well, except when she gives him her heart... and then this past weekend's scene where Robin tells her to share his (which then mirrors a scene of "Snowing" later in the episode).

But if there is one couple that screams not just TRUE LOVE but romantic, to me anyway, it's definitely Snow White and Prince Charming. They have so many great romantic moments and I've come up with one that is at least in my top 3 moments, if not the best one. I love that Charming is a picture of sacrifice - for the greater good, love, family. This scene is one from Season 1 episode 16. In the episode Snow White has taken one of Rumpel's potions that helps her forget Charming (she made a deal with King George to spare Charming's life by promising to tell Charming she didn't love him/couldn't marry him. To cure her broken heart, she takes the potion to forget him).

Charming spends a lot of time trying to convince her (after finding her once again - after all, he will ALWAYS find her) that she once loved him. She tells him words mean nothing, she wants action/proof. Later we see Snow getting ready to kill the Queen (the memory potion apparently turns Snow into a caring person into a cold hearted/jaded woman), and just as she shoots the arrow someone jumps in front and is the one hit by the arrow.

This is where I find the romance. It seems odd, probably, but as Snow White begins to freak out on him for ruining her chance to kill the queen Charming confesses that he loves her and that she once loved him. That he was going to prove to her that he loved her. That he would die for her so that her heart would not turn dark. This surprises our memory loss friend, and she looks at the prince in a "new" light. After searching his face, she gives him a kiss and suddenly her memory's back and the duo is truly reunited.



I don't know if it's just because I love Kevin Costner's Robin Hood film with the whole "I'd die for you" theme that is the reason I LOVE this scene... or if I'm just a sucker for that kind of theme in general. I just absolutely love this scene and I've watched it a dozen or so times just tonight as I was trying to decide which scene to choose.

And while I'm at it, can I just say that Josh Dallas is perfect as Prince Charming. They could not have found a better actor for the role. And he does dying/injured really really well. I mean we see him sacrifice himself a lot (probably why I was kinda thinking that David would be the one to die in Quiet Minds instead of Neal... even though I KNEW in my heart it'd be Neal that died). Josh is just incredibly convincing. It's those eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes.

It's no wonder Ginny fell for him. Ha ha. That just makes this couple even sweeter! It's "real life"!

I have to do one honorable mention. It's from the newest Once episode (3x19). And, yes, it's once again Snowing having a tragically romantic storyline. We found out this week that it was Snow White who cast the dark curse that brought the crew back to Storybrooke. They found out they need Emma to defeat the Wicked Witch, and the only way to get back to the land without magic was to recast the curse. In order to do that, the spell caster has to give up the heart of the one she loves most. Charming tells Snow that she needs to cast the spell at all costs, and offers up his heart. After a bit of discussion he convinces her. Regina takes his heart and gives it to Snow - who crushes it! I will admit I cried. Seriously season 3 sucks! ha ha! It's been nothing but sadness all the way through!



Season 3b definitely has a great storyline going, but I dislike how dark this whole season has been. And, I'm seriously never going to be able to get over it at the rate this is going. I have friends making fun of me on how personal I'm taking some of this stuff. Especially since Charming basically gets to cheat death with the whole splitting/sharing of Snow's heart. It's a beautiful picture and all, but dang it! If they could figure out a way to keep him alive they should've also used a loophole to save Neal (see how I keep going back to that. I really need help)!

I can't believe it's 1am already. I have been on a weird sleep schedule since being sick all last week. Slept so much that my body can't seem to shutdown at night these days. Ugh. I'll do another blog post tomorrow night (well, tonight, now) I need to catch up anyway.

30 days of OUAT - Day 5: Favorite Villain

Day 5 - Favorite Villain

Just for the record - having the flu sucks. Today is the first day since Sunday that I felt like sitting up for any good amount of time, and I'm still feeling crappy. But, I'm upright, and it's been bugging me that I've let my blog slide yet again (I know, I really have no life). Hopefully I'm alive and kicking for the weekend, or it's going to be a waste as I actually have the house to myself. At least it will be quiet.

Anyway back to the prompt, favorite villain on Once. I think this character is everyone's favorite - and if he isn't they're lying. Rumpelstiltskin makes this show - and not just because he's the author of the original curse. Robert Carlyle is a star, his strengths as an actor helped him create a truly creepy and complex character. Whether he's a sniveling cowardly father, the scaly "crocodile" of the "Dark One", or the ruthless shopkeeper Mr. Gold - you just want to love to hate him.

He's also a sympathetic character, even though you really don't want him to be. You feel for his plight to find his son Baelfire (Neal Cassidy), the loss of his wife to a pirate - heck, in some ways you feel like Belle believing he does have a glimmer of good left in him. Sure, watching Belle and Scaly Rumpel make-out is creepy, heck any of the women kissing him when he's in any form seems creepy, but there's still a part of you that is happy that he's found someone to believe in him no matter what (so much so that you can *almost* get over the fact that his new fling is younger than his son).

He is so quotable as well - especially when he is his Fairytale persona. I can't seem to stop "singing" his latest ditty "You feed the madness and it feeds on you" and "all the voices in my head will be silent when I'm... dead." And, really, who doesn't find themself quoting "all magic comes at a price." Robbie C's Rumpel is absolute perfection. He's every bit as terrifying as the original Grimm's villains - or Walt Disney's classic villains.

His current arc is definitely interesting, with Zelena holding him captive he's not truly seen grieving the loss of his son (this time for sure is final), but I don't expect the writers to give us any more than what they already have in that regard. Still, once Rumpel finds a way to enact revenge, I'd want to be far away when it happens. It's going to be amazing. (and if it ISN'T amazing then I'm going to be disappointed lol)


Honorable mention needs a shout out - and that goes to Captain Hook (Killian Jones). I think Colin O'Donaghue is quite possibly one of the best actors on the show. (He's definitely in my top three with Robert Carlyle and Michael Raymond-James). Hook has grown weak in season 3 for me, all the pining after Emma Swan has made the character a little too lovesick and far too little in ruthlessness. It's disappointing because he was so deliciously evil in season 2. Not that I don't think he shouldn't redeem himself, but there has to be some sort of middle ground, doesn't there? I'm also just not a fan of him ended up with Emma as I don't see that storyline fitting as much as people want it to (in all fairness I don't really want her with Neal Cassidy either - which considering what happened in Quiet Minds we don't have to worry about that). Still there's a lot to love about the man in pirate eyeliner (so yummy).

30 Days of OUAT - Day 1: Favorite Episode

Day One - Favorite Episode

After Season 3's "Quiet Minds" episode I've gone back and watched Season 2. It was a much "happier" time in Storybrooke where Henry meets his father and begins a seemingly good relationship. Much better than Henry having lost his memory and his dad (ala Quiet Minds). I'm still not over it. It was probably one of the best acted and written episodes of the series, but I'm still not happy about it from a character standpoint (and while I say it was the best, that really doesn't mean it was "perfect" in how it was done... it should've arced into a second episode. It was a tad rushed).

One of the things I love about Once is how they manage to tell very real stories about fathers. So often in fairytales the parents are used as very little backstory and it's the teens or children that are the heroes who are all alone (due to death or abandoment). Once dives into that in many of the stories, be it David (Prince Charming) and Emma, Rumpelstiltskin and Baelfire (Neal), Regina (Evil Queen) and Henry (her father not her adopted son), or Neal (Baelfire) and Henry.

One of my favorite "tragic" father child stories is that of Jefferson (Mad Hatter) and his daughter Grace (Paige). We find out about their story in season 1, but their "happy ending" happens in Season 2 Episode 3's "Lady of the Lake". It's been my favorite episode since my first viewing (until recently, it's now tied with another which I will list a little later). Jefferson is such an underrated character, and while I'm happy for the actor to have found "bigger and better" things in his career I wish they'd pop him into a flashback or *something*. The Mad Hatter is such an interesting character!





Since my rewatching of Season 2, I recently rediscovered the gem of Episode 14 of Season 2 titled "Manhatten". It's where Mr. Gold and Emma realize that Henry's father is also the long lost Baelfire. The reason for the curse. Before season 3 I was like many who just didn't care much for Neal. He was a great dad, but he left Emma to take his punishment for being a thief and yadda yadda yadda. Hindsight being what it is - and knowing more now than what we did then - the rewatching made Neal's character far more likeable. Also - as time has gone on, I've come to really appreciate what the actor (Michael Raymond-James) brings to the character. I will miss this storyline and hope that there's some way to bring the character back for a final round of closure (Henry needs this) or even to just complete the storyline. The fangirl inside me wants them to use one of their loopholes (there are several that I can find) to bring him back next season or even the season after, but I doubt that will actually happen. Which makes me even sadder.

Anyway in "Manhatten" we get a lot of what Oncers call "feels" between the reuniting of Baelfire with Rumple to Henry walking in and revealing he's Neal's son... especially now that we know the full story of "Baelfire/Neal" it's such an important and sad part of the story. But it was well laid out and well acted. It truly showcases that natural acting style of MRJ, and all of the actors have a good chemistry between them. Makes me wish they'd waited another season before they killed him off (I mean if they *had* to kill him off).



I honestly was not a Neal Fan until Season 3, now I'm totally smitten. Darn you Adam and Eddie! Bring him back! (I know, I know... it's "too late"...)

There are a lot of honorable mentions. For me what makes me love an episode in this show is when an actor (or more than one) really shows what they're made of. Colin O'Donohue (Capt. Hook) did that this week in "Jolly Roger" (though most of the episode was hokey).