#but I wanted to keep the time period ambiguous and I have no idea when some of these styles and techniques came to be

[slashify]

We all love tattoo artist Eddie, but consider tattoo artist Steve.

He has an American Robin perched on a trumpet on his bicep for Robin. He gave her a brightly colored ice cream cone on her shoulder in different shades of pink. She rambled about cultural tattoos and the history of tattoos in America when she wasn’t bitching at him (‘Ow! For the love of all that is holy, Dingus!’ ‘Do you need a break?’) the whole time he was doing it.

He finds one of the kids (Max) attempting a stick n poke and gathers them all around for a lecture on safety and cleanliness. He promises the kids he’ll tattoo them for free when they’re old enough.

He and Will have art sessions where they’ll pick a subject and draw it traditionally and then Steve gives him pointers on how he would make the design better for tattooing. Will ends up apprenticing with Steve when he turns 18.

Steve still wears blue jeans and polos. His work is good enough that his customers don’t give a shit how he dresses.

He’s compassionate about coverups. He knows what it’s like to have changed so much that who you once were doesn’t fit anymore.

He’s very versatile, switching between outlines, black and grey shading, subtle highlights, and bold coloring with ease. He can do cartoon work as well as he can do realistic plants, or big cats, or lettering (he checks the spelling five or more times. He’s never messed up, but it’s one of his biggest fears). He has a whole list of referrals from people who like how he does scales. He’s lost count of how many fish, dragons, and snakes he’s done. He’s comfortable with a lot of styles, but he doesn’t do portraits. When Will starts at the shop he excels at portraits. Steve’s happy he’s found his niche.

Steve’s at a tattoo expo to network and check out new techniques when he finds himself stopping to watch an artist doing a tattoo of a demon. The artist has long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a grin like sunshine, and manages to make something grotesque and beautiful at the same time. Steve checks out the guy’s portfolio and sees a lot of fantasy stuff, dragons and wizards and a familiar looking set of dice, and he knows he has to go grab Will from the food court.

[kneelingshadowsalome]

prefacing this by saying I have absolutely no information on this period of history, but Rome was sacked and ultimately destroyed by Germanic tribes.

And naturally, the first thing I thought of upon learning that was Invader!König X Roman Maiden!Reader. Similar to your story, I’m thinking he decides to take the Reader as a trophy of war similar to his comrades. You and plenty of other maidens are tied up, thrown across horseback or across shoulders, and dragged off back to Germania. Depending on how dark you want it, König could wait for his little prize to want his cock, or he could have no patience at all and fuck her as soon as he gets a chance. Of course, he’s still somewhat of a gentleman, he’ll make sure she enjoys it, but like it or not his cock’s going in her.

I think this is an opportunity to lean even further into the barbarian König idea, with varying levels of darkness.

Save me dark barbarian!König... 🖤💋

CW: dark content, noncon groping, noncon cuddling, fear of SA, König's idea of hot sex is problematic to say the least, reader's level of enthusiasm/consent is ambiguous

He doesn’t care about your delicate sensibilities or noble background, he’s here to bring your Empire down and your weak men to their knees. It’s about time someone burned Rome to the ground; no amount of foreign perfume can cover the smell of shit in these streets…

But he won’t say no to gold or jewels, they might some day decorate his future wife's neck and wrists perhaps. Neither will he ride homeward without a slave to keep him warm. He hasn’t had a woman in months, the only thing closest to a cunt has been his calloused fist and he’s grown tired of that, nothing can compare with the real deal so a soft little female is exactly what he needs to keep him company when he and his warriors return North.

Your options are either freezing to death or crawling inside this giant’s cloak when he holds it open for you come nightfall, the voyage to Germania bringing with it the first snow and cold winds straight from Hades. You have no option but to go to this man for some body heat, the low rumble in his chest resembling the pleased purr of some untamed beast as he envelops you in wool and a hungry embrace.

He never speaks to you, only talks with his hands that roam all over your body as you cling to him with clattering teeth. Examining the wideness of your hips, the plumpness of your ass and tits, he serves himself a handful and some pinches as if he’s sampling fruit at the marketplace. Rubs your nipples between the pad of his thumb and pointer until you flinch from pain, mutters something pleased when he sees your skittish reaction. He won’t allow you to pull away however, not when you’re finally here, so back to his arms you go as he crushes you against his chest.

He’s amused at your attempts to both huddle closer and squirm away: why are you being so difficult when clearly, you want this too?

He saw how you looked at him back there when he was drenched in blood, that’s the reason he chose you. You’re sweeter than an apple, didn’t even scream when he swept your hair from your face to have a better look at you, you only eyed him with challenge when he inspected your lips, waistline and hips. A scared female would have avoided his eyes and begged not to be killed or worse, but you only lifted your chin and spat on his face, practically begging to get fucked…

And now you’re acting like you don’t want his cock while at the same time, you continue to stare at him like a deer in heat. If you don’t want him to fuck you then you should stop making him hard, but in truth König is only glad that he chose you out of all women. The ride back home won’t be dull with a fiery fox woman like you, he has to be careful that he doesn’t get bitten and bruised… How his men would laugh in the morning if they found out that the vixen he stole has made him hers, little teeth marks decorating his skin and betraying everyone your claim.

He would only be proud of you if you did that; women are quite adorable when they have some fire in them. But make no mistake, he won’t let you go no matter how hard you act like you hate him… Everyone here knows you want to jump on his cock; had he decided to inspect your pussy too while covered in your husband’s blood, he could’ve bet all his fortune along with his horse that you were already wet for him.

He could take you right now on this cold, hard ground, try to see how long it takes to make you wet and pliant. The only thing really keeping him from doing so are his men, no doubt wanting to see how a Roman lady takes their giant leader's cock. But he’s not going to give them the satisfaction of seeing you naked, let alone watching him fuck you, he'd have to kill them all afterwards...

So he settles for making his naughty little slave warm, and both of you a little breathless. He can find a more discreet place for you tomorrow, order a break or two to ease the heaviness of his sacks, the aching hard ons he’s had ever since he saw you. He has to be careful not to break you, and remember to kiss you on your neck, he heard that that’s the key to make women wet and willing.

You seem so fragile and frail when you fall asleep, finally surrendering to him, your body yielding and molding against his. In the morning, you whimper sweetly when he squeezes your now warm, plush body, and plants kisses on your face, your neck. You have no idea that the warriors are already mocking him for “making you wait so long”, that he has listened to stupid jokes all morning with you securely tucked inside his cloak. You bite him when he tries to come too close, all the brutes around you burst to laughter as he howls from pain.

Not feeling at all sorry for him when he rubs his neck and looks at you with drowsy curiosity, you rise and spit again on the ground as if you had just tasted something vile. He can’t stifle his smile then, your idea of foreplay is much more fun than what he had in mind…

And you aren’t flung over his horse, but actually get to ride it with him, the arm around your middle like iron as he keeps you as close to him as possible. You don’t know that he’s reluctant to take an unwilling woman, and that this preference makes him the laughing stock of the group. Neither do you know that König has already pictured you inside his hut, baking bread and scolding children like the firebrand that you are, giving him a naughty little wrestle and a fistfight every night before bed... Shuddering from want like you do now on his horse as he exposes your breasts to the approaching winter.

You are about to faint as tiny snowflakes land on your nipples, melting instantly as this man starts to fondle your tits. Slumping against his blazing form, you can do nothing but accept your fate as the horse keeps walking and the men around you shout and whistle at the sight of your breasts. The rough barks of your captor quickly end their excitement upon seeing your exposed tits, the whistles stop and the men turn their eyes quickly away from you.

The man behind you is now perfectly content, riding in the crisp morning air while pawing your breast with one hand and holding the reins with the other, his groin grinding against you with the movements of the horse, making it clear that he might soon stop this torture altogether and take you to the nearby woods for a quick fuck…

[rey-jake-therapist]

Those who know me know I'm not usually a shipper, because fictional romances tend to bore me or make me roll my eyes lol So it's interesting how the only two ships that got me obsessed enough to write multiple posts about them, Hannigram and Saurondriel, both involve a male character that's literally the devil incarnate, and a "lover" who's revealed to be very complex, as far from perfect and "all pure and good".

Spoilers of Rings of Power S2 after the line!

The universes they originate from are of course very different, but I recognize similarities in the dynamics between Will Graham and Hannibal, and Galadriel and Sauron. Especially now that The Rings of Power season 2 is airing.

In Hannibal, Will keeps saying that he hates Hannibal and wants him dead or in jail, but he can't help being irrevocably drawn to him even knowing what he is. At some point it's very clear that he uses his "duty" as an excuse to get closer to Hannibal, because he can't find peace if he can't reach him. Part of him still believes Hannibal is the devil and must be slayed as the monster that he is, but he also recognizes the darkness in Hannibal as being in him as well, and is torn apart because Hannibal is the only being who truly knows him, and understands him. Hence why in season 3, he knows the only way to be free of his torments is to die with Hannibal (for the record, I still refuse the idea that they survived this. It was the perfect outcome!).

In Rings of Power, I feel the same thing happening to Galadriel. When in her first vision, she asks "he has returned already?", it's unclear if she's afraid of hopeful; actually, she looks and sounds as if she's both. I don't talk enough about Morfyd's flawless acting, she's amazing!

Her attitude when she talks about Sauron has changed from season 1: he's still the enemy to defeat, he's still the devil incarnate. But he's also still Halbrand in her heart, as the slip on the tongue she makes proves when she's discussing him with Gil-Galad. She won't admit it, but she's conflicted now. Worse maybe (from her point of her view), vulnerable. Despite everything, he's still the only being in the world who understands her, who knows her, just like for Will and Hannibal. She let him in because she felt seen at last, maybe for the first time...

Again Morfyd's acting... flawless. WOW.

Elrond is no fool and has figured her out better than she did: the problem is not that she might let him in again, but that "he never left". The darkness in Sauron resonated in her, they're now bonded. There's no turning back from that.

In season 1, there was no ambiguity: she wanted to find Sauron to destroy him, period. But now? Sure, she wants to prevent him to do damages in Eregion and all the Middle-Earth, so it's a good reason to go after him, but I think part of her also craves this precious connection she lost, and wants to find it again. I mean, the way she's always touching her ring? She acts like a drug addict always coming back for more. And we know there's no way Sauron couldn't have corrupted these rings. When the ring tumbled at her feet, it may have been a move made by Sauron himself, from afar. It also can be no coincidence that the vision she sees in Episode 4 is Sauron masquerading as Halbrand: it's a calling.

Now, of course there's no way Galadriel and Sauron's story end like Will and Hannibal. Galadriel will overcome this, she'll soon tell Sauron to fu*k off for good and they'll both spend the rest of their long lifetime sulking in their corner and being forever miserable content with what they have. Still, while it lasts, I'm enjoying the hell out of it!

[edennill-archived]

@eri-pl

So, you asked me about my interpretation of Varda on Ao3, and I actually wanted to reply in an ask, but decided maybe it's better to have it here. At the same time, I'm afraid... I do have a fairly strong idea of her, but it's mostly focused on the early days of Arda, and maybe a little nebulous (and perhaps doesn't really add anything to what I've already said). Still:

One of the most specific headcanons that influence the way I see her is that, well, she was the fourth being in existence, thus had by necessity been fairly close with Melkor before he went bad, and consequently she has a very keen sense of betrayal later on. I think the few who came directly 'after' (...I have no idea what time before time even is, but never mind) were some of the Ainur who did not enter Eä, and so, the Valar who came next (probably Ulmo, Namo, Yavanna and Vairë, in some order) did not necessarily have this experience, and certainly not to such extent. This later period would have also been the time during which Melkor started really disappearing into "the Void where he once walked alone"... and from some point on he was hiding a lot of wrath and resentment whenever he returned among the others — so ultimately, I think a lot of the Ainur actually only came to really know him when he started disrupting the Music. Which. makes for a very different sort of disappointment than Varda's.

The second thing (and I'm sorry for always circling back to Morgoth here, though on the other hand you find him interesting so maybe you won't mind), is that well, canonically she's the person he fears the most. Now, she's not actually more powerful than Manwë, but her power is more... focused, I'd say, if you know what I mean (I don't entirely lolll). And since he usually hates in proportion to fearing, she often bears the burnt of his sabotage efforts in those early days, which again, leads to a lot of anger on her side.

...You might think it strange how much I focus on anger for someone who's among the morally purest characters in the Legendarium, and well, I'd call it righteous wrath in her case, but your mileage may vary. Certainly, it's not only (or even mostly) that she's disturbed by his wrongs towards her in particular, but she's not allowed to forget by the circumstances.

On the other hand, I don't particularly like the theory that she rejected him romantically, I think it's reading too much into a phrase that's very ambiguous and likely wasn't intended to mean this, given Tolkien's track record with similar phrasings.

But yes, she's this kind of dichotomy in which... on the one hand, she's beauty, she's art, she's gentle... but stars burn, and she can be sharp at other junctions. Sorry, I keep using words in some weird abstract sense, I might not be able to explain it better.

She would have — in time — forgiven Melkor if he had ever given her reason to think that he regretted his actions rather than the fact that he lost the war, which he never really did. There was nothing especially damning in whatever he said in hearing after his release, but none of it was reassuring either, and I think she believed the knowledge of his defeat would keep him from acting up, but nothing much more conclusive.

[nostalgiachan]

I totally didn't realize I didn't post these guys after they were done almost a year ago, but we're back on the 100 OC Challenge train!

As always, new designs up top, old below, and character info below the cut.

#61: Sirno Idea: Queen of the BONE ZONE Story: Dragon Tavern

Sirno is easily the least developed of the Seekers, and quite possibly the least developed out of all of the Dragon Tavern characters period. Seriously, I never got her beyond "She's a Bone Lord," even with the 2016 redesigns. Luckily, the Idea Machine got chugging while I was working on this sketch.

Growing up, Sirno was a military brat; both of her parents were enlisted in the Deadlands military, and her father became a recruiter after his first tour through the swamps. Thanks to them moving between garrisons every few years, Sirno was frequently a new kid in town, so it was difficult for her to make friends and nearly impossible to keep them. On top of that, thanks to her permanent new-kid status, her offbeat looks, her imposing height even at a young age and her quiet nature, she was frequently the target of bullying; she particularly remembers kids either asking her out or trying to set up their friends with her as a joke. Eventually, once she reached adolescence, if anyone approached and asked her to "say something funny" or if she wanted to go to the ball that weekend, she'd cut the bullshit herself and whip the asker's ass.

Of course, all this did was turn the direct bullying into exclusion and get her kicked out of more than a few academies. But at the time, it made her feel a little better that she could kick the ass of anyone and anything.

By the time she was sixteen, she decided school was for losers and she wanted to join the military like her parents; she enlisted and soon went on a few tours through the swamps. About five years into service, it was determined she'd be a perfect candidate for Bone Lord training.

Bone Lords pilot ten-or-so foot tall constructs of bone and alchemically-treated gore, their bodies ensconced in the torso and connected to the construct via magical wire. This connection allows the pilot to control the construct through conscious thought alone, as though they are one organism.

Sirno took to the program with flying colors; when she was first interred into her armor, she felt as though she had finally become what she was always meant to be. When she wore her armor, she was no longer some lanky, awkward walking target for people to start shit with, a fragile creature of blood and meat and feeling; she was a towering, terrifying monstrosity, and any dumb enough not to treat her with the respect she was due would feel her might. The more time she spent in the suit, the more she wished she never had to take it off.

When the search for the Champions kicked into high gear, she jumped at the opportunity to see the world outside of the Deadlands and show new people she was not to be fucked with.

#62: Vermire Idea: Transing Your Gender Through Superior Alchemy™ Story: Dragon Tavern

19yo Nost wanted her own version of Gren from Cowboy Bebop and had no notion of transgender issues, so cut her a little slack on this one.

Vermire is the first of the Seekers of the Steel Empire, and was built around the fact that I accidentally set his gender to "female" when I meant to make him "male". Vermire is a sanctioned alchemist - in short, he can craft potions without getting branded as a heretic and put to the sword because what he's doing is definitely not magic, it's science. One day, he was trying to craft a potion to improve his eyesight so that he wouldn't need glasses anymore. He succeeded, but there was a serious side effect - the potion acted as a massive dose of estrogen and gave him curves. He was already a fairly androgynous looking man, and he didn't want to have to explain his downstairs mix-up, so he started presenting as sexually ambiguous, female leaning.

Over the years, as the Dragon Tavern characters sat in the box, I kept revisiting his character; in his first major revision, I got rid of the silly "comedic gender bender" aspects and turned his story into more of a commentary on male privilege and sexism. Vermire adopted a female presentation to protect himself while he searched for a cure, taking on the role of his own sister as his sudden development of a more feminine form would very likely be seen as heretical magic. However, while the quality of his alchemical work didn't change, the perception from his peers absolutely did; colleagues were far more harsh to his "sister", critiquing "her" work far more than they ever did his and overall treating "her" with much less respect.

Between his work being severely hamstringed by his sexist colleagues and the danger of his physical situation being potentially found out, Vermire was quite eager to take up the hunt for the Champions of the Steel Empire; it would be much easier to hide his body with heavy coats and field wear, and besides that, even in the rare chance some foreigner was to see his body, they probably wouldn't try to immediately execute him for it...right?

Overall, the gender story will need quite a bit more workshopping, especially to make it interesting, but not exploitative.

#63: Maer Idea: a very big steam powered giraffe what smokes The Steamest Punk Story: Dragon Tavern

Maer only slightly ranks above Sirno as least developed of the Seekers, and the worst part is I didn't have the big flash of inspiration to retool him like I did her. Thus, poor Maer's stuck in development hell at the moment.

What I do know about the fellow is he's a Steam Crafter, an engineer that builds steam-powered machinery. Steamworks are seen as the more reliable scientific field in the Steel Empire compared to Vermire's sanctioned alchemy and the "mad science" of the Outcast Engineers, being responsible for the Empire's rapid industrialization. In recent years, the reach of steam power has expanded to the military, and a subsect of crafters have gone to work building various walking suits and automata in the hopes of supplementing - and possibly replacing - the likes of the Cavaliers as defenders of the homeland.

Maer is part of that subsect, having been inspired to take up the sciences after learning about Paz's success as a young teen, though he wasn't fast-tracked to academy like she was. When he learns about the reward for Paz's capture, though he's still enrolled at the time, he packs up his primary automaton, Twiggy, and heads into the field, hoping to meet her for the first time and learn what the hell she's been up to.

And unfortunately, that's all I know about the man at present. We'll get there.

#NINTENDO64: Terinelle Idea: Badass old knight woman Story: Dragon Tavern

Terinelle, much like Arlein, was the subject of a massive overhaul back when I first redesigned these characters back in 2017; she was originally a much younger woman, like most of the other characters. But during the redesigns, I became much more interested in representing older characters, and in particular, older women; badass old men, after all, are pretty common, but badass old women, much less so. She also underwent an ethnic update, being changed from vague "anime" ethnicity to specifically inspired by Armenian women.

Terinelle is a Cavalier, the classic knight in shining armor atop a noble steed. When she first began her career fifty years prior, she was the lone knighted woman, fighting doubly hard as her compatriots to rise in the ranks; now, she stands among the upper echelon, and has inspired other young women to join the knighthood. Unfortunately, even now, she and those who joined in her wake still face discrimination from their male peers and superiors, and on top of that, younger knights tend to question her competency due to her age.

Of course, those brazen enough to attempt to duel her to increase their prestige or "put her in her place" quickly learn their lessons. See, among Cavaliers, rather than displaying their rank and prestige through medals or armor decoration, they display it through their hair; a Cavalier only cuts their hair if they are defeated in battle, with the cut-off locks becoming a trophy for the winner.

Terinelle has not cut her hair in fifty years.

After putting her boots to another whippersnapper's throat and it still doing little to shut up her detractors, Terinelle had finally had enough of Imperial society. She had pretty much everything she could possibly want - a rich estate, a loving husband, children she adored and a litter of grandchildren on the way - but she wanted to seek glory in new lands. So, when the call went out for people to seek out the Champions of the Steel Empire, she jumped at the opportunity. Sure, she would miss her family dearly, but surely, she wouldn't be gone for that long. There were only so many places those kids could be, right?

[earlgreytea68]

As a certified FOB/Peterick scholar, I was hoping that I may please present to you a lyric-related question that's been bugging me for a bit: In "What A Catch, Donnie", do you think the Miss Flack in the line "Miss Flack said I still want you back" is Pete, or Patrick? I believe Pete has referred to Patrick as his Roberta, as in Roberta Flack, but if the song is supposed to be from Patrick's POV, it wouldn't make sense for Patrick to be referring to himself as Miss Flack in that context. I can't tell whether Pete chose to cast himself as Miss Flack in this instance, and he's the one cutting through Patrick's negative self-talk in the verses by telling him "I still want you back", or if the verses are Pete talking to Patrick, and Patrick is the one saying "I still want you back". It 's a devastating line either way, but I'd love to hear what you think!

WARNING: DISCUSSIONS OF SUICIDE BELOW. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out.

~~~~~~~~

I have also often puzzled over "What a Catch, Donnie" because yes, they both say the song was Pete writing pretending to be Patrick, but I don't think it completely lines up.

First, the reference to Donnie in the title is clearly to Donny Hathaway. That would seem to be the Pete equivalent in the Donny Hathaway/Roberta Flack friendship, and that lines up with the idea that the song is supposed to be Patrick talking about himself. If "Donny" = "Pete," then the title of the song is effectively Patrick being like, "Look what a catch I am," self-deprecatingly (the way the line shows up in the rest of the song)?

But I've long thought that the song isn't really as straightforwardly about Patrick as they claim it is, because none of their lyrics are as straightforward as that. We know that Patrick picks and chooses lyrics from all over and that Pete doesn't sit and write a whole song from start to finish, and I really have no reason to believe that "What a Catch" went through a different process. So I have long thought that what they mean when they say Pete was writing from Patrick's POV is really the song's chorus and verses. That wry, self-deprecating chorus really does seem like it suits Patrick's thoughts about himself, in Pete's voice. But I think the bridge (which stands out in several ways) is from Pete.

So the chorus is Pete writing from what he supposes to be Patrick's POV. That fits that last line in the chorus: "All I can think of is the way I'm the one who charmed the one who gave up on you." If the "I" in the chorus is meant to be Patrick ("I've got troubled thoughts"), and we assume that's still true of the last line in the chorus, then Pete is the "you" there (c'mon, they're always singing to / writing about each other, they're always each other's "you"). And that makes perfect sense: The one who gave up on Pete ("you") is Pete ("I've already given up on myself twice"). And who's the person who charmed Pete? Patrick. Like, if this chorus is all about Patrick, then it's about how Patrick thinks he's no big deal but he cannot get over the fact that Pete keeps insisting he IS. And this is the truest encapsulation of their dynamic ever, this comes up again and again in their interviews. Pete keeps insisting Patrick is so great, and Patrick must sit and turn that over and over in his head endlessly in those times when he just Doesn't Get It.

But, even though this is a song written from Patrick's POV, I still think it's mostly about Pete. Which kind of makes sense in its own way, especially for this time period of their relationship, that the person Patrick is most preoccupied with is Pete. Patrick muses about captains going down with the ship, but that's a thought about Pete: Pete literally casts himself as the captain going down with the ship in the video. If Pete is the captain of their band, does he have to go down with the ship? Even the first verse is ambiguous enough to make it seem like it's Patrick talking about Pete. It doesn't say who said, "I'll be fine 'til the hospital or American embassy." Patrick swallows the pronoun. That feels like something Pete may conceivably say to Patrick, at least in some guise: I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, don't worry.

So, as I noted at the beginning, I have always interpreted the dichotomy of the referenced relationship to be Patrick being equalled to Miss Flack. So when Patrick sings that Miss Flack still wants "you" back, I do think he is in effect referencing himself will talking about Miss Flack, and the line is meant to be sung from Patrick to Pete: Patrick still wants him, he always wants him, Roberta Flack was devastated by Donny's suicide and would presumably give everything to have him back. To me, that's exactly what Patrick is saying to Pete, couched in a layer of remove by claiming that it's "Miss Flack" saying it. And, since Pete wrote the line, since Pete established the analogy of Patrick and Roberta Flack, it is Pete recognizing that this is also how Patrick feels. Which I'm sure they discussed. To me, that line always feels like he put it in as a concrete reminder: people would miss you. Patrick would miss you.

And it connects so nicely with the overt promise of the bridge, which I think is definitely a shift to Pete being the "I": I will never do that to you. Keep a calendar so you will know. There's an acknowledgment that he came dangerously close ("I already am") but also an acknowledgment of the different outcome he had. They literally give the bridge to a different singer, as if signaling the pronoun change there (in a Broadway show, this would be the bit sung by the other calendar, acknowledging the love and affection being shown toward him). And we know Patrick keeps a detailed calendar, it's been referenced a few times in interviews, so that "keep a calendar" line seems tailor-made to be an exhortation from Pete to Patrick. (Plus, we know for a fact that the bridge either got reused OR was borrowed from another song, we don't know the order they were written, but that reprisal has always made that bit of "What a Catch" stand out just that little bit more as being just Different from the rest of the song).

All of which is to say, I think part of "What a Catch" is Pete writing from Patrick's POV (and, according to Patrick, getting it right), and that inevitably includes Pete recognizing not just Patrick's troubled thoughts and low self-esteem but how vitally important Patrick is to Pete and how much worry he causes in Patrick. And, of course, how much Pete wishes he didn't worry him so much. This is a song supposedly about Patrick's low self-esteem, but it's Pete who really reveals how little he thinks of himself as a friend, freaking everyone out by giving up on himself.

And I guess what this really means is that this song about Patrick is really a song about Patrick and Pete. Because of course it is.

[cailynwrites]

Writing Patterns

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there’s a pattern!

Thank you @squibstress for tagging me in this. Though I’m not a writer (publicly, anyway), there’s clearly something about first lines that draws me to recording a podfic. This is such a fun idea. Working backward from my last posted podfic today (!), here goes …

1. “There was certainly something amiss with the temporal forces that morning, for Sybill Trelawney awoke with a splitting headache.”

From Ambiguity (podfic) by @vermin-disciple, Rated G

This is a perfect encapsulation of what’s to come. I already waxed rhapsodic about this character study in another post, but this first line crystallizes the dichotomy of the character and the world view, the tragedy and the comedy, the ethereal and the mundane, the two warring factions inside Sibyll Trelawney. She prances around dispersing her gift of Sight and great wisdom while at the same time completely wrapped up in the lowest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It’s so hard to tell what’s real and what’s a sham with her, because she doesn’t even know herself. And all of that is in the first sentence! Masterful.

2. “The summer after Draco’s first year at Hogwarts was perfectly lovely.”

From there and back again (podfic), the 3rd installment in the dogfather AU series by @nonasuch, Rated G

Of course, the unspoken part is that nothing every would be again after that point. Draco fares much better in this AU than in canon or in many other fanfics. He reads The Hobbit, gets support from cousin Sirius, and ends up more or less on the right side of the war, though definitely not unscathed. @nonasuch is a whiz with a turn of phrase and leaves so much unsaid to be inferred. This fic in particular is almost like a series of interludes; it’s never telling the story as the exciting parts are going on, but rather it gives Draco's version of (semi-)canon events in the calm denouement periods after. As a reader, it keeps you on the edge of your seat because you don’t know when the next time jump will be or what things will have radically changed when you see Draco again on the other side.

(I’m going to cheat here and also give the first lines of the other fics in the series that I’ve recorded thus far, because I think they’re similar in an interesting way and I just want to celebrate every day what a masterful writer @nonasuch is.)

“Remus woke up warm and comfortable, and that was all wrong.”

From the black dog (podfic) by @nonasuch, part 2 of the dogfather AU, Rated M

A prequel to the original story, the dogfather, in which Sirius breaks out of prison and meets up with Remus much earlier than in canon. Again, this first line leaves us to infer so much and imagine what has changed, why Remus hadn’t been warm and comfortable before, what is to come. The first line presages all the angst and hurt/comfort to come.

“To begin with: this is a version of events where, on the morning of November 1st, 1981, the police are called to a house in Surrey.”

From the dogfather (podfic) by @nonasuch, Rated T

This one is slightly different and although this story also has very economical prose, it is much longer than its prequel and sequel above and has more room for details. The author spends a lot of time giving details and breaking the fourth wall, so to speak, to explain character motivations. But it’s all so blunt and bittersweet and funny. As I said in my original post, I think it might be my favorite wolfstar of all time, even though it barely wolfstars at all (especially compared to its M-rated prequel above).

3. “Looking at his watch for perhaps the twentieth time, Ron sighed loudly.”

From Libiamo! (amor fra' calici più caldi baci avrà) (podfic) by @khasael, Rated E

What better way to start a story than to drop our hero in media res at a restaurant with his future enemy-to-lover, Pansy Parkinson? And this is such a pitch perfect Ron characterization in my mind, all rough edges and a gooey, melty vanilla and caramel center.

4. “You can’t be serious?” The words were out of Hermione’s mouth before she could stop herself when Minerva broke the news about Hogwarts’ new Arithmancy professor.

From Stay (podfic) by vendettadays, Rated T

Another in media res and another pairing with Pansy. (I’ve been devouring Pansy fics since I recorded ‘tis the damn season (Pansy's version) by @the-francakes - podfic during the holidays and I can’t get enough of her, paired with just about anyone. I recorded this for @femslashfebruary and it really only features female characters, even the students.

5. “Poppy could feel sweat building around her temples as she continued to cast.”

From The Anniversary Quilt (podfic) by @vdoshu, Rated G

More in media res, with Poppy trying to heal her long-time partner, Minerva, after she gets hit with all those stunning spells. Throughout, we see Minerva through Poppy’s eyes and through the lens of their decades-long relationship.

6. “Severus found Hermione in the kitchens.”

From Mating for Life (podfic) by Arsenic, Rated T (sequel to Care of Magical Creatures (podfic), Rated E)

It may not be fair to compare a sequel opening line to the first in a series because it doesn’t have to do the same work. A first work needs to exert itself immediately to draw the reader in. But presumably, if you’re reading a seven-years-later sequel to a beautiful, pro-werewolf Remus/Hermione/Severus polyamory fic written almost 20 years ago before the book series was finished, you’re already hooked to the characters, the relationship, and the premise. You are drawn in by a desire to see a story you loved continue. And it does!

7. “Oliver Wood had one single year left at Hogwarts.”

From messin’ up my mind (podfic) by SkyRose, Rated T

This one is so nice and simple, but it sets up the stakes for the whole fic, a mutual pining story of Oliver and Percy finally getting together, with a little help from some of their Quidditch teammates. A lot of this story is Oliver’s internal monologue, so it’s fitting that this first sentence lays out what governs Oliver’s motivations - that this is the beginning of a series of “lasts” and that he still has so much he wants to do before leaving school.

8. “What are you doing?”

From The Cat With The Stars in Her Eyes (podfic) by @peachonified, Rated G

The first line isn’t spoken by the main character, Luna, but rather Ginny as an audience proxy to lead us into the story. We also want to know what, in fact, Luna is doing. Turns out she’s creating beautiful magic tattoos and therapizing all of Hogwarts (and later all of the Wizarding World) at the same time. 

9. "Well, that's the last of them," Arthur said musingly, over breakfast on September second.

From Empty Burrow (podfic) by @copperbadge, Rated T

When I was looking for a little fic for Arthur’s birthday, I found this little gem, also written pre-Half Blood Prince. All the dialogue in this fic is sparse, like is so often the case with an older married couple who no longer need words to communicate most of what they want to say. 

10. "I must ask one more time," said Dumbledore, the picture of grave concern with his fingers steepled on his desk, "If you are entirely sure about this decision."

From the stranger in the shell of a lover (podfic) by @slashmarks

Once again, the first person to speak is not the most important to the story, nor even the second most important. But it sets the tension and has a good hook, and once you find out in the next line that he’s talking to Lily, you’ve got to wonder what he’s so worried about …

Looking back over my recent work, I think a few things are clear:

I like fics that start with dialogue. I work hard on my voice acting and my accents, and though they are by no means perfect, I think they add something to the work. Being able to come out of the gate with a Dumbledore or a Ginny voice is a joy.

I also like jumping into the action of a story. It’s easier to tune out audiobooks or podfics than a story you’re actively reading (at least that’s true for me), so making sure that I have a story with a good hook is important to me.

Ever since I did A Very Pair-y Christmas in December, I’ve been branching out with different characters and ships, as opposed to doing mostly Drarry and Dramione a year or two ago. It’s been an absolute joy, I’ve discovered so many amazing new authors, and I welcome any suggestions for future recordings, especially if they’re different than what I’ve already done.

On the other hand, as I've moved away from recording Dramione and into more queer pairings, I worry that a lot of the fics I record wouldn't pass the Bechdel test. I'm pleased to see that in the start of 2024, the majority of my protagonists have been women.

On the other other hand, there's only ONE Explicit-rated fic on this list?!?! What have I been doing? Well, I promise there's some smutty stuff coming very soon ... 😉

This ask was so fun! I love gushing about other people’s writing. Thank you @squibstress for tagging me. Send me more of these so I can procrastinate on the Spanish paper I’m supposed to be writing.

Tagging @teledild0nix, @sweatersinthesummer, and @theselittleponders.

[outofangband]

@camille-lachenille sent this ask about Maedhros post Angband and I wanted to address it in two parts!

This first one deals with the possibility of brain damage post Angband

cw: aftermath of torture, discussion of brain damage, brief mentions of ableism (both in universe and out)

Angband World Building and Aftermath of Captivity Masterlist

I hc Maedhros really struggling with speech and communication in the years following his rescue, and he has to basically relearn how to speak properly. Even centuries later, it still takes him a lot of energy to make complex and long sentences, or understand a long speech, and that’s why he’s so often silent or just barks orders to his troops without much ceremony. And he tends to muddle the words when he’s tired or very emotional, or forget altogether how to speak Sindarin/Taliska/Khuzdul, and he can only speak Quenya, so his land is the only beside Gondolin where Quenya is still spoken on a semi-regular basis despite the ban. Before important events he will prepare what to say as to reduce the chances of getting stuck on his words. He also has "cheat cards" in his pocket with prewritten sentences in Sindarin for emergencies.

He also has to relearn how to read and his writing is awful because he has nerve damage so he struggles with fine mobility tasks. For official papers, he has Maglor write for him so it’s readable.

He gets better until the Nirnareth but the trauma of losing both the battle and his dearest friend makes him regress in his speech abilities.

First I should say I really like your headcanons! I think way way too much about the profound effect of Angband on the body, mind and soul, both generally and for certain characters in particular, Maedhros being one of them!

And Angband does have a profound effect. 

with regards to brain damage, first I should note that while I have some brain damage myself though obviously from considerably less severe circumstances than Maedhros’s and while I have done my research, I am by no means an expert

Though there is no canon evidence for Maedhros suffering brain damage there is absolutely a veritable wealth of circumstances that could have caused it at least for a human during his time in Angband; hypoxia/lack of oxygen to the brain, malnutrition and poisoning, actual physical damage from directed violence, etc

As I’ve talked about in many places (I think here is one of the more recent ones) we must assume at least some intervention and difference to human anatomy for Maedhros whether that comes from differing elven physiology or intervention by Morgoth to keep him alive or as I believe, likely both. 

That being said the conditions of Angband are devastating and effect the bodies, minds and souls of elves (and humans) in ways that rarely occur on the outside

One thing that’s fun about The Silmarillion is that it a, takes place over a long period of time and b, there’s a lot of ambiguity in the text in places. Maedhros does conceivably have longer to recover physically and emotionally 

Though the few bits of dialogue we have for Maedhros during the time between his rescue and the Nirnaeth do not seem to show him struggling with speech It is notable too that while he seems to have much skill as a diplomat, a lot of his recorded communication takes places through letters he could have spent much, much longer drafting, revising and consulting on rather than in face to face discussions where significant difficulties in communicating would have been harder to deal with. 

I like the idea of him having cards to consult with! I think that makes a lot of sense!

I do think Maedhros had specific issues with speech and communication. Some I think were due to physical damage and some I think were due to psychological. I know I’ve said almost exactly this probably more than once but I really cannot understate how profoundly damaging it is to be in an environment where your ability to speak, advocate, communicate and express yourself is just completely oppressed and stolen. I do headcanon that Angband severely limits and in some places/circumstances outright bans many elven languages (It can’t completely because some communication between especially newer prisoners learning the tongues of Angband is necessary during labor and such but that’s other posts...) Anyways Maedhros was in an environment where he was actively punished for speaking up, for using his own languages, for daring to act in any way that suggested that his words have meaning. 

This does not lift just because he is outside of its walls. 

That’s also absolutely not to say that brain damage couldn’t be a confounding factor as well. The combination of physical and psychological factors complicate his recovery in many ways especially in the beginning where these sorts of injuries were almost unheard of among the returned Noldor

(I should also note that even if it’s not fully supported by canon, it’s still a good and interesting headcanon/perspective and I share much of it!! unfortunately while Tolkien did seem to have a compassionate understanding of many aspects of trauma, the depiction in The Wanderings has always struck me as especially profound, due to when he was writing and such, it’s not surprising that many aspects of disability might have been overlooked or dismissed. It’s always worth considering these aspects, I think)

I also personally headcanon that writing especially took him decades to relearn properly. Even alongside brain damage, having to write with a completely unfamiliar hand while likely dealing with chronic pain and other symptoms! Due to my own neuro issues I have enough issues writing with my dominant hand! I can’t imagine having to relearn with the other. 

Finally, it makes sense both medically and in universe that Maedhros experiences a regression in his symptoms post Nírnaeth. The body-mind-soul connection is so strong for elves and symptom regression following severe physical or psychological trauma can absolutely happen.

Also on a similar note I headcanon that Húrin has severe neurological damage from Angband too

Anyways I hope this is an ok reply! As I said I also get super fixated on the effects of Angband on the body, mind, and soul of elves and humans

[cringecompanionapologist]

Two Ideas That Would Make Good Fanfics If I Could Think of More Than the Basic Premise

I've already done a "what happened to Jamie about season 6b" fic, but I had another idea, one that's a bit more gen/ambiguous.

The Doctor knows that the Time Lords will erase Jamie's memories again when they're done with him and doesn't want that to happen. So, he decides to hide Jamie somewhere, so even if they can't be together, Jamie can still keep his memories and be himself.

The Doctor also knows that he's going to be exiled to the 20th century, to a time and place where he has a lot of friends. Victoria is in the 20th century. She's probably the only person Jamie would willingly leave the Doctor for, so he sends him off to live with her. Jamie knows about regeneration, so if the Doctor wants to check in on him later, he'll be recognized. So, Jamie is safe and the Doctor can still see him.

But, the Time Lords wipe the Doctor's memory of season 6b, so the Third Doctor doesn't know that Jamie is in the 20th century. So, he never visits like he said he would...

Until after The Two Doctors. Six regains some of his memories of season 6b, remembers where Jamie is, and that Jamie has met him as Six. Six and Peri go to visit Jamie and Victoria in a point in the timeline where it hasn't been too long since Jamie last saw Two. Maybe they all celebrate Christmas together or something like that.

When Six loses Peri, he visits Jamie, who knew Peri and had had his own troubles with the Time Lords, so he understands.

2. An AU of Time in Office. Time in Office takes place in this weird period at the end of Frontios where the Doctor and Tegan take a few extra trips in the TARDIS on the way back to where Turlough is in the far future. The TARDIS is being a bit uncooperative as it often is. (My headcanon is that it was just rebuilt by Tractators and is trying to rid itself of "Tractator vibes" or something so that Turlough won't be tormented just by being in the TARDIS. Because the TARDIS loves Five's companions)

Anyway, in Time in Office, the Time Lords catch the Doctor and Tegan and take them back to Gallifrey so the Doctor can be president. They plan to mindwipe Tegan and send her back home, but Leela intervenes and has her made an ambassador of Earth so she can stay.

I assume that the reason Turlough isn't in this story is probably scheduling issues, but it would also be a bit difficult to keep him on Gallifrey here. He's an exile and hasn't even mentioned the name of his homeworld to the Doctor, so they can't make him an ambassador of Trion. The Time Lords have actually had contact with Trion before. They'd find out. But, as much as no companion wants to be mindwiped, Turlough would put up more of a fight than normal. The Time Lords don't just send the Doctor's companions home after mindwiping them. They send them back to where they first met the Doctor. In Turlough's case, that would be Brendon. And he'd rather die than go back there. And this is just after Frontios, so Turlough's already not doing so well mentally. He'd probably snap.

So, how do we keep Turlough on Gallifrey? Well, one of the things Leela suggested to keep Tegan on Gallifrey was marrying a Gallifreyan and becoming a citizen by marriage, which is basically what Leela did. The Doctor does not approve of this idea in Tegan's case, but it might be the only way to keep Turlough on Gallifrey/sane/alive. The Doctor is the only Gallifreyan Turlough really knows. It would probably be a PR nightmare if the Lord President married an alien, but basically Turlough has to marry the Doctor to avoid getting sent back to Brendon and hilarity ensues.

[awlimagines]

Hello! I‘m a big fan of your works but unfortunately I am extremely shy and can‘t muster up the courage to really comment or anything. I just wanna say I appreciate your stuff a lot, a wonderful life is one of my biggest comfort games and unfortunately I don‘t see as much content for it as I‘d wish there was, so seeing you write about it always brings a smile to my face :^)

Also while I can‘t say I wanna kiss him badly I‘m glad to see more Daryl appreciation, I love my best friend Daryl he deserves more appreciation LOL (we love weird freak men here)!

Sorry to drop off a request like this but if you‘re still taking rqs: Bachelorettes & Bachelors helping the farmer with painful period cramps? I know this kinda takes out the ambiguity of the farmer‘s assigned gender at birth sorry haha ^^“ (I myself suffer from painful cramps unfortunately hence I‘m a fan of this type of x Reader stuff haha)

Have a good day and keep on going, but remember to take breaks too from time to time (•w•)/

Sorry, it took me a while to get to this!! It made me really happy to see when I was feeling so sick though!! <3

Fortunately, I've never experienced period cramps to the point I couldn't function. I've been blessed that mine have always been relatively manageable without many issues. My husband is very supportive of anything I need (even if I just want something and not actually a need). Having said that, these might be pretty vague and light on details just because I don't have a ton of specific experience beyond friends who had conditions that made theirs terrible.

Also, I don't mind writing for a specific gender. It just seems fair, for the most part, to keep it as vague as possible so everyone can enjoy it. So, I keep it as gender-neutral as possible by default. Please, please send me any requests you have! I do my best to write the ones I receive and enjoy them greatly. :3

Anyway, enough rambling from me. Each bachelor/bachelorette is below the cut!

How They Help You with Painful Period Cramps

CELIA / CECILIA

She only vaguely understands the pain you feel. Cecilia was blessed with light periods devoid of cramps. But, what she lacks in experience, Ceci makes up for in sympathy. During your periods, Cecilia divides her time between working at Vesta’s farm and helping at yours. If you try to protest her working so much the young woman chides you about learning to accept help when needed. Ceci also quickly gets Vesta on board, and you join them for meals each time to limit your cooking. Both women offer you suggestions to help alleviate your pain.

CODY / GORDY

When Gordy encounters you curled in a ball, his first instinct is to fetch Dr. Hardy. You quickly explain that it’s unnecessary; this is a regular occurrence. The silent artist stares at you momentarily, absorbing your explanations before quietly excusing himself. While the thought of his abandoning you during such a time stings, you try to comfort yourself. You’re surprised when Gordy returns within a few hours and apologizes for taking your horse. He was in a rush and didn’t think to ask first. Gordy asks about pain medicine and a heating pad as he unloads various snacks and drinks from the Mineral Town General Store. He insists you tell him immediately if you need anything else.

DARYL

At first, you feel annoyed with the scientist as he rambles off the biology behind your pain. You soon realize the lecture is helping to keep Daryl calm as he assesses the situation and how to assist you best. Beyond some measly chocolate he had on hand, he is not much help the first time. Daryl makes up for this the second time and is prepared with various remedies that might help you feel better. Before long, he has your cycle memorized better than you and is always ready with the things that help you best. He doesn’t offer much help with your cattle but rambles ideas about a watering system to reduce your work for crops.

FLORA

Despite your pain, you find yourself more concerned about Flora. You were explaining how terrible your pain was through gritted teeth when Flora agreed. You couldn’t help but blink in shock at the archeologist. She said she felt the same during her period but just focused on work and tried her best to ignore it. Flora seemed surprised when you offered suggestions and shared your resources to help her. She doesn’t want to take from you. This soon becomes the most extensive argument of your relationship before you both eventually agree on a system to support each other. Flora dotes on you and consistently makes sure you have everything you need while you gently remind her it's okay to take breaks and take care of herself as well.

GUSTAFA

It hit unexpectedly when you were spending time with Gustafa at his yurt. Even through the pain, you felt embarrassed and stuttered out an apology, planning an exit to your farm. The musician caught on quickly to your pain and offered supplies. You were shocked to find the man so well prepared, and he explained that having female friends and keeping extra became a habit to try and help. Gustafa steps outside to give you privacy. He soon offers to have you stay, and he can fetch you anything you might need from home. Regardless of your decision, Gustafa is supportive. He admits to being a bit hopeless in the kitchen but does his best to wait on you hand and foot. He insists on handling any errands you need to be done and hovers if you want to do farmwork in case he’s needed.

LUMINA

You quickly learn that the life of the rich is different from what you expected. At the first mention of your intense period pains, Lumina has already arranged a meeting with Dr. Hardy to guarantee there are no medical causes of your pain. Lumina also insists on you staying at the manor under her care, and with Aunt Romana as backup, it doesn’t give you much choice. They both casually tell you Sebastian will tend to the farm with Takakura until you recover. It isn’t until you explain the guilt of putting more work on the butler makes you feel worse that she relents. Instead, Lumina focuses on learning your favorite dishes and bringing them to you throughout each period. She also masters the art of getting you to accept expensive remedies.

MARLIN / MATTHEW

Despite living with two women, you can tell Matthew is uncomfortable talking about your period. It doesn’t stop him from assisting however he can. Like Cecilia, he does more work to help you at the farm during your periods. While he seems most comfortable helping with the physical labor, Matthew does his best to cook meals for you. He’ll also mumble out suggestions to try and help with the pain. When you discover Matthew has been asking other female residents on your behalf, his face turns red like a tomato. He avoids looking at you as he grumbles about it not being a big deal if anything helped you.

MUFFY / MOLLY

Molly experiences cramps, though she admits they’re not quite as painful as yours. She shares remedies and methods to help from the vast social network of her city friends. You weren’t thrilled with her idea of spa days when Molly first arrived at your farmhouse. The blonde gently bullied you into giving them a try with an adorable pout. They quickly grew on you as you sank into the hot springs and relaxed with Molly. The worst days of your period soon become filled with the hot springs, good food and drinks from the cafe, and plenty of conversation with Molly. While your pain may not be gone, her support and company help make it more bearable.

NAMI

You both slowly realize there are times you never see each other. It turns out Nami suffers similarly to you and essentially just holes up at the inn as she becomes irritable. You tentatively offer suggestions for the things that help with your pain. A sigh of relief escapes you as Nami returns the gesture with her solutions. You’re surprised when you drag out from your bed during one to find Nami at your door. She offers to share the homecooked food the doting Lou made. Nami and you soon have a system alternating between the farm and the inn. You both find comfort in knowing someone else understands your pain and struggles and can provide support.

ROCK

Rock has the best intentions, but you can tell he never paid attention to sex education in school. The blonde surfer understands almost nothing about periods. You're annoyed at his appalled look when you have to explain the menstrual cycle and the source of your pain. The feeling doesn’t linger long when he calls asking if you prefer lemon or lime at the store for your products. You can’t help but laugh as you hear a female worker lecturing him in the background. Rock has to be gently reminded not to eat all your snacks, but he always comes around with new movies from your favorite genre to watch while you cuddle together.

[all-pacas]

I should clarify my previous ask, a world in which only cameron works for house but chase doesn't, would they date? Because we both know if they start dating AND are the only members of houses team, he'd fire them both.

a) I'm not actually sure House would fire them. He makes a big deal about Foreman and 13, and Foreman himself brings up this point:

FOREMAN: You were fine with Chase and Cameron dating. You obviously don't actually have an issue — HOUSE: You're fired. FOREMAN: How long are you gonna keep this up? We know you're not — HOUSE: Wrong. Again. In fact, in the last few weeks, it's hard to remember a correct call you made. If Chase had compromised his professional judgment to help Cameron, I’d have fired his ass, too.

Now, Cameron and Chase did have unprofessional sex all over the hospital while not-dating, but it's also the middle of Chase's S3 hot streak and he manages to solve a case by himself during this period, so by House's standards, no problem. He had more of an issue with them when they were bickering after 'breaking up' in Act Your Age, but actually Cameron and Chase got it together pretty quickly, so again, didn't approach the firing threshold. Hell, even in S6, House says (or at least pretends) he wants to hire them both after Dibala. Maybe he's a shipper!

But I do think it means that House is being sincere with Foreman here. He does not give a shit who is sleeping with who if it doesn't interfere with work or standards. So Chase and Cameron could date in an AU where it was just them on the team. I don't think they would, because Cameron would lose her impetus to act on her feelings. But they could!

b) They might date in a world where Cameron stays and Chase is fired, though. It was Chase leaving that triggered Cameron to pursue him, after all — they have their kiss before she resigns, I think it was the idea that she genuinely might not see him again that pushed her to act. And especially once Chase moves to the OR, there's absolutely no reason Cameron should have to make a choice between Diagnostics and Chase; Chase himself isn't actually bitter or angry over his firing, even if he uses his summer vacation to grow House Boundaries, and in S6 he mentions (without bitterness) that Cameron always liked diagnostics more than he did.

Whether the relationship would last, though… Chase has always felt pretty insecure about House in terms of their relationship. Part of it is his own issues, but Cameron really doesn't help at times. I mean, it's basically confirmed a big part of their FWB relationship was an attempt to provoke House into jealousy. While I don't think it's as simple as "Cameron was just using Chase to make House jealous," wanting House to care was a factor, House's opinion has always really mattered to Cameron. She might not be 'in love' with him, but he's someone she sees through the lens of romance if that makes sense: he's a potential romance, not just boss or colleague, and she kind of acts like the possibility always exists, even if it's unlikely. So she gets way too flustered when accidentally saying she loves him, because she's thinking it could be misconstrued (where if someone like 13 said the same thing, it wouldn't feel ambiguous to her). As late as the episode where Chase and Cameron get engaged, Chase has "is she dumping me for House" in the back of his mind — he doesn't seem to take the possibility that seriously (he's more upset about the ghosting), but it still exists. So in a world where Cameron is spending every day working with House, gushing on her lunch breaks to Chase about their current cases, I think the insecurity would get way stronger, and probably lead to the relationship falling apart pretty abruptly, even if/though nothing is actually happening with House.

[tobiasdrake]

After much chasing, what do we have for a boss?

Is the lifesaver Wentworth? I want Wentworth to like me. I want so bad for Wentworth to like me. He's so cool. ._. And I would like for the Warrior Cook's efforts in taming him to not end in stabbing.

Oh, that will be a piece of cake, then. I'm good at stabbing fireballs.

Uh. H... Heeeeeeey buddy... Uh... Are we... are we cool?

WENTWORTH NO I NEED THAT FOR STANDING

Dragon fighting pro-tip: DO NOT DO WHATEVER I'M FUCKING DOING RIGHT NOW HOLY SHIT THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA

Oh so this is what he meant by "attack the fireballs". Easy enough to forge a path via twirly-doos!

Gotta remember to write that down. "A dragon's greatest weakness: Excessive twirly-doos".

IF YOU'D STOP GETTING BACK UP I WOULDN'T HAVE TO KEEP DOING IT

This hurts me a lot more than it hurts you, Wentworth. So, so much more. You've killed me three times.

OH FUCK ME Did I just kill him?

It's okay. I don't think Luana cares as much about you as the Artificer so I should be in--

...or I uncursed him by hitting him really hard. Huh. Guess that's all you needed to do.

That the Warrior Cook was able to tame him without actually breaking his curse in the process honestly makes that accomplishment even more impressive.

Ago. You were watching me a long time ago. It's been Ambiguous Length of Time since the halcyon days of you stabbing me in the junk.

Things are different now. I have a cool hat. Care to try your luck?

...disguise?

<.< >.> Do I... Do I know... anybody? Monkshroom? Necromancer?

Are you the Shopkeeper? Him and Quarble are the only people I have a close, personal relationship with. Have you been popping out of the shop to stab me in the junk periodically?

Because that... does sound like something he'd do. Between you and me, I don't think he likes me very much. But it's okay because he might be an assclown.

...

Aephorul? Are you Aephorul? Because if you are, you've seriously let yourself go if you're having a hard time throwing hands with me. Did Luana, Solen, and the Warrior Cook beat you so hard that you're still broken and battered to this day?

Oh. Butt gravy. No, uh... *finger snap snap snap* Bug raver. You were an inspiration to Luana until you ruined her birthday party. You were basically Erlina's +1, more than a significant participant in events yourself. Kinda like Solen; At least, according to Luana's telling of the story.

Vaguely? Honestly, I don't know why you bothered disguising yourself, man. All of you demons blur together. And it's not like we've been doing anything different from what we would be doing if you'd come after me openly.

Wait a minute, you said you're "now certain" that you can take me. Does that mean you were on the fence before? I know I might be ninja trained and all that but I cannot stress enough how just some guy I am.

I actually had you quaking in your cloven hooves, that day at the ninja village? You needed all this time to work up the nerve to fight me for real? Because man, that does not speak well of your abilities. Luana wrote that you two traded down when you became demons and I'm starting to see it now.

In any case, you made mistakes. You should have come at me full throttle when you had the chance. But now, I'm more than some guy. I'm some guy with a hat. And I'm going to carve out your throat you miserable piece of--

FUCK. Gravity. My hat is powerless against its iron grip!

Okay, I was in freefall for about 2-3 minutes and I'm still not sure how I managed to go straight from the stratosphere to Hell without running into anything, land or ocean, between.

...I'm sure this is fine.

[langernameohnebedeutung]

Im rewatching season 1 how crazy it is that liv could have- probably not, but it would have definitely changed things- stopped blaines brain business by supplying him with brains herself. It would have been nice to have another zombie during those early days to talk to, esp if liv still believed blaine was making a change in his life or whatever he said. Kinda like what lowell was to her but less british

(I actually have this very similar AU-idea that I like to explore at the bottom of my hindbrain 'what if Liv hadn't seen Blaine in that alleyway and had been willing to buy into his 'repentant drug dealer' persona and they had been on semi-friendly terms for the first season)(though I kind of like the angle that he still does the brain business thing. And Ravi and Liv (and Major, separately) catch on to the fact that a brain business exists and try to find out who is running it - and even clue Blaine in case he can help and perhaps he delivers them wrong information or otherwise manipulates them) so it's a bigger personal betrayal when they find out that it was Blaine all along)

The thing is, I think it's a bit of a veeeery soft retcon they did at the beginning of season 2 (or perhaps just a clarification) because when the cast talks about Blaine's original return in the second episode, they talk about how it was supposed to be very ambiguous where he's standing.

But at the start of season 2, Blaine mentions that Angus was his 'first customer' - and since the first person we see him infect for his business is Jackie (we don't really know when he infected the Meat Cute gang or when he stored Julien and the others in his freezer), season 1 leaves the option that Jackie was the start of his business and that he used her money to expand OR that she was just one of many in a row. Saying Angus was the first means he would already definitely have been at it for a while when he found out about Liv. (On the other hand, it could be argued that infecting and 'owning' Angus is so personal that it doesn't really count as part of the bigger brain business scheme. That maybe he just infected him to keep himself afloat AND to get back at his father and then only later decided 'hey, actually I can do this to everyone I want!' (or perhaps he just told Angus that he was the first, but personally, I like the theory that he went straight to Angus the moment he had a shot at revenge. Plus, I don't think he would tell Angus that he was the first if he wasn't - because that would be admitting how much power Angus still has over him.)

Though, I also think that the way in which Blaine infects Jackie...seems pretty routined and pre-meditated. And when he did that, it was before the alleyway scene so at that point, Blaine still thought Liv was going to give him brains. So to me that certainly always felt like the plan was to x two birds with 1 stone:

a) check out the people who are looking for me online and who are working at a morgue and stay in touch to keep an eye on them (and the cops by extension)(after all, he even does a similar thing in season 2, when he wants Liv to keep an eye on Dale for him)

b) do hapless remorseful drug dealer and fellow zombie act, secure brain, secure customer, play grateful that Liv is giving you brains but sell them off behind her back. Profit! >:)

(that's my personal interpretation though)

But I also definitely would have enjoyed if there had been a longer period of just...uncertainty about what Blaine's deal is and more time in which to perhaps explore Liv's feelings about Blaine's part in her infection and everything that happened at the boat party at large and also perhaps the way her feelings on the matter conflicted with Ravi's, who was a lot more willing to give Blaine the benefit of the doubt. (and you know who could have given us that??? the old 24-episode format!! ...but that's another passion topic of mine)

(On the other hand, it's also a topic that I feel a bit conflicted on because I've seen some people (cough reddit! cough) literally blame Liv for the bullshit Blaine does à la "ohh, surely Blaine wouldn't have gone and built a giant business on the back of murdered orphans if Liv had just shared that brain with him in ep. 2" ...which. nah. I think that is an obstacle that could be overcome without going full Mrs. Lovett.)

[the-haunted-office]

Please note, I have updated the TLDR part of my rules! I wanted to make sure to include the most important parts, while still keeping it trimmed down and easier to skim through. At least, that is my goal. I know my rules page is pretty long... It's that way because I know there are folks out there who are like me, who like having everything clearly outlined and thoroughly spelled out to eliminate any ambiguity. But I also know there are others who would not want to go near a long rules page, so that is the purpose of the TLDR. :p

Anyway, here is the updated version, just so everybody is on the same page! If anything seems unclear, though, please do let me know, because I definitely don't want there to be any confusion. Thank you!

⭐ TLDR

Mun: I go by Author, I’m in my 30’s, preferred pronouns are she/her, but they/them is also fine. I have anxiety, and while this usually does not hinder me from reaching out to initiate interactions, it does sometimes cause me to become quiet on the dash or to worry that I may have done something to upset others when I might not have. I ask that if you choose to follow me back and roleplay with me, that you please be patient with me during these times. Thank you.

Blog is Multi-fandom, Multimuse, Multiship, and crossover, OC, and self-insert friendly.

Private and mutuals only. 25+ age minimum, although I may go a couple years lower than that depending on material presented in your blog, rules, etc.

Dark themes are present, including death, terminal illness, horror, occasional gore and the like, emotional trauma, anxiety, mentions of suicide etc.

Mun ≠ Muse, period. Some of my muses may say mean, aggressive, or antagonizing things, but none of it is ever directed towards you, the mun. I will never take anything personally, either.

I usually reply within a few days, but feel free to inquire if it’s been more than a week. I have a kid and a busy life so sometimes things may be a bit more sporadic. Always feel free to chat ooc if you have any questions or concerns, with the shared understanding that we all have lives outside of rp. We’re all here to have fun!

No smut will be roleplayed on this blog. NSFW things may be discussed and alluded to, but not roleplayed. I do not have a problem with interacting with blogs who roleplay smut, though. I am also uncomfortable roleplaying excessive harm to children, abusive relationships, and inauthentic relationships with my muses without prior discussion (that is, being misled, being used, having it sprung on me, or my muses being abused by powertripping muns).

I am open to shipping! However it is not the main focus of my blog. I am not into insta-shipping - I prefer shipping with chemistry and after we’ve rped our muses together for a while. A good deal of my muses require time and patience to develop ships with them. I am willing to listen to thoughts and ideas if you have any, though, and will be honest about whether or not I think a ship could work. Always feel free to approach me if you have any thoughts, not just about ships but also about any plot ideas you have.

I am also okay with unrequited feelings between muses, both from my muse to yours and your muse to mine. If you aren’t comfortable with it, let me know and I can certainly make changes.

Trigger warnings - Please see the section below, I have a list of triggers I try to make a habit of tagging. If there are any you would like to be added, do let me know. I do my best to tag the ones my mutuals have asked me to tag, but sometimes I forget the less common ones as it’s hard to juggle them all. If I ever mess up, let me know and I will tag it immediately.

I try to reply within 1-3 days, but sometimes they may take longer. Feel free to reach out if it’s been longer than a week, though.

I’m not a stickler when it comes to reblog karma, but please don’t make a habit of reblogging memes from me but never sending anything in. It spreads poor morale throughout the rpc to treat each other like meme resource blogs.

When I follow your blog and tell you I want to roleplay with you, this is because I want to roleplay with you. If you follow me back, please extend this same courtesy to me. I would love to learn more about your muses, but I would also appreciate interest shown in mine, and most importantly I want to roleplay with you. If we aren’t roleplaying together, we may need to reconsider if we are a good fit as mutuals. Please note, I understand that real life takes precedence over roleplaying - I am busy with my personal life too. But if one or both of us is always visibly active roleplaying on the dash but we aren’t interacting with each other, then it may be time for us to part ways.

If you do not wish to interact with me any further, the simplest way to prevent me from following you again in the future is to hard block me. Softblocking may not get the point across because Tumblr has an unfortunate lovely feature where it will unfollow people for you - i.e. a glitch.

Always, ALWAYS feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, thoughts, ideas, or just to chat. I’m ready to listen and love plotting and love chatting.

Read on if you like reading novels. 😛

[butchbenrey]

Are there any theories, predictions, or hopes you experience in regards to hl2vrai?

Also, consider this: benrey that is of copious spikes

god i have a complicated relationship with the idea of hl2vrai for so many reasons, most of them being really personal so i dont have as many theories or expectations as youd might think. the whole announcement and trailer happened during a really rough period of my life so the whole thing kinda has the ooze for me. still, i know i'll watch it when it comes out. i can't not, hlvrai has been my whole thing for nearly 3 years now.

as far as what i expect to happen, i think benrey probably wont come back. or if he does, itll be for a gag or something. this is gonna sound so bitter (because it admittedly is) but it seems like the crew is largely obsessed with teasing their fans for liking benrey too much and i imagine theyll keep dangling him over our heads. maybe thats too cynical, i dunno. i honestly don't think most of the science team will be returning? like obviously gordon, coomer, and g-man will, and people have theorized that tommy is that second g-man we saw which i can definitely get behind. but baaulp didn't like playing tommy and i don't get the vibe that gir is particularly attached to bubby either. i imagine the crew would wanna switch things up because they're notoriously unpredictable.

also, from the moment i saw alyx with a fat cigar in the trailer i've been pretty confident mira will play her, which i was initially really hyped for but now have complicated feelings about (again, for personal reasons).

speaking of alyx, i definitely don't think the gnome himself is coming back but i do think that the gnome series will have something to do with hl2vrai. ever since the gnome finale theater scene with the peppa pig monologue i've assumed "the girl" that "gordon" would meet soon was alyx. i imagine she'll have some memory of the gnome series somehow, or she'll have some knowledge of the higher powers at play (like whatever the fuck gaben was talking about wrt his games being their own entities and shit) or whatever. i wouldn't be surprised if they built on that meta aspect of the gnome series and make the game of half life 2 itself its own sort of character in a way. like, the nature of the copy of half life vr that "gordon" was playing within the fiction of hlvrai was left really ambiguous. "gordon" questioned it of course and was baffled by the weird ai but eventually just came to accept it. it was only truly interrogated by coomer at the very end, and not for long. but with the trailer for hl2vrai being narrated by coomer and having such a focus on how the ais were left to rot without the player, it seems like the meta aspects of the story will come into a bit more focus. but also, maybe not. because as much as the gnome series toyed with examining the nature of the game, most of it was ultimately left ambiguous. we'll see, i guess.

those are my expectations and predictions. my hope is that it's not as cynically self-referential as the brba stream and everything surrounding it was. ultimately i don't care if benrey's not in it, i don't care if none of my predictions are true, i don't care if it's wildly different from hlvrai in every way. they'll make a high quality work of art no matter what. i just don't want it to have that same weird mild contempt for hlvrai fans that i had seen not just in the brba stream but also cropping up here and there in other streams. like, the "stay tuned and benrey will be at the end of the stream" joke was funny maybe for the first 3 times but after that it just got really tiring. i think rtvs has every right to not be happy with their fans and they don't owe us anything but that doesn't mean i have to like it when they're mean about it, y'know? it just gets old really quickly and i don't super love being the butt of the joke just for being a big fan of a series they made. shrugs.

alternate answer: i hope the sacred texts come true

[jackiestarsister]

OUAT Rewatch: Season 3

Spoilers for future seasons are noted in parentheses.

General thoughts:

~ I don’t like the pattern that the show developed of focusing on a new world and “big bad” antagonist each half-season. I generally prefer when most of the action takes place in Storybrooke, attention is given to the various townsfolk, and the different plotlines overlap.

~ Despite this, the introduction of Neverland for a while makes sense thematically. Peter Pan is full of children alternately rejecting and longing for parents. Neverland serves as metaphorical underworld, a place for the characters to wrestle with their demons and face themselves, and each other, for who they really are.

Episode 3x01 “The Heart of the Truest Believer”

~ This is an episode with no flashbacks, a rare thing in this show. It makes sense given how many different parties there are to juggle at the same time.

~ This episode starts with Emma saying “I can’t be a mother,” and ends with her saying “I’m a mother.” It’s like an encapsulation of her whole character arc in the show!

~ Henry is an interesting contrast against Greg and Tamara. He’s usually framed as the optimistic believer, but here, they are the ones showing blind faith while he asks logical questions.

~ “We don’t ask questions. We just believe in our cause.” So basically, Greg and Tamara are part of a cult.

~ Who are the “countless other people” Emma says they’ve lost since the curse was broken? Is she thinking of the refugees Cora killed? Does Emma know about Johanna and the others Cora killed or transformed in Storybrooke?

~ “The minute I let go of the belief that things will get better is the minute I know they won’t.” That’s an interesting take on optimism and pessimism. Sounds sort of like self-fulfilling prophecy, or the idea that “your focus determines your reality,” as Qui-Gon Jinn says in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Basically, your attitude shapes the world.

~ What are the rules for when/where Gold needs his cane? He needed it in Storybrooke even after bringing magic there, but he leaves it behind and seems to walk fine in Neverland.

~ Greg and Tamara unknowingly working for the Lost Boys doesn’t make a lot of sense, considering how much they supposedly relied on science to counteract magic. I would have preferred for them to be part of an actual network of people opposed to magic.

~ Tamara yells at Henry to run. Did she care about him on some level, despite killing his father?

~ Why does Henry immediately think he can trust the kid that pulled him out of the way? How does he know he isn’t also one of the Lost Boys?

~ Hook encouraging Emma, giving her Neal’s sword, and drinking to Neal’s memory is so sweet. He may deny being sentimental, but he does feel deeply, and he is sensitive to others’ (or at least Emma’s) feelings.

~ Hook’s answer about how long Baelfire was with him is suitably ambiguous, since this show likes to play with time, sometimes glossing over long periods, sometimes inserting stories within stories.

~ Everyone is so out of sync, each following their own ideas for defense against the mermaids. I feel bad for Hook trying to keep his ship steady while his new crewmates just add to the chaos!

~ How would catching mermaids in a net help? They shouldn’t want them on board!

~ Mulan and Neal’s scene feels like it’s more about her than about him. We already know what he did and why he did it, since he explained it two episodes earlier.

~ Those slow-motion shots when the waves crash on the ship are pretty cool!

~ How does Neal know about Rumplestiltskin’s castle? They never lived there when they were together. Did he learn about it from Henry’s book?

~ For someone who hated magic, Neal seems quite adept at detecting it and figuring out ways to use it.

~ Emma and Hook working together at the helm!

~ (Spoiler:) All the talk about outrunning a storm comes to a head in the lyrics of “A Happy Beginning”!

~ The weather-emotion symbolism may be heavy-handed, but honestly, the fights that break out make sense for who the characters are. Snow vs. Regina, David vs. Hook—they all have bad history, and in a crisis, stress can unleash bottled-up emotions.

~ Getting to fly must be such a dream come true for Henry!

~ Emma finally takes a leap of faith, signifying a turning point in her story. And although she says she blames her parents, and the recurring theme in Neverland is that she feels like an orphan, she trusts her parents to save her.

~ Hook is so quick-thinking and pragmatic, and willing to cooperate with the guy he was just fighting, when Emma is in danger.

~ Rumple is self-parodying now!

~ Neal and Rumple both come across items that had to do with both themselves and their fathers.

~ The interior of Rumple’s cabinet looks like it’s decorated with roses!

~ Hook raises his brow at Emma when she says they’ve been at each other’s throats; thankfully, she owns up to her part right away.

~ As they follow the heroes, Hook gives Regina a look as if to say “Oh, what the hell?” or “I’m game.”

~ “It’s so much easier to get people to hate something than to believe.” True words, even though they’re from Pan.

~ What happened to the freaking mermaid?! I’m going to assume that after the storm calmed they turned her back to flesh and set her free.

~ That last scene, with the Lost Boys coming out and surrounding Henry, is pretty terrifying cliffhanger. It lets us imagine the worst, but the following episodes make it seem like they haven’t done much to harm or frighten Henry.

~ This might be one of the best episodes of the show!

Episode 3x02 “Lost Girl”

~ It’s really cool to see so many characters—Emma, Snow, David, Regina, and Hook—share so many scenes. It’s a balancing act for the writing and directing, and it gives the actors plenty of opportunities for their characters to play off each other, in both old and new ways.

~ Emma may have declared herself the leader, but she backs up Hook as their guide, showing great trust in him. This is impressive considering how mistrustful she has been toward him and how untrustworthy he has been toward everyone.

~ Snow’s insistence that “It is never too late” doesn’t really make sense in this kind of context. They could quite plausibly reach Henry after he’s been hurt or killed. But Snow seems to take it back at the end, when she says they found Emma too late.

~ I had forgotten/not realized that Snow’s identity is questioned as much as Emma’s, Hook’s, and Gold’s in this part of the series. In the flashback storyline, she is told not to deny who she is, just like Emma in the present struggles with admitting who she is. While she cannot hear the children’s cries—probably because she knew her parents loved her, and she was practically grown when her father died—she did lose her parents and her home, so she is a type of lost girl.

~ Leaving the campsite to investigate the eerie children’s cries alone is not a smart move.

~ David says “Just name your price” way too easily, as if he doesn’t know how great the price of Rumplestiltskin’s deals can be. He should know better by now.

~ Hook and Regina both call Emma by her first name, something they rarely do. It makes sense that it would be when she’s wrestling with her identity, though I’m not sure it was intentional.

~ Emma’s voice is so flat and emotionless when she admits that she is the Savior. (Spoiler: Her proclamation at the end of season 6 is a huge contrast to this!)

~ Did Hook already know about Emma being the Savior, or did he follow up her admission with questions about what that means?

~ As much as I love Belle, the vision of her that Gold sees in Neverland is really weird. Did they just want to find a way to include Emilie de Ravin, keeping her part of the regular cast? Or was it so Gold would have a character to play off of as he wrestles with his demons? In a way, she is still serving as an angel/devil on his shoulder.

~ Hook mentions “what [he] did to Rufio”! Interesting way to allude to Hook. Since the Lost Boys are framed as villains in this version, it may not have played out the same way.

~ The moments where Pan and Regina simply call off their forces and leave their enemies alive doesn’t make sense. They have no reason to retreat. What was even the point of the battle with the Lost Boys?

~ The show never really delves into matters of governance and what makes someone a rightful ruler/leader. It is presumed that Snow and Charming were rightful because they were noble, heroic people.

~ I wondered why Snow was suddenly wearing an ostentatious necklace. It’s cruel of Rumplestiltskin to take that knowing it was her mother’s. Only, how did she have it at that point, after being driven out of her palace and living on the run for so long?

~ Hook actually hasn’t brought out the rum often up to now. The first time was to wash Emma’s cut, and the second time was to toast Neal. This is only the third time he offers it, but the first time Emma comments on it as a recurring thing.

~ Emma and Hook’s moments are natural and understated, and that’s great. They’re getting used to each other as teammates, and at the end he confirms that he wants to know her better. That last shot of Emma seems to be Hook’s point of view watching her walk away.

~ Appearance vs. reality is actually a theme throughout the episode. Hook warns that Pan looks like a boy but is really a demon. Snow thinks she has found Excalibur when it’s an ordinary sword. Gold has a vision of Belle. Emma and Snow’s identities are both questioned, along with David’s identity as shepherd/prince.

~ I hate the fake adventure/false confidence trope.

~ I like seeing David and the dwarves having tension. They may have helped Snow pursue him, but they really don’t know him, and it makes sense for them to be skeptical of him given how much Snow has put herself at risk because of him.

~ Despite what he has said about honesty being important in their relationship, David deceives Snow in both the past and present timelines of this episode.

Episode 3x03 “Quite a Common Fairy”

~ “You think you’re the diner at the feast, tasing the offerings: a little love, a little darkness. What you don’t realize is you are the feast, and the darkness has tasted you.” That’s an interesting metaphor!

~ Rumplestiltskin is the one who tells Regina that her rage is all she has.

~ Tinker Bell was the first person to give Regina a second chance!

~ Hook says David won’t see summer. Does that mean it’s springtime at this point (assuming Hook is referring to Land Without Magic time)?

~ Robin Hood and Neal also talk about second chances!

~ What did Tinker Bell mean for Regina to do? Have an affair, which could be considered treason for a royal consort? Forsake her responsibilities as queen, wife and stepmother?

~ Why is the Shadow still looking for believers at this point, after Henry has already been found? Does Pan still want to recruit Lost Boys anyway?

~ I want to see a whole series (or at least an arc) about Hook’s various adventures in Neverland, as it’s repeatedly hinted that he has quite a history with Tinker Bell, Pan, and the Lost Boys.

~ “Come with us to our camp,” as if they have one set up already?

~ It’s quite harsh of Tink to say that Regina ruined Robin’s life by not seeking him out. He ended up falling in love with Marian and having a child with her; that was pretty good. (Season spoiler: The way she really ruined his life was when she had Marian put to death.)

~ Why does Pan trust Tink? What is their relationship like? How did she even end up in Neverland?

~ Robin’s lion tattoo is probably a tribute to Richard the Lionheart!

Episode 3x04 “Nasty Habits”

~ Why does Rumple make and put on war paint? It’s true that he uses masks, but what is the practical purpose of making and wearing it?

~ Hook was probably the one who taught Baelfire/Neal to tie an overhand knot!

~ Baelfire was an artist, like Milah! He’s shown sketching as a boy, and the walls of his cave are covered with drawings. He drew the Darling family, their house, and the second star to the right; and he made a new version of Hook’s labels for port and starboard!

~ Baelfire in this episode acts more like Neal as we’ve seen him in adulthood.

~ Rumplestiltskin accurately predicts Belle leaving him someday

~ Regina smiles when he hears what happened to Greg

~ Hook acknowledges that Neal was Emma’s “partner in crime”

~ This may be Rumple and Neal’s first real father-son adventure. It seems a little too easy for them to get the squid ink after Rumple made it sound so impossible to get last season.

~ It seems a bit dissonant to see evidence of multiple points of Neal’s life that all had to do with Neverland

~ Charming insisting “I’m plenty hot”!

~ Hook throwing Charming’s own life philosophy back in his face is so ironic and interesting! But then Hook follows it up with “hope and reality are often worlds apart.”

~ Hook tries to be self-sufficient, lighting the torch on his own, and he looks so annoyed when David steps in to do it for him.

~ Part of Pan’s pipe tune sounds like “Hedwig’s Theme”

~ Strong Lord of the Flies and The Crucible vibes from the Lost Boys’ dancing

~ I’m impressed that Emma is the one to figure out how the star map works. Maybe she really does have a bit of pirate in her!

~ “This is a real family reunion.” The dramatic irony is that all four generations of men are in the same place, yet they don’t reveal it!

~ The irony that generational wisdom was passed from Pan to Neal and then to Emma, about never breaking in unless you have an escape plan.

~ Why can Henry now hear the music? What changed for him? Did his supposedly dreaming about Neal make him suddenly feel unloved?

Episode 3x05 “Good Form”

~ The teaser scene is a good way to show Henry getting more comfortable with the Lost Boys, but it doesn’t have much to do with Hook, and this episode is really focused on him.

~ Flashback Killian looks so incredibly happy when he sets out on his mission with his brother.

~ Snow watches Emma to see how she reacts to Hook’s flirting!

~ How many times does Hook call David “mate” in all? Seems a little too much.

~ Even Captain Liam Jones whoops in delight when the ship flies!

~ Killian used to tie his hair with a huge blue hairbow!

~ Killian expresses the hope that they’ll “never have to bury another sailor at sea,” but ends up adding to that number. Kind of like Frankenstein trying to reverse death and instead causing more of it.

~ Even Pan knows that Hook is good at surviving!

~ The cliff, rope and possibility of the person at the top killing the one climbing up give big Princess Bride vibes. When Hook says “You were supposed to wait,” I really expected David to reply “I hate waiting”!

~ It’s fitting that Regina’s chosen method of communicating with Henry is to use mirrors!

~ Henry using his sword to draw a home!

~ Why does Henry drop and break the mirror?! Keep that magical item, kid!

~ Charming’s triumphant musical motif when he’s healed!

~ Emma, Regina and Snow each pulling out their different weapons when they think an enemy is approaching is both funny and really cool!

~ Hook’s reaction after Emma kisses him = he is stunned! I agree with whoever posted the theory that that was the moment he realized he was actually falling for her.

~ The cut from his old crew cheering “Captain Jones” to Hook drinking alone is a striking contrast. He no longer has a crew following his lead, but he has true friends and allies and is willing to follow their lead.

~ Hook really is layered, in the sense that his actual motives are hard to figure out. At the end, there’s still ambiguity about how much of his good actions were because of his ideals of honor and how much were in an effort to win Emma’s favor.

~ Hook’s frequent tangling with poison is actually in keeping with Peter Pan, where he tries to poison a cake for the Lost Boys and Peter’s medicine.

Episode 3x06 “Ariel”

~ Did Snow lose consciousness when she jumped into the water, or was she resigned to drowning?

~ If Snow’s past experience with mermaids consisted of Ariel, she should have been more sympathetic to the ones that attacked Hook’s ship!

~ Regina trying to teach Emma about magic feels like a sudden development, and isn’t explored for the rest of the episode. There’s been no discussion of Emma’s abilities since coming to Neverland.

~ Hook, Snow, and David’s conversation about the nature of secrets turns out to be setup for what they have to do later!

~ It makes sense for Snow to blurt out the truth: she gave away Regina’s secret as a child, and lying is pretty against her nature. It would probably be even harder to attempt to lie to her daughter, who is already a pretty mistrustful person.

~ Flashback Snow affirms Ariel’s believe in love at first sight, but she herself denounced that as a reality when she met Charming.

~ Rumple got rid of his war paint

~ Why do Pan and Rumple say that Pan can only die if Rumple also dies? How does that work?

~ Pan foreshadows Rumple and Belle having a child! But how does he know what she looks like? And Peter Pan, boy of eternal youth, talking about a woman’s fertility, while eating eggs, is just weird.

~ So above-the-knee skirts are acceptable formalwear in Eric’s kingdom? Is that just so Ariel can show off the fact that she has legs? And is that a tail on Snow’s dress? Where did they even get these fancy outfits—did they steal, or use Ariel’s shipwreck treasures to buy or barter?

~ Did Snow give Ariel some dance lessons before they crashed the ball?

~ The dancing and talking scene is so awkward, as everyone else is watching while they discuss such personal matters.

~ There’s some irony in Regina being the one to save Rumple from an imposter, when she herself impersonates someone else in this episode.

~ “Happy endings always start with hope.” That’s Snow White’s philosophy in its simplest form.

~ “I can’t ask him to give up his dream for someone he just met.” Isn’t Eric asking her to leave behind her life for him?

~ Snow’s attitude about being open to love is fleshed out more in her conversation with Ariel than with Emma: “Even if you get hurt, you’ll know you tried.”

~ Making Regina the Ursula stand-in is weird. Lana Parilla does a fine job imitating the animated villain’s way of speaking and moving, but story-wise, it’s just weird.

~ The confrontation between Regina and Snow on the dock doesn’t make sense. Regina turning Snow into a mermaid in order to kill her more easily … just doesn’t make sense when she’s sitting on a dock. Snow could have jumped into the water and caused Regina to lose her trail.

~ I have to admit, though: Ariel using the fork as a weapon is great!

~ Hook only has a few scenes in this episode, but he shows so much emotion and character in those moments focused on him! He is so uncomfortable, yet resigned, about sharing his feelings about Emma with the group. Then, he looks so concerned and sad watching Neal hug Emma, while Snow is happy, and David is probably trying to decide whether he likes Neal or Hook better as a potential match for his daughter. And when he overhears Neal and Emma, you can see in his face and the cinematography that this is when he really starts to view him as a rival.

~ I want to know what happened when Neal crossed the rock bridge and faced Hook, Snow, and David. He’s barely interacted with Emma’s parents, but they know how much Emma and Henry care about him; and it his first face-to-face meeting with Hook since he was a kid. (Hook was unconscious when Neal saw him in New York, and Hook had just tried to kill his father, so it wasn’t much of a reunion.) How did they greet each other?

Episode 3x07 “Dark Hollow”

~ This is another episode that doesn’t use flashbacks, except at the very beginning to fill in a gap.

~ There are scattered references to believing in this episode, without much of a consistent theme: Mother Superior encourages Belle to believe in herself; Snow tells Charming he didn’t believe in their love; and Regina questions Gold’s belief in Belle.

~ The Darling brothers’ car has a teddy bear keychain hanging from the rearview mirror!

~ Hook and David are both feeling so awkward, as Hook has become a third wheel/part of a love triangle and David is being shunned by his wife.

~ The dwarves make a good point! Trouble seems to follow Snow and Charming like a magnet.

~ The Hook and Neal scene is so awkwardly written. Why does Hook throw it out there? And “dalliance,” while suitably old-fashioned, sounds like it could mean so much more than just a kiss. Did he really not realize Neal didn’t know? Or did he want to make Neal jealous?

~ “You came to Neverland on a pirate ship through a portal, but you draw the line at a magic coconut?” “Fair enough.” Indeed!

~ Ariel says “Look at this stuff!”

~ Considering that the show’s main theme is hope, it’s odd that they don’t talk about that aspect of the myth of Pandora when they introduce her box as a magical item.

~ It makes sense that after the secrets were shared in the previous episode, their repercussions need to be worked out in this one.

~ Neal’s reaction to Hook keeping and passing on his cutlass is the same as Emma’s: “I didn’t know you were sentimental.” He totally is, he just doesn’t want to admit it!

~ Emma and Hook’s scene is excellent! Honesty looks good on him, and gratitude looks good on her. He shows faith in her abilities. As serious as he is, he shows his arrogance in his certainty that he’ll win her heart, and he shows his lightheartedness at the end.

~ Ariel closes the door on their way out of Gold’s shop, but it seems to be open when they pass by it.

~ Snow’s declaration to David has so much emotion—anger as well as love, which is an unusual combination.

~ Snow and Charming’s theme sounds so sad when they hug.

~ Why does Hook ask about how to ignite the candle? Does he not have some method of starting fires, like flint, or his hook?

~ Ariel asks “Who is she?” as if the men’s sister must be someone known to them.

~ It’s sad that Baelfire sacrificed himself to prevent the Darling family from being torn apart, only for that to happen anyway. Wendy went back to look for him, and John and Michael must have spent some time there since they're still young men.

~ I still wish Greg and Tamara’s network had actually been dedicated to destroying magic. Then John and Michael’s involvement would have made a lot more sense.

~ Looks like Pan could have let Wendy live in relative comfort in that treehouse furnished like her old nursery, but instead he keeps her in a cage just because.

~ “It wasn’t the lighter we were fighting over.” Actually, they were, since Emma was the one who lit the candle!

~ Emma’s reprimand of the two men makes sense. Just a few days earlier, Neal was engaged to someone else, and then she thought he was dead; and Hook alternated between enemy and fair-weather ally. They have had no time to think or talk about what their relationships will be like when the crisis is over. Emma is nowhere near ready to “choose” either of them.

~ How does Tinker Bell knowing Baelfire/Neal fit in with her storyline with Regina? He was there a century or two before the curse was cast, but Tinker Bell only lost her wings about a decade or two before it was cast. Did she live in or visit Neverland even before losing her wings?

~ How long did Regina and Gold wait for Ariel on the beach? Her journeys and her adventure in Storybrooke must have taken her hours, possibly a whole day and/or night.

Episode 3x08 “Think Lovely Thoughts”

~ They did a good job casting an adult who looks like Pan and a child who looks like Rumple/Gold!

~ Why does Rumple have a Scottish accent when his father has an English accent?

~ Rumple’s father teaching him about the power of names!

~ Emma is the one who says “Family means being together!”

~ So when Baelfire got a bean to take him and his father to another land to be a family, history was repeating itself!

~ So apparently Hook told Emma about his brother at some point offscreen. I would have loved to see that conversation.

~ Rumple/Gold calling someone a coward is such a pot-calling-kettle-black move!

~ Emma’s reaction to Rumple/Gold agreeing to something just because Neal asks is great

~ David throwing Hook a knife and saying, “Here, in case your good looks fail you” is quick but hilarious!

~ Neal saying his father abandoned him, in front of his father, hits so much harder when you know Rumple’s father did the same to him!

~ If the Shadow predates Peter Pan, what is its origin?

~ Skull Rock is such an obvious Underworld—not only is it full of skulls and an hourglass, traditional symbols of death, but they also have to cross water in a boat to get to it, like Charon!

~ That musical buildup as Rumple/Gold enters Skull Rock is different from the score’s usual style, and it sounds epic!

~ Pan and Rumple are actually the same type of person: they consider themselves weak as they are (which may cause self-fulfilling prophecy), so they gather magic to make themselves feel powerful.

~ Pan shedding the responsibility of fatherhood is actually in keeping with J. M. Barrie’s story, where he wants to stop play-acting as the Lost Boys’ father.

~ Pan’s formerly Scottish accent comes out when he says “just as we planned”!

~ Why aren’t the spinsters who raised Rumple given names? Why are they never mentioned? They gave him a decent home and taught him a trade; they were the closest thing he had to family until he married Milah.

~ It is strange and unsettling to have a place of death set in a place of eternal youth.

~ “Any rule can be broken” = Pan’s life motto, and possibly a big influence on Rumple

~ This is when Regina and Emma really face the consequences of lying to Henry in the past

Episode 3x09 “Save Henry”

~ Why does Regina’s preservation spell have a time limit? For Daniel it endured for years.

~ Emma finding her identity as a mother in Neverland and becoming a mother-figure to the Lost Boys is so much like Wendy in Peter Pan!

~ It is so sweet to see Regina and Henry’s first meeting!

~ Hook pulling Felix down when he stands up to Emma says so much!

~ What story was Regina going to tell Henry on her first try? She is cut off after “there was …”

~ Dr. Whale confirms that Henry always had a strong heart!

~ I’m surprised Regina would let Snow White, the person she hates most, hold Henry, the one she loves most!

~ The hospital seems to be bustling with pediatric patients. Were they there during the whole curse?

~ Gold supposedly didn’t remember his old identity until he heard Emma’s name; but he really does act as if he knows what he did when Regina confronts him.

~ When the baby isn’t crying and the camera shows a good view of his face, he really does look like kid Henry!

~ Although Regina’s motherly love shines through in this episode, she shows that she still lacks remorse for her past wrongdoings. In her view, they were worthwhile because they led to her adopting Henry.

~ It seems a bit too easy for Regina to take Henry’s heart back from Pan.

~ Do the mothers just leave Pan on the ground? Why don’t Emma and/or Regina try to kill him, or capture him in Pandora’s box then?

~ Hook calls Henry the guest of honor! And gives him the captain’s quarters! That’s their first direct interaction, instead of just watching each other interact with the others, and it’s wonderful!

~ I’m extremely surprised that they would leave Henry alone. Even if there was really nothing to fear, I would expect at least one of his three parents to want to sit up with him.

~ What made Neal change his attitude toward Rumple/Gold? Was it learning that Pan was his father and had abandoned him as a child?

~ What does Rumple/Gold mean when he says “Blood magic works both ways”? Did Regina’s protection spell involve blood magic?

~ Gold telling Regina that she raised her son well is such unexpected praise from her teacher!

~ Who is the “bo’sun” that Hook calls out to? David? Neal?

~ David revisits Emma’s speech at the start of the season, and expresses, without explicitly saying it, just how proud he is of her becoming a leader and uniter of people.

~ Tinker Bell is absent this whole episode until her scene with Wendy on the Jolly Roger. Their interaction is sweet, but it raises a lot of questions: Did Wendy and her brothers ever interact with Hook and/or Tink during her time in Neverland?

~ (Season spoiler:) Neal is so sweet telling Henry that he has a dad, and always will; but it’s hard to swallow that if you know who Henry really is and what happens to Neal.

~ Jared Gilmore does such a good job of playing Pan, it’s scary!

~ Seeing the beginning of Regina’s relationship with Henry makes their interactions in the next two episodes even more heart-wrenching!

Episode 3x10 “The New Neverland”

~ Ariel and Belle look like they coordinated their outfits to be reverse colors.

~ Eric chopping fish as a nod to “Le Poisson” is funny, but how does he feel about Ariel being a mermaid?

~ Snow and Ariel reunited! I’m glad they showed that, even though there was no dialogue.

~ I was wondering where Wendy got that bathrobe/dressing gown; a while later I realized, it is the same one Baelfire wore when the Shadow abducted him and Hook rescued him! Either Hook must have kept it on his ship all those years, or Baelfire must have left it in his cave and got it back during this trip. Either way, one of them must have offered it to Wendy during the journey back!

~ What happened to all the Lost Boys that came to Storybrooke? Where did they stay that night? Did Emma and the others keep their promise to find them homes? Did some of them go to England with the Darlings? Or do they become vagrants in the Enchanted Forest after the next curse?

~ Good on Snow for giving Regina credit in front of everyone. She didn’t do that after returning from the Enchanted Forest.

~ David does the same thing in this episode’s past and present storylines: encourages the women he loves not to lose the joy of the present moment due to fear of the future.

~ Hook looks so sad and wistful watching Emma with Henry. He may act nonchalant with Neal, but he is really sad about the decision he is making.

~ Hook deciding to back off and let Emma and Neal have a chance, for Henry’s sake, is significant because it’s the opposite of what he did when he and Milah fell in love. He didn’t care about taking her away from her child and his father. Hook is trying to do right by Henry, as he did not do for Baelfire.

~ Earlier in the season, Emma said she couldn’t think about herself and the men who love her because they needed to focus on saving Henry; but even now that Henry is safe, she says she can’t think about herself because of what he just went through.

~ Why was Medusa living in the Enchanted Forest, rather than Greece or some equivalent? Are there other gorgons, as David refers to her, in their land?

~ Did they make a reference to The Lightning Thief when David talks about sending Medusa’s head in a box?

~ David saying he knew what he was getting himself into, after the way he fell in love with Snow on an adventure, is pretty sweet, and reassuring!

~ Neal sitting by himself is made more awkward by the fact that he’s behind Emma’s parents and across from his father and almost-stepmother.

~ David and Emma finally have a good father-daughter moment, full of parental wisdom and free of crisis or tragedy!

~ How can the Blue Fairy be (seemingly) killed so easily? Does she have no defensive magic?

~ David mentions Frederick! That’s a nice callback to a minor character.

~ If Pan and Henry switched bodies, they should be speaking with each other’s accents, not their own. Henry, at least, wouldn’t be speaking with a different accent; Pan would try to imitate his.

~ Snow and David talk about having a child in both the past and the present! The flashback carries such a poignant message, and is relatable to any parent or potential parent who has worried about raising a child in a world with so much suffering. And Snow is right about how they’ll always have someone or something threatening them.

~ Neal, Hook, and Tink could be their own trio! They’re all Neverland veterans, and apparently they all knew each other long ago.

~ Emma’s conversation with Snow and David is a nice contrast against their conversation at the start of the season. She is more patient and respectful toward them, and even affirms that they are good parents, even though she disagrees with them.

~ What Emma says about being the Savior sums up her attitude across the series. At this point, she more or less accepts her identity as the Savior and the responsibility that comes with that role; but in the second half of this season, after she has a taste life without that responsibility, she keeps trying to run away from it.

Episode 3x11 “Going Home”

~ The structure of this episode works differently than any other thus far: instead of one storyline told through flashbacks, it’s more like a series of vignette flashbacks. This spreads the focus across the whole cast of characters: the Charmings, Hook and Tink, Henry, Rumple and Belle, and finally Emma. It feels fitting for a mid-series finale.

~ Peter Pan calling something “child’s play” is a strange choice of words.

~ If Pan is telling the truth about never loving Rumple, then his appeal to him at Skull Rock was all a lie.

~ (Spoiler:) Tinker Bell talks about the Black Fairy, who apparently was exiled by the Blue Fairy.

~ Tinker Bell’s storyline really doesn’t line up with everyone else’s. Flashback Hook speaks as though they just learned about the dagger from Baelfire, but Tink says she lost her wings a long time ago, which would place the scene sometime after Regina became queen, only a few years or a decade or so before the Dark Curse was cast.

~ It’s interesting to see a battle in a church. For one thing, the shadow tries to get through stained glass windows. For another, the name Killian means “church,” and this is one of his more heroic moments!

~ David is the one who pulls Hook back to safety!

~ This might have been Neal’s first direct (onscreen) interaction with the Blue Fairy since she gave him that bean when he was a child. But they were in the same scene when August became Pinocchio again. Did she recognize him then?

~ Possible inconsistency: In Episode 2x19 Hook said Cora gave him the cuff, but now Pan says he made it.

~ How and when did Gold get the cuff from Greg and Tamara before they went to Neverland? By the time they all found out the truth about them, he was too distraught by the news of Neal’s death. And the cuff disappeared from Regina when the Blue Fairy healed her.

~ (Spoiler Alert:) Knowing that the Black Fairy is Rumple’s mother makes his use of her wand to defeat his father more ironic.

~ “Your happy ending may not be what you expect, but that is what will make it so special.” That is so true of real life!

~ So, since Ruby is inexplicably absent (I’m guessing the actress didn’t want to keep coming back), they have Granny use her wolf senses instead?

~ I don’t like the device of simply freezing everyone. It feels like a weak excuse so they can see the important interaction but not be able to intervene. And it takes away the actors’ ability to react openly. But you can see Belle reacting slightly to Rumple, realizing what is about to happen.

~ It seriously seemed like Rumple was going to cut off his own hand, which would have ben both an echo of his self-harm during the Ogre Wars and his amputation of Hook’s hand.

~ Rumple talks about wanting to give Baelfire/Neal a chance at happiness, but that was never really his priority. He wanted to find him so he could apologize and try to start over.

~ I was wondering where Rumple’s dagger and shadow were! Nice way to bring that back. Although I still don’t understand why Pan’s death required Rumple’s death.

~ This may be reading too much into a running gag, but Grumpy announcing “It’s here” whenever a curse approaches kind of makes sense for his character: his pessimistic personality has him watching for any approaching danger or impending doom.

~ Hook jokes about preparing their souls for death, and how his will take some time (spoiler: ironic knowing about the Underworld arc)!

~ When Regina is explaining the curse to Emma, there are two brief cuts to Hook, where you can see him reacting to the news that he has to be separated from Emma and possibly never see her again.

~ Couldn’t Hook and Neal also have escaped the new curse, since they weren’t victims of the first one? Did they decide to return to their realm just so they wouldn’t lose their memories? Or did they not want to force Emma to choose between them in that moment?

~ Emma’s second chance with Henry is such a “be careful what you wish for” moment. She is getting the kind of life she spoke about in the previous episode and the start of this one, a life free from the responsibility of being the Savior; but the price is being away from the rest of her family and friends, and that devastates her.

~ The shot of the smoke overclouding the storybook!

~ It looks like Emma and Henry had to leave behind everything—even the belongings she has always held onto, like her baby blanket.

~ Emma and Henry seem pretty well-to-do in their new lives. Does she have more money now?

~ From the end of this episode through the rest of the season, Hook now serves as the prophet, just as Henry was in Season 1, calling Emma back to her true identity and relationship with her family and kingdom.

Episode 3x12 “New York City Serenade”

~ This episode has so many callbacks to the pilot episode that then diverge from how that one went: opening shots of a rider in a hurry, only for it to be a non-emergency; Emma meeting a man in a restaurant, only for it to be a steady boyfriend rather than a stranger.

~ Why is David back in his bloodstained shirt from the day the first curse was cast, while the others have new outfits?

~ The curse was also a “be careful what you wish for” moment for Snow and David, since they had been talking about returning to the Enchanted Forest, yet when they return Snow is so dejected when she says, “We’re back.”

~ “Emma Swan always gets her man.” We’ll see if that holds true!

~ Since Hook and Emma didn’t meet until after she broke the first curse, it’s interesting to see him interact with her as an unbeliever. He’s in the same situation as Henry, Jefferson and August in Season 1. His words sound very much like The Matrix.

~ It can’t have been very long since Snow and Aurora last saw each other, maybe two months or so. How did Aurora and Philip defeat the ogres and “take back the kingdom” so quickly?

~ The dialogue is a little clunky in an effort to impart information about the time skip, like Emma’s reason for moving to New York and her first date with Walsh.

~ Adding characters like Tamara and Walsh, to who try to ensnare the heroes with romance, may seem like mere soap opera drama, but it actually is in keeping with fairy tales involving a true spouse and a false spouse. Some examples are Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, or Una and Duessa in The Faerie Queene. For a biblical example, it’s like the metaphor of Israel forsaking their relationship with God to pursue love with pagan gods/nations, who end up causing harm and destruction. It takes a prophet to remind them of their past relationship and call them back to it.

~ David and Snow are so disappointed that Hook is leaving! Despite their rocky start, after their week together in Neverland, they really saw him as a friend.

~ (Spoiler:) Hook is so emphatic about the Jolly Roger being his home and his need to find it! That speaks volumes to his actions during the time skip and what is revealed in the season finale.

~ Neal may have suffered the greatest loss out of any of them: he lost his father, lover, and son all in the same day.

~ Henry is so sweet, but his attitude is almost the opposite of how he was in Season 1. Instead of insisting that something is wrong in his life, he chides Emma for always looking for something wrong.

~ Emma’s dilemma in this episode is a relatable one: whether to stay where she is, in her comfortable life, or leave it for something that is more difficult but also more true and satisfying.

~ Hook has seen Emma take a literal leap of faith, at the start of this season, so it makes sense that he would be hopeful about her doing it again.

~ Emma chaining Hook by the wrist and him calling “Swan!” is just like during their beanstalk adventure!

~ Belle persists in hoping that Rumple can come back!

~ Regina refers to “our castle” so soon after David and Snow talked about whether it was hers or theirs!

~ Who are the mounted knights riding with the others?

~ Hook’s expression when she says he hasn’t changed = she is wrong, and has no idea how much! I think in that moment, he considers telling her about what he did to find her, but then decides against it.

~ “There was nothing for me in the Enchanted Forest. Why would I stay?” The implication of his words, with such a long, serious gaze, is clear: he had nothing without Emma.

~ It’s no wonder Hook pours another for himself: he has to sit and wait while Emma talks to the man she now loves.

~ Emma asks Henry to give Hook a hand! Pun intended?

~ Emma taking her red jacket makes sense, because it is pretty much the only thing she still owns that she had during her time in Storybrooke.

~ The part when Emma sees Mary Margaret is so well directed and shot! And that maternity outfit is so cute!

Episode 3x13 “Witch Hunt”

~ That may be the longest teaser yet: three separate scenes before the title card!

~ In the season 2 finale, it was revealed that Blue Fairy/Mother Superior had figured out how to make a remembering potion, using a hair from Pinocchio’s head. Why could she not do that for Henry to restore his memories? Did it only work for victims of the curse with double lives? At this point, Henry practically has the same situation, with fake memories of a normal life.

~ David smiles proudly when Mary Margaret says—not untruthfully—that she committed banditry!

~ So, this curse made Regina the mayor again?

~ Regina using magic to lift rocks = Star Wars tribute!

~ Who was in on the fact that Emma and Regina’s fight was fake? Did Leroy/Grumpy, Belle, Archie and the others know?

~ Is throwing her drinking glass at the mirror just Regina’s usual way of dealing with anger?

~ It’s funny that Regina is the one who thinks to make Leroy/Grumpy the town crier!

~ This episode kind of plays with how (over)dramatic the characters can be. Emma, Regina, and Leroy/Grumpy all play up their usual roles in order to deceive the townsfolk.

~ I wish we saw more of David, Hook, and Robin working together. As the romantic interests of the show’s three main characters, they’re probably the three most famous, heroic, and romantic male characters in this show!

~ I also wish we saw more of the Merry Men as a group. And why is Mulan not with them? I know she comes back later, so her absence is probably explained away, but just how brief was her stay with them?

~ So, do flying monkey bites work the same way as werewolf and vampire bites? If you’re bitten you become one?

~ “She couldn’t be prouder of you.” Regina is talking about herself, not Emma!

~ In an odd way, Regina and Henry are going through what Emma and her parents have been going through: they’re physically together, but emotionally distant, because at least one party does not know/remember their previous relationship.

~ The way Regina talks about the Wicked Witch and Hook refers to Emma as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming makes me wonder how aware all the Enchanted Forest characters are of the fact that they are considered fictional characters in the Land Without Magic.

~ Rumple/Gold is back where he was at the start of the series, insane and locked in a cage.

~ How long was Zelena in the castle? What was she waiting around for? She had no way of knowing Regina would return from the Land Without Magic.

Episode 3x14 “The Tower”

~ It feels fitting to have an episode focused on David/Charming’s feelings about fatherhood. Mary Margaret/Snow is generally a more central character than him, so she has had more screen time with Emma, and her feelings about motherhood were explored when she and Emma were stranded in the Enchanted Forest together. Also, one of David’s primary characteristics is his “fearless bravery,” so it is very humanizing to see him wrestle with his emotions as he faces a future he cannot control.

~ In the dream sequence, Emma says “You found me,” just like Snow and Charming always say to each other, but it feels totally different.

~ Did Charming pick up Hook’s drinking habit?!

~ How did Robin actually help Regina break into the castle? He hardly did anything, just accompanied her.

~ “Speak of the handsome devil” sounds more fitting for Rumple or Hook, or even Zelena, Regina or Cora. Even what Zelena then says, that she’s there to make their lives “as easy as possible,” sounds like a devil’s temptation.

~ It is strange for them to hire someone they barely know, when they know someone in the town is the Wicked Witch.

~ Did Zelena actually know Johanna, or was that just a lie to get her in Snow’s good graces?

~ I love Emma and Hook’s music motif!

~ It feels weird to have a classic fairy tale play out post-curse, for a character who is aware of the Land Without Magic.

~ The Wicked Witch owns a bicycle!

~ The whole conflict centered around fear is reminiscent of Frozen—and David actually shouts “Let it go” to Rapunzel!

~ Charming saying they should build a nursery at the end of the episode shows so much growth from when he saw it in his dream! It’s an act of faith that their child will be alright and that they’ll be together.

~ Regina seems pleased when they find out Rumplestiltskin is alive!

Episode 3x15 “Quiet Minds”

~ It sounds as though Hook and Neal had a chance to talk in the Enchanted Forest, and that Neal expressed his ideas, even before Hook’s departure and Neal’s conversation with Snow and Charming. I wonder if Hook asked Neal to go with him to find the Jolly Roger?!

~ So, Rumple/Gold can run now? What happened to his limp?

~ It’s nice to see Snow and Emma finally interact directly with Belle, and actually look supportive of her relationship with Gold.

~ The fact that Emma can communicate a request to Hook just with a look, and that he understands and grants it, says a lot about how much they understand each other. It is a pretty big request, for him to help Belle and Rumple/Gold given his history with them. (Spoiler: His apology to Belle is so flippant here, I’m glad to know he gives a better, sincere one later on.)

~ It’s nice to see Neal and Belle finally spend some time together. They never really got a proper introduction, since she was suffering from amnesia and false memories when he arrived in Storybrooke.

~ It is ironic that Baelfire/Neal, who was so determined to rid his father of the darkness and magic, is now willing to use darkness and magic. This episode shows him doing some of the same things his father did, going to extreme lengths for his son’s sake.

~ Belle says Neal and Emma had “true love.”

~ Emma saying “We’re not in Manhattan anymore” = a twist on the line from The Wizard of Oz?

~ The idea of Leroy/Grumpy (and presumably the other dwarves) taking Henry fishing is cute!

~ That book looks beautiful, not “befitting the Dark One.”

~ This is the first episode since Season One that goes into the lore of the Dark One. Why are Belle and Neal not curious about how Lumiere knows so much about it?

~ Is Regina’s blue scarf significant? It’s such a bold color, which is rare for her.

~ Why is Robin near the farmhouse? Was he tracking the Wicked Witch on his own, or did the heroes give him an update?

~ Neal wanting Henry to know who he is may seem presumptuous, but kind of makes sense, because Neal knows what it’s like to think your father abandoned you. He wouldn’t want Henry to feel the way he felt.

~ Emma asking Hook to stay with Neal is kind of a big deal! They never resolved their complicated triangle of relationships.

~ I love Hook and Neal’s conversation! They’re finally seeing each other as friends again.

~ Belle and Neal talking about having the courage to die for one’s family … such sad foreshadowing!

~ David is the first one to get Emma to admit that she hopes she and Henry can go back to their lives in New York.

~ Why is it that Gold can hear multiple voices, but not Neal?

~ Regina has challenged the label of “Evil Queen," but here she says “The name served me well.”

~ I generally like Robin Hood, but he is way too quick to act all romantic with Regina. At that point, he barely knows her, and if he truly knows her reputation, how can he say the stories were exaggerated?

~ This is the first time Belle comments on what Rumple did by making the Dark Curse. She refers to it as a “mistake,” because it “condemned countless people to misery.” But it did reunite him with his son, so it kind of makes sense that Neal would have the same recklessness seeking a way back to his own son.

~ Emma and Neal laughing over their similarly failed love affairs is pretty funny. It’s the first time we’ve seen them really relax around each other since they reunited at this stage in their lives.

~ “I just want you to be happy, even if it isn’t with me.” For all his immaturity at times, Neal really does love Emma and want what’s best for her, regardless of whether he is part of that.

~ “You can’t hang on to both.” That is Rumple/Gold’s conflict in a nutshell, torn between his love of power and his love of his son.

~ Rumple/Gold actually taught his son something good, the power of sacrifice. But since that cost him his life, Gold probably regretted imparting that lesson. (Spoiler: Maybe that contributed to his character regression?)

~ The characters learning Zelena’s identity as the Wicked Witch would have been more impactful if it were also when it was revealed to the audience.

~ Cutting from Gold mourning his son to Robin Hood playing with his son is really effective!

~ That whole montage is almost as emotional as the actual death scene, and helps to show how the cast really is like an extended family. Regina now realizes she has a chance at new love, both romantic and maternal. Snow and Charming comfort Belle and Hook, who they’re not exactly related to but both had connections with Rumple/Gold and Neal.

Episode 3x16 “It’s Not Easy Being Green”

~ This episode’s title is way too silly in contrast with the serious opening. Neal’s burial is so beautifully solemn, as everyone who had a connection to him helps to bury him. The only thing I don’t like is the presence of random extras; why not just have some of the dwarves or other recognizable friends there instead?

~ The cut between the first shovelful and Rumple’s underground cage is so effective!

~ Emma and Hook’s conversation is one of their best. It starts out with their usual quips, but it then becomes quite serious, talking about vengeance and grief, and then offering and accepting great help and great responsibility. It’s not at all flirtatious, and not a word is said about Emma’s feelings or relationships with either Hook or Neal. It’s more like Emma and Hook have reached the point of trusting each other and being comfortable enough to confide, advise, and help each other.

~ What did Tinker Bell do after returning to the Enchanted Forest, and what does she do after being pulled back to Storybrooke? Did the Blue Fairy reinstate her, or whatever was needed for her to serve as a fairy again? Does she live with the nuns now?

~ This is the second time a character in this show has said “prophesized,” when I think the correct verb is actually “prophesied.”

~ I think the revelation about Zelena’s relationship to Cora and Regina would have been more impactful if it took place in this episode, rather than at the start of this half-season. When they meet in the Enchanted Forest, Regina does not have much of an emotional reaction, and the audience does not relate to the characters’ reactions in the moment because it’s been known for a while.

~ They’ve mostly stuck to the Hollywood version of The Wizard of Oz (which is annoying to a book nerd like me), but they take the silver color of the shoes from the book.

~ How did Rumplestiltskin not know about Zelena? He has the gift of foresight, and he knew that Cora’s daughter would be the one to cast his Dark Curse.

~ Why would Rumple tell Zelena about the Curse he plans to cast? He never seems to have told Regina. In fact, Regina traded it to Maleficent for the Sleeping Curse, as shown in the pilot episode.

~ “I don’t think that a sleeping curse would be good for the baby.” No kidding!!

~ What is with all the creepy closeups of Zelena, and of Rumple/Gold when they interact?

~ Why would Robin be so bold as to ask to read Regina’s letter, which she clearly is upset about? They barely know each other, why would he expect her to confide in him?

~ It’s so good to finally see Hook and Henry interact! Up until this half of the season, they had barely even spoken to each other.

~ It is way past sundown when Zelena goes to the town square for the showdown.

~ Zelena being in the clock tower seems like a nod to Wicked!

~ Why does Zelena bother with flying on a broomstick when she can just teleport?

~ Regina seems to be branching out in her wardrobe by adding vivid, bright-colored accessories. In the last episode it was a deep blue scarf. In this one it’s red gloves. Is this a sign that she is growing out of her Evil Queen persona?

Episode 3x17 “The Jolly Roger”

~ They totally stole the idea of a fake army in a road robbery from BBC’s Robin Hood!

~ This is the first time we’ve seen Hook in armor!

~ “This is a way of life. You have to fully commit to it.” Sounds like something a Jedi or martial arts master would say to their pupil. But Emma’s reply, “Not a problem,” gives a kind of false impression: she is only willing to improve and embrace her magical skills as a means to an end, not as a way of life.

~ The light reflecting off the water shines around Hook, making it look like he’s surrounded by light! Coincidence? Possibly, but still quite symbolic!

~ Hook saying “my reasons” when Emma and Henry are framed by him and Mr. Smee = they are both of his reasons!

~ Hook gets so serious and heated when he hears news of the Jolly Roger. He really does care passionately about his ship. But Smee is also onto something: what Hook says about the ship is also how he feels about Emma being gone from him.

~ Hook and Henry’s little exchange about cheating says a lot about what Hook is wrestling with in this episode! He could get away with nobody knowing about how he betrayed Ariel, but he chooses to come clean.

~ Blackbeard hardly has any beard to speak of!

~ Hook actually says he’ll “never give up the Jolly Roger without a fight”! If only he knew.

~ The shadows on the sail while they’re fighting are a clear reference to Disney’s Peter Pan!

~ If Hook and his ship were outside of the curse when it was cast, how did his spyglass end up in Gold’s shop?

~ Why would Eric being underwater necessarily mean he was dead? Isn’t it possible that he could have found a way to be underwater, just as she found a way to be on land?

~ The way Zelena wants Hook to remove Emma’s powers is really twisted in itself: it would be a kiss of betrayal.

~ Why did Zelena send Walsh to seduce Emma eight months before the curse was cast? Did she already anticipate Emma being a threat to her?

~ Emma actually expects/hopes that Hook will join her family for dinner! But now that she does, he pulls away, literally and figuratively, not wanting to hurt her.

~ Regina and Snow actually sit side by side for dinner! Henry may not realize how momentous this is, but it’s probably the first time he has all these family members with him enjoying a meal together!

~ Hook using the spyglass he retrieved earlier is a small but fitting setup/payoff. He is so wistful watching Emma with her family, seeing her so genuinely happy—he probably has never seen her so happy up close.

Episode 3x18 “Bleeding Through”

~ Regina makes the same move that Charming did in the first episode, throwing her knife the same way he threw his sword, only for their enemy to vanish!

~ It’s a mark of how much Regina has changed that her first question upon arriving is whether anyone was hurt.

~ Regina and Emma both wear vivid blue in this episode! But Regina covers hers with her black coat. Later, Regina has a white shirt on, opening to reveal a black top underneath. Is that symbolic, like she’s becoming light on the outside but still has darkness within?

~ I had forgotten about Zelena and Rumple’s scenes in this episode—I must have blocked them out, because I hate how sickening their dynamic is.

~ I’m a bit surprised that the Charmings all went along so easily with Regina’s plan to summon Cora’s spirit, and Regina’s confidence that they would go along with it, to the point that she didn’t tell them beforehand.

~ Did Hook really interrupt the ritual by bumping the table, or was that a joke?

~ When Regina tells Emma “Make sure you are [ready,]” Hook and Snow stare at her for a moment, like they can’t believe Regina is encouraging Emma, or they see that as a sign of how serious things are.

~ As they leave, Hook starts to reach out as though to put his hand on Emma’s back, but then he pulls his hand back.

~ This might be the first time Regina and Snow have been alone since right after Cora’s death, when Snow asked Regina to kill her.

~ Cora and Leopold starting a fire together is pretty symbolic.

~ Some interesting information about Snow’s parents is revealed in this episode, such as the fact that they were engaged since infancy. That may explain why Snow had such strong relationships with each of them, but we never see them onscreen together during her lifetime. Also, Leopold says he’ll have to have an heir “immediately,” but apparently, as in the original fairy tale, it took them many years to finally have a child, since Snow is years younger than Zelena and Regina.

~ Emma is surprisingly excited about progressing with her magic. It’s kind of sad that Hook is finally seeing her in a good mood, at a time when he is weighed down with worry.

~ What is Hook reading at Granny’s? Are he and Emma just hanging out there because they’re both staying at the inn?

~ How in the world did Leopold swing a proposal to Cora while his betrothed, Princess Eva, was visiting him? How did she and her family react? Why was she still there afterwards?

~ As selfish as Cora was, she must have felt more love for Zelena than she did for Regina, because she still had her heart when the first was born, but not when the second was born. I wonder if part of the reason she was so awful to Regina was because she reminded her of the daughter she gave up.

~ Snow and Regina are both literally and metaphorically cleaning up the mess left by their parents!

~ The last scene with Regina and Robin is so beautiful! While I think their arc in Storybrooke could have been written better, they do have great onscreen chemistry.

Episode 3x19 “A Curious Thing”

~ If Snow was about a month pregnant in the teaser scene, and then eight months went by, she really was full term when the curse was cast! I’m guessing that time was frozen in Storybrooke until this episode, when the curse was broken.

~ Why is Regina so contemptuous and contentious with Robin? What happened during those eight months?

~ There is a ceramic swan decoration in the hotel room behind Emma!

~ Regina’s bright red dress is beautiful—and considering it’s Emma’s usual color, and matches Mary Margaret’s coat, it seems to cement her as one of the good guys!

~ For such a formidable fighter, Hook seems to get abducted and/or tied/chained up quite often and easily!

~ Hook is aware of what a telephone is!

~ Gold abducting Hook could have been a really impactful closing scene for the previous episode or opening scene for this one. It must have been full of emotion and suspense for Hook, and extremely mixed feelings for Gold since they have such a bad history but also a mutual enemy in Zelena.

~ One interpretation of the spinning wheel in “Sleeping Beauty” is that it represents the cycle of life and time. Rumple alludes to this symbolism while using his own spinning wheel!

~ Was Leroy supposed to be supervising Henry? It’s strange that Emma is so comfortable leaving him behind with no magical protection, knowing that Zelena and Gold are at large.

~ Hook is like both a protective parent and a co-conspirator with Henry. I love it!

~ The way they talk about Snow and Charming’s child, it sounds like, even though he isn’t a Savior, he might have light magic of his own by virtue of being another product of true love.

~ Did Snow and Charming tell all their friends/followers that they were going to cast the curse, or did they make that decision on their own, without warning anyone? Even if they had a good and noble reason for doing it, not consulting the people it would impact is pretty messed up. They uprooted countless people who had already been uprooted before.

~ How many flying monkeys were there? And how can the heroes kill/destroy them so easily, knowing that some of them could be their transformed friends?

~ What happened to Mr. Smee? Did he continue running and leave Henry behind? That seems in line with what we’ve seen of his character.

~ The way the camera focuses on Regina as Snow and Charming say their goodbyes … what is she thinking/feeling? She probably still wishes she had a love like that, and may envy them theirs, but also has difficulty with the fact that they are sacrificing it.

~ Biologically, it would have made more sense for Regina to duplicate Snow’s heart rather than split it in half.

~ How is Neal able to communicate with birds? I thought that was just Snow’s talent? It does harken back to the bird that delivered August’s postcard to Neal in Season 2.

~ I really hope they figured out it was Neal who sent the message and memory potion!

~ The weather in this episode seems to fluctuate from moderate to winter/snow to moderate again.

~ This episode both begins and ends with a rose!

~ What is the “curious thing” of the title?

Episode 3x20 “Kansas”

~ Dr. Whale/Frankenstein, the man Mary Margaret/Snow dated and had a one-night stand with, being the one to deliver her baby is kind of messed up. I can’t see how Whale, Snow, or David are comfortable with that.

~ Glinda telling Zelena what she cannot do reminds me of Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked, and how Elphaba sings about refusing to accept limits that others set for her. Zelena is actually similar to her in that she refuses to give up.

~ Now that they know about Hook being cursed by Zelena, they should realize that him accompanying Emma is bad strategy.

~ What Glinda tells Zelena about innocence being reclaimed ends up being true of Regina in this very episode, and is also applicable to Hook and other redeemed villains in this show.

~ If Emma performed CPR on Hook under any other circumstances, he would be sure to say something cheeky when revived; but here, he gives no thought to their relationship, he is only alarmed and concerned about the consequences of her saving him.

~ The lights flickering as Mary Margaret gives birth strengthens my theory that the baby has its own magic.

~ It’s cool to see so many characters forming lines of defense to protect the royal family, but disappointing to see how easily Zelena blows past them all—even Regina, who out of all of them should have been able to hold her own.

~ Regina wearing red is a visual contrast against Zelena’s green, as they are opposite colors.

~ The writers seem to be trying to set up Zelena and Dorothy as analogues of Regina and Snow White: an older sorceress who feels threatened by a younger woman. Or maybe that is just the nature of those fairy tale archetypes.

~ Why doesn’t Dorothy talk about her desire to return home when she is with the witch sisters? Does she ever have her hero(ine)’s journey with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion?

~ “If you believe you are evil, then that is what you will become.” Glinda is right about self-fulfilling prophecy, but it could also work for other people believing that someone is evil and then causing them to become just that.

~ Dorothy’s final scene begins with a closeup of her shoes, so the change to the slippers is more visually impactful.

~ I wish there was a longer focus on the lineup of heroes arriving: Robin Hood, Regina, David, Emma and Hook with their respective weapons drawn.

~ Zelena’s defeat seems to come too easily, considering it’s had a half-season of buildup. And in the end, as with the Neverland arc, it comes down to Regina alone, rather than a team effort with the wonderful ensemble cast.

~ “He can handle anything, just like his big sister.” So sweet, and followed by Emma having a protective hand on the baby’s head while David holds him!

~ Regina actually sounds like Snow when she talks to Zelena about second chances. It’s so interesting that they make the callback to her season 1 line “Evil isn’t born, it’s made,” now with the addition of “and so is good.”

~ The music in this episode is wonderful, the way it weaves in character motifs and emotional beats in each scene.

~ Hook looks so stunned and dismayed when Emma reveals that she still intends to leave, though he keeps his own emotions in check as she enjoys a happy moment with her family. His brief, wistful smile as he watches their reunion/first meeting is heartbreaking.

~ I can understand Rumple/Gold wanting revenge on Zelena and falling back into his old ways, given that she killed his son and enslaved and abused him. But Rumple/Gold pretending to give the dagger back to Belle doesn’t make sense. Why not just keep the real one, since she was willing to let him have it? It’s really contrived for him to pretend to give it up and lie about not having it.

~ The fact that Gold chooses that moment of deceit to propose to Belle is pretty messed up, because it means they are starting their marriage on a foundation of a lie.

~ Gold’s overall regression, starting now and continuing into the next season, makes Belle seem naïve for having faith in him when he is deceiving her; it’s kind of insulting to her intelligence.

~ In terms of theme and character focus, this episode feels a lot more like a wrap-up of many season-long or half-season-long arcs, rather than a self-contained episode.

Episode 3x21 “Snow Drifts”

~ The connection between the flashback and the present day is that Emma finally has the family she always wanted, but now is leaving them.

~ I wonder if Emma thinks that her parents don’t need her anymore now that they have another baby.

~ Robin and Regina’s scene may seem like fanservice, but it is FULL of foreshadowing.

~ Robin’s words, “Maybe things happen when they’re supposed to. Maybe it’s all about timing” is so in tune with both the show as a whole and this episode in particular!

~ The mention of Rumplestiltskin’s vault is also setup/foreshadowing within this two-part season finale.

~ It feels like there should be a scene setting up where Hook is at this point, since all the other characters had scenes like that.

~ It looks like Granny’s chalk drawing of the stork has the Charming family’s coat of arms on the baby blanket!

~ From what Leroy says, it sounds as though Aurora had her baby just a day after Snow had hers! I wonder if the two kids grow up sharing birthday parties.

~ Henry giving the storybook to Hook is a significant gesture. Both of them, at some point, tracked Emma down in order to bring her to Storybrooke so she could save her family. Handing the book off to Hook is like Henry passing on the role of reminding Emma who she is and where she belongs. This is a great show of trust and acceptance on Henry’s part.

~ Hook says that Emma defeated Pan and Zelena, but it was really Regina and Gold who did.

~ Hook telling Emma “Hold on” and Emma saying “I can’t” pretty much sums up their dynamic in this half-season!

~ When I first saw these episodes, I had never seen Back to the Future, so I didn’t get that the whole finale was based on that story. But the fact that they are self-aware about it, with Emma mentioning Marty McFly, and the way it impacts Emma’s character arc and relationships makes this seem excusable.

~ Emma’s reaction is so happy when she recognizes her parents and realizes this is the moment they meet.

~ Hook attacking his former self is not only amusing, it also has some psychological symbolism. It’s like putting to death his former self, who he now knows was not worthy of Emma.

~ Emma’s choice of the alias Leia is not only a laugh. It’s fitting in two ways: they are both characters associated with hope, they both have interactions with close family members without knowing they are related, and they both fall in love with thieving scoundrels who have a change of heart after meeting them.

~ Where and when did Hook learn how to waltz? Did his mother teach him as a child? Did the royal navy have balls? Did his pirate crew infiltrate such events in order to rob the guests? Did they have music nights on his ship? Did he ever waltz with Milah or other women he met?

~ Hook is clearly pleased to be in such a romantic setting with Emma!

~ I’m curious how the politics and hospitality customs work between neighboring kingdoms. Apparently Midas has to show deference to Regina, even to the point of letting her arrest a guest in his home.

Episode 3x22 “There’s No Place Like Home”

~ I really like that they brought Neal back for the finale, and that his words to Emma frame her arc in these episodes. Even though he is gone, she still feels his influence, and it leads her home.

~ Where did Emma get that new outfit? Regina might have taken away her ballgown, but she wouldn’t provide her with such a nice dress and cloak, with a matching headband to top it off.

~ Even if Regina went to the trouble of feeding her condemned prisoners, there is no way there would be metal wires on the spoons that apparently serve no practical purpose.

~ It’s hard to tell how much of the footage of Snow and Charming is from the first season and how much was reshot! It must have been a directorial and editorial challenge to hide Ginnifer Goodwin’s pregnancy while filming her as young Snow White; the camera focuses on her face to hide the shape of her body, and they probably used a double for the shots of her running, climbing, etc.

~ Hook and David’s heart-to-heart is simultaneously so earnest and so amusing! Does David remember that conversation in the future?

~ It looks like Hook is crying they see Snow White burned at the stake. They may not have had many direct interactions, and not many of those may have been positive, but he really does care about her.

~ Hook shares how he relived his brother’s death after losing him, but he probably experienced that with Milah too. Both of them died in his arms, and he probably blamed himself for both of their deaths.

~ Since Emma says “It’s so nice to meet you” after learning her brother’s name, I think she may not have actually touched or talked to him until that moment. She probably did not want to get attached to him when she was planning to return to New York.

~ I suspect that seeing her parents fall in love was part of what helped Emma accept and act on her feelings for Hook.

~ The fact that “home” is the big theme of this half-season, and particularly this finale, makes Hook’s revelation about the Jolly Roger even more impactful, both to Emma and the audience. He gave up the closest thing he had to a home, in the hope of helping her find her home and having a place in it.

~ Gold and Belle’s wedding seems like it may not have taken place the same night as the coronation, but the way it is visually and thematically interwoven with the other three couples is really beautiful.

~ This season finale feels as though it was written so that it could be the series finale if the show had to wrap, but then they got the green light for more episodes and wrote in cliffhangers to lead into new conflict in the following season. If it weren’t for Gold’s deception and the arrival of Marian and Elsa, this would have been a perfect spot to end the show, with the four romantic couples together and happy, and all the children happy with their parents (or potential stepparents in the case of Regina for Roland and Hook for Henry).

I plan to explore a lot more about this season in my character study fanfics!