User:VulonNight

A MESSAGE TO THE ONCE UPON A TIME FANDOM
As we lead up to the season finale, I have something to get off my chest. Before I go any further, I'd like to say first of all that this is all my opinion and secondly that I have no intention to offend. I don't see this as a super offensive post, but I do think I should say that anyways.

Alright, here we go. I've been absentmindedly flipping through Twitter and such over the last week or so, and I'll read the posts from Adam or Lana or Jennifer or whoever, and then sometimes I'll read the comments a little bit as well. And I've noticed something. For quite some time, with a marked increase this past week since first the announcement of Jennifer's leaving, then the renewal, and then Bex and everyone else who's going, the comments and replys on pretty much every single tweet or site with interviews or whatever, with the sole exception of this wiki for the most part, have been overwhelmingly negative. And not just "I don't like where this is going" negative, "I'll never watch this show again your're horrible (insert picture of Bex flipping someone off)" negative. While it's ok to dislike something, and while there's absolutely no problem with criticism of the show- I for one do it all the time- outright hating the writers or ABC or whoever is not ok. It's just not. I don't want excuses.

Allow me to explain: it is a true fact that 2/3 of the main cast is leaving for s7, and it is a true fact that that's sad. But it's also normal. All things are temporary. The entire purpose of this massive reboot, as I see it, is to keep the show running for longer so that we can still enjoy it for as long as possible. This is a show that's been going for 6 years, people. The writers have done so many things, built up so much canon, it is probably insanely hard to keep track and they're running out of things to do for new arcs. This is likely in large part the cause of the decline in writing quality of late. A reboot was needed, and it's really hard to break down the cage of too much canon to sort through without sending some characters on their way. A 9 person main cast is pretty dang big, guys. A&E are doing the best they can to keep the show running, and trying to mix what we know with a new story for something that still feels like Once. That's not going to happen at this point without some character's bloodshed, so yeah, it had to happen. Also, in regards to actors leaving, like I said all things are temporary. You can't try to chain down an actor so that they can always be on your tv screen every week, they have lives too and an actor's career is always moving forward onto better and bigger things. While that's most applicable to Jen, let me now talk about Bex. Yes, it was not her choice to leave. But as to Zelena, her redemption arc is done, she no longer has magic, and let's face it they've been trying to give her a legit purpose ever since they resurrected her in 4b. If any character was gonna go it'd be her. Also, we can't get mad at A&E for firing her or whatever, because of two things. Firstly, from everything we've seen of the Once cast and crew, they are some of the most tightly knit casts I've ever seen. They love and respect each other, are close friends, and many would even say they've become like family. I highly, highly doubt that A&E did this without Bex's input in some form, and even if they did, I trust them to break the news as gently and respectfully as they possibly could. Secondly, Bex said in her announcement post that she totally respects and understands their creative decision. Maybe internally she isn't ok, maybe she resents it, but- here's the important part- WE DON'T KNOW THAT. All we know is what she's told us and what she's told us is that she isn't angry. We can't see inside her head. According to all of our evidence, then, Bex is not angry. And if she isn't angry at A&E then why should we be?

Allow me to acknowledge some stuff, then, before I leave off. I am fully, truly aware that s7 could be really bad. I am fully, truly aware that A&E have made mistakes, and I am fully, truly aware that this could be one of them. But I am also fully, truly aware that A&E are human, just like the rest of us. And just like the rest of us, they're trying to do their best and just like the rest of us they make mistakes along the way. I am not suggesting that they are perfect. I am suggesting that none of us are, and we must respect that. Hating not only gets no one anywhere, it is detrimental to the relationship between fans and creators, and it is likely harmful to the creator's self-esteem. We don't know what s7 will be like. It could be bad, but it could also be super good. We must give A&E the benefit of the doubt as well as display to them that we understand that no one is perfect, nothing lasts forever, and that even though they've made mistakes so have we all and we forgive them for that. We can't call A&E terrible for not being perfect, because I know that if everyone called me out on every single thing I did wrong I'd feel like they basically wanted me to be a god and that's something no human can do.

So guys, let's not make A&E feel like they have to be gods. Let's respect them and understand their decisions as well as their mistakes. Let's stop with the hating.