Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-25926288-20161205015930/@comment-1916997-20170220013349

Aine1989 wrote: CoolDudeAl wrote: Aine1989 wrote: CoolDudeAl wrote: Edward Zachary Sunrose wrote: CoolDudeAl wrote: Aine1989 wrote:

And let me clear it up, I'm annoyed that Neal is constantly brought up because as an Emma fan, it's frustrating to see the guy who screwed her over the most (after Regina and Rumple) and gave her trust issues praised as a hero. Also, he died 3 seasons ago, move on writers. Okay, that doesn't make sense. Just because someone dies, doesn't mean everyone instantly forgets about them. In fact I find it annoying when a significant character dies or otherwise leaves a show, and all the other characters who were super close with them all of a sudden act as though that character never existed. Yeah, a bit. I would argue that Graham wasn't that important of a person though. Emma knew him for a few weeks, and he was basically just a sex toy to Regina. In the past he wasn't really super connected to any of the characters either. Regina hired him and then enslaved him, Snow convinced him not to kill her, and he was raised by werewolves, but we haven't really seen much of them (besides 207 and the one comic) either. Neal is different in that respect, as he is much more important to many people. Emma's lover, Gold's son, Henry's father, Hook's psudo-son, etc. Well Graham was Emma's boyfriend, one could argue one of Henry's father figures and at least a close friend and an ally of Snow's. He was also a good partner, father figure and person in general. Much more worthy of recognition than Neal, imo.
 * cough*GRAHAM*cough*

And then there is the extra bit of the fact that as long as Graham remains unmentioned, his rape is glossed over.

More dead people who are more worthy of post mortem glorification than Neal would be:

-Milah

-Eva

-Leopold

-Ingrid

-Merlin

-Ruth What? No, Graham wasn't Emma's boyfriend, he kissed her and she freaked out (as she should have, it was a random guy she knew for a few weeks, and he made a move on her). And Henry and Snow barley knew him. As for the other people you mention, yeah Eva, Leopold, and Ruth are fine, but Milah was a terrible mother by abandoning her son for a hot guy, Ingrid was a crazy lady who almost killed everyone so she could have two blond "sisters", and Merlin was stuck in a tree for 500 years, and gave questionable prophicies. Not exactly 3 people I would look up to over Neal. Did you miss the part where Emma started kissing Graham in the sheriff station? He was her would-be boyfriend and she was affected by his death (she wore his shoelace on her wrist up until s5), and he was the one who spared Snow's life (the reason she is alive today) and he was shown to be close with Henry (who was also upset by his death).

Milah was an abuse victim who left her son in the custody of his father with full intent to come back for him while leaving a toxic environment for respect (not a hot guy).

Ingrid, in her own sick and twisted way, did love Emma. And Merlin was a good man who deserved better.

Frankly I'd pick all of them over Neal "lets my underage girlfriend go to jail because Pinochio told me to then treat her like trash" Cassidy. Which is why his posthumours canonisation as a "great hero and great father and boyfriend" is so frustrating. Like Esk said above, it comes down to personal opinion. Personally, I think Neal was average, as is Hook. But I personally would be fine if Emma wound up with Neal, Hook, someone else, or no one, because finding out who Emma is going to end up sleeping with is not why I watch this show.