Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26033121-20160211071708/@comment-26159109-20160211124235

"Shipping wars" started in season 2, otherwise captain Hook wouldn't have turned into a love interest in season 3. The difference is that the writers didn't give in to that. Regina and Emma didn't have any romantic relationship with anyone in 108 - 311. The closest thing Emma had was Neal, but they weren't really together. Their motivation was always Henry, "If I had to choose someone, I choose Henry". In 3B, he was there to encourage and enable Emma and Hook (by Hook babysitting him when it's convenient cause there were times when nobody cared where Henry was. 3B main purpose was to pair Emma with Hook - Neal sudden death, Emma suddenly getting over it, Zelena's lips curse, 321/322 - it's all there. Emma going back to New York was to create more drama between Hook and Emma than with her parents and Henry. OQ was rushed and forced as well.