Board Thread:Rant and Rave/@comment-24593235-20171014032523/@comment-24593235-20171014052630

Okay, I've taken time now to let it all settle in and give my chance to properly reflect. I still hate the episode, but I'm not as livid as before.

My issue with the whole thing, plain and simple, is that Season 7 Hook is not actually the Hook we've known since Season 2. That, to me, is just a massive cop out (pun not intended). I'm not a Captain Swan shipper, that's no secret, but if Hook was going to be here at all then I think his story should've had to do with finding his way back to Emma. Well, the portion of it in which he knows who Emma is. To write off both Emma and Hook with their happy endings while keeping Colin O'Donoghue on the show is just pure fanservice for those who shipped the couple. Having this new Hook isn't really benefiting the story, it's just in order to keep Colin around. And it's not a bad thing that they wanna keep Colin, he's a good actor and a familiar face, but I just don't think getting rid of the Hook we've known for years was the right idea. It's a decent ending to Captain Swan's story, but I just don't think it's good for the show as a whole.

Now we have Hook from the wish realm. I... suppose I can appreciate the callback to a previous story they did, but really none of it settled well with me. I wasn't fond of him having a history with Lady Tremaine or there being a long lost daughter out there. Suddenly they were inventing a whole bunch of backstory for this character who was the knock-off of one we knew for five seasons already. It all just felt contrived and unnecessary, and I feel like something doesn't add up with Season 6. Could be wrong, but I just had a weird feeling about it all. Not that continuity/world-building is much of a concern to the writers. Anyways, if real Hook wasn't going to be part of the story this season then I'd have preferred they not bring Hook back at all.

Instead they could have had Zelena whose character journey felt far from finished. We all know Bex didn't leave the show by choice. Same goes for Emilie as Belle - another character who's part of a major ship - though the other half of that pairing chose to stay, just Emilie/Belle was forced out. I'm not gonna lie, I'm biased towards both, and this partially influences my very negative opinion of this storyline decision. And it leaves me to wonder what this'll mean for Rumbelle in 7x04. Captain Swan is getting their happy ending, but what about Rumbelle? They had a very rocky six seasons, only getting back together at the very end of 6x22. Are they ultimately going to be deprived of a happy ending while Captain Swan gets handed theirs? Another bias, I'll admit.

Anyways, I think the best way to have handled Emma's departure while keeping Hook on the show would've been to just have Emma be back in Storybrooke with Hook working to get back to her. I think that would've been simple enough and a better way of keeping viewers invested in the hopes Hook would eventually find his way back to her. Instead they get their ending handed to them and we get to watch Colin O'Donoghue run around another 20 episodes playing a plot contrivance.

I had other issues with this episode, but I've mostly forgotten them since everything above was my main concern. I know this is the rant and rave board, but I still feel like I should end this post on a more positive note. I'm continuing to adore Dania Ramirez as Jacinda, and I was really liking Sabine this episode - Mekia Cox gives off a very warm presence.