Title New York City Serenade
Two-Sentence Summary After getting her memories back, Emma must leave behind the life she thought was real to journey with Hook and a still-in-the-dark Henry back to Storybrooke, which has been re-created by a mysterious curse that has also wiped a year’s worth of memories from all of the town’s inhabitants. Though the residents of the town aren’t sure who brought them back there, all signs point to the Wicked Witch, who has taken over Regina’s castle in the Enchanted Forest and sent one of her flying monkeys to take some of Regina’s blood and later pose as Emma’s boyfriend in New York City.
Favorite Lines
Emma: You could be a crazy person, or a liar, or both.
Hook: I prefer dashing rapscallion…Scoundrel?
Emma: Give me one good reason not to punch you in the face.
My Thoughts After what felt at times like the longest midseason hiatus imaginable, Once Upon a Time returned last night with a new energy that has me excited for how this half of Season Three is going to play out. In a similar way to “The Heart of the Truest Believer,” “New York City Serenade” did an excellent job of highlighting what appear to be the important arcs of Season 3B: the mystery of the new curse, the Wicked Witch versus the Evil Queen, Henry and his missing memories, the quest to find out what really happened to Rumplestiltskin, and Emma’s struggle to find normalcy and happiness in her life as the savior.
The biggest theme of this episode was the idea of finding a home. Just as “The Heart of the Truest Believer” set up the Neverland arc’s major theme of belief, “New York City Serenade” raised the question of what home means for each of the major characters.
And what does home mean for a woman who’s never really had one? Yes, Emma built a home with Henry in New York, but that was a home with a false foundation. It seems that, for Emma, home is less about a place than it is about a feeling, and I think the same can be said for all of these characters. Home is where you feel safe, stable, and loved. Emma has been searching her whole life to find that, and I think this episode showed that she may never find it in any one place—because, for these characters, home is often found in another person.
This universal search for a place to call home brought characters together in fresh ways in “New York City Serenade.” Even characters we’ve seen interact many times before worked together with a new energy. Maybe some of that was due to the writing being a little brighter and lighter than it has been for quite some time. But I think a lot of the credit should go to the actors. There was a genuine sense of comfort, confidence, and understanding between all of them in this episode. Nothing felt forced, and that was important for an episode that was heavily dependent on the chemistry between certain actors to make various plot points believable.
Part of me wished this episode could have been two hours long because I wanted even more from the Enchanted Forest scenes. But I know we’ll get our fill of them over this half of the season. There were just so many great dynamics at play, and I wanted more time to explore them all. I loved that everything felt slightly off about the first couple of scenes, especially the interactions with Aurora and Philip (who are totally working for the witch, right?). There wasn’t an automatically happy reaction for the Storybrooke residents upon returning. Ginnifer Goodwin’s delivery of “We’re back,” said in two words a volume of emotions; this is no perfectly happy ending for any of them.
I was surprised by how quickly Snow and Charming accepted that Emma and Henry were lost forever, but that doesn’t mean it was out of character for either of them. They’re the leaders, and if they lost themselves in their grief, they would let down all the people counting on them to help get them to safety. And they both still carry around so much guilt concerning Emma (especially Snow). Maybe it’s easier for them to think she’s happy without them and to try to move on, as they suggested Neal do.
Michael Raymond-James played Neal with a sense of quiet desperation hiding behind his resigned façade, and I have to wonder if his line about enacting a curse to get back to his loved ones is some kind of foreshadowing (or just a sign that he still has a lot of his father in him). I’m looking forward to more of Neal’s interactions with Belle, too. There was a nice sense of familial warmth between them.
Another Enchanted Forest dynamic I enjoyed was the one between Charming and Hook. Josh Dallas did an excellent job playing Charming’s reactions to Hook’s departure. These two characters are mirror images of the other—driven by love, lost without the women who make them their best selves. And I think Charming has understood that since Neverland. His expression as Hook left to find his ship (and passage back to Emma?) was one of understanding, one of hope.
An important relationship that benefitted from a real sense of understanding between the characters was Regina and Snow’s. Their interactions were my favorite scenes in the episode. These two women have such a complicated relationship, but they’re still two women who were first bonded by trust and genuine affection. And they’re the only two characters in the Enchanted Forest who are experiencing the same loss. Both are mothers who had to give up their children, and I love that Snow didn’t let Regina wallow in her self-pity or believe she was alone in her grief. There was a real strength to Snow in this episode that I have missed.
Snow knows what it’s like to make yourself not feel anything to avoid the pain of loss. She is speaking to Regina from experience on more than just one level. And, in doing so, she voiced a huge theme on Once Upon a Time: It might cause you pain to have an open heart, but it’s better than closing yourself off to love because you’ve been hurt. Allowing yourself to feel—accepting vulnerability—is a brave thing, and Snow knows that. To see Regina accept that—to see her accept the hope that she could be happy again—was a huge moment of character growth. And to follow it up with her referring to “our castle” actually made me cry. It floors me to think about how far this character has come, and it makes me excited to think about what’s in store for her future.
If this episode is any indication, what’s in store for Regina’s future is a whole lot of heated banter with Robin Hood. Their first meeting was fun, full of attraction and antagonism, which is a winning combination in my book. Robin brought out Regina’s sass in such a natural way, and any relationship that allows Regina to be feisty with someone who gives it right back to her is one I can see myself getting behind, even though I still want to know more about Robin (besides the fact that “he smells like forest”). And if it gives us more adorable wingwoman Snow, even better.
The instant sparks of chemistry between Lana Parrilla and Sean Maguire really made those first Regina/Robin moments work. It’s that same kind of chemistry that drove the plot in the NYC-based half of this episode. In order for anyone to find Emma drinking Hook’s potion believable, you would have to find their connection believable. Thankfully, Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue aren’t struggling to generate chemistry. Their dynamic actually felt more natural than ever before.
Morrison really sold the fact that something in Emma connected with something in this leather-clad stranger. I always think Morrison is great at playing the sarcastic skeptic, and I was a huge fan of the way Hook and Emma’s early interactions in this episode paralleled Emma and Henry’s interactions in the pilot (down to the way both told Emma to use her superpower, thus making them the only two characters to believe in Emma’s superpower as much as she believes in it). Another callback I enjoyed was Emma once again chaining up the unsuspecting pirate because she’s concerned about trusting him, just as she did in Season Two’s “Tallahassee.”
Despite all her protestations, Emma kept coming back to this self-proclaimed scoundrel. (Anyone else take that as a deliberate Han Solo reference, or do I just watch The Empire Strikes Back way too often?) Neal’s apartment, Henry’s camera—these were strong pieces of evidence, but what made Emma really believe Hook was her gut. Unlike in “Tallahassee,” Emma ultimately bailed Hook out of jail because she decided to trust her instincts when it came to him.
That’s why all the stuff with Emma, Walsh, and Henry was so important in this episode—despite Walsh actually being a flying monkey. (I still can’t think about that without getting disturbed.) In encouraging Emma to open her heart to Walsh, Henry was unknowingly encouraging his mother to open her heart to believing Hook. I loved Henry and Emma’s relationship in this episode because all Henry wanted was his mother’s happiness, and that allowed Emma to follow her gut. Both Hook and Henry encouraged her to trust herself. And when she did, she knew what had to be done.
Emma chose to take a leap of faith, which is no small feat for this woman. She had the choice to leave Hook in jail; she had the choice to refuse the potion. But she chose to find out the truth for herself; she chose to believe.
Emma didn’t want to give up her good life, but Hook wanted to remind her that maybe the life she was about to remember wasn’t all bad. His line about her loving someone in the life she lost was beautiful, and it was a nice callback to “Going Home,” in which Emma’s “Good” seemed to encourage Hook to believe his affections weren’t wholly unrequited. Morrison played Emma’s reaction to that perfectly—there was some fear in her eyes, but there was a surprising bit of hope there, too. Emma wants to be able to love; she doesn’t want to lose that part of herself. So when Hook implied that she might still be able to love—and to love this person she already feels herself drawn to—it gave her a sense of hope that not all the good things from her life would be lost.
The moments after Emma drank the potion were subtle but effective. Morrison did a good job of showing that Emma was both surprised that someone came back for her and not surprised at all by who it was that found her. And Hook’s response was just cheeky enough to be perfectly in-character. In fact, I loved that Hook had his swagger and his sense of humor back in this episode.
Sharing a drink like old times after Emma’s memories were restored, there was a real sense of understanding and openness between Emma and Hook. This was the scene where I felt Morrison and O’Donoghue were at their best together. When Hook told Emma there was nothing left for him in the Enchanted Forest, all Morrison needed to do was change her facial expression slightly to show us that Emma understood that Hook was lost without her. And when Hook told Emma that he came back to save her, O’Donoghue delivered that line without any real sense of romance. It was a fact. But it was a fact Emma has never heard in her life—someone is capable of making her their top priority. Emma was defined by her role as the savior from before her birth; it’s her job to bring back happy endings. But Hook wanted to save her from a life she didn’t choose—a life of false memories. His job in this episode was to give the savior her own chance at a real happy ending.
However, Emma was conflicted over just how happy her happy ending could be now that her memories were restored. I loved Morrison’s delivery of Emma’s confession about waking up from a good dream because we’ve never seen Emma so open and unguarded without it being forced out of her (at least not since Mary Margaret was still her friend). We got to see how happy Emma was with Henry and how wonderfully open their relationship was, so it made it all the more painful for us to watch Emma struggle with the idea of their life changing so dramatically—and without Henry knowing why. Emma let Hook see her vulnerabilities, and that’s something new for this relationship. More than anything, I liked that this episode let Emma and Hook’s relationship deepen as friends, confidants, and partners without making it all about the romance and attraction.
I found myself pleasantly surprised by the easy humor in many of the NYC scenes—from Hook and Henry bantering over his clothes to Hook’s distaste for bologna. That ease made Emma and Hook feel like a team, especially as they both prepared to face whatever had happened to Storybrooke. I loved the little moment when he touched Emma’s hair with his hook because it spoke to a new level of comfort between them. And that comfort was made even more obvious when Emma told him to watch Henry as she went to find her parents. The fact that she trusts him with the thing she loves most is no small detail.
Emma doesn’t have a lot of people she trusts, and this episode added another to this list: Walsh. I saw the flying monkey twist coming, but I didn’t expect that scene to be so brutal. However, I loved getting to see the steel in Emma’s eyes as she prepared to return to Storybrooke. Watching her put on that red leather jacket again was such an iconic moment, the knight putting her armor back on to get ready for another battle.
But before any battles could be fought, Emma needed to come home—in every sense of the word. I held my breath as she knocked on the door to the apartment. More than Snow, I needed it to be Charming who first saw his daughter again. Both Morrison and Dallas have always sold this relationship with everything in them, and they did it again here. I could feel their initial fear that the other didn’t remember, but I could also feel the overwhelming relief when they realized they were together again. And Emma’s reunion with her mother was just as warm as I’d hoped—gone for the moment was the tension that had been building between them during the Neverland arc. (Also, how cute was Goodwin in her adorable maternity dress?)
Emma found her family again—just as Hook found Emma. That’s what love does in the world of Once Upon a Time; it leads you home. Yes, there are a thousand questions to answer this season. Why does the Wicked Witch hate Regina (and why did she send Walsh after Emma)? Will Henry get his memories back? Is Rumplestiltskin really dead? What happened during everyone’s lost year in the Enchanted Forest? But my central question is this: Has Emma Swan finally found a place to call home?
Nerdy Girl Notes 
This episode was such a relief in so many ways for me. I was getting pretty skeptical during the Neverland arc but you nailed this review. So good. I loved Hook and Emma together in this because it wasn’t about the romance…they were friends and partners, and I always am more touched by those relationships than romantic pairings (well, if they do get together, I will say the opposite, but you know….).
The dynamics were SO GOOD. Regina’s sass. Hook/Charming. Robin/Regina. Henry/Emma. I loved it. I’m really hoping we get more Hook/Charming and Charming/Emma. With H/C, I loved your observation that they are mirrored pairs and I love how far they’ve come and the understandings that go unspoken between the two. (and KUDOS to both actors…jeez). With C/E, their relationship seems to come so naturally, and I love C’s scene with E much more than Mary Margaret’s with Emma….I still haven’t really warmed up to MM…her attitude always seems to rub me the wrong way….
Anyway, thanks for the review. Spot on as always 🙂 And your essays on OUAT have been excellent!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment! I’m so happy to see that you were also enthusiastic about this episode and the character dynamics it spotlighted.
I agree that Charming and Emma’s relationship feels so natural. There’s something so unforced and genuinely sweet about it that it basically turns me into a teary-eyed mess more often than I should admit. 😉
LOL you really do write your first draft as tumblr tags, don’t you?! I actually watched this episode, despite having only watched a couple of random episodes of this show before. I was channel surfing and it was this or Amazing Race. I think it was your heartfelt love of this show that made me choose it. And so many very attractive actors. I guess I will have to make time to watch from the beginning so that I can figure out what the hell is going on!
I can only imagine how confusing this show would be if you picked it up randomly, so I definitely recommend watching it from the start (especially because Season One of OUaT is one of my favorite single seasons of any TV show in a long time). I’m so happy my passion for this lovely show is contagious!
And you are 100% right about the attractive actors. This is seriously the most attractive cast on television. 😉
Nicely done! =)
I particularly loved the part about Emma’s and Hook’s interactions, and how at this point in the story it was more about comfort and trust than romantic intent. Emma has just had her world turned upside down. Again. She doesn’t need someone trying to woo her, she needs someone to just be there for her. Without pushing, without any other agenda than being there and offering their support. And Hook nailed it.
Love interest aside (which, as I’ve stated in previous comments, I’m not completely sold on yet), Emma and Hook have become my new brOTP. =)
I also loved Regina and Snow. Those two have such a deeply rooted connection, regardless of everything bad that’s happened between them. And they acted more like siblings than anything else in the episode.
I loved that Snow got worried about Regina, that she went searching for her, and that she convinced her to put her heart back where it belongs. Also, that she helped save her from the flying monkey. Since the first curse was broken, it’s always been Emma who’s given a chance to Regina, despite Snow’s reticence. I was heartened when they came back from Neverland and Snow finally acknowledged Regina’s help (in all honesty, she did most of the job), so I see this path they seem to have taken with their relationship as a new step in the right direction to get over their differences and focus on building something good. Snow knows exactly how Regina feels, and she also knows that she needs support to be able to go on. We already know what extreme grief can do to Regina without anyone there to help her; maybe this time it will be different.
The “my castle/our castle” was priceless, and a nice parallel of the “my son/our son” argument. In the end, it’s all about family.
I’m sorry to say that I did not really see the chemistry between Regina and Robin yet. I mean, other than the chemistry that Lana Parrilla has with everyone. Or everything. She has chemistry with a teaspoon, ffs!
I loved the sass, but thought that her reply to Robin was in the same vein than the one she gave Little John (or even Aurora). I didn’t really see any flirtation or special interest there. Yet. Nor did I want it to be, honestly. She can’t be burying her heart so as not to feel one second, and checking some guy’s ass(ets) the next. I’m not going to judge based on a couple of minutes of interaction, though. We’ll see.
The thing that bothered me the most in the whole episode –other than the disturbing new meaning of the term ‘wild monkey sex’ implanted in my brain now– was how Charming and Snow gave up so easily the hope of ever seeing Emma and Henry again.
It didn’t bother me because I think its out of character; it’s just another instance in which they’ve proven that, even though they care for Emma, they just don’t care enough. With the exception of Snow jumping into the portal after the Wraith made Emma fall, they have consistently chosen to give her up for the greater good and for themselves, never putting her first. For a couple who pride themselves in always ‘finding each other’, it’s kind of hypocritical to not have the same level of devotion for your own child. The ‘giving them their best chance’ line sounded feeble, even more so than the first time.
I could understand them regrouping and getting their bearings after literally landing in a very changed EF, but emphatically choosing to accept the situation without fighting, without even trying, and even worse, encouraging Neal to do the same? No wonder Emma still feels like an orphan.
I’ve never liked Neal’s character much, always found him a wee bit shoddy. But I do like the determination he showed when trying to go back to Emma and Henry in Neverland, and in the last episode before it was quenched by the Charmings. I like his relationship with Belle and hope we can see them embark on a great adventure to find Rumpelstiltskin. I’ve heard many rumours about him being the ‘main character’ who is going to be killed off, but I prefer to wait and see what the writers do.
I was a bit disappointed by the lack of Regina in the Storybrooke scenes, but I’m looking forward to the next episodes and to finding out more about the Wicked Witch!
I am gonna agree with you on the Regina/Robin Hood front. I was expecting something way more ‘in your face’. But I like that it wasnt, because as you said, Regina cant be burying her heart in the forest one second and ready to jump Robin the next. Their interaction was actually the most surprising aspect of the episode for me, and that actually has me intrigued to see where it is going to go.
Agreed. Regardless of whom I ‘ship’, I am first and foremost a fan of the show. I want the characters happy, and as long as the writing is consistent and the storyline is interesting, I’m ok with the characters being paired outside of my OTP. I just want it to make sense and to not feel forced, and I think that slow burn is definitely the way to go with the Regina/Robin pairing if the writers want a chance to actually make it work.
I am with you on the Robin/Regina plot line. It needs a minute to develop and I don’t want to see it rushed. I hope he integrates into the enchanted forest storyline in a way that makes sense. We shall see.
As I said in my thoughts on the episode, I had a very different take on the Charming/Snow reaction to the loss of Emma/Henry. I think yours is very interesting about Snow and Charming always choosing the greater good even over Emma. That idea intrigues me when you juxtapose their quest for the greater good with Emma’s resistance to her role as the savior. That her quests have ultimately been driven by the well being of her son, not necessarily the greater good – thus her willingness to cut deals with Gold and work with whomever she believed would get her back to Henry. It’s a consideration I hadn’t made.
I took their reaction as one of parents who may be resigned, but that they are resigned to the reality as a penance for their earlier choices when they put the burden of savior on her to break the curse. Their belief that she (like Charming and Snow for each other) would find them. They never considered the horrors of the journey that would bring her to them. I think giving her up as a newborn before and knowing what came after gives them as sense of peace to know that this sacrifice ensured Emma and Henry’s safety and happiness.
I think there’s a very interesting comparison to be made between Snow/Charming and Emma/Regina as parents.
Snow and Charming work as a team. The decisions they’ve made regarding their daughter have always been agreed upon as a couple who understands and respects each other.
They both decided to send their newborn to an uncertain fate so she could come back and save them all. They decided that trying to save Regina when the trigger was about to destroy Storybrooke was worth risking everybody’s lives, including those of Emma and Henry; whether it was the right decision or not, they still chose the ‘greater good’ over the safety of their daughter and grand-son. They decided that Snow would stay in Neverland when it seemed that Charming wouldn’t be able to leave the island, regardless of the impact that this decision would have on Emma –an it was Emma who insisted they would find a way for all of them to go back home; the Charmings seemed resigned to live in a hut in the jungle and were able to accept their fate as long as they had each other. And with the new curse, once back in the EF, they didn’t seem too eager to even try to find a way to see Emma and Henry again. Regina made it very clear that it wasn’t ‘their’ price to pay, but hers; this should have given the champions of hope enough encouragement to, at the very least, try, but they seem to have made peace (in, like, five minutes) with the fact that things will stay the way they are.
Emma and Regina have been at each other’s throats since the beginning, and the main reason for this antagonism has always been Henry and their fear of losing him. And yet, Henry has also been the reason for every single instance that they’ve joined forces or helped each other. They’ve made decisions both separately and as reluctant co-parents, but always the common goal has been Henry’s well-being.
They worked together to save Henry from the sleeping curse (I know Emma did most of the work but I’ve always believed that the scene where Regina finally admits that the curse is real after Emma pushes her around is a pivotal moment for her character, and the starting point of her road to redemption). They decided –or rather Regina decided and Emma was going to honour her decision– that Regina would sacrifice herself while trying to slow the diamond so that Emma had more time to get Henry to safety. They agreed to work together to get Henry back from Neverland; they decided their son was worth dipping into the ‘dark side’ if it meant saving him from Peter Pan. And they agreed that the only option at the time to stop Pan’s curse in Storybrooke was for Regina to lose her son and for Emma to lose her family; but it meant the Henry would be all right, and that he would not be alone.
They are not a romantic couple (haven’t lost hope on that one yet ;)), they don’t have each other like Snow and Charming do, but they do have each other’s back because they know that Henry wants and needs them both. Every time one of them has saved or done something good for the other, it has been because of Henry; I like to think it’s not the only reason, that there’s an underlying care for each other. Wishful thinking notwithstanding, it is undeniable that Emma saved Regina from the Wraith and Regina saved Emma (and Snow) from the killing curse in the well because Henry asked them to, because they love him enough to put aside their differences and do the right thing in his eyes.
There’s a lot to be said when a lost girl with abandonment issues and an evil queen capable of cursing entire realms, who on top of everything ostensibly hate (I really, really ‘hate’ that word… ;P) each other are better parents than the ‘poster couple’ for all that is fair and good in the world. I might be too hard on the Charmings, but while I think that they would do anything for each other and that they love Emma very much, so far they’ve shown that Emma is at the most second place (sometimes third) in their list of priorities. And that, in my book, is not being a good parent.
I’m so happy that you chose to stick around and join in this discussion with us over here because you have such insightful things to say! And I love getting the perspective of someone who loves Regina as much as you do. 😀
I completely agree with you that Hook “nailed it” in terms of his interactions with Emma. He knows her well enough to know that this wasn’t the time for overly romantic declarations or really any sort of romance. Emma is someone who needs time to be comfortable with any relationship in her life (even “new-memories Emma” wanted to move slower in her relationship with Walsh). I’m actually really looking forward to seeing Emma and Hook develop as friends and partners because that’s the best foundation for a good relationship.
I can completely understand your feelings about Robin and Regina (and about Lana Parrilla having chemistry with anything because it’s so true). Chemistry is subjective, and all we got was just the slightest hint of it so far. I’m interested to see what the pacing will be for this relationship because I agree with you that it shouldn’t move quickly at all. Regina has too much to deal with right now, and I’m hoping to see whatever happens between these two characters progress naturally and in a way that feels right for who both of them are (even if we still don’t really know who Robin is yet).
I have to say that I agree with you about being frustrated with the Charmings and their acceptance of Emma’s fate. I understand their reasoning and how it fits with who they are as characters, but as an Emma fan, it was kind of jarring to see them not only accept that they can’t find Emma (this coming from the “I will always find you” family) but telling Neal not to try. They want her to be happy, and I think they feel incredible amounts of guilt over the fact that so much of her pain was caused by their actions when she was born. So I think they feel that looking for Emma would just bring pain back into her life. But they don’t understand her well enough yet to know that Emma is the kind of person who would rather be woken from a good dream than spend the rest of her life asleep. Neal once knew Emma better than anyone else did—so he knows she would want someone to find her. And we all know Hook also feels this way. Her parents, however, are still so guilt-ridden about making her life miserable that they believe she’s better off being happy, even if that happiness is without them or without knowledge of her true identity. They’re behaving out of love, but it’s another example of the fact that they don’t exactly know what kind of love Emma needs from them.
Like you I really enjoyed the tone of this episode. I will try not to rehash what you said so well, but here were a few thoughts of my own:
-I am going to go with the theory that all of the flying monkeys started human and were turned into flying monkeys by the witch to do her bidding. This is ABC after all.
-I am conflicted about the Walsh storyline. Him being a flying monkey was just a really convenient plot device to basically say, “look! Emma is ready for romantic love, but we are not going to add to the number of suitors”. Am I happy there isnt another man in Emma’s life? Yes. Am I happy that we know Emma is in that place in her life? Yes. Did this all seem way too easy? Yes.
-It was my hope that in this new life Henry would know the truth about Neal and I was glad to see that happen.
-I never thought the word ‘bologna’ could sound sexy. I was wrong.
-I loved the scene with Emma putting back on her red jacket. Could there have been a better way to show Emma making a conscious choice to accept her savior role?
-Where the heck is Tinker bell?
-I completely agree that the success of this episode was based on the new character pairings and dynamics, so I will go over the ones I particularly loved:
Regina/Snow. That scene of Regina trying to bury her heart really affected me, and was so well done. Also, if Neverland was all about Regina and Emma coming together as the mother of Henry, I see this season as Regina and Snow coming together as rulers of the kingdom. I got just as much feels from their “our castle” declarations as I got from “our son” declarations from Regina and Emma in 3A. When did Regina get so good at sharing?
Henry/Emma. Oh how much do I love Henry and Emma? This episode was a little hard to watch because Emma just seemed so damn happy in her fake life. It reminded me just how much I want this happy ending for Emma (I want it so bad!). I know she will get it, and its just not time yet, but still, it was really hard to see all of that crumble. I also loved Henry’s optimism and wisdom throughout. Although, I have to admit it was really hard to remind myself that when Henry and Emma were talking about Walsh they werent talking about Hook (at least not knowingly). I kept saying to myself, but wait, Henry doesn’t even know Hook exists, how can he know this? Oh, right, that Walsh guy. The double meaning was so dang obvious here that I had trouble even remembering it was a double meaning.
Regina/Robin – This did not go down how I expected it, but again, thats not a bad thing. It was a lot more subtle and I thought for sure Robin was going to be the one immediately smitten, but its clear that Regina is the one a little thrown off. I said I was worried that the Regina/Robin dynamic was going to be too much like Emma and Hook, but if Regina is the one that is attracted to Robin and she keeps getting flustered around him and tries to overcompensate with sass, it has the potential to be very amusing. For a show that is completely obvious about where its major plot points are going, how they get to those points is always a surprise to me, and I love that. Its a fantasy show, what happens to the characters should always be crazy and outlandish, its how they act in those situations that I expect to be believable, and OUAT does a pretty good job with that.
Emma/Hook. With all the spoilers that came out I expected this episode to be a LOT more romantic between the two of them than it was. But I found this episode to be a pleasant surprise on that front in the best possible way. Last season we got brooding lovesick puppy Killian and I was kinda missing my old sassy ‘scoundrel’ Killian. And now he’s back. I just loved that scene of the two of them drinking in her apartment. I just cannot get over Hook’s honesty. One, he came back for her (giving her back control over her happiness) and two, he is not afraid to tell her how he feels. Emma can second guess and try to convince herself otherwise (you did this to save my family?) and Hook is always going to be there to say, “No, you dummy, I did this for you. You are special and deserve to be fought for.” I can already sense that the vibe between them is different, and there is a flirtatious ease about it that I am totally digging. Between his swagger coming into Emma’s apartment to him putting his hook back on in Storybrooke and brushing her hair, I finally feel like the fun is about to begin, and I am all in. Just try and tell me they didn’t make the perfect little family getting ready for that road trip. Ugh. I just NEED it.
I am really excited about the “home” theme this season. I think it’s gonna be a good one. Out of all the great lines in this episode (and there were a lot), I think the line that is going to stay with me was from Emma on the roof: “A reminder that I was never safe. What I wanted, what I thought I could have, was not in the cards for the savoir”. That line killed me last night. More so this time around because Emma actually had a taste of what it was like to have a happy ending and she had to give it up. But I also cant wait for her to make the realization that her happy ending AS the savior is right in front of her. And it wears leather pants.
I am with you on being conflicted about the Walsh plot point. I think the he was simply a devise to prove that despite the curse Regina set to keep them safe, nothing was going to keep Henry and Emma safe from their fate. I do think (or hope) that the 8 months she and Walsh were together will be significant and tied back somehow to the battle with the Wicked Witch in the Enchanted Forest.
I have no doubt that Walsh is going to be tied back to the Wicked Witch and the Enchanted Forest storyline. And I also agree that Walsh served multiple purposes, showing Emma’s romantic mindset, allowing Henry to have serious dad conversations using carefully placed pronouns, and proving that she wasnt safe living a lie, and I can accept the latter as more of a justification for the way it went down. I think it would have been an interesting character study if Walsh actually was just a normal guy, but it is one the show has absolutely no time to go into, so I understand why it was done, and I will admit it was a pretty darn clever and efficient way to get both of those points across.
I absolutely agree about Henry knowing the truth about Neal. I’m very curious about how their interactions are going to be once they run into each other in Storybrooke. Before and after Henry regains his memories.
And Tink! I know she will be appearing because there’s been teaser pictures during the shooting of the new episodes but she was sorely missed in the mid-season premiere.
That theory about the flying monkeys is the one I was hoping they would go with. I think that my subconscious wanted it to be true because when I first read the spoilers about Walsh being in an 8 months relationship with Emma and the possibility of him being a flying monkey, my mind took a dive to the gutter and my first thought was ‘ew, gross, monkey sex’.
That being said, I’ve been reading posts all around the internet complaining, whining and screaming about bestiality and about how the creators of the show are ok with showing that on a ‘family show’ but not a gay couple. And wow, seriously?
First, it is not bestiality if the sexual act itself doesn’t involve an animal. Considering that Emma didn’t know that her boyfriend was a flying monkey, I think it’s a safe bet that Walsh was in human form during their (most probable if not confirmed) sex life. I seriously doubt she would have missed the wings, pointy teeth and sharp claws had he turned into this form in the sack.
And really, trying to argue representation by comparing/equating bestiality with homosexuality is nothing short of offending.
Ok, rant mode off. I would absolutely love to see Sassgina saying something like “and Miss Swan, do try to refrain from any monkey business…”, though. ;P
I just find it really interesting that everyone’s default assumption is that the flying monkey was his original form, and not the other way around. Oh, and you know that if they all find out Walsh she is going to hear about it later. If its not Regina giving her crap, it will be Hook or Henry.
I just watched the promo for next episode and there’s this part where Snow says: “They’re being turned into flying monkeys?” so, fist-bump!! 😉
“I would absolutely love to see Sassgina saying something like “and Miss Swan, do try to refrain from any monkey business…”, though. ;P” – As soon as Walsh’s identity was revealed, my mind went to how much fun Regina could have with this when everything is settled and done with this latest foe. I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
Before I start getting into actual analysis, I just have to say that the line last of your comment put the biggest smile on my face and made me work very hard to conceal my snickering from my coworkers. 😉
Like you, I was also really happy that Henry was told the truth about Neal in this new life. It always bothered me that he never knew the real story (especially when he was using that against Emma—I still think Neal should have told him the truth back in Manhattan, but I digress…). And Tink’s absence was noticeable for me, too. I think she’s such a great addition to this cast of characters, and I hope we get a lot more of her.
I LOVE your take on Regina’s arcs with both Emma and Snow in Season Three. This is a woman who is used to doing things alone, but this season seems to be about showing her that you don’t have to take on everything by yourself. Regina is learning to be a part of something—to be a part of a team—and to accept that cooperation isn’t a sign of weakness but of strength and personal growth. And what I also love about it is that it allows for new vulnerabilities for her, but Lana Parrilla makes sure she never loses her trademark sass.
“For a show that is completely obvious about where its major plot points are going, how they get to those points is always a surprise to me, and I love that.” – This is so true, and not just in regards to the way the Robin/Regina pairing already seems different from what we thought it would be. We know the curses on this show will be broken and good will win and true loves will find each other. But the emotional angles to each of those things are always surprising. The “what happens” may be a certainty (especially for those of us who love spoilers), but the “how” is often nothing like I expect. And that’s what makes this show fun as well as emotionally engaging.
I freaking loved this episode. Holy shit. The dynamics between everyone. The acting. Honestly, it reminds me again how good Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue are as actors. The little scenes between them have such subtlety and chemistry. Obviously you can see that my OTP is Captain Swan.
Honestly, though. Aside from the potential (more than potential) romance between them, I was happy that Hook didn’t force anything. He stayed very natural, his main goal was to make sure Emma gets home to her family. He was utterly devoted to her and let her do her own thing and figure out what she needed to do. I don’t know if it was just the magical New York setting, but the scene where they were sharing a drink in her apartment felt so frigging natural. When has Emma Swan let her guard down in such a natural way? I don’t think she was even like this with Snow when they didn’t know they were mother and daughter yet. Just the ease and beauty of that scene. It’s really established early on in this episode that not all men are destined to screw her over, and she’s going to really find this in Hook.
He’s charming and endearing and she’s just a touch exasperated with him, but still finds him amusing and he KNOWS it. Also, shout-out to Colin for his ridiculously convincing expressions when Emma talked about Walsh. (Also, yes, the Walsh thing was a bit too convenient but I honestly rather that he was evil as opposed to having Ugly Betty flashbacks from seeing Christopher Gorham’s heartbreaking sad face).
I will try to tear myself away from purely talking about my OTP.
I’m really happy that Bae and Belle are talking. They have very natural chemistry and it’s nice that he has nothing against his step-mom-to-be. I know that a lot of people are still gunning for Emma and Neal, but I think Neal’s biggest issues are with his father and that’s where his arc should go. Although I am QUITE biased.
Regina and Swan’s interactions excited me more than Regina and Robin meeting–just a tad more. The two women have such history yet deep down, Regina actually cares for Snow and obviously Snow cares as well. Regina just tries to be tough. And having Snow be the wing-woman is just wonderful. I LOVE IT.
Robin Hood and Regina…yes…I cannot wait to see the look on Regina’s face when she realises that he was the guy Tink was talking about. And I bet you anything that Tink and Snow would be the ones trying to convince Regina to give Hood a chance. This should be fun. Plus, Lana Parilla and Sean Maguire are HARDCORE Outlaw Queen shippers. They’re playing every interaction between Hood and Regina in anticipation of a love story and I’m definitely okay with that.
All in all GREAT EPISODE I LOVED IT YES YES YES but where is my Mulan?!?!
Thank you so much for the comment, and your enthusiasm for this episode made me so happy because we loved it for many of the same reasons. 😀
I really liked your points about Hook being more concerned about Emma getting back to her family than anything to do with his romantic feelings towards her. And your comment about Hook’s presence validating the idea that not every guy is going to hurt her was spot-on. All Emma has ever known—even in this life that was supposed to be happy—is that trusting men means being hurt by men and manipulated by them. So it’s important to note that the person who she takes that leap of faith with is a person who has proven himself to be worthy of her trust. In an episode where Henry pointedly tells her that not every guy is going to leave her, the man Henry’s talking about actually does leave Emma, but Hook seems to be the man Henry’s words really point to—the man who finds her when everyone else leaves.
I also am glad you pointed out Belle and Neal’s relationship. They need each other (I was so sad when no one went to hug Belle after Rumplestiltskin sacrificed himself). Neal still has so much unfinished business in terms of his relationship with his father and getting closure from all those years of pain, and the short scenes between the two of them haven’t been enough for me. I want so much more from their relationship, so I hope Neal’s arc this season deals with this.
OK, first things first. I am ever so grateful that we are not dealing with memory loss on the part of the returned players of Storybrooke. I was concerned about how they would put them back into the curse and I was pleased with the reboot of a missing year, not a missing memory of all they had built for the last 2 1/2 years. Any part of that retread would have felt really reductive. All told I like where they pivoted to in this episode. I agree a part of me wished it had been two hours because there was a lot to establish and only 42 minutes to do it in. So I will forgive some of the loose ends as we head into the back end of the season. Overall I liked that we have a new villain in our wicked witch and I can only hope that they have learned the lessons of Cora so that she will be more integrated within the story of our current cast rather than put upon them as Cora always felt. Is Rumplestiltskin really dead? I hope that we don’t get a simple answer to this question and moreover I hope that it evolves Neal/Bae in a way that carves out his own story because to your point it will bring us a reconciliation eventually of home, not just for Emma, but for Henry and Neal as well. I like that there are more questions than answers as we begin again and appreciated all the nods to the original pilot. In particular Emma’s rehash of the sentence “Just because you believe it doesn’t make it true.” to Hook.
You mentioned Charming and Snow’s advice to Bae and their response to losing Emma and Henry. I had a slightly different take. Yes they need to lead and the others rely on them. But I think their resignation to their fate is more a product of the fact that they’ve lost her before without ever knowing if she was going to be OK or what her fate might be. They believed her to be the savior for the curse, but never imagined the horrible road she would take to save them. They live with the guilt of that where as now, in this twist they have confidence knowing that she and Henry are OK. They don’t have the uncertainty of their safety and happiness and while the price is never seeing them again, it is a result they can easily live with given their experience of giving over their newborn. You don’t have to like the choice to be comfortable with it. Unlike the first time around, their sacrifice now meant and preserved the happiness of their child and grandchild. It’s an easy choice.
Like you the scene with Regina and Snow was my favorite. I appreciated that unlike Neverland when they were partners of convenience their return to the Enchanted Forest solidified them as allies. Regina and Snow’s journey from kinship, to betrayal, to enemies, to reluctant partners has brought out their best and worst. I wholeheartedly agree that Snow understands intrinsically the no win proposition of stripping your emotions and feelings away. That they find a common bond in parenthood and loss of their children brings their story full circle in a way that I thought was both wonderfully surprising and emotionally honest. Who else but Snow could convince and show Regina a path other than the one her mother once chose. It is what makes the line about getting “our castle” back resonate as true and not trite. It’s a great moment that is more nuanced than I had expected.
For me watching the episode and getting a glimpse of Emma’s life, and the calm it possessed while under her spell was interesting on two levels. It gave us a rare look at the road not taken and it gave us the inversion of the pilot where everyone but her was under a spell. It spoke to the many parallels which I think set up an interesting theme for me that I took from the episode. Not dissimilar to your characterization of ‘home’. I thought Emma’s journey back to Storybrooke very much was a reflection of a common truth. Who we are meant to be will eventually shine through. We can ignore it for a while, we can even try and run from it, but eventually we have to come to terms with all the facets of who we are. And if we want to find happiness it will be discovered in the reconciliation, forgiveness and acceptance of the path we travel. That for me was the importance of the kitchen scene with Hook. The fact that she embraced that there was a bliss in not carrying the burden of being the savior. That she came to realize that Regina’s words were in fact true. Independent of the fabricated past, the two years she and Henry spent together was real and there was something to miss in the simplicity of that happiness because her road to happiness linked to her fate was much more complex. And again she paralleled nicely with Regina in this moment. She can’t find true happiness without the memories, emotions and pain that is Emma’s story. It needs to be a part of what defines her happiness, just as Snow advised Regina when she attempted to bury her heart in the woods. Neither’s path to happiness can be realized if they bury their past or emotions. That they both chose to step out on faith to move forward speaks to how far both have evolved. Grabbing the jacket at the end of the episode was interesting to me as well. As much as it was a fun nod to an iconic piece, I think it is also symbolic of something else. It’s Emma’s armor for battle. She knows her return to Storybrooke will be neither simple nor painless. She knows things now she didn’t know her first go round with the original curse. It will be interesting to see how she tackles it with that knowledge and belief. Grabbing the jacket for me is knowing she will need the skills that helped her last go round again. This Emma goes into battle with a better knowledge, but the instincts she’s always possessed are what will carry her through.
“Who we are meant to be will eventually shine through. We can ignore it for a while, we can even try and run from it, but eventually we have to come to terms with all the facets of who we are. And if we want to find happiness it will be discovered in the reconciliation, forgiveness and acceptance of the path we travel.” I think thats pretty much the message of every hero’s journey that was ever worth telling. Which also goes hand in hand with the other universal hero truth; that when a hero lives a lie, it puts them and the people they love in danger.
I found very interesting your take on why Snow and Charming are ‘ok’ with losing Emma and Henry. I can see that being the logic behind their apparent apathy. But I still think that trying to discourage Neal was a bit over the top. I’d like to imagine that neither Snow nor Charming would have stopped at anything to ‘find each other’, so trying to take that away from Neal, particularly when they’ve seemed so bent on the fact that Emma should give him a chance, was sort of hypocritical IMO.
I am not a Neal fan by any means, but I think that he shouldn’t let himself be swayed so easily. We’ll see, but I’d wager that the writers are going to keep him too occupied looking for Rumpelstilstkin to have the time to try to find Emma and Henry.
“Who we are meant to be will eventually shine through. We can ignore it for a while, we can even try and run from it, but eventually we have to come to terms with all the facets of who we are. And if we want to find happiness it will be discovered in the reconciliation, forgiveness and acceptance of the path we travel.”
Very nicely put.
I also liked the parallel you pointed out between Emma and Regina not being able to find true happiness with part of the picture missing, be it because of lost memories or lack of emotions. I think it relates in some way to the conversation Emma had with Charming about life being made up of moments, good and bad, and how all of them were worth living.
I can’t thank you enough for sharing your insightful, articulate, and heartfelt analysis with us. I hope I’ve said this before, but I need to say it again—your comments and the discussions they bring up are such a huge part of why I love running NGN as much as I do.
I really appreciate your take on Snow and Charming’s mindset as it pertains to Emma and her happiness. I may not like that they seemed quick to accept a life without their daughter and grandson, but I do think they were coming from a place of wanting her to be genuinely happy and believing that she finally was happy for the first time in her life. I also believe Charming could tell that Hook was going to try to find a way to get back to her (Josh Dallas is a good enough actor to play that scene with more disappointment if he really thought Hook was just going to return to his pirate life), so he wasn’t completely resigned to Emma never being found.
“Who we are meant to be will eventually shine through. We can ignore it for a while, we can even try and run from it, but eventually we have to come to terms with all the facets of who we are. And if we want to find happiness it will be discovered in the reconciliation, forgiveness and acceptance of the path we travel.” I’m not even going to pretend like this didn’t make me emotional because of how true it is—not just for Emma but for every person trying to figure out who they are and their place in the world. That’s why Emma is such an amazing character, because in this world of fairytales her journey is such a real, human journey towards accepting your true self and your true calling. As you said, Emma grabbing her leather jacket symbolized her preparation for a battle that she knows won’t be easy. But it’s a battle that’s an important step on her journey towards accepting every part of herself.
As several people have already said, I loved the fact that Emma’s and Hook’s friendship was the main focus of this episode. I’m glad neither of them really focused on the love/romance part. They have amazing chemistry and my heart is bursting for them to be together but I think it was a good decision to take things slow. It felt so much more natural and real. And can we just talk about what brilliant actors both Jennifer Morrison and Colin O’Donoghue are? Their facial expressions, eyes, and little nuances are so effective in showing how their characters really feel. The way Hook looked at Emma when she came to meet him in the park- that hope, love, and affection and then the way Emma looked at him after she drank the potion. And then of course there was Regina and Snow’s conversation when she was burying her heart. My heart broke for both of them because they both knew such deep pain. And when Regina said she would rather not feel anything at all than have to feel the pain, made me want to cry. I think we’ve all felt that way at one time or another. I love how this show just pulls at your heartstrings on so many different levels.
Anyways, I’m excited to see what the second half of this season brings and the developing of new relationships Regina/Robin and changing of old relationships like Regina/Snow. Also, really hoping Rumple isn’t really dead. Overall, I’ve enjoyed this season a lot more than last season and almost as much, if not more, than the first season. This show has continually surprised and delighted me. I never thought that my favorite Disney characters would be the villains-Regina, Hook, Rumple, but they are. All the credit goes to the writers and creators for writing such complicated, believable, and wonderful characters.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your thoughts with us! I’m also really excited about where the rest of this season is heading, and, like you, I’ve found Season Three to be much more enjoyable and satisfying so far than Season Two was.
You’re so right to point out the way Morrison and O’Donoghue can say so much with just their facial expressions. I think that’s part of what makes their chemistry so strong; they can both convey so much without needing to say everything they’re feeling. It gives their interactions a real depth and sense of mutual understanding, and so much credit for that should be given to these great actors who play off each other so well.
I will start by saying that I love your reviews!
I loved so many things in this episode that sorry if this will be long, my CS heart is full of enjoyment from this episode:
* The parallel to ‘Tallahassee’ and how it showed us that Hook and Emma have grown as people and regarding each other-
‘Tallahassee’ was all about how Emma felt connection to Hook, it scared her how he was reading her ‘like an open book’, this made her turn her back on him even though she felt that she should trust him (“I can’t take the chance that I an wrong about you”), for Hook her betrayal made him go back to Hook that only cares about numero uno.
In ‘New York City Serenade’ even though Emma had less to go on regarding trusting Hook and what he ‘was selling’ her were mad man’s stories she decided to trust him and her gut, to trust the connection and the drawn she felt for him from the second she opened the door in 3.11 and drink the potion.
and for Hook, Emma chained him and had him locked up again and he didn’t turn his back on her because he knew why she did it, he knew it will be tough and he is not going to leave her alone.
This is a huge step in their relationship, especially for Emma.
* another HUGE step that you wrote in your review- Emma opening up to Hook in the drinking scene- we never saw Emma like that! she knows what she is saying hurts him but she feels comfortable to say it, in the past we saw Emma apologizing on how she feels (in 3.02 she apologized to Snow a second after she said she felt like an orphan her whole life), with Hook she knows he will stay, she has that confident with him, a real relationship can’t be based on hiding your emotions, we see a real friendship between them that I am sure will progress to more.
Emma has being through so much in a couple of days that she won’t jump to a relationship with Hook on that fast, even if this feels like a set back from ‘Good’ (I will admit I didn’t like it in the beginning cos my ship heart wanted more but it fits her character), Hook knows this is what she needs so he lays his heart on the table, he makes sure she knows why he did what he did but not in a pushy way, and she gets it. still my heart went for him especially when he said ‘perhaps there’s a man that you love in the life that you’ve lost’, I love what you wrote regarding Emma’s expression after it. Colin’s delivery of that line was perfection! both him and JMo like always were impeccable in this ep- a simple look, a change of the tone of their voice were enough to make us feel the scenes
* How Hook came about in making her remember- he gave her the choice! all her life people choose for Emma- she was chosen to be the savior before birth, her parents choose to send her through the wardrobe, Neal choose to abandon her in jail for ‘her own good’ (will not get into it), and it would have been easy for Hook to slip her the potion in the drink (he is a pirate after all) but he wanted to let her choose, he didn’t take her agency like most do, he knows this is what was lacking in her life and he wasn’t going to be another name to the list of people that choose for her.
* Welcome back swagger Hook, I’ve missed you so much, the scene the next day, the way he walked to her apartment, the exchange with Henry were priceless! and Emma is back to sarcastic Emma (‘Don’t wake him or scare him or… just let him sleep’)
*Emma trusted Hook with her son! Huge
* The obvious parallels to Henry in the pilot and Henry in general, one of the first eps that I liked him, how all the advises he gave Emma regarding Walsh to her were actually regarding Hook.
* Henry knows that Neal send Emma to Jail! Neal got it too easy in the past, I think the only one who told him about it was Hook in 3.10 so looking forward to that and I hope they won’t disappoint, I have the same wonder you have regarding Neal’s line about the curse.
* I guessed (because of all the spoilers) that Walsh will be a Flying Monkey but was surprised Emma found out so fast, I did like that she chose to go back home with Hook even before she knew what Walsh is. also her wanting to tell Walsh the truth something that Neal didn’t give her when he abandon her.
* Emma and Henry playing video games and he is a Knight and she a Wizard 🙂 nice touch
* Regina in General! she almost made me cry, when she put her heart back it was beautiful, so painful, Lana is amazing! and I liked that Snow was with her.
* Robin and Regina, l want her to start falling for him before she sees the lion tattoo and then she will surely freak out!
* and last but not least- Emma and Charming at the end, not knowing if the other one remembers, it was so beautiful! I always loved the connection they have and the understanding of each other, I love their hugs! Josh delivery was right on the spot.
What an amazing episode! so excited for the rest of 3B
Thanks so much for the compliment and for this enthusiastic and contagiously happy comment! Never apologize for leaving long comments over here; as you can tell by the length of my posts, I’m never one to shy away from writing a lot about something you care about! 😉
I loved what you said about the parallels between this episode and “Tallahassee” showing real growth in Hook and Emma’s relationship and in their own character development. Before, Emma was too afraid to take the chance that she was wrong about Hook. But this time, with Henry’s encouragement, she was able to trust her gut, which meant trusting Hook.
I was also struck by your comment that Emma is often apologizing for saying what she feels. It’s important that she doesn’t feel like she has to apologize to Hook for feeling the way she does about getting her memories back. That’s so huge for someone like Emma, who spent years believing her feelings and wants weren’t valid or worthy of having someone else care about them. Emma’s default position with most people is to keep her feelings bottled up until they are forced to come out, but with Hook in that scene in her apartment, she willingly opens up to him about exactly what she’s feeling in that moment. That’s a huge step for this woman who often either hides or apologizes for feeling the way she does.
Thank you, I love discussing the psychology of the characters and I know you too 🙂
NTCS was almost an exact parallel to “Tallahassee” until the moment Emma went to free Hook from jail, before she did that she told Henry –
“Maybe what happened in my past with your birth father has kept me from living my life now. And maybe it’s time for me to start looking forward…”
I believe this episode was a way to show us that Emma decided to really move on from Neal and the hurt it has caused her
plus this whole episode showed us that even when Emma got the life she supposedly wanted for 2 seasons (not being the savior and having Henry) it turned out to be not what she actually wants, in 3A Emma fought her feeling for Neal (past) and Hook (present & future) and Henry was all she decided she can handle. Emma with no memory had Henry, was not the savior, she might say she loved Walsh and maybe she did but it was comfortable love and it wasn’t enough, it lacked the spark and excitement. I think the new Emma with 2 sets of memories will be different, sure it will take her time but she will eventually see that she can have Henry, be the savior and have a TL. Hook by not pressuring her will give her the space she needs to see what’s in front of her (deep down she sees it, hence ‘Good’)
of forgot to say in my previous post that I loved that they didn’t denied us Emma regarding Walsh after she got her memories, yet we have not seen Neal talk about Tamara’s betrayal nor mourn about it, they show us Emma doing it, even if it was short and subtle (until she found out he was a flying freaking monkey), it’s important to her progression as a character.
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