SQAbode

[shipsabode]

I miss pre-season 5 Emma Swan - as do a lot of people, apparently. I’ve been reading lots of posts lately wondering what happened to her, where she is. Where’s the feisty, badass Savior? Well, she’s been consumed by darkness - which was subsequently undone. But instead of answering its audience’s questions, instead of making the Dark Swan storyline about Emma herself, the show chose to make it all about Hook: his fall into darkness (in 5A) and his eventual rescue from the Underworld (in 5B). Instead of being the central focus of her own arc, Emma Swan was sidelined in favor of a man as the entire season became about him. By doing so, by shifting the focus from Emma (the show’s lead character) to Hook (her boyfriend), the writers missed out on what could have been a great journey. They missed out on what could have been a captivating character story. Emma was consumed by darkness. The light within her diminished, and it was replaced by evil, manipulative instincts that almost took over. She’s the Savior. She was born to bring back the happy endings. But then her heart was tainted with darkness she’d never felt before - with thoughts she’d never had before. Her heart is no longer as pure. She is no longer as pure. Something happened to her that has transformed her. She went through a horrible experience. But the series chose to ignore that. It chose to ignore the emotional turmoil Emma is surely going through. It chose to shed light on any post-traumatic stress Emma must be suffering from. The emotional fallout of her sacrifice, of her misdeeds in Storybrooke as the Dark One, and of her misjudgment in bringing her family with her to the Underworld (that 30-second scene that does not count) have not taken center stage yet. What has, though? Her incessant need to save Hook. We are seeing a shadow of Emma Swan - a person that has changed, a person that lost so much when she became Dark One. But we have not been allowed access to her head. We have not been allowed access to her thoughts and her emotions (that don’t revolve around Hook). We don’t have a psychological connection with Emma anymore. Who is she? We don’t know anymore. Of course she’s not Season One Emma Swan anymore. And that is not what I have a problem with. I don’t want my favorite characters to be perfect and happy and badass all the time. I get weakness. I get vulnerability. And when done right, damaged characters make for such great TV. But the show’s not allowing that to happen. It’s not allowing this season’s Emma to be a fully-realized character. It’s not allowing her to work through her issues (something Regina has brought up once and then was completely forgotten). She’s a background character in someone else’s story. She’s merely a pawn in what has become The Hook Arc. And Emma Swan deserves better than that.

[sqcanary-blog]

I miss pre-season 5 Emma Swan - as do a lot of people, apparently. I’ve been reading lots of posts lately wondering what happened to her, where she is. Where’s the feisty, badass Savior? Well, she’s been consumed by darkness - which was subsequently undone.

But instead of answering its audience’s questions, instead of making the Dark Swan storyline about Emma herself, the show chose to make it all about Hook: his fall into darkness (in 5A) and his eventual rescue from the Underworld (in 5B). Instead of being the central focus of her own arc, Emma Swan was sidelined in favor of a man as the entire season became about him.

By doing so, by shifting the focus from Emma (the show’s lead character) to Hook (her boyfriend), the writers missed out on what could have been a great journey. They missed out on what could have been a captivating character story. 

Emma was consumed by darkness. The light within her diminished, and it was replaced by evil, manipulative instincts that almost took over. She’s the Savior. She was born to bring back the happy endings. But then her heart was tainted with darkness she’d never felt before - with thoughts she’d never had before. Her heart is no longer as pure. She is no longer as pure. Something happened to her that has transformed her. She went through a horrible experience.

But the series chose to ignore that. It chose to ignore the emotional turmoil Emma is surely going through. It chose to shed light on any post-traumatic stress Emma must be suffering from. The emotional fallout of her sacrifice, of her misdeeds in Storybrooke as the Dark One, and of her misjudgment in bringing her family with her to the Underworld (that 30-second scene that does not count) have not taken center stage yet. What has, though? Her incessant need to save Hook. 

We are seeing a shadow of Emma Swan - a person that has changed, a person that lost so much when she became Dark One. But we have not been allowed access to her head. We have not been allowed access to her thoughts and her emotions (that don’t revolve around Hook). We don’t have a psychological connection with Emma anymore. Who is she? We don’t know anymore.

Of course she’s not Season One Emma Swan anymore. And that is not what I have a problem with. I don’t want my favorite characters to be perfect and happy and badass all the time. I get weakness. I get vulnerability. And when done right, damaged characters make for such great TV. But the show’s not allowing that to happen. It’s not allowing this season’s Emma to be a fully-realized character. It’s not allowing her to work through her issues (something Regina has brought up once and then was completely forgotten). She’s a background character in someone else’s story. She’s merely a pawn in what has become The Hook Arc.

And Emma Swan deserves better than that.

[shipsabode]

I find it pretty telling that Regina is only character who's called Emma on NOT being herself - the only person who knows that there's a part of Emma that's not there anymore, a part of her is still healing. She was the one who told her she's got issues that she needs to face and solve (even though H00k got all the credit for it). She's the one who told her she's too good for H00k - the only character to do so thus far. Regina's saying what we're thinking. And that's because she loves Emma as much as we do. It's like Regina's the voice of audience - the voice of reason - and Emma's the writers' - refusing to listen.

[you-taste-likewhiskey]

WHY IS BABY REGINA THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES THIS?!?!? LIKE REALLY. COINCIDENCE? NO FUCKING CHANCE.

[shipsabode]

Imagine: Emma: "He doesn't think I'm good enough for Hook." Regina: "To be honest you're too good for Hook."

Emma smiles at Regina. They stare at each other for a while, way more than is socially acceptable. Regina's heart starts thudding through her ears. Should she? She she grazes her palm with Emma's. Regina returns Emma's smile, timidly. But then Emma intertwines her fingers with Regina's. And Regina is hopeful. She's excited. She feels so bold. Like she can do anything right now. Emma, though, doesn't look as bold. Regina can see it the worry in her eyes, the fear. "What's wrong, Emma?" Regina asks as her thumb caresses's Emma's. "I..I gotta go," is Emma's reply.

[shipsabode]

The way this conversation should go:

Regina: [Liam] doesn’t like you, does he? Emma: He doesn't think I’m good enough for Hook. Regina: (gets up, holds both of Emma’s hands) Listen to me, Emma. You’re beautiful. You’re strong. You’re brave. You’re confident. You’re the Savior. Don’t let anyone make you believe you’re anything less than that.

[shipsabode]

I miss Emma's puppy eyes. I miss her innocent, playful grins directed at Regina. I miss her childlike personality. I understand that being the Dark One may have changed her for good, but I definitely miss pre-season 5 Emma.

[cleofinch]

[shipsabode]

🙄

[shipsabode]

Where Regina has accepted her love for Emma - and Emma keeps running away

I was watching last week’s episode of Once Upon a Time when it hit me - the way Regina doesn’t melt into Robin’s kisses anymore the way she used to in seasons 3 and 4, the way she’s searching for any excuse to be alone with Emma, and the way she literally went to Hell with Emma to grant her the happy ending she wants… They’re indicative of one thing: Regina has reconciled with the fact that she’s in love with Emma. She’s not acting on her feelings yet, but she’s accepted them. She’s not fighting her emotions. She’s not building a shield around herself to protect herself from falling into Emma. She’s there. By her side. Always. 

I’m an optimist. And I have a lot of dumb positivity that keeps me going as I watch the dreadfulness that Once Upon a Time has become. So here’s the way I see it:

Emma pursued Regina in season four - she didn’t know why. But she did - with her, “They don’t know what it feels like to be rejected and misunderstood. Not the way I do, not the way you do. And somehow that makes us, I don’t know, unique. Or maybe even special. […] I was just looking for you to be my friend.” and her promising Regina she’d give her the happy ending she deserves and drinking shots with her and following Regina to make sure she’s safe when she “allied” herself with the Queens of Darkness. 

But then she swallowed the darkness that was threatening Regina - that was threatening her happy ending, threatening everything she’s worked so hard to accomplish. “You’ve worked to hard to have your happiness destroyed.” And I think it was in that moment that Emma realized just how much she loves Regina - and that realization overwhelmed over. It freaked her out. It scared her shitless. And that’s why she isolated herself. That’s why she recoiled. And that’s why she clinged/is clinging on to Hook - because loving him means she doesn’t love Regina. 

When Regina used the dagger on her in “Birth,”  she begged her for answers - for the truth, “It’s another wall, Emma. Now, the truth…..You just have to brave enough to knock down those walls you’re hiding behind. The dagger will make you look, but you - YOU - have to choose to see. […] “C'mon, Emma. C'mon. See!” That look in her eyes was full of pain and heartache. She wanted Emma to knock down her walls and admit that she’s in love with her. “There’s a difference between not knowing something and not wanting to admit it.” Regina knew the answer. She knew why Emma risked her life for her. And it was selfish of her to demand an admittance from Emma that she was not yet ready to give. But it was definitely telling.

And Emma keeps running away - from her feelings, from her yearning. She’s holding on to Hook for dear life - even though he verbally abused her and threatened her family - because she refuses to allow herself to love Regina. 

I’ve been reading a lot of fanfics lately, and they’re making me hopeful. And that’s never a good thing. 

[shipsabode]

SwanQueen is Dair.

Enemies (who bicker all the time and want to destroy each other) turned best friends (who risk their own lives protecting each other no matter what)? Check. They call each other by their last name? Check. (Blair kept calling Dan, "Humphrey," for the longest time. Regina calls Emma "Swan" or "Miss Swan" half of the time, too.) One half of the relationship being a redeemed "Evil Queen?" Check. (It's amazing how alike Blair and Regina are.) The other half has an abusive, douche of a boyfriend that the entire fandom flails over and deems "her true love"? Check. Actors have earth-shattering chemistry? Check. A relationship adored by the critics but completely denied by the writers? Check. (The writers at Gossip Girl only gave us Dair to shut us up - before crashing and burning the relationship.) It's no wonder I'm this obsessed about SwanQueen. I spent a good three years of my life shipping Dair (intensely) - until the writers ruined it. Let's hope SwanQueen has a better fate.

[shipsabode]

My friends are either getting engaged, getting married, or having babies. And me? I'm here wondering why Regina told Cora, "I can't turn my back on those I LOVE" (And to be clear: she meant Emma, David, and Snow - because Hood and Henry were to leave with her) instead of "those I care about." I mean, she could have. It would have worked. But she said "LOVE" because she does - she does love those two idiots and Emma (her OTL).

[shipsabode]

My problem with Once Upon a Time is not its refusal to make Swan Queen canon (because it is canon in my head and that’s all that matters.) I am actually done with the show because of its utter disregard of the entire notion of continuity. The series may be excessively serialized, but it has no respect to the inherent concept of serialization.

The thing is: none of the show’s plot-holes are slip-ups by the Powers that Be. In fact, I believe they are very intentional, very calculated actions to draw in a certain crowd to the show and bait them to stay.

During the first half of season 5, the show would lines that would seem random at the first instant and then would become theorized by the fans. The viewers would take those quick, you’d-miss-them-if-you-blink-scenes and try to decipher the meanings behind them. Well, guess what? It is more apparent than ever that there are no hidden messages behind such scenes - except drawing us in, not allowing us to let go. 

Take the first episode, for example. In its last few minutes, Dark Emma solemnly enters Granny’s and tells everyone with her sultry monotone that they have “failed.” A few seconds after that, she evilly turns Sneezy into stone - literally. In the second episode, she repeats such statement when she tells Henry that he hasn’t failed her. Everyone else did. How did any of her family members fail her in Camelot? In addition, in the midseason finale, we learn that Emma is not actually as dark as she seems in the first couple of episodes. We learn that she’s been doing everything out of love. We learn that she’s been isolating herself because of fear for her family and friends. Wait, what?

In “The Price,” Emma provocatively (and sexily) poses this to Regina, “What’s the matter, Regina? Are you afraid Henry will learn the truth about what happened in Camelot?” What. The. Hell. happened in Camelot? I still have no idea (even though that story-line has been put to bed.).

In the fifth episode, moreover, during the epic/infamous porch scene, Emma says the following statement to Regina (again, notice which pair the show’s focusing on baiting its audience with), “I would have been fine if you could have helped yourself and stayed out of it. Maybe you’re the one causing pain.” What? What did that mean? Why did Emma say that? What happened in Camelot that made her say that? No fucking idea.

There are so many more moments - especially Swan Queen moments - that made the viewers have certain expectations of the how the season will turn out. JMo did call 5A “misleading,” but it was actually more than that, it was deceiving. The writers gave the fans of the show (and certain ships) false hopes that they had intention on pulling through with. 

And that’s why I’m done with OUAT. 

[bekksrich]

An epic tale about family, hope and amnesiac tendencies.

[shipsabode]

In a nutshell.

[shipsabode]

Regina: “Now, the truth.” Emma: “It is! Regina, please.” Regina: (tearing up, pleading) “No, it’s NOT!”

Emma is pleading just as hard as Regina is, begging her not to push her anymore to admit her feelings for her. The urgency in both their tones is SO telling. If this were a heterosexual pairing, this would be the moment everyone admits these two are in love with each other.

Now tell me again how Swan Queen is not canon.

[shipsabode]

To be honest, the first time I watched the well/dagger scene in 5x08, I was pretty angry at the show for making Regina “command” Emma. But the more I watched the scene, the more I realized Regina was actually pleading *NOT* commanding - she was BEGGING her, “It’s another wall, Emma. Now, the truth…..You just have to brave enough to knock down those walls you’re hiding behind. The dagger will make you look, but you - YOU - have to choose to see.” After that word, Regina almost broke down. There was so much anguish in her words, in her facial expressions. It was sadness NOT manipulation. It was a look of LOVE - don’t you dare tell me otherwise. “C'mon, Emma. C'mon. See!” It’s like she was thisclose to saying “PLEASE. I BEG YOU.” That look in her eyes was full of pain and heartache/heartbreak. She wanted Emma to knock down her walls and admit that she’s in love with her. "There's a difference between not knowing something and not wanting to admit it." “Please just tell me why you risked *your* happiness, *your* life, for mine.”

[chromeknickers]

Does the claim ‘they hate each other!' really apply to Bamon? Not anymore. Damon has confirmed with his words and Bonnie with her actions what the Bamily has known all along: they like each other. They care for one another, even when they try to hide it, and most importantly, they protect each other.

Does like equate love? No, it doesn’t, but it does equate mutual respect and friendship, and often the deepest and most lasting relationships, romantic or otherwise, are rooted in friendship. 

Read More

[shipsabode]

I couldn't have said it better myself. This is brilliant.

[shipsabode]

Last night, we bid farewell to one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) fictional characters of our generation: Grey's Anatomy's Cristina Yang. It was an emotional farewell; I cried. I cried a lot. I cried when she hugged Derek and simply said, "Goodbye." I cried when she told Alex she always knew he had it in him to be the excellent surgeon he is today. I cried when she hugged her mentor, Bailey. And I cried when she danced it out with Meredith.

When you are part of a fictional character's multiple story-lines and evolution as a human being for TEN YEARS, you can't help but create a bond with such character -- establish a very strong friendship with them, even if it's imaginary. I've known Cristina Yang for a LONG time -- more than I've known a lot of people in my life.

And last night, we said goodbye to a friend that never let us down -- not once in ten seasons.

Cristina Yang will never be repeated on TV -- ever. She was a character that never comprised her principles -- that feminism that engulfed her. She was a woman who had to make tough choices -- controversial choices -- to become the surgeon and the person she always saw herself as. Her feminism was never a political issue. The word "feminism" was probably never even mentioned in the show by her or about her. However, it is that characteristic that made her so different from the rest of TV's characters. She knew where her happiness lied and followed that path until the very end, not allowing herself to be a shadow or an echo of someone else. She never allowed herself to lose herself in people's conversations. She never allowed herself to listen to anyone other than herself. She was a strong woman. She was a brilliant woman. She *is* incomparable.

"It's like candy! But with blood!"

Cristina was also one half of one of the most epic, gripping relationships on television: the relationship of Meredith and Cristina. These women taught each other a lot through their 10-season journey (as they did us). They made each other better people. They made each other braver, stronger. "You are my person," became a phrase we wanted to live, a phrase that made us appreciate the people in our lives. It's a phrase that made us want to search for that one person -- that one soul-mate -- who isn't a romantic partner, rather... a twisted sister. They were never the cliched TV female friends. Yes, they talked about boys often. But when they did, they talked with such brutal honesty; it was refreshing. They pushed each other to become better surgeons. Even when they let their differences get the best of them, they found their way back to each other.

"Don’t get on any tiny little planes that can crash or stick your hand in a body cavity that has a bomb in it or off your life to a gunman. Don’t do that. Don’t be a hero. You’re my person. I need you alive. You make me brave." (Oh God, I'm weeping again.)

"He's very dreamy, but he's not the sun. You are."

I will miss you, Cristina Yang. Thank you for the last ten years. Thank you for the laughs. Thank you for the lessons. Thank you for the one-liners we will post and tweet and recite often in the years to come.

Sandra Oh, you are a legend. (It's a shame you've never won an Emmy for playing Yang. And if you don't get one this year, I'm starting a riot.) Cristina Yang was never just a fictional character. And she will never, ever be reduced to just that. Cristina Yang is a hero, a hero you and Shonda Rhimes created so beautifully. She will live on in people's memories for a long, long time. Good luck with your future endeavors. We love you.

[shipsabode]

Buffy Reviews

Anyone has any idea where I can find Buffy season 5 (or any seasons, really) reviews (preferably that analyze the events AND the themes in the episodes)?