Good Form- Thank you so very much for your reaction for this phenomenal episode, my friend! I absolutely love. love, love this episode so much!!! And I really enjoyed your reaction for it too. I am so, so happy you're coming around to loving Hook more and more!! Very happy! For me... Good Form is one of my absolute favorite episodes from season three, and it's easily among my favorite episodes throughout the entire show too for many reasons, but especially because of Hook's backstory that we get within it.
First... I absolutely love that we're given an even deeper backstory for my favorite character. It's because of this episode that my love for Hook has only deepened. It's one of the many reasons why Hook is my favorite character all the more. In season two's episode, The Crocodile... it shows us how Killian Jones becomes Captain Hook upon Rumplestiltskin cutting off Killian's hand to punish him and in the attempt to steal the magic bean from him and upon him swearing revenge against Rumplestiltskin for killing the woman he loved. And if that moment wasn't phenomenal enough... Good Form now reveals to us how Killian Jones also becomes a pirate as well, like we saw him already as a pirate in The Crocodile. Absolutely fabulous and I love every moment with Hook/Killian Jones within this episode. :)
But let's backtrack a little... My favorite storyline within this episode of course is Hook's, as he works to save David's life in spite of David's refusal to accept Hook's help. I also absolutely love Hook's backstory as we see how he comes to be a pirate. Any storyline centered around Hook of course is usually my favorite within any episode of course, if not always. But these storylines within Good Form really stands out to me because while we've already begun to see the good in Hook since the second part of season two's finale... And Straight on 'Til Morning, and especially since season three has begun, these storylines allow us to see a different side of Hook and to see that there's so much more to his character, than any movie or story about Captain Hook has ever allowed us to see before. And of course while I don't condone Hook's actions in becoming a pirate and a villain, I can absolutely understand why he's done all he has in his past since becoming a pirate. Hook has lost a lot in his life, and not just his brother and the woman he loved. There's just a lot more to Hook than meets the eye, and I absolutely love this about his character.
Now... Hook's present day storyline begins with him trying to share a moment with Emma, in hope of revealing a little more about himself with her so that she will hopefully begin to see him as more than just a pirate. I like this moment when Hook tries to share with her that he too knows how it feels to lose hope as Emma discovers Neal had back when he also lived in Neverland. Some people who watch this episode might see Hook in this moment as someone who is trying to get Emma to feel sorry for him. But I see it as a moment where Hook is trying to create a connection with Emma that they've never really had before, aside from both of their characters being people who have been alone for most of their lives and who have shut themselves off to any real chance of love and other feelings and emotions. This was revealed about Hook back in And Straight on 'Til Morning, when Emma tries to convince Hook to give back the magic bean, which is essentially what convinces him to turn his ship around and offer his ship and his services to Emma and the others to help them save Henry. But in this scene in Good Form, Hook wants her to see him as something other than just a pirate and a villain. He wishes for her to see the good in him... a man of honor, and the side of him that he believed was long ago forgotten, especially by himself.
Some people might take Hook's motivations for saving David and believe they are done for more selfish reasons, because Hook wants to be with Emma. And while perhaps some of his actions are done out of selfishness, I disagree with those who believe this about Hook for the most part because throughout the backstory, we see that Hook was once a really good man and truly a man of honor just like Hook referred to himself in the end to Pan. Hook has been a pirate and villain for over two hundred years, all the while living simply for the sake of gaining his revenge against Rumplestiltskin. So of course, Hook still has selfishness within him. However, him being the man of honor he had been before, in spite of Hook burying the good within him deep down so far so he could become the villain he became, doesn't just disappear either. Killian cared deeply about keeping his honor once as was shown in his refusal to follow their King's orders, especially when he stood against his own brother. That man is still within Hook, and he's been fighting hard to try to prove so to Emma, as well as to David and Mary Margaret that he can still be more than just the selfish pirate he's been for so long. And while Hook might have initially saved David for Emma like he jokes about with him, I do feel that a part of him also hopes to prove to David that he's more than just a pirate and hopes to gain his respect too, because of the similarities Hook sees between David and his brother, Liam. And David and Liam are very similar. And of course he doesn't wish for Emma to lose her father like she's lost Neal, and still might lose her son. Not like he lost his brother, the only family he had left at this point within his backstory. And I absolutely love this about Hook. :)
Now... Unfortunately for Hook, David overhears Hook's words with Emma as she pushes him away, then David is also harsh towards Hook as well when he warns him to stay away from her. I feel like David and Emma are both quite harsh towards Hook through most of this episode until the ending, and it's definitely uncalled for. But then again, to everyone Hook is still a villain and a pirate. Plus... they only know of his villainous story from the books and movies, as well as through probable rumors told of Captain Hook throughout the Enchanted Forest. So of course no one trusts him and to be fair to them... Hook still has to prove he's worthy of their trust and as far as they all know... until the ending, he really hasn't done so aside from offering them his ship and services to help them to save Henry. And David is also being an overprotective father too, because he sees Hook as a man unworthy of his daughter's affections. So while David's treatment of Hook throughout most of this major storyline is uncalled for, I can understand it to some degree as well.
Now... I still don't really understand why David continues to lie about his family about getting wounded and poisoned by the dreamshade. It is a bit annoying to be honest. However, I like how his fear to tell his wife and daughter the truth also leads to a great storyline between him and Hook, and such fun banter back and forth between them throughout this episode. And I really love their scenes together. But Hook has also been trying to convince David to tell his family the truth ever since the third episode... Quite a Common Fairy, ever since he saw David get struck by the arrow back in Lost Girl. Which I love about Hook too. David is trying to protect his family from any needless pain so long as he can spare them, while Hook understands how David's family will feel should they learn that David has died.
I love it when David tells Hook to join him in search for more firewood, and I love how it leads to an argument where Hook is urging David to tell Emma and Mary Margaret the truth about him dying, as well as to Hook offering David a chance to save him. in spite of the deception Hook uses in order to get Charming there on account of recognizing how stubborn David is, just like his brother. It also leads to David trying to punch Hook as they get into an argument that results in David overexerting himself to the point of him passing out because of the poison.
Another thing I really don't like about Charming throughout this episode... is that David keeps telling Hook that it will be on his shoulders to tell Emma and Mary Margaret that David has died, having not already left a dead man. Not only would this force Hook to have to keep up David's lie to his family, but it also puts a heavy burden on Hook's shoulders too, since the chances of Emma and Mary Margaret believing he's not to blame for David getting himself killed is small... if not impossible. They would have most likely believed that Hook failed to protect him in their made up fight against the Lost Boys, or that he had been selfish and protected himself instead of protecting David. Hook is after all still seen as a villain and David is the hero. And this really isn't fair of Charming to do to Hook.
But back again to the major storyline... When David wakes up, Hook has come up with a scheme to save David's life without him knowing the truth behind his deception about knowing where they can find a sextant that will help them to find a way out of Neverland. I love this and I love how Hook takes it upon himself to save David for Emma, and Mary Margaret too, because David is foolish and stubborn enough to believe he's being noble in sacrificing himself for the others. I love how this false quest leads Hook and David on Hook's true mission to save David from the dreamshade.
I also love, love, love the first scene between Hook and Pan up on Dead Man's Peak. This is the first time we really get a moment that shows the rivalry between these two characters from their original story and the movies... Disney's Peter Pan, Hook with Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams, Peter Pan with Jeremy Sumpter, Pan with Hugh Jackman and Garrett Hedlund, etc... all that have stemmed from J.M. Barrie's, Peter Pan. I absolutely love the role reversal with Pan being a villain, while Hook is slowly becoming a hero... or at least as he's trying to be. This scene on the peak between Hook and Pan is brilliant, and I absolutely love the acting between both Colin O'Donoghue and Robbie Kay. They both play their roles phenomenally, in a way that no one else could have accomplished for a show as phenomenal as Once Upon a Time.
I love how Pan offers Hook a deal to try to bring him back to the selfish side of him that Pan believes is all Hook is. I love how Pan taunts and plays games with Hook to try to lure him over to his side by offering him a way off the island along with Emma, tempting Hook by helping him to win Emma's heart, in exchange for Hook killing David by running him through with his hook. Thankfully, Hook refuses to accept any kind of deal from Pan upon seeing right through his lies and deceptions, even though he never actually makes a final decision after Pan continues to taunt Hook a little longer. But I do sense that Hook never intended to accept Pan's deal either. He's trying so hard to bring the good in him back out. Unfortunately for Hook, David happens to overhear their conversation as he climbs up the peak on his own, and David once again continues to be cruel and distrusting towards Hook.
I love the moment between Hook and David once they finally reach the top of the peak where the dreamshade plants originate from, as David admits to having overheard Pan offer Hook a deal, believing that Hook had brought him there to kill him. And once again, David attempts to punch Hook after threatening to push him into the dreamshade, only giving Hook the opportunity to punch him out instead, which he does only to protect himself.
However, knowing that David has very little time left, and that Emma would never see him as a man of honor if he were to allow David to die, Hook risks his life and cuts his way through the dreamshade to reach the waters that will save David's life and heal him from the poison. And once he succeeds, Hook brings the waters back for David and warns him of the consequences that will come from David drinking from the magical spring. A warning that Pan never explained fully to Killian within the past storyline when Killian gave his brother Liam the waters to save his life as well.
This brings me to the backstory... I love that this episode shows us how Hook... back then known only as Leftenant Killian Jones, first came to Neverland along with his brother, Captain Liam Jones, and how he meets Pan for the first time. I also love learning that Hook was once a Lieutenant (or Leftenant as the title is pronounced in the British countries) within the Royal Navy from his Kingdom, and that his brother Liam was a Captain. It's so different to see Hook shown to be someone who was once happy and good at one time, living what appeared to be somewhat of a carefree life before he ever became a pirate and the villainous Captain Hook. And again, we see a different side to his character, which I absolutely love.
And then... we learn the reasons for Killian and Liam coming to Neverland, upon orders from their King to collect dreamshade for him under the lie that dreamshade has the power to heal and that they will be able to use it to save all sailors from the risk of death at sea, unbeknownst to them that dreamshade is really poison.
I love seeing Killian's and Liam's first meeting with Pan, as Pan reveals the true nature of the dreamshade and taunts them by saying how ruthless their King must be. Sadly, Liam refuses to believe Pan could be right, but I love that Killian is wary of Pan's warning and that in spite of Liam's urging to trust in him, Killian senses Pan had spoken the truth.
Also... I love the moment between Killian and Liam, when Killian refuses to take the dreamshade for their King, saying that while he will fight against their enemies, he will fight them fairly without cruelly poisoning them to wipe out an entire race of people as the King wants from them. I love that Killian sees through their King's deceit and refuses to follow him any longer. Even at the risk of disobeying his Captain's orders and following his brother's wishes as well.
However, Liam doesn't believe their King could possibly be so ruthless, so he foolishly chooses to prove to Killian that the dreamshade isn't poison, and sadly learns the hard way just how wrong he is, and that Pan was right all along. I one hundred percent agree with you that Liam is an idiot for being the true gullible one among them. Unfortunately, Liam is near death and Killian must make a deal with Pan to save his life, without understanding the full consequences of doing so.
Also... one line spoken by Pan to Killian within this episode that really makes me angry with Pan a little, is when Pan taunts Killian as his brother is dying, as Pan states, "Perhaps you shouldn't have goaded him into it." This line doesn't seem to make sense because we know Killian never goaded Liam into injecting himself with the poison. But Pan is cruelly feeding on Killian's insecurities about himself, which we could see Killian definitely had back then, so Pan could manipulate Killian into thinking that he had goaded his brother into it and that his brother's death was his fault, in order to lure Killian into his trap. It's a small thing about this episode, but I still really love the motivations behind this single sentence. Pan makes me angry for saying it to hurt Killian, but it also gives us more to love for his own character, as well as for Killian too.
And then... Killian uses the waters from the spring to save Liam and then calls out to Pan to give the boy whatever it was Pan might want in exchange for his help in saving Liam. However, Pan never shows back up to them. And I believe Killian would have searched for Pan as long as he could in order to repay him, as a man of honor would have done. This leads me to believe that Pan probably never appears to them again to collect, with the belief that he knew he would see Killian again one day and will be able to use Liam's death to his own advantage in order to get Killian to one day work for him, as we learn that Hook had eventually come back to work for him during his two hundred years of living in Neverland. And this has been Pan's long game he's been playing with Hook ever since they met. I love it!!! I absolutely love their encounters together!!!
Sadly, the brothers Jones never find Pan again and therefore, Killian and Liam leave the island, and in doing so, Liam dies because we learn that the waters contain the magic that heals, yet that no one once they drink from them can ever leave Neverland. This brings us back to the moment between Hook and David in the present day after Hook gives David the waters and warns him of the true consequences. And I am so happy and grateful that Hook does warn David of the price of the magic, putting the choice and his decision completely on David's shoulders. Also... I love how David looks at Hook in surprise by all Hook's done to save him, then accepts his help at last as he drinks the waters. And I love how David then asks Hook why he has risked so much to help him, when he believes there isn't anything for him in return, to which Hook winks at him as he cheekily answers, "I didn't do it for you, mate.", meaning that he saved David's life for Emma, as well as for himself to prove to himself that the good in him hasn't disappeared completely. I love it! I absolutely love Hook's cheekiness. :)
In regards to why Hook sees the necessity of his deception about going to find his brother's lost sextant in a supposed duel between Liam and Pan that never took place... David looks at Hook as he recognizes that Hook had to trick him in order to get him to go on their journey to save his life, knowing that he would have refused to take any time away from him helping his family save Henry had Hook told him the truth. Yes... the truth could have led them to saving David's life as well had David agreed, but David is far too stubborn to risk going on a dangerous quest to save his own life, knowing Henry was falling more and more vulnerable to losing hope. And Hook of course knows this. I really appreciate that David does recognize his mistake in being so stubborn and that by the end, he comes to trust in Hook a little.
In the end of the backstory... we see Killian taking up his brother's rank as Captain, and how he swears to avenge Liam's death by taking down and destroying everything their ruthless King loves, as he becomes the pirate we know him to be even before he becomes Captain Hook. We also learn that the Jolly Roger was once known as the Jewel of the Realm under Liam's command, which I also love. I love the ferocity in Killian's voice and in his eyes as he proclaims himself and his crew pirates, and as they vow to destroy their King. A phenomenal, phenomenal scene!!! :)
And as for there being honor among thieves... Hook has always sought men for his crew who will remain loyal to him no matter what. And he trusted in his men at that time that they would follow him, as he and they would have followed Liam. With honor towards each other. In regards to the rest of the crew immediately falling into line as they appeared to... most likely, they all were extremely loyal to their Captain, and to Killian who soon becomes their Captain. It may seem quick, but for me, it's not unheard of. And just because we might not have seen anyone refuse, it doesn't mean that everyone immediately accepted Killian's orders either. We just didn't see it onscreen if there were those who resisted. I'm sure there were rebellions and mutinies in Killian's Royal Navy days, as there most likely were in his days as Captain Hook as well.
Now... I also really enjoy the scenes between Emma, Mary Margaret, Regina as they work to get a message to Henry so that he will know they've come for him. I like how they trap one of the Lost Boys in hope to convince him to help them by getting a message to Henry. Unfortunately, Emma is forced to allow Regina to rip out the boy's heart so they can force him to help them. The moment between Emma and Mary Margaret when Emma has to hold her mother back while Regina does so is very sad, but despite it being a bit evil, I still really love this moment just like you did too. Of course Emma had a choice, but she is desperate to assure her son that they've come for him, and Hook's yearning for Emma to do so in Neal's cave upon stating that every minute trapped on this island is another minute of him becoming closer to Pan and to becoming a Lost Boy... has only heightened her desperate need to assure her son he's not alone.
I also really like the moment between them and Henry, when Henry finally sees the truth that they have in fact come for him. It's a very powerful moment.
As for my favorite moments within this episode... I absolutely love the ending as David gives Hook credit for saving his life, in spite of him continuing to lie to his wife and daughter about the true circumstances as to how Hook saved him. I love that David asks for his flask to drink to Hook, as both Mary Margaret and Emma do the same, while Regina simply states. "I don't do rum" and steps away. Very funny. But this brings us to the moment shared between Hook and Emma, as Emma thanks him for saving her father's life. I love how Hook admits he couldn't allow her father to die or leave him alone on the island to perish, which I believe wholeheartedly that he is completely sincere in his words given the circumstances surrounding his brother's death. And I love how Hook then changes his demeanor as he smugly attempts to gain a kiss from Emma in gratitude. However, it's clear that while Hook was hoping to earn a kiss from Emma, he is really only being cheeky and that he didn't actually expect her to give in to him. I love their banter in this moment... and then that kiss!!! What a beautiful moment, as Emma suddenly pulls Hook into a much deeper kiss than he could have ever expected, or than we as fans of this show could have ever expected from Emma, after Killian goads her by saying she wouldn't be able to handle a kiss from him after she states her disbelief that he could handle such a kiss from her, and then goes on to try to prove it to him that she won't feel anything if she complies. However, of course they both feel the passion behind their kiss and Hook becomes even more smitten by Emma, while Emma denies she feels something for him as well, as she tells him that their kiss is only a one time thing, then simply walks away from him after she demands he go get more firewood, to which he responds with a bow... "As you wish." I really love that this is a nod to The Princess Bride and I love it!!! What a beautiful, powerful moment between Killian and Emma, and it's hard to not want to see Emma choose Hook over Neal, which is what I've wanted since Hook and Emma first meet back in season two's episode... The Doctor, and especially since Tallahassee where they climb the beanstalk together. This kiss they share here in Good Form... is definitely why so many people immediately became shippers of Captain Swan. Especially me!! :)
Now... we've known that Hook has been smitten by Emma pretty much since he met her back in season two's episode... The Doctor, and more so in the next episode... Tallahassee. And Hook's feelings towards Emma has only grown, especially since she reminded him of the man he used to be and told him he could be a part of something, like I mentioned above from season two's finale... And Straight on 'Til Morning. But Emma's feelings towards Hook have only ever been more of understanding and friendly at best in spite of his valiant efforts to entice her to become more. But since Neal's death, Emma has been feeling vulnerable, upset, and more appreciative of Hook's help to save Henry, as well as of his patience and understanding over what Emma's needed to say and hear in all of their talks since they left on their journey to Neverland. And when she learns that Hook has now also saved her father's life, she grows that much more grateful to him. Because of all of this... Emma suddenly gives into Hook's flirtations and seductions. Aside from the obvious attraction to his good looks... Emma doesn't feel any kind of romantic feelings towards Hook. Right now, she's just really hurting and feeling vulnerable and weak. And kissing Hook has allowed for her to forget it all for a brief passionate moment. I really hope this makes sense.
And lastly... I love the final scene between Hook and Pan again, as Pan returns to taunt Hook once more. I love how Pan speaks to Hook in spite of him being so cruel. This scene makes me love Pan that much more for being the villain he is. And I love that Pan then reveals to Hook that Neal is still alive and in Neverland, as he states... "I'd hate for this to get in the way of a budding romance. Let's see the kind of man you truly are." And you can see the look of utter shock, as well as fear on his face in this moment. Fear that that moment Emma learns Neal is alive, any chance of him winning Emma's heart will disappear. Brilliant!!!
Pan is a character very much known for playing games, and always has been in every story of Peter Pan. This is why his character here in Once Upon a Time is written in this way too. And by playing these games, it is allowing for him to get everything he wants. His patience is working brilliantly, because it is slowly tearing those working against him apart. Just you wait!
Overall... what a phenomenal episode!!! Thank you so much for your reaction for it!!! The next few episodes are really good too, so I can't wait for more!! Until next time, my friend...
Sincerely,
Heidi