TDDD For the record, I haven't seen the last couple of episodes of Season 3 but I know what happens. There's no denying that in the beginning Hook was a womanizer. He did flirt with a lot of women and I fail to see what was wrong with that. (Granted, he did it despite their objections and [i]that[/i] I have an issue with.) But the act itself - flirting with several people - I don't understand why he shouldn't. He's single so it's not like he's cheating on anyone. I also don't see why people think it's disgusting that he flirted with Snow. Physically Hook, Snow, Regina, Tink and Emma are all around the same age. They're all adults and, if it would ever lead to it, capable of consent. I've said this before but there is actually a great appeal to the story of a womanising man falling in love with a woman. The fact that this woman alone caught his eye, out of all the other women he's had. It's a sign that he sees something special in her, that in his eyes she's unique. This storyline makes him very attractive. Attractive is not quite the same thing as 'hot' (which Colin is, let's be fair), it has an extra element to it. Some people will simply relate to that storyline more than the 'first love' one. About the kiss. Emma knew of Hook's feelings for her, and Emma is not a cruel person. To kiss a man that is falling in love with you for sport is an absolutely terrible thing to do. She would have been playing with his feelings and heart and she's knows how much it hurts and how deeply it can scar you when people do that. She would not have inflicted that pain on Hook. Following this logic, she kissed him because in that moment she felt something too. She kissed him because she wanted to. I don't mean to bash your ship or your article so I'm sorry if it seems that way - I just want to comment on everything you said! About Neal, one of my biggest issues with Neal is Tamara. He moved on with her - that's absolutely fine! I always encourage characters and people to move on from past relationships. I think it's healthy and mature, so long as they aren't using the other people as a means of coping. And Neal wasn't! Through all of Season 2 it was "I love Tamara" "I need her" "I'm going to marry her" And that was great - Neal gets brownie points for not jumping his ex the moment he set eyes on her again (which happens far too often in films/ books/ tv series nowadays). He stayed true to her - he was going to marry her. He loved her. That was nice, that was sweet. But then Tamara betrayed him and it was "Oops, she shot me so I can't marry or love her anymore. Emma I love you. We're soulmates." Now I'm being slightly ridiculous but my point still stands. Neal moved on from the supposed love of his life extremely quickly - like a matter of seconds quickly. He loves her and needs her and when she tries to kill him we don't even get "Well, that's a bummer" before he is declaring his undying love for Emma. It just really makes me question Neal whenever love is brought into the equation. Neal's "I love you"s to Tamara clearly meant very little. How do we know Emma is a different case. Because plot? As for Neal leaving Emma - I dislike him for the deep emotional scars and trauma he caused her. In the decade following his 'betrayal' of her she was never able to get close to anyone. Never able to trust of befriend anyone. Never stayed in a place longer than two years. Nal did that to her and I don't feel like he ever really acknowledged or took responsibility for the pain he caused her before jumping into a 'get Emma back' crusade. Ship the hell out of Swanfire if you want to, I'm just trying to explain why I can't.

Evilregal14 Agree with this. Some CS fans have actually offended me personally, they go too far sometimes. Not just on here, on other fan sites

thisisme365 TDDD, you made some good points. I was disgusted by the fact that he flirted with Snow because one she's married (and clearly uninterested)(plus we all know Charming would beat the trash out of him) and he KNOWS that's Emma's mom. It's just the idea that someone could be so low as to flirt with someone and consequently flirt with their mom as well. Also, I didn't mean for it to sound like Emma was intentionally lead him on to hurt him, I think she may not have known that it would impact him so much.

thisisme365 Oh and I have a question, TDDD. Ignoring the personal interactions and past of Hook and Neal, I'd like to know why you think Emma and Hook are good together, personality-wise.

Evilregal14 Hook has flirted with two mother and daughters: Cora& Regina and Emma&Snow. That's one of the reasons I don't like him. In 2x08 he went right up on Cora's face and was sweet talking her. In 2x06 he did the same with Snow.

thisisme365 Exactly, he was acting like a player. Also, yeah, Neal had some issue's too, but my thing with him is that it seems like he always has the best intentions in mind. Granted idk what his intentions were when he was a thief because that wasn't explored very much imo (aside from him trying to stay alive), but let's just say that was one of his low moments :P

matchesrulezu I don't like repeating myself because I can't help but feel like I'm wasting my words anyway. But, you seem like you're genuinely open to other opinions, so I'll give a friendly debate a shot with you. Why I ship CaptainSwan: No. It's not because Colin is physically attractive. I think most of the people are physically attractive on this show, including Neal. I don't ship people because of looks and most CaptainSwan fans I know don't either. You say you don't see chemistry between them, but that's something that varies from person to person. When I see them, there's sizzling chemistry. Like you could cook a steak on it chemistry. I'm sure it's mostly Colin's acting abilities, but the way he looks at Emma makes your (well I guess mine, in this case) heart drop. When I see Hook and Emma, I see [i]potential[/i]. So much of it. Neither of them are perfect and yeah, Hook can be a flirt. But we know that he is faithful and loyal to someone or something he cares about. He will go to Hell and back. His flirting with Tink was showing how vulnerable and insecure he was actually feeling despite his apparent confidence. He's [i]human[/i] and all have their own way of coping with things. Do I approve of the way he coped? No, as do most other CaptainSwan shippers. I was disappointed, but I saw how much trying to back away from Emma really bothered him. I even think that even if Tink had gone with it, he wouldn't have been able to follow through. He just desperately wanted to not think of Emma, which I can relate to. I've been in a position like that and it really sucks. All you want is an escape. Now, like I said, it doesn't give much of an excuse and I'm still disappointed that he did it. The kiss. As TDDD said, Emma's not the type to kiss someone who has feelings for her when she doesn't feel even kind of the same way. The "It's just a one time thing" was her walls going back up. I truly believe that CaptainSwan has the greatest potential for character growth. They bring out the best in each other and will heal each other's wounds. They seem like they were [i]made[/i] to heal each other. Sure, maybe Emma doesn't trust Hook completely. But you think she trusts Neal, too? Regardless, Emma can learn to trust him, more so than I think she can with Neal, and it's partially because Hook understands Emma better than Neal does and maybe ever will. The best example is when they were in Neverland and Hook tells her that she will get Henry back. Emma says "You really think so?" and the look on her face in that moment says [i]everything[/i]. Hook said the words Emma desperately needed to hear exactly when she needed to hear them. Those words came from Hook, not Neal. And Hook has already proven that he will do everything for Emma, including crossing realms. Multiple times. And finding her in a crazy city like New York, which I can't imagine he would have much experience navigating around. That takes a lot and if that's not love, I don't know what is. Why I don't ship SwanFire: There are many things about this pairing rub me wrong. So you pointed out that Neal abandoning Emma was the right thing and that it would have been selfish to say "Well screw everyone in Storybrooke". On one hand, I agree. And on the other, I don't. I can't say it's the right thing to abandon someone and let them take the fall for a crime they committed for whatever reason they had when it hurts someone that much. He left without even giving her some kind of note. No word. Nothing. For over a decade. And even then, he doesn't explain anything until [i]she[/i] finds [i]him[/i] despite the fact that he received a postcard once the curse was broken and was free to find her himself. There were other ways the situation could have been handled, like he could have not gone with the idea of sending her to jail or he could have decided to face Emma's destiny by her side. Has he had a bad experience with magic? Yes, but since his experiences were so bad, how could he just leave her alone to face it? True, she wasn't completely alone, but he could have said "I don't want her to go through that without me. I want to protect her, even if it means facing magic again. I love her and I want to be by her side when she goes through this." and worked with August on steering her toward her destiny. Neal is no more perfect than Hook, and vice versa. But it bothers me when people talk about how Hook is such a flirt and hits on every woman and how arrogant he is. Think back to the episode where we see Neal and Emma meeting for the first time. Heck, go rewatch it. And you will see the same arrogance. He was flirting with her almost the second she got in the car and with an astonishing amount of confidence, the kind you don't get overnight and probably acquire from years of hitting on women. Also, between Emma and Tamara, you can't seriously think he didn't sleep with anybody. So he may have the same kind of track record with women that Hook may have. This is speculation, but it's reasonable speculation. We don't know how many women Hook has actually been with. It may be a lot, or maybe it's a small number and he just talks a big game. He was on Neverland for a while, after all. Where the only woman would have been Tink and I don't see herself being so easy. But all of that aside, Neal hurt Emma and broke her trust on a level he doesn't understand and probably never will. The kind of pain she went through and still goes through is enough to ruin any possible relationship between the two. What Emma really needs is to move on, even if that's not to Hook. In life, it is rarely, rarely ever healthy to take a step back when we're supposed to move forward. And Emma would be taking a [i]huge[/i] step back in character development if she were to take Neal back. This part of how I feel comes from personal experience. When I was 15, I met my first love and we were together for 6 months (a long relationship for me) and he suddenly broke up with me. I felt like someone ripped a rug out from underneath me. It's been five years and a part of me still has feelings for him. Not too long ago, I found out he still has feelings for me too. It was hard, but I acknowledged the fact that I can't recapture the relationship we used to have. He's different, I'm different. And I needed to keep moving forward with my life. To make a choice between the past and the future, and to choose the past, would have been a large step back for me emotionally. And this is why I think Emma needs to move on. Emma is making a choice between the past and the future, even if the future isn't Hook, and she needs to choose the future. So these are my reasons. And I'm sure I can point you to a few articles which more eloquently explain the potential we see in CaptainSwan and why. :)

matchesrulezu Also, the writers have stated that Neal was truly and absolutely in love with Tamara. So it wasn't just a fling or rebound.

thisisme365 matchesrulezu, you made an amazing point.

matchesrulezu I think there's a lot more to Hook that we haven't seen yet, even more than his past as Killian Jones. But there may even be a character that they'll introduce later on that will blow Hook and Neal out of the water. We don't know. But as of right now, I see Hook as her best suitor and others see Neal. We each have our own reasons, but unfortunately we're all left to see where the writers decide to go with it. haha.

thisisme365  Quite true :) And I really appreciate your comment because I'm always curious as to why some people have certain opinions regarding OUAT, it's quite enlightening ;) And your point was so great, I'll be thinking about that for a while. After your comment idk if I ship either (Swanfire or Captian Swan) of them lol

matchesrulezu Well I'm glad you appreciated my thoughts and I appreciate yours as well. The two pairings are at quite different ends of the spectrum, so it's interesting to hear other people's thoughts, feelings, and opinions on them. I have come across some that don't ship either and like I said, there are many other characters that we haven't met yet. There's still many possibilities that we have yet to see. :)

TDDD @thisisme365 Okay, I understand where you're coming from but I've never minded flirting. It's fun, it's harmless. I don't like the way Hook ignores the women's wishes when it comes to it. But flirting, to me, has always just seemed like a different type of banter. Granted, Hook used to get very lewd and it was personal preference that I didn't mind it. Other people did and that was fine. Captain Swan. Both Emma and Hook are the type of personalities the other needs. Emma needs someone who will worship her. She needs someone who she knows she can trust with her feelings and her love. Hook maybe a rogue, a flirt and a scoundrel but when he loves he loves [i]so deeply[/i]. As I said in another article: he's very much a character of extremes. When he hates he hates with all his being but he loves the same way. You can see this is how he dealt with the situation with Milah. He wasn't ever able to come to terms with her death to grieve properly and instead he became obsessed with revenge. So much so he traveled to a land where he would never grow old and die so that he would have enough time to discover a way to kill the most powerful being in all the land and execute it. Emma knows this, she knows that if she were to allow both of them to develop feelings for the other she could be assured of his complete and utter devotion. It's not in his nature to give any less. It's the same with trust. Emma needs someone she can trust absolutely. To tie in with my argument against SwanFire/SwanThief, Neal is no longer this person. When he betrayed her to the cops he broke her so much she was unable to trust anyone else for ten years after she got out of jail. No matter what happens now, she will always have a voice in the back of her head wondering when his next betrayal will come. Wondering when fear of his past and of magic will send him running, leaving her behind yet again. Killian would never have left Milah like that, he just wouldn't. It's not his nature.

thisisme365 TDDD, I guess I should've clarified a little with what kind of flirting, cause I get where your coming from. And I agree when it's harmless. It's just how Hook did it, it went past just flirting(maybe more like hitting on, is what I meant), which you mentioned in your comment :)

Persephone713 I agree with your article. I have sadly stopped watching a few episodes, because this Hook and Emma thing has gotten out of control- it is turning me off. Because it is NOT EMMA. Neal didnt leave a note, because he was told to just leave and leave her alone if he truly cared about her. And the Captain Swan shippers on here are really not very nice to Swanfire shippers. You have to admit that this ship seemed like the writers did it just to pander to the fans online. It seriously seems like they went online and started some weird storyline to keep numbers up. Hook is nothing but a womanizer, he has done some good things but not enough to save his reputation. Him and Emma have no chemistry, I have to wonder if people who like Hook are watching the same show, or if they are shipping these two just cause they hate Neal. But I am so so so tired of this Captain Swan crap, cause it just popped up, makes no sense, its not the Emma we know, and it just seems like a distraction from good storylines. Plus as I said Swanfire shippers get pounded if we mention Neal and Emma. I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE love triangles. They are SO STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY WHY WHY did the writers go this route. Disappointing

matchesrulezu I and the other CS shippers I know, aren't on board CS because we hate Neal. I don't hate Neal, I just don't think he and Emma would be good for each other. And I've listed very valid reasons as to why I believe so. But I can tell you haven't read a single word of our points, so I won't repeat myself. I have seen more CaptainSwan shippers get pounded (like your post for example) for being CaptainSwan shippers than I have seen SwanFire shippers get pounded. There are CS shippers that literally avoid this fanpage altogether because they know they can't even breath their opinion. If you feel like the victim, chances are you brought it upon yourself. I have only ever seen CS shippers defend themselves from SF shippers on this page, but for some reason, when CS shippers defend themselves, the SF shippers are suddenly being "attacked" for their views. And I have looked pretty thoroughly on this page. I'm sorry you "HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE" love triangles, but that's what the writers have gone with and I'm sorry to say, but it's not because the writers are pandering to us CS shippers. They see the potential and chemistry as much as we do because I'm sure that if they hadn't explored the possible relationship between Emma and Hook, the viewings wouldn't have changed. In the episode where they were introduced, there was a bit of chemistry, but after the point where Emma left him on the beanstalk, they didn't have to pursue it because some few fan's interest were piqued in the idea of a CaptainSwan relationship. There wasn't enough for fans to get upset at that point if they didn't pursue it. The writers are exploring the CS potential because [i]they want to[/i].

Evilregal14 @Persephone713 I totally agree with what your saying, apart from I would never stop watching the show because of it. I have been called some names for shipping them on here and Tumblr. I have been called a big mouth, which is when I nearly left this spot. I have been called a hypocrite, stupid bitch, slut on Tumblr that one was all because I ship CS. There was a certain CS shipper on Tumblr who attacked all the SF fans, for shipping Neal and Emma. Some CS shippers just go too personal on me and others which is when I lose it. There is need to defend your ship, yes, but some on here and Tumblr act immature and start being personal.

thisisme365 I think we can all agree that there are some completely insane SF and CS shippers, and I do too hate love triangles. At this point in the game I both agree with SF and CS shippers. I understand both sides. I would still like Emma to be with Neal, but I just wish that having these opinions didn't have to start such insane wars between fans. Some people can be very immature, but this whole thing is not a big deal. Let us remember it is just a show. I write these articles because this is something I enjoy, I wish we could all enjoy OUAT together, WITH our separate opinions :)

matchesrulezu I agree. Hence my "CaptainSwan and SwanFire: Is a Truce Possible?" article. lol.

thisisme365 Oh, I haven't read that :) I'll have to read it ;)