CinnamonHummingbird

Right?!?! I wasn't even expecting to get so many hints. I mean...I kind off prepared myself for being disappointed, because this brilliant theory could fall into pieces like a chart house and Neal could end up being the White Rabbit, meh.

But I think we need to enlist some of the hints here, for those who haven't get a catch on them, don't you think?

What I found especially suspicious after August confronted Neal (We called it! They knew each other! If not quite foreseen in this context) is that Neal really quickly did buy August explanation of Emma's destiny, the curse ect. o.O ...I mean, wow. He could have just told him how insane that was what he was trying to say, but he believed it...he believed it so much that he'd give up on her! And Neal is not one of the naive kind.
Also, what was that again with "magic"?
"You believe in magic?" "I take it you do..." He avoided the freakin' question! Did you just see the look of hurt and pain in Neal's eyes? Bae didn't believe in magic. Well, he did, but he never thought of it as an instrument with positive effects, so actually he didn't believe in magic as a solution...and of course because it's why he lost his father.
And I think what happens to be in the box was something that proved that everything August said about the curse would be true ---> the drawing of Rumple's dagger maybe?

Also..."And you my friend just got caught on the crossfire..."

ETA, NightEvans THIS THIS THIS! To everything you said!

NightEvans

Oh, Cinnamon, we so totally called it!

Bravo to everything you said... We must have had the same reactions on exactly the same parts... Especially because my stream was so affully slow, I ended up seeing those scenes multiple times, and the tears in his eyes when he looks at the box and realizes the curse is for real... And that he needs to let the woman he loves go because his dad did something awful!!!

WonderlandGabby

KOUAT12

Edit:

If Neal is Baelfire, we got a look at what Rumpel looked like when he was younger.


If Neal is Baelfire and when he comes to Storybrooke, I think he will stay away from his father until the right time. Also I think he will befriend Belle and Henry and with Belle's friendship, he will start having conversations with her and ask her questions about Mr. Gold. When Neal and Gold meet they become friends and Gold doesn't know that he is talking to his son.

This could be parallel storylines when Neal comes to Storybrooke:

1) Neal becomes friends with Henry who he doesn't know is his son

2) Mr. Gold becomes friends with Neal without knowing that he is his son.

yellowrose_bb_12

That was so heartbreaking

KOUAT12

When Baelfire ( if he is not Neal ) comes to town and he starts falling for Ruby. It would kinda be a parallel relationship that Rumbelle has. Baelfire falls in love with Ruby like Belle fell in love with Rumpel.

Two parallel Beauty and the Beast storylines but the roles are reversed.

KOUAT12

I hope we find out what happened to Morraine, Baelfire's friend, in a future episode.

If they have more scenes together, could somebody create a thread for Baelfire and Morraine.

Kelaine

Let's see, first, Neal would want to approach SB in a way that isn't suspicious - tricky for a town where no one ever goes.

He comes up with an excuse to get near the border that isn't suspicious. Ouch.

Best bet to not look suspicious: If Sneezy (now that it can't make things worse) ever goes across the town border (maybe to the diner near where Emma was found), Neal needs to approach him in a nonsuspicious way and use his conartist skills to get Sneezy to think he's the one who talked this poor, stranded motorist into letting Sneezy give him a ride to Granny's bed and breakfast in SB.

Neal could then pretend to be the stranger in a strange land, the guy who isn't quite sure what he's doing in what he increasingly seems to believe is an asylum run by the lunatics.

When David and some other, well intentioned types try to get him to move on, it becomes a parody of when Regina kept trying to get Emma to leave.

Unlike Emma, who fills the empty position of sheriff, Neal could fill the empty position of writer for The Mirror - as far as comedy goes, there can't be anything funnier than a newspaper being written by a guy who's reporting stories the way they supposedly happened, everyone in town knows he's getting it wrong, and he has to make sure they don't realize he really knows what's going on . . . .

Sounds like it would take up waaay too much time, but it would be funny . . . .

NightEvans

Hehehe, I gotta say, KOUAT12, when you suggested Neal and Ruby falling in love, it kind of reminded me of the fic I'm writing. I haven't gotten there yet, but those two are gonna get close. Not exactly a love story per se, but still...

And as to Neal filling in for writer for The Mirror... That is certainly worth writing, Kelaine! You should give it a shot.

CinnamonHummingbird

Aw, if that's the case and we get more scenes with (even if it's flashback) them I'd love that!
I really liked those two kids together. Morraine was the only one who wasn't afraid of Bae...or at least could see that there was nothing to be afraid of, since it's Rumple who is the dangerous one. She even helped him find an adjuvant solution for this whole "my dad has issues with magic/power" problem.

^ Kelaine that's my headcanon for now, thank you very much!

KOUAT12

What nickname should we start for the Baelfire fans. ( Ex. Dearies - Rumpelstiltskin )

CinnamonHummingbird

The Flames?! I'm so creative...

I_Love_Siobhan_Magnus

BAELfire is a weird name. I can't figure out why Rumple named his son after a demon.

CinnamonHummingbird

^ Maybe it was Milah's choice? But yeah, you're totally right it seems kind of weird and ironic since Bae is the complete opposite of a demon...I hope the writers give us an explanation on that in future.

yellowrose_bb_12

I looked it up and it also has ties to a Beltan celebration. Has to do with bonefires and people using those flames to light their hearth fires.