Slayerfan714

AnneH

that's a good question. I think Emmett would have been much more understanding about that. He wouldn't have resented her deep down, which wouldn't have caused him to emotionally distance himself from her so quickly. Maybe they would have still drifted (), but it probably would have been a much slower and a mutual end. The way that it happened in the show really blindsided Bay.

ollibear

I love it!

If that happened, I feel as though Emmett's feelings would not have been hurt at all, in the way that they were by Bay taking the fall for Daphne.

I believe (whether Emmett wants to admit it or not) that he resented Bay for choosing Daphne over him.

If Bay had been staying home to take care of her parents, or even Toby, I don't believe Emmett would have felt slighted at all. I don't believe he would have had any anger over Bay breaking their plans, in that scenario.

I remember how mature Emmett was when Angelo died. If Bay had a family crisis, a real family crisis and not a Daphne spin-out, then I believe that Emmett would have stood by Bay.

I'm glad Emmett is enjoying college, and I do believe he has a natural talent in that field, but Emmett was never that gung-ho about attending USC.

Bay was the one who was pushing that dream onto Emmett, and I believe she was doing it because she wanted Pratt so much, and she saw USC as being Emmett's Pratt.

To me, Emmett seems like a character who wasn't even all that excited about college in the first place. He could have been happy at Gallaudet or at his mom's satellite campus or working at Chrome. College wasn't Emmett's dream. Emmett is at USC because of Bay.

Bay was Emmett's dream.

AnneH

it hurts. yeah like in the graduation episode daphne asks emmett if he would have gone without her and he says no.

ollibear

And he means it, too. You can see it in his eyes, when he tells Daphne at graduation. Emmett had no intention or desire to go to USC without Bay.

In Bay's bedroom, four days before Emmett is scheduled to leave, he cannot believe he is going without her.

Emmett almost cancels, when Bay's probation is extended. But Melody talks to Emmett and says, "This is your chance to learn everything you can at one of the best places in the world, so you can go off and make films for your community."

Maybe that's what it all comes down to in the end. Maybe Bay & Emmett's lack of a common culture is what comes between them every time.

I feel as though Emmett is insecure in Bay's world. Emmett makes mistakes (like cheating with Simone and abandoning Bay after her rape) that I do not believe he would make, if he wasn't feeling out of his element already.

Emmett in episodes 1-5, before his insecurity sets in, has a stronger identity. He is a class act. He guards against irrational impulses. He is able to do good and avoid evil, all on his own. He doesn't allow others to impose their will on him.

That cannot be said for Emmett, when he operates in Bay's world. He is weaker there.

Maybe Melody was right and Emmett should eschew the hearing world.

I will say that Emmett tried. As soon as Kathryn told Emmett that Bay had been missing him, he was writing an e-mail to his advisor to withdraw from school.

I wonder why the things Bay told Emmett about Tank changed that decision.

Daphne asked Emmett if he was jealous of Tank on Monday night. Do you all think that Emmett is jealous of Tank?

I wish Daphne (or someone) would remind Emmett that Bay forgave him for out-and-out cheating. Daphne (or someone) should tell Emmett that he looks like a jackass for not forgiving Bay for being raped.

Emmett said that their breakup wasn't just about Tank, but that is definitely the final straw for him.

Emmett was really trying up until whatever Bay shared with him about Tank.

I do tend to wonder if the hearing world is just too much for Emmett. I'd really like to see Emmett date a Deaf character, to see if, for that person, he could be the good guy that I so want him to be.

I have never shipped Daphne & Emmett until now, but I find that I do.

At this point, I cannot imagine anything Emmett could say, or any gesture that he could make, to allow me to root for Bay to return to him. I have tried to envision something, anything, and I can't.

Bay would be better off alone than with a man that has hurt her as deeply and as often as Emmett.

And Bay won't be alone. She can have anyone she wants, including Emmett. It's just that I don't feel she should want Emmett anymore.

Plus, I believe Bay, when she says that she will get over Emmett. She isn't holding onto any mementos from their relationship this time. She vented her anger. Bay is a strong person, and she can put Emmett behind her.

I don't see this breakup like their first one. I believed Bay, when she told Emmett, "You know I still love you. I never stopped." But this time, when Emmett asks if Bay still loves him, I see her telling him that those feelings are gone.

It answers his original question to her, from Season 1, "Are we going to fall out of love?"

Why yes, Emmett, why yes, you are going to fall out of love. If you repeatedly treat someone in a disrespectful manner, then, yes, that person will eventually fall out of love with you. Lesson learned.

Maybe the hearing world was just too much for Emmett to navigate successfully.

Anyway, I would still like to see Emmett as a romantic hero. It feels like he blew his opportunity with Bay. I already dislike Daphne's character, so what is there to lose by pairing Daphne & Emmett now.

Emmett would make Daphne's character more likable. He could treat her with respect. He would not have to make all of the awful mistakes that he made with Bay. Emmett could make smaller mistakes, less severe mistakes, with Daphne.

I really do believe Bay will be over Emmett, and she will probably want him to find happiness. Bay always thought Daphne and Emmett were going to hook up eventually.

It's weird, in that family should not swap partners like that. But if Bay is really over Emmett, and I predict she will be, it isn't all that weird.

The other alternative is that Bay goes back to Emmett, and that doesn't feel good anymore.

Or maybe the Deaf motorcycle racer could return for Emmett. Robin could star in a movie that Emmett directs. Lizzy Weiss always tweets about how she loves to reverse things from season to season.

I could see a college graduation, and Daphne says, "Remember when you always said your perfect girl was into motorcycles and Deaf?"

And Emmett could say, "I guess I knew all along."

I'm just spitballing here, but I do want to see Emmett as a romantic hero. It's the reason I watch Switched at Birth.

And I'm not feeling Bay & Emmett anymore. I've gotten to the point where I love Bay too much to wish a relationship with Emmett on her.

Whereas, with Daphne or Robin, what is there to lose?

Maybe Melody was right all along. Maybe Emmett needs a Deaf girl.

Slayerfan714

Love the answers And glad everyone likes the idea. Hopefully we can come up with some good questions.

I agree. I can't see Emmett being upset at Bay for deciding to stay behind if there was a crisis, especially after Angelo.

I agree with all of this pretty much. I don't think Emmett would have been upset. I think he would have understood 100%.

I can see that reasoning, too of why Bay wanted Emmett to go to USC.

I think, the funny thing is, Bay wanted the world for Emmett. She really did. And all Emmett wanted was for Bay to realize she was his world.

I'll add a second question:

Say Bay had stayed home for the reasons I asked above, and what happened with Tank still happened. Does it change how Emmett feels? Was Emmett always upset about Tank and the Daphne situation just exacerbated it, or if Bay had stayed behind for a reasons like a parent being ill, would Emmett have been less upset about Tank?

ollibear

I'll help with questions. Just let me know when you need ideas!

I read this and felt as though someone cut out my heart and dropped it into the pit of my stomach, which is where it is still sitting. Ugh.

How can these two love each other so much and yet screw things up so royally?

And it kills me, too, because Emmett still called Bay his girlfriend Monday night. He hasn't even processed the idea of "ex" yet. And when he does and regrets it, Bay will have moved on with her life.

Why must there be such misery for these two? It's so unfair.

I guess Bay & Emmett's stars must truly be crossed.

If it had been a real crisis, Emmett would have stayed home with Bay. Remember the day before their high school graduation, when Bay was having trouble securing the money to make the move, Emmett said, "We need to rethink this."

Emmett was ready to bail on USC just because Bay didn't have the money to join him. He definitely would have bailed on USC, if there had been a family crisis.

The Daphne situation isn't the same as a real family crisis.

I suppose Emmett could have stayed home from college for a year, to escort Bay to and from her community service and to sit with her at the Kennish house, while she finished her house arrest. And truthfully, he should have done just that. Emmett was willing to do so. He could have attended his mom's program and had an okay time.

It was Bay who didn't like the idea of Emmett staying home while she was doing time, and she was right. After a while, Emmett likely would have resented staying home for Daphne. He already resented Daphne for allowing Bay to take the fall. Missing college probably would have made it worse.

So if it had been a real family crisis, I feel Emmett would have stayed home for a year to support Bay. He would have probably gone to his mom's satellite campus and sat with Bay in the evenings at the hospital, or whatever.

If by some odd occurrence, Emmett had gone away to college in the wake of a real family crisis, I do not think he would have felt disconnected from Bay. To me, that was caused by Bay choosing to take the fall for Daphne without consulting him, and Emmett feeling disregarded as Bay's life partner.

So in that situation, Bay & Emmett would not have fought when he came home for a visit, because Emmett would not be feeling resentful. Without that fight and the tension between them, I do not feel as though Emmett would have wondered if the situation with Tank was Bay's choice.

Bay was jealous of Skye. She was angry with Emmett. And by Bay's own admission, she chose to drink too much, with Tank by her side. Emmett could understand that Bay wasn't feeling well and wanted to lie down, but Emmett wanted to know why Tank thought it was okay for him to lie down in bed with Bay, alone, in a dark room.

And I don't think Bay had a really good answer for Emmett, as to why Tank thought that was an okay thing for him to do.

After the fight Bay & Emmett had earlier that day, I think Emmett felt as though Bay must have given Tank reasons to believe that it was okay for him to lie down next to her. I think that hurt Emmett's feelings.

If Bay had not taken the fall for Daphne, perhaps Emmett could have shaken off the hurt. Even with Bay taking the fall for Daphne, I think Emmett was TRYING to shake off the hurt. After the episode with the fight in the rainstorm, Emmett returned to LA and told Skye that he and Bay were not broken up. They were just giving each other some space.

But Bay didn't give Emmett space for long. She showed up in the middle of his final grade for the first semester. She had an outburst in front of his fellow students.

Here, Emmett was throwing himself into his work, trying to work through their relationship problems in his own way, and Bay distracted him, just when he was feeling successful.

Bay reminded him of the pain caused by their disconnect, when Emmett still needed some space. I'm not sure if waiting longer would helped the problem. It could be that by that time the rift was already too big to heal. But I do know that giving Emmett an ultimatum in that moment wasn't going to be productive. Emmett probably would have ended things no matter what, after Bay taking the fall for Daphne and turning to Tank. But the ultimatum didn't help.

It's possible that Emmett would have still asked Bay to join him at the beginning of his sophomore year, if she had just given him some space.

If Bay had stayed home because her parents or siblings had a medical problem, then I do not believe Emmett would have taken what happened with Tank as such a betrayal.

To me, it feels like their breakup was because of everything that had happened. It snowballed on them, and I guess for Emmett, it got to be too much.

I understand Emmett wanting to focus on school and to protect something that was going well for him, but I do feel as though Emmett was short-sighted in breaking up with Bay. He is going to regret letting her go, and of course, now, it is already too late.

It's so sad.

AnneH

I feel like if Emmett doesn't understand and see it the way she wants him to now, he wouldn't in any scenario. But I do think if they hadn't been in a fight and circumstances were different, that maybe he would be open to talking about it with her so he can understand and move forward

I just want him to talk to her about it and work through those feelings but it's all a giant mess and I dont know how things can be okay.

ollibear

Do you really want Emmett to talk to Bay about it?

I ask that sincerely, because I would love to get to a place where I also want Emmett to talk to Bay about it, and I am not there yet. I can't imagine ever being there.

How did you get there? Can you help me get there?

What do you imagine that either of them might say to the other that could help the situation?

Because I am desperate for a solution in my mind, and I am grasping at straws, with no luck.

Emmett was the reason I tuned into Switched at Birth each week. He was my Jake Ryan, my Gilbert Blythe, only better, because Emmett was more human.

I didn't need Emmett to be perfect.

Disloyal enough to cheat? Okay, I'll stand by Emmett.

Stupid enough to fall victim to a catfish? Okay, I'm still with him.

(Though, that last one makes Emmett a bit too weak and ineffectual for my tastes, but I tell myself that the writers probably chose it, so Bay could be the one to save Emmett, so the female could be the real hero, and I can live with that. Whatever floats the writers' boat. KWIM?)

But this latest mistake/flaw is too much for the character to bear. In my eyes, Emmett can no longer be Bay's romantic hero. The discrepancy of character that exists between them is too great now.

Perhaps I could trust Emmett with Daphne, who has her own flaws. If Emmett messes up with Daphne, it won't hurt so much. Perhaps Daphne & Emmett could be two baddies together (as opposed to two badasses--Bay & Emmett were the badasses, together for a short time; but Daphne & Emmett could be two baddies). That might even be fun to watch.

Emmett might still be able to pull off being Daphne's romantic hero, but not Bay's, not now.

Lacking compassion to the degree that you abandon the one person who trusts you the most, at the moment she has been raped and destroyed by another?

NOT OKAY. NEVER OKAY.

What kind of heartless person does that?

How can I ever look at Emmett the same way, when it comes to his relationship with Bay?

Why should Bay ever forgive that? Who in their right mind would?

I thought the writers might have Bay decide that what happened with Tank was not a rape. I could have understood Emmett taking some time for himself, if Bay had cheated on him. That way, it would have been Bay's mistake this time. She would have been the person who needed to make amends.

But no, the writers are not going there. With conviction, Bay told Melody that what happened with Tank was not her fault. Bay made no mistakes with Tank. There is no reason for Bay to ever make amends, because Bay did nothing wrong.

Bay was Tank's victim. And Emmett abandoned her.

And when it comes to taking the fall for Daphne, the writers (and Bay) made it clear that Bay had no choice but to do it.

If Emmett could not accept Bay's decision to take the fall for Daphne, then Emmett could not accept Bay. Because Bay and that decision are inseparable.

So now, knowing that, I certainly don't want to see "Mr. Cool" on his motorcycle, with his trademark smirk and romantic gestures in his back pocket, attempt to fix what he has destroyed.

Too little, too late.

I don't even want to see Emmett attempt to fix this with a sincere apology. Emmett's sincere apologies mean nothing. We've seen it all before, and we know it's empty.

All of the care and time Emmett took to repair the fabric that he ripped apart with Simone means nothing. Emmett is just one gigantic jackass. Looking at him realistically, he always has been and he always will be. Everything else was just an illusion.

The real Emmett has now been exposed to both Bay and the audience, and he is not attractive. He is pitiful.

When Tank told Bay, "Or maybe she's a dude, like what happened to Manti Te'o," Bay said, "I don't know who that is, but I doubt it. Emmett's not stupid."

But yet, Emmett was stupid.

When Bay asked John why she should burden Emmett with the truth about Tank, John said, "Because he loves you...Don't underestimate him. Give him a chance."

But yet, Emmett didn't love Bay. On the beach, Emmett said his feelings for Bay had shifted. John, like many of us, overestimated Emmett. As it turns out, Emmett did not deserve that chance. Emmett failed. Emmett always fails.

If Bay forgives Emmett for this latest mistake, she will look so far superior to him that it will be disgusting to see them together as a couple.

Bay will look like a superstar of the ages (she already does), and she will be paired with this disloyal, stupid, narcissist who lacks compassion.

That's gross!

I do not see how the writers can inspire me to trust in Emmett's love for Bay again.

Sometimes I think about that movie Emmett watched with Skye, when he originally thought that Bay had cheated on him. It's called Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans.

Here's a synopsis that I found online: (Synopsis of "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)")

So like Skye says, as she sits on Emmett's bed, "The guy tries to kill his wife, but even they got back together in the end."

Emmett says, "So not the best film to watch after a breakup?"

Skye replies, "No, it's a perfect film. My boyfriend never would have watched this with me. His idea of classic film is Norbit."

Maybe that classic love story is what the writers are striving to achieve with Bay & Emmett?

Perhaps the writers want to show Emmett tempted by this new, glamorous life in Hollywood and desiring to leave his old, boring (and painful) life with Bay behind.

Whatever. I don't care.

If abandoning Bay after her rape was the first mistake Emmett had ever made, perhaps I could still get behind him. But Emmett already has so much clay on his feet from cheating and from being stupid enough to fall for Matthew's catfishing scheme that, for me, this completely takes Emmett out of the realm of possible romantic hero, at least for Bay.

I watched as Emmett made amends with Bay, for his first betrayal. I don't have any desire to watch him make amends again. If Emmett is stupid enough to throw it all away a second time, then he does not deserve another chance. Characters need to learn SOMETHING.

Emmett is a dumbass. Why would I want to put any time into watching Emmett earn back Bay's trust again? He doesn't deserve it. He will just blow it later.

And even if Emmett never makes another mistake, Bay is still way too good for him.

Bay has gone from being the virgin Emmett betrayed, to the Joan of Arc bravely taking the fall for Daphne, to the survivor of Tank's sexual assault, abandoned by her life partner.

And yet, Bay still perseveres. Bay is practically a saint. I've actually seen people in social media calling Bay a modern-day Jesus Christ.

While I wouldn't go that far, I can say that Bay is no longer matched well to Emmett.

Bay is a demigoddess, and Emmett is a dud.

It's not that Emmett's behavior after Bay's rape is all that unbelievable. Other 19 year old men in Emmett's situation may have made a similar choice to abandon their girlfriends.

But I expected more from Emmett, after everything he learned in the wake of cheating on Bay.

I could possibly still believe in Emmett as a romantic hero with Daphne, or with another Deaf woman. Emmett can even stick with that airhead Skye, if that is who he wants. For the moment, they seem to be two peas in a pod.

But I no longer trust Emmett with Bay, or with any compassionate, kind-hearted hearing woman. Emmett has proven himself to be too insecure to handle that.

I wonder if Emmett can be secure enough to handle a deep relationship with a Deaf woman. I would like to see him try.

AnneH

right now, i just want to focus on emmett understanding what happened with tank. that's honestly all i care about atm. after that, i can try and figure out how bay and emmett could possibly work things out. maybe they can't ever again idk. but i just want to see some character growth from emmett first and love emmett again.

ollibear

That makes sense.

If it makes you feel any better, I do think the writers will allow us to see that character growth in Emmett this season.

I suspect that by the tenth episode, Emmett will understand what happened to Bay with Tank and will no longer hold it against Bay.

To me, the sad thing, is that even if Bay had out-and-out cheated on Emmett, he should not have been holding that against her either. Bay forgave Emmett for cheating. Emmett has no excuse not to forgive Bay.

The idea that he didn't forgive Bay, and she didn't even cheat, is horrible.

But then again, Melody made it seem like Tank had little to do with Emmett breaking up with Bay. She made it seem like Emmett broke up with Bay, because he felt disconnected from her after she took the fall for Daphne.

And evidently, that's a part of who Bay is and she could not be true to herself unless she did it.

So if Emmett cannot accept that part of Bay, then she is not the right person for him.

I can love Emmett now, like I can love any human being who has flaws. But for me to ever again look at Emmett as someone to admire and respect (in the way that I once looked at Emmett), that would take years for the writers to rebuild, if the writers even could.

EDITED TO ADD

Here's how the writers might make something happen for Bay and whoever they decide is her OTP (if anyone):

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...gLoveInterests

AnneH

he was trying up until 4x07. but after bay try to explain about tank he just gave up. what happened with tank definitely played a part. if season 4 ends and the show tries to say that's not a contributing factor they are probably retconning to make him look better. but most people saw what happened as emmett blaming bay for what happened with tank and not understanding her view on it.

they've written themselves into a big mess with his character.

ollibear

I agree with you that what happened with Tank definitely played a part. Like you say, it has to be a contributing factor, no matter what the show tries to say later in the season, because that is when Emmett gave up. He was trying, until that point.

And yeah, Emmett told Bay on the beach that it wasn't "just about Tank" and that they had been disconnected for months, but Emmett had no trouble working through their disconnect, until Bay told him her interpretation of what happened with Tank. That is when Emmett stopped trying to make it work.

Emmett did return to LA after his fight with Bay in the rainstorm, and he told Skye, "Bay and I aren't broken up. We're just giving each other space." So I suppose Emmett could say that Bay didn't give him enough space to work though his feelings.

But then again, Emmett's two characters in his movie short were breaking up on the beach, so perhaps that's where Emmett was headed, even before Bay arrived in LA.

I wish Bay had not shown up in the middle of filming his final project for the semester. I'm sure it was important to Emmett to focus on that and to do well. Having Bay yelling at him and his fellow students probably made Emmett feel like Bay did not fit into his world out there. But then again, in Bay's defense, she had every right to be upset with Emmett for sharing her story in the first place.

I don't know why the writers would take one of the show's most loved characters and turn him into someone this unlikable.

AnneH

it's sad. i know characters need to mess up and stuff but they've really done a number on him. this arc for emmett is lasting longer than daphne's 3b spiral. that was from like 3x17 to 3x20 and then it was over and everyone else was over it by like 4x03. i just really hope the writers know what they've done and know what they're doing.

ollibear

It is sad. It is really sad for me.

Just the way you call attention to the length of the arc is eye-opening. I had not looked at it like that, and now that I do, it really scares me for Emmett's character.

It seems like Emmett is disposable to the writers. I'm sure that Daphne is not disposable, but Emmett may be.