1st scene, me: “Finally! See? Regina loves Henry! She IS a good mom! FU haters, I was right!”
2nd scene, me: “Of course they had to have Emma out-mom Regina. Of course. FU show!”
So many things wrong with these scenes…
1st: Henry, how about a little gratitude and compassion for the mother who is trying to make you smile… with a video game that as it turns out, you absolutely love! Who clearly feels terrible about your book being lost? Who you still don’t believe she didn’t destroy it on purpose or even got it from the super-secret hiding place?
2nd: What should’ve happened when Henry got his book back: “I guess mom was telling the truth after all, about not having the book…”
What we got instead: “Great! Operation Cobra [in which we destroy my mother, who has just given me a video game that I love and has been completely exonerated of all blame regarding the lost book] can resume!!”
Seriously show? Seriously?
For me, the biggest problem I have with this show is the inherent judgments it makes on parenting. I remember listening to a commentary on one of the LOST dvds and the showrunners said that one of their biggest themes was “parents”. Small wonder, then, that OUaT features that largely in its outlook.
I keep going back to one of the first episodes when Regina tells Emma that she “changed every diaper, tended to every scraped knee”. Regina’s done all the work in making Henry a little person, you know? She’s done the parenting thus far.
We’re supposed to believe that she’s a terrible parent, but I just don’t see this. We’re supposed to believe that blood bonds are greater than the adoptive bonds between Regina and Henry. But he’s a little person now, with his own thoughts and feelings and views and personality. And who engendered that? Not Emma, that’s for sure.
I think I’m preternaturally disposed to dislike Emma because she’s taking the word of a ten year old child over Regina. And yes, I’m aware that Regina’s the Evil Queen, but in this world, she’s also a mother. And she’s trying. I feel like Emma hasn’t really done that much thus far to be a parent. It makes me a little resentful, not to mention the harmful and pernicious ideas about adoption that it raises.
I want Emma to make good choices. I want her to be a hero. But not like this, with secretive meetings and outdoing Regina as a mother.
Being a parent is really difficult. The reason I’m not one is because I just don’t feel I have much to offer a child. Yet. And perhaps I’ll adopt one day or even have my own children. I don’t know. But I want to be that child’s hero. I want to make good choices and “do the right thing”.
I want Emma to do that too.
I know, right?
Speaking of parenting, if I tried half the shit that Henry pulled so far, I’d still be grounded right this minute.
(Source: docbrucebanner)
