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scripted-downfall · 2 years

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Shades of Morality

I know that there’s a lot of debate about who was “right” and who was “wrong” in the history between Hook and Rumplestiltskin, and I’ve always found the parallels here fascinating, so I’m going to offer up my two cents and hope it’s not overdone. :) For reference — as promised in my last OUAT post — this will be pulling principally from season 2 episode 4 “The Crocodile” and season 5 episode 14 “Devil’s Due.”

(Let me start by saying that I’m not really going to address the beginning sequence of flashbacks from Devil’s Due — everything we see about Milah and Rumple interacting once he gets home, how they handle Baelfire getting bitten by the snake, etc — because it is very ambiguous. I’m not sure there is a distinct right or wrong up until a very specific point because which of the couple a viewer identifies with is largely dependent on an individual’s personal values and experiences. After that ambiguity disappears, it’s because he decides to sell his wife’s — Milah’s at the time, though, in actuality, Belle’s — reproductive rights without talking to her first. At that point, I disagree with any argument that he was not acting completely and totally in the wrong. And, once that’s done, Milah absolutely has the right to take time and space for herself at the tavern.)

Instead, I’ll start with the first chronological event we see: when Killian and Milah meet in the tavern… and, as far as I can see it, both individuals acted with honor. The first seeds of their relationship are sown when Killian knocks out the guy hitting on her when she didn’t want him to be, when Killian talks about a way out of her provincial life (discussing the spices in the air, etc), when he outright offers her a way out… and yet they’re both bound by their own personal codes of honor. Milah rejects the offer because she has a husband and kid and responsibilities at home, and Killian abides by that because he wouldn’t go against her wishes.

Then we have the scenes in “The Crocodile,” starting out with the scene where Rumple goes with Baelfire to bring Milah back home from the tavern. This scene is a touch complicated, especially since it’s after years of bitterness and the aforementioned deal with the apothecary. On the one hand, there’s the fact that Rumple brings Baelfire to a tavern in order to manipulate his wife into coming back to a life where she does most if not all of the work and where it’s a bit rich for him to be accusing her of forsaking responsibility; on the other hand, she’s intentionally cruel to him and has been out of the house for a while despite having a kid. This goes back to the earlier ambiguity of their day-to-day interactions; there isn’t, for the most part, an outright, objective right or wrong. She returns to the house and promises to give life with Rumple/Bae “a try.”

The next thing we see, a villager tells Rumple that his wife has been taken by “the men who came into port last week” — aka Killian and his crew — and that they’re about to set sail with her. And this… this is the scene that I think is often viewed incorrectly. I know a lot of people who say that this scene is totally rigged against Rumple, that Killian was young and able-bodied while Rumple was neither, that Killian was cruel, etc… and, in some ways, I get it.

I also think, though: that’s the point. The entire encounter is most assuredly a sham. A test.

Mainly, because this entire encounter is completely and totally out of character for Killian. If there’s one thing that can be said for him, it’s that he is absolutely a man of honor. So, why then does he say, “I’ve had many a man’s wife?” We know for a fact — albeit post-episodically — that he doesn’t make a practice of starting affairs with married women; as mentioned above, when we see him meet Milah in “Devil’s Due,” all it takes for him to back off is for her to say she has a husband. The above quote is absolutely not the kind of man he is… but it is the kind of man who might pose a threat to Milah’s safety. Similarly, “I have a ship full of men who need… companionship.” The implication here is something that would never stand on Killian’s ship or in Killian’s presence. The man’s code of honor is inherent to his personality — “good form,” etc — so the fact that there’s something clearly dishonorable being alleged here is important.

So I take the “it was cruel and mean and how dare he” argument and put forth a new one in its place: “it was harsh and effective.” Milah said she’d give life with Rumple a try, but the main hurdle they had to overcome was his cowardice; she resented being lashed to the village coward, and (judging by the look of sheer surprise when Killian stood up for her in the tavern) hadn’t really had someone fight for her before. This is also supported by the ending line of that scene; Killian’s scornful of Rumple because he’s a coward, because he wouldn’t fight for his wife. (And there wasn’t really substantial proof that the duel would be to the death; Killian said Rumple had to fight for her, not that he had to win or kill Killian or any of the above.) This was a trial by fire to test Rumple’s valor when it came to Milah, and he was willing to walk away with the belief that he was leaving his wife to be served as a favor to a group of pirates.

Now we fast forward. Rumple is the Dark One; he’s found Killian again; and he purposefully bumps into Killian to provoke him. To be honest, it’s true; Killian was a bit of a dick here. He’s working off a code — his basic understanding of what manners should be — but he’s still intoxicated to some degree and definitely jerkish.

Then Rumple reveals himself and asks about Milah before then challenging Killian to a duel… and this is the part that really, to me, settles who is “right” and who is “wrong.” Because, in essence, Rumple gives Killian the same exact deal — if not a little harsher — than the one Killian had given him, all those years ago. He requests a duel, though this one is pretty clearly to the death. There is a power imbalance; Rumple is the bloody Dark One, complete with immortality and magic, while Killian is just a pirate with a cutlass. There is something at stake if he doesn’t do the fight, but it’s not something intrinsic to his person; in other words, Rumple threatens not Killian’s life but his crew’s lives, similar to the way Killian seemed to be threatening Milah’s wellbeing and not Rumple’s if he didn’t duel. (This is very important because it means that, if the person being challenged decides to duel, they are taking on personal risk for someone else’s benefit instead of taking on personal risk to avoid personal risk; it’s a selfless decision to duel, whereas the alternative would be more selfish.)

Anyway, it’s the same duel. (Or, I should say, it’s at least the same duel… I maintain that the power imbalance between immortal magic user and mortal swordsman is a touch more extensive than the imbalance between mortal pirate swordsman and mortal-but-injured trained soldier… And also, there’s the fact that Killian already put himself at risk to protect Milah by telling Rumple that she was dead… Oh, and also the fact that Rumple put in the caveat that Killian had to sit an entire night preparing to die with the ability to run right in front of him even as he didn’t run to protect his crew/Milah… yeah, it was at least the same duel.)

And yet Killian showed up for it. He showed up with his cutlass exactly at dawn, ready to die to protect Milah/his crew the way Rumple hadn’t been willing to fight for Milah so many years before. He actually follows through on fighting. He loses — although, I will point out, that Rumple betrayed any semblance of a code of honor and used magic in the duel, which is (to coin a phrase) bad form — and prepares to die easily, willingly. And this, people… this is the difference between Killian and Rumple. When put in the same position — the same trial by fire — Killian passes the test that Rumple failed.

Thus, is it any wonder that Milah goes to get Hook? She puts her own life on the line to confront her ex-husband and save her new lover. He fought for her, and she fights for him. She’s clever about it, finding just the piece of leverage that might get through to Rumple and using it, and all because she’s found someone to fight for her.

I also feel like it’s necessary to point out that, when they get back to the Jolly Roger, the crew treats her as a second captain. They respond to her orders and follow what she says. She’s not, as they implied to Rumple, a party favor that they passed around, and nor is she some mere component of Killian (i.e. they don’t treat her like “the captain’s mistress” but as her own person, and someone who’s definitely in some degree of command). What I mean by this is that the way we see the crew interacting with her further invalidates the earlier encounter between Killian and Rumple unless it were a test set up by Milah and Killian to test Rumple’s mettle.

And then, of course, there’s the fatal scene, and I feel like I’d be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks that Rumple acted appropriately. (tbh, I’d be very worried if I found someone who did, because… murder? Really? Seriously, folks, feel free to reach out to me with explanations for how Rumple was right in the killing-Milah scene because I don’t understand and am curious if anyone has any logic to provide whatsoever.) This scene is, to me, one of the best at summing up Rumple’s character flaws, if I’m being honest. His anger at her for leaving Bae is, yes, partly at her, but it’s also in large part him projecting onto her because he left Baelfire, far more permanently. He continues to not see things from other peoples’ points of view; he didn’t get how Milah was so miserable with him when she was doing all the housework and childcare while also being married to one of the town’s outcasts and getting no help from him. His anger issues, because he can’t take hearing that she didn’t love him without deciding she deserved to die. And his cowardice, hiding behind magic, because — even with immortality and everything else — he needs his powers to restrain Killian long enough to kill her. This is probably not a very persuasive paragraph in terms of the thesis idea of Killian vs. Rumple, but that’s largely because I’m very confused as to how anyone supports Rumple’s position here, so I can’t foresee which counterarguments to provide.

Before I conclude, I do want to address one slightly-off-topic thing… Milah. I will confess that I have serious personal qualms with her leaving her son behind to set sail, but I also very much disagree with the people who dismiss her as being heartless or careless there. Do I think she was right to leave Bae behind, to leave him with Rumple as a father? No. But. She wasn’t thoughtless. She wasn’t careless. We find out through Killian at some point that the two of them had carried on long conversations about bringing Bae, that both had felt guilty for abandoning him, and that both were worried about the environment that a pirate ship might provide for a child. We also find out that they’d planned on going back for him at some point. I think this is another instance in the show of a mother trying to do what’s best for her child; I just also think that Milah made the wrong choice.

However, I also vastly believe that the family unit of Rumple, Milah, and Baelfire was unhealthy and should not have persisted. It was a relationship built on years of bitterness culminating in Rumple making a decision to sell their future, and it was deleterious to everybody involved. I cannot believe that Bae would have had a substantially better life if Milah had stuck around than the way it ended up happening.

And also, it’s just important to notice how much Milah thrived away from Rumple. (Because it’s not her being away from Bae; she’s consistently feeling guilty about that, and he continues to be her unfinished business after she dies.) Not only does she get to leave the life she hated, doing all the work in a small town where everyone hated her husband and pitied her, and get to go on a life of adventure to different worlds… Not only does she get respect and an actual, healthy family in Killian and his crew… But the sheer amount of meta analysis that could be done on her clothing as compared to her mental state?? Massive. I mean, she goes from drab peasant in rags and worn out clothing to a pirate queen, with bright colors, beaded shirts, and brocade.

So, long story short; I think that Killian — and, to a slightly lesser degree (principally because of leaving Bae, even though, as I said, I think she was just a flawed person doing her best in a shitty situation), Milah — were worlds more justified in all of their actions than Rumple was. I think that, if we’re talking right or wrong, neither Killian nor Rumple were 100% right or 100% wrong. I also think that Killian was more right.

Whoo, that was a long one. I’m slightly dying because I now have no clue if any of this is coherent or makes sense. I’m also fairly certain I didn’t get to say some stuff I wanted to say… oh, well, guess that’s what future posts are for :) Thanks for sticking with me!

#once upon a time #ouat #captain hook #killian jones #milah #ouat milah #millian #rumplestiltskin #character analysis #analysis #2x4 #the crocodile #2x4 the crocodile #5x14 #devil's due #5x14 devil's due

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graciereadshannigram · 27 days

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hey fam, welcome to the March roundup of the best hannigram fics i've read this past month! i read close to 60 fics total, and these were the cream of the crop.

as a reminder: the ingredients for a five star rating typically (but not always!!) include some combination of a.) believable characterizations of both Hannibal and Will, b.) compelling plot and/or character arcs, and c.) high quality smut.

that being said, my judgment of the aforementioned ingredients is powered almost exclusively by vibes and as such, is incredibly subjective.

and if you have any recs of your own for me, PLEASE SHARE.

(Inaugural roundup can be found here)

anyway, in no particular order, let's go!

Title: Bones of My Bones (& Flesh of My Flesh) by everyday_forever Word Count: 15,759 Summary: When Will & Hannibal reunite in Italy at last, Will doesn't fear becoming Hannibal. He knows he already is Hannibal. However, Will feels as if he's a derivative of Hannibal, made in Hannibal's image, from Hannibal's own raw material. He doesn't feel like he's Hannibal's natural equal. Will thinks the only way he can forgive Hannibal is by claiming a piece of Hannibal in return, and choosing to make it a part of himself. He has to eat him. And Hannibal is all to happy to let him.

As far as I'm concerned, this IS canon. Truly some of the best canon-compliant characterizations of them that I've read. This is absolutely what would have happened if Will hadn't tried to kill Hannibal after leaving the Uffizi Gallery. It was perfect. And so them. And obviously, mutual cannibalism. *chefs kiss*

Title: Do you feel the hunger, does it howl inside? by merrythoughts and ReallyMissCoffee Word Count: 261,929 Summary: It's been weeks since the Fall. Since Will had leaned against him, the wild scent of blood thick and cloying on the air, and had taken them from the top of the cliffs. And for every second of every day since, Hannibal has been calmly dealing with the fallout of his decision that night: Life over death. Will had intended them to die, had allowed himself a moment of weakness, of desperation. Perhaps the last act of an exhausted soul. Yet Hannibal had denied him.

I am being dead serious when I say that this fic changed my brain chemistry and managed to do something that several years of therapy had not. I wanted this to go on forever (there IS a sequel!) and did my very best to savor it instead of plowing through the entire thing in a single day. Check the author notes if you're unfamiliar with these two writers–the format took me a couple chapters to get used to, but clearly it wasn't a big deal for me.

Title: Sensational by bigfootghostdick Word Count: 39,607 Summary: Franklyn’s obsession with Hannibal Lecter truly knows no bounds. His obsession only grows worse after being fired as Dr.Lecter’s patient. Feeling slighted by Hannibal's rejection, Franklyn follows him home one evening only to stumble upon something that he never expected to see. Who’s that dark-haired man locking lips with Hannibal right outside his front door? Overcome with jealousy, Franklyn decides to seek revenge on his tenth psychiatrist. How? By selling the photos he took of them to Freddie Lounds.

Listen. I love a good jealous!Franklyn, especially when Hanni and Will firmly put him in his place. Sue me.

Title: The Stress-Sex Connection by shotgun_sinner Word Count: 48,090 Summary: When Will gets out of the BSHCI, he resumes therapy with Hannibal Lecter. His stress levels are through the roof, and Hannibal makes an offer that Will doesn't turn down. Hannibal assumes he's going to take Will to bed and make love to a fragile man, shy and delicate. Will enjoys taking Hannibal to bed, and proving him wrong. OR the story where Hannibal is shocked to find out that Will is a profiler in the streets, but a demon in the sheets.

I was sold on the last line of the summary, "Will is a profiler in the streets, but a demon in the sheets" because it actually got a good cackle out of me, and then who would have guessed! Essentially porn with feelings, but I loved.

Title: hold me, kiss me, rip out my tongue by multifandom_fanfic_writer Word Count: 18,005 Summary: Will notices things. He notices a lot of things, can’t turn it off. Some of these things are about Doctor Hannibal Lecter. He watches Hannibal watching him eat. He watches the touch on his elbow lingering, possessive. He watches Hannibal's eyes darken when Will pulls his hair and fucks his throat hard.

Okay, so I'm realizing that a lot of my five star fics this month were pretty smutty, but I make no apologies. That being said, I did find the characterizations of both Will and Hannibal to be very compelling, and it had the added bonus of Will getting to rub it in Alana's face that Hannibal chose him not her.

Title: Ligare by InfiniteCrisis Word Count: 8,280 Summary: Will's never gone down on a man before and is feeling nervous about it. His solution: tie Hannibal up first. Hannibal has no complaints.

Initially shied away from this one because Will essentially drugs Hannibal to knock him out and fuck him for the first time, but I PROMISE Hannibal knew exactly what Will was doing and allowed it. However, if that isn't your thing, this won't be for you.

THAT BEING SAID, my honest reaction after this was, "fuck fuck fuck, dom!Will might be my new favorite." Bonus points for it being the first in a series, and the rest is equally good!

Title: Oboedire, Implorare, Vovere by InfiniteCrisis Word Count: 18,715 Summary: At the end of Ligare, Hannibal said Will should "test" his willingness to submit to him. Will takes him up on that, and the results are more than either of them expected.

As I said, the rest of the series was SO GOOD. This was basically off the charts hot.

Title: To the Devil His Due (His Due is You) by everyday_forever Word Count: 26,3319 Summary: Will Graham is in the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, courtesy of one Hannibal Lecter. And Will wants payback. He threatens Hannibal with a reckoning. And then Will has a terrible and wonderful idea- he opts to get back at Hannibal and make him jealous by pursuing a sexual relationship with Dr. Frederick Chilton. Feeling emboldened, Chilton sends the audio recordings of him and Will together to Hannibal to boast of the new development in Will's 'therapy.' Hannibal knows at once Will is the mastermind behind it all. Hannibal is most displeased with his manipulative albeit cunning boy. Chaos ensues. Will continues to manipulate both Chilton and Hannibal in order to make Hannibal jealous. Will has entered into a dance with the Devil after poking Hannibal's beast and Hannibal is eager to teach Will a lesson and remind him who he belongs to...

HEAR ME OUT. Prior to this fic, I had never considered Will/Chilton. Ever. Let alone reading a fic where most of the on paper smut is ChilWill. And yet here we are. Hannibal was just so present through it all, given that Will was only screwing Chilton to get at Hannibal (although, I liked that there was some genuine affection between Chilton and Will, it wasn't completely callous), and it just all combined to be an excellent fic. Sue me.

Title: Trope: Fake Date (Hannigram AU) by TigerPrawn Word Count: 4,207 Summary: Will's possible promotion is relying on his superiors thinking better of him. One way to do that is to take his omega to the upcoming cocktail party. Only problem is, he doesn't have one, having to rely on one sent by an agency. He wasn't quite expecting Doctor Hannibal Lecter.

Fluffy first meeting AU, nothing more nothing less. I just love seeing them happy!! (sometimes, lmao)

And that's a wrap on this month! See ya next time!!!

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