"People are gonna tell you who you are your whole life.
You just gotta punch back and say, ‘No, this is who I am’.
You want people to look at you differently? Make them!”
What’s been great about the Neverland arc, is that Hook has had to really prove himself not a villain and that he’s more than a pirate with black leather and a hook, that he can be a hero.
The primary theme this season has been belief and the first character poster that was released was Hook’s and it read: Believe that a pirate can be a hero.
From that poster, we knew this was going to be the season where Hook transitioned from villain to hero and he did. He’s had to prove himself a hero each episode that he isn’t the villain, but in fact, as Eddie foretold, a villain stuck inside a hero’s body. He’s had to prove certain myths about himself to the Charmings and most importantly Emma.
Speaking of Charming, Hook and Charming were not on good terms at the beginning of this season but since saving him in Neverland, their relationship has changed. They’re closer to good friends and Prince Charming doesn’t have many guy friends.
In Going Home, in the church scene, when Hook stepped up to draw the shadow’s attention and fell onto the floor, it was Prince Charming who caught him and brought him back to safety, out of harm’s way. He has proved himself to Charming that he is a hero and someone worth looking out for at least.
Emma also recognizes that Hook is not a villain anymore and started to really fall in love with him and realize, how much she did care for him in the winter finale.
Haters would argue that Hook isn’t heroic enough compared to Regina and Rumpelstiltskin’s sacrifice, but it doesn’t make his time in Neverland irrelevant.
Coming back to Neverland was a MAJOR turning point for Hook. Deciding to let go of his revenge, to help someone else, Emma save her son, risk his life and sail back to a land that he loathes, set him on a journey towards redemption as a character and also, eventually accepting and putting closure on his revenge and looking towards the future and what that could look like.
He sacrificed his revenge, gave that up to do a really selfless act, help save Henry and guide our heroes on their quest to save him in a land that he hates. He saved Prince Charming from the Dreamshade because he didn’t want to see Emma lose her father, the same way he lost his beloved brother Liam.
He told Snow and Charming about Neal, which was something that happened very quickly after his kiss with Emma. He could have taken the selfish route and keep that information to himself but he told them.
Hook also did not take Pan’s deal to kill Charming when he asked, nor did he run off after Rumpelstiltskin after he separated from the group in the premiere. He stopped caring about himself and put Emma and her family as his first priority.
A villain becomes a hero when he or she starts worrying or carrying about themselves and instead, puts others first; and gives something up (in this case, Hook’s revenge) to help Emma rescue her boy. Hook also did not expect Charming to toast him once they returned to camp, nor did he expect that Emma would actually accept his challenge to kiss him.
Hook’s sacrifice and journey from villain to hero is not the same as Rumple’s or Regina’s but it is not, any less great.
