Spoiler Discussion: The apple was poisoned?!

[InsertWordHere]

Maybe Hook and his Dad are already in the Underworld in those flashbacks and that's the out to get him back, that he's already been in the Underworld. That's why he was so fidgety that he bumped the table in Bleeding Through.

Isn't it more like Regina is turning him into herself? :P

Ha! Well, technically she hasn't killed her father yet at this point in the timeline or even arranged her mother's death, though she's clearly about to get Hook to do the latter.

[Rumsy4]

I too don't want Hook to have killed his dad, but that seems the simplest way to show how ruthless he was as a vengeful pirate. :-/

I'm still on the fence about whether Dark Hook in Storybrooke is playing a long-con or not.

[Watt]

I'm still into the long con idea. I won't be devastated either way because let's be honest, I ship Hook & Emma and there's no way they will permanently kill off or break up either of those characters.

I don't think Hook will kill his dad. I think the point of the flashbacks is to show glimpses of his humanity. There's no way, no matter how "dark" Hook gets that I would ever see him actually physically hurting Emma, her parents, or the kids. No way. He wouldn't really let anyone else either.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[YaddaYadda]

i wonder if this is the scene that involves Regina somehow, or will there be another one? Adam C. did say he filmed with Lana.

What if Regina and the father are in cahoots?

 

What other reasons would they have to have Lana and Adam film together? She's putting Hook to the test, maybe his father is doing the same. If his father is immortal, he can just fake it like Nimue did with Merlin.

[Rumsy4]

I don't think Hook will kill his dad. I think the point of the flashbacks is to show glimpses of his humanity.

Unfortunately, I think it's the opposite. This flashback is supposed to show how Hook became obsessed with vengeance (though they've already shown us that really). His actions in the past will contrast his actions in the present.

[Mathius]

I don't think Hook will kill his dad. I think the point of the flashbacks is to show glimpses of his humanity.

 

Colin suggests the reverse: the flashbacks are to show his loss of humanity, to show what drove him to become the ruthless villain we saw in S2. He starts off with humanity, then at the end he loses it.  This will contrast with the present day in which he starts off with no humanity, then at the end he regains it.

 

EDIT: Rumsy4 beat me too it. :P  But yeah, that's how it's going to go down, I'm pretty sure of it.

 

I'm guessing this retcon was done due to criticism for the Ursula flashback in Season 4, which took place during his days of "ruthless villainy" yet portrayed him as way too tame and human.  For that matter, he wasn't all that bad in the S3 finale as well, when he was back in the EF.  I guess this exact point in time was the only way left they could explain why he became so utterly ruthless and mercenary as we see in present-day S2.

Edited December 3, 2015 by Mathius

[HoodlumSheep]

But what would make Papa Hook want to be in cahoots with Regina?

How does the big secret tie into this?

Maybe he kills his dad, thinks he's dead, but then it turns out Papa Jones is immortal?

I wonder how much salt Papa Jones is going to rub into Hook's wounds. I don't think Hook would up and kill him unless Papa says something that'll make Hook snap.

Edited December 3, 2015 by HoodlumSheep

[oliverwendell]

 

I think the point of the flashbacks is to show glimpses of his humanity.

 

I would like this to be true but I think Colin has said in at least one interview that the flashback is going to show Hook really flipping the switch into vengeful darkness. But if that is the point of the flashback, I'm going to guess that he learns something really awful about his dad, kills him for it, and then loses what's left of his humanity. [Oops! Simultaneous typing going on! Others beat me to it!]

 

At the very least this storyline proves that A&E are not going to coddle the Hook character just because he's Emma's true love, and I have to kind of admire them for that even as I wail about character assassination and worry that he will do things so horrible that he will irredeemable to many in the audience.

Edited December 3, 2015 by oliverwendell

[HoodlumSheep]

I would like this to be true but I think Colin has said in at least one interview that the flashback is going to show Hook really flipping the switch into vengeful darkness. Am I misremembering that? I don't have the link. But if that is the point of the flashback, I'm going to guess that he learns something really awful about his dad, kills him for it, and then loses what's left of his humanity.

At the very least this storyline proves that A&E are not going to coddle the Hook character just because he's Emma's true love, and I have to kind of admire them for that even as I wail about character assassination and worry that he will do things so horrible that he will irredeemable to many in the audience.

^ I agree. i'm glad A&E don't seem to be coddling him as much. It makes me sad that it took Hook turning into the DO for so many of these issues to come to the surface finally. It's been messy, but it's been surprisingly mature of A&E? Does that make sense? It also helps that Hook as a character has regrets and seems to be haunted by this stuff, which helps soften the blow.

I wonder if Robin is pointing his bow and arrow at Hook? Someone is obviously cut out of that one still, and if the mentions of a OQ/Hook scene are true, I wonder if this is after Hook comes to his senses. Which I would like, because I don't want his realization coming in the last 5 minutes of the episode.

Edited December 3, 2015 by HoodlumSheep

[Rumsy4]

I guess this flashback will show the time he started to focus fully on his revenge after returning from Neverland. Because in the Time Travel adventure, he seemed to be mostly partying it up in bars. He must have acquired a piratical reputation for Snow to have heard of him when they met in S2.

[oliverwendell]

There is that one photo of Colin in modern Hook attire. Is that post-Dark Hook? Dare I hope? And what is that brass thingie in his hand?

 

Edited to add: I think it's his spyglass. And I'm not sure how hopeful to be because his hair is still parted on the Evil side.

Edited December 3, 2015 by oliverwendell

[shipperx]

There would have to be more to Daddy Hook's death than that if he's Davy Jones (which I don't know that he is but would make sense if he were). Hook killing Daddy explains neither why Daddy would be the same age as Hook in the picture nor would cover the backstory for how Daddy could have become Davy Jones (if that's who he is).

Edited December 3, 2015 by shipperx

[Babs Gordon]

Now that I think about it, I actually won't mind too much of they use this opportunity to show him as more of a villain. I did think his actions in "Poor Unfortuante Souls" and the guy we met back the Back to the Future past did seem a bit OCC from Hook in season 2. Meeting his father again could be the impetus it took get his vengeance going again (300 years is a long time to be carrying a grudge after all).

 

I would LOVE for Watt's theory to be true, but unfortunately I agree that we're probably gonna see him at his worst in the past before we see him at his (hoepfully) best in the present. 

 

I wonder how much salt Papa Jones is going to rub into Hook's wounds. I don't think Hook would up and kill him unless Papa says something that'll make Hook snap.

 

Just spitballing here because I have no idea how it would even work, but maybe he finds out that his father was a Dark One or had ties to the Dark One and that's why he left him? Or that's why he's immortal? I could see him finding out the father he already hates having ties with his worst enemy really sending him around the bend. Or maybe Papa Hook just says something off colour about Liam. That would probably do the trick too. 

 

I'd also like to add that I love that Colin is calling him Papa Hook too lol. 

Edited December 3, 2015 by Babs Gordon

[YaddaYadda]

There is that one photo of Colin in modern Hook attire. Is that post-Dark Hook? Dare I hope? And what is that brass thingie in his hand?

 

Edited to add: I think it's his spyglass. And I'm not sure how hopeful to be because his hair is still parted on the Evil side.

 

In the promo, that's where Nimue shows up behind him. So he's neck deep in his plans for world dominance.

[kili]

At the very least this storyline proves that A&E are not going to coddle the Hook character just because he's Emma's true love, and I have to kind of admire them for that even as I wail about character assassination and worry that he will do things so horrible that he will irredeemable to many in the audience.

 

I was okay with Hook being with Emma because I thought of him more as a Dreat Pirate Roberts. I'm less okay if he really was Regina in Pants. If he kills his father because his father makes him mad, I think I might plan an intervention for Emma.

 

I don't like that Emma took away his agency, but I've also got a problem with him being the worst Dark One that we've seen. Zosa had some humanity. He couldn't stand what he had become and set himself up to be killed. Rumple was at least protective of his son and stopped the Ogre wars. He made no effort to unite his dagger with Excalibur or to bring back the Dark Ones with his blood. Emma has been a postively saintly Dark One. Hook? There is nothing redeeming or human about his Dark One at all. He's at the Nimue level or worse (she at least just turned her boyfriend into a tree).

 

So, yes, if they keep piling on the crimes and he killed his father? Well, maybe Emma needs to go to one of those "I fell in love with a guy on death row who murdered 10 people" support groups. He killed his Dad because his dad made him mad? What happens when Henry makes him mad? Why should he be trusted? A&E will have to give me a more compelling reason than "He says he is redeeemed and so he is" because we know that people on this show are not a good at self-assessing on that front.

 

I loved the head-cannon Hook that I created, but I'm starting not to trust the actual cannon Hook that A&E created.

[RadioGirl27]

 

At the very least this storyline proves that A&E are not going to coddle the Hook character just because he's Emma's true love, and I have to kind of admire them for that even as I wail about character assassination and worry that he will do things so horrible that he will irredeemable to many in the audience.

Well, A&E have never cared that much about Hook, so of course they are not coddling him and they don't have a problem with assessinating his character. And the same goes for every other character except Regina and Rumple, the only ones they trully love and care for. And, really, he was already considered irredeemable by a part of the audience, so I don't think this is going to change many things.

[oliverwendell]

 

I was okay with Hook being with Emma because I thought of him more as a Dread Pirate Roberts. I'm less okay if he really was Regina in Pants.

 

I agree with this so much. They really need to be careful, because they could walk this character right over the moral event horizon and he will not be redeemable thereafter, not just in my eyes (because I'm sure A&E don't care what I think), but in the eyes of just about any reasonable viewer.

[Rumsy4]

A daddy-killer Hook would be way darker than they have ever presented Hook. I'm afraid they may be ramping up his past ruthlessness just to contrast his heroic sacrifice in the present. Which if he only does a last-minute turnaround, won't be all that heroic. This would be exactly giving him the Regina-treatment. :-P

[Curio]

Why are we jumping to the conclusion that Hook kills his father? It seems like we're going to see Brennan somewhere in the Underworld again, so it could be the case where the piece of paper Hook is holding is some contract that binds someone to the Underworld, which is actually different than straight up killing them. And I'm not about to jump on the Hook-is-the-worst-Dark-One-ever train just yet. The dude has barely been a Dark One for 24 hours and crushed one heart. I seem to remember many deaths under the reign of Dark One Rumple, including his own wife, and a similar plan to wipe out all of Storybrooke.

[mjgchick]

This is the show saying "See he has changed." accept he killed Merlin.

[Babs Gordon]

I agree with this so much. They really need to be careful, because they could walk this character right over the moral event horizon and he will not be redeemable thereafter, not just in my eyes (because I'm sure A&E don't care what I think), but in the eyes of just about any reasonable viewer.

I completely agree with this. It's not a direction I want his character taken in, I think it's definitely a step too far. I don't need his villain backstory to be more like Regina's *shudders*. I also don't know how Emma would deal with information like that either, regardless of his reasons for it. It's one thing to say that you drowned a guy for drinking the captain's wine, but a completely different thing to say you killed your dad.

 

Now that I think about it, if the Evil Queen is sending him on this quest to meet his father it probably means that he's already broken into her castle and smacked Belle around which means he's already pretty dark and gung-ho on his revenge at this point. I really don't know if he needs the extra push into vengeance since for me this is one of the darkest that he's been.

[YaddaYadda]

The last person Regina sent to murder someone got his heart torn out, and became her sex slave for some 30 years.

 

I don't know if she's sending him to kill his father, but this shit went down right before the curse hit. If Regina is testing him to go to Wonderland and kill her mother, then we're like what's? A few weeks from the dark curse happening, and 28 years of him sitting in his bubble in Cora Dome. 

 

They all share the same look in their eye, the one that says you've been abandoned.

 

Indeed. He's probably known his father was alive for about as long as Emma has known who her mother and father were.

 

The dialogue about Emma always being an orphan may have been cutting, but those words apply to him to a tee.

Edited December 3, 2015 by YaddaYadda

[InsertWordHere]

All this depends on how Papa Hook survived for 100-200 years, assuming he is in fact "alive" when Hook meets him again. Is he just a scummy deadbeat dad who got lucky all these years/made some deal to never age? Did he go to another realm with different rules for time? Is he a servant of Hades, some mashup of Davy Jones, technically alive but cursed to bring Hades the souls of dead ones? I can't judge Hook for killing him (if he kills him) if I don't know what he is yet.

[shipperx]

But in the pic Hook and Dad are the same age. Either Dad found the fountain of youth or Hook is time traveling ...or Dad is already immortal when they met (again).

[YaddaYadda]

All this depends on how Papa Hook survived for 100-200 years, assuming he is in fact "alive" when Hook meets him again. Is he just a scummy deadbeat dad who got lucky all these years/made some deal to never age? Did he go to another realm with different rules for time? Is he a servant of Hades, some mashup of Davy Jones, technically alive but cursed to bring Hades the souls of dead ones? I can't judge Hook for killing him (if he kills him) if I don't know what he is yet.

 

i'm honestly intrigued by his scenes with Regina. What could those two possibly have in common? 

 

Hook is a pirate with a reputation that seems to precede him. Why would he need to kill his father to prove himself? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense, especially since she wants him to kill Cora who is a perfect stranger to him. 

[InsertWordHere]

And if this takes place within the Queen of Hearts flashbacks then why is Hook wearing a different vest? He wore the black velvet vest during that meeting. 

Edited December 3, 2015 by InsertWordHere

[KingOfHearts]

 

A daddy-killer Hook would be way darker than they have ever presented Hook. I'm afraid they may be ramping up his past ruthlessness just to contrast his heroic sacrifice in the present. Which if he only does a last-minute turnaround, won't be all that heroic. This would be exactly giving him the Regina-treatment. :-P

Or the eggnapper treatment, as far as character assassination goes. "You thought you knew Hook? This how evil he truly is!" That's how Dark Hook has been.

Edited December 3, 2015 by KingOfHearts

[Babs Gordon]

Why are we jumping to the conclusion that Hook kills his father? It seems like we're going to see Brennan somewhere in the Underworld again, so it could be the case where the piece of paper Hook is holding is some contract that binds someone to the Underworld, which is actually different than straight up killing them. And I'm not about to jump on the Hook-is-the-worst-Dark-One-ever train just yet. The dude has barely been a Dark One for 24 hours and crushed one heart. I seem to remember many deaths under the reign of Dark One Rumple, including his own wife, and a similar plan to wipe out all of Storybrooke.

 

I think it's coming from a place of fear with me. It seems like something the writers think would be a super awesome twist while not understanding that it could ruin the character. 

 

And if this takes place within the Queen of Hearts flashbacks then why is Hook wearing a different vest? He wore the black velvet vest during that meeting. 

 

I was wondering the same thing! The black velvet is my favourite vest so I'm always happy when it makes an appearance...

 

On a positive note, I'm just so happy that we're finally getting some Hook backstory. I've wanted this for so long. I can't remember the last time I looked forward to a fairytale land flashback. 

[PixiePaws1]

But in the pic Hook and Dad are the same age. Either Dad found the fountain of youth or Hook is time traveling ...or Dad is already immortal when they met (again).

how about this for a theory....

that scroll Hook is holding. ..Papa Hook sold wee Killian's soul to Hades in return for Papa Hook getting immortality.....as long as Killian lives and does bad things Papa is ok but if he doesn't and he dies then Papa loses his immortality...well Hook hasn't been bad for a while but if Hades saw where all that goodness was leading with Emma and the DOs he might have let the good deeds slide for the bigger evil picture but if he pulls back to the good side at the 11th hour then Hades is coming to claim the soul he's owed...

bit out there but it works...

Edited December 3, 2015 by PixiePaws1

[KAOS Agent]

This is the Hook I've always wanted to see. He was a pirate for hundreds of years. This is more like the guy who killed Blackbeard to get the Jolly Roger back. The difference between Hook and Regina is that Hook always owns his crimes, knows that he caused harm, never blames others and has worked to fix some things he's done. No one coddles him about his past.

So the story here is that Emma is going to transfer the Darkness into herself thus removing everyone's power and then have Regina kill her with Excalibur. At some point, Hook realizes this is the plan and decides to die instead of Emma. Personally, I'd rather Emma died instead of Hook at this point. I just don't see how a last minute change of heart for Hook fixes things. Still desperately hoping for something other than a S2 finale redux.

[PixiePaws1]

So the story here is that Emma is going to transfer the Darkness into herself thus removing everyone's power and then have Regina kill her with Excalibur. At some point, Hook realizes this is the plan and decides to die instead of Emma. Personally, I'd rather Emma died instead of Hook at this point. I just don't see how a last minute change of heart for Hook fixes things. Still desperately hoping for something other than a S2 finale redux.

yeah..i can see how she is so beaten down with guilt and the undeserved shaming heaped on her hypocrite kid and family that she is desperate to fix it and save everyone (again) with her sacrifice. ..my poor poor baby cupcake! !!

On a much happier note..if Killian dud drink the Hades Kool Aid of Forgetfulness. ..when has Killian not knowing who Emma was stopped him from looking at her like she is the sun personified. ..

Edited December 3, 2015 by PixiePaws1

[oliverwendell]

 

I just don't see how a last minute change of heart for Hook fixes things. Still desperately hoping for something other than a S2 finale redux.

 

My guess is they are thinking that 5B will be the Underworld Redemption for All! season. Hook won't be redeemed by his last-second sacrifice (which I guess I am still expecting to see), his sacrifice will just be the mechanism for getting everyone to the Underworld where they have to confront all their past sins. Hook will get "redeemed" right alongside Rumple, Regina, Snowing, and whoever else the writers think need a good lesson. It will massively dilute the effect of his turnaround, but I'm subsisting off breadcrumbs here, so I'll take what I can get. Where is Hookian when I need him/her?

Edited December 3, 2015 by oliverwendell

[Rumsy4]

Why are we jumping to the conclusion that Hook kills his father? It seems like we're going to see Brennan somewhere in the Underworld again, so it could be the case where the piece of paper Hook is holding is some contract that binds someone to the Underworld, which is actually different than straight up killing them. 

 

In the one pic Adam Croasdell posted in what could be Scarybrooke, he was clean-shaven. That could indicate he is dead. We really don't know anything about Papa Hoooook. That he is Charon/Immortal, etc., is fan-speculation. 

And if this takes place within the Queen of Hearts flashbacks then why is Hook wearing a different vest? He wore the black velvet vest during that meeting. 

 

I'm not at all sure Hook and Regina meet during the flashback. Regina and Papa Hook meet. We know Regina sets some test, but it could be behind-the-scenes. 

[Watt]

[InsertWordHere]

I'm not at all sure Hook and Regina meet during the flashback. Regina and Papa Hook meet. We know Regina sets some test, but it could be behind-the-scenes.

Oh yeah, I agree. I think Regina is playing with things from behind the curtain here.

[PixiePaws1]

how about this for a theory....

that scroll Hook is holding. ..Papa Hook sold wee Killian's soul to Hades in return for Papa Hook getting immortality.....as long as Killian lives and does bad things Papa is ok but if he doesn't and he dies then Papa loses his immortality...well Hook hasn't been bad for a while but if Hades saw where all that goodness was leading with Emma and the DOs he might have let the good deeds slide for the bigger evil picture but if he pulls back to the good side at the 11th hour then Hades is coming to claim the soul he's owed...

bit out there but it works...

Building on this:

It has those parallels the writers love...Cora manipulated her daughter for power ...and Pan abandoned and betrayed his kid for immortality

.Best of all...it adds to the kindred spirit vibe CS have because it shows Killian had his life manipulated by powerful beings

[Mathius]

The new promo shows little new except possibly Zelena being thrown out of the clock tower? If that really happens, then I'm suspecting that she dies and Mader has been filming with Colin, Greg, and all other people shooting Underworld studio scenes.

[Rumsy4]

The new promo shows little new except possibly Zelena being thrown out of the clock tower? If that really happens, then I'm suspecting that she dies and Mader has been filming with Colin, Greg, and all other people shooting Underworld studio scenes.

 

So, they would have brought Zelena back just to act as baby-maker for Regina to adopt next? Yuck.

Edited December 3, 2015 by Rumsy4

[kili]

So, they would have brought Zelena back just to act as baby-maker for Regina to adopt next? Yuck.

 

It's even worse because except for making it so last season ,there is no reason why Regina couldn't have her own baby and its not like Zelena had to spend much time looking pregnant.

 

Zelena was brought back to try to fix the Mariane problem and create some external issue for Robin/Regina? The Green Bean isn't really necessary except to prevent Zelena from getting harmed prior to giving birth.

 

Although, why should Zelena die when she is tossed from the clock tower? Regina didn't die when she was tossed into the clock tower. Zelena is a witch and should survive the fall.

 

I'm suspecting that she dies and Mader has been filming with Colin, Greg, and all other people shooting Underworld studio scenes.

 

If they give Hook and Zelena memory loss and then pair them up, I may not be responsible for my actions.

[RadioGirl27]

I'm pretty sure Zelena is going to die next episode. She has served her purpose, that was giving birth to Robin's baby. She would have a few scenes in the UW, with Regina and, I hope, with Cora and that's it.

 

About Hook kiling his father, it's so ridiculous that it is probably going to happen and the truth is that I can care less. Hook can kill everybody in Storybrooke and he would still be my favourite character. 

 

 

If they give Hook and Zelena memory loss and then pair them up, I may not be responsible for my actions.

This is so A&E that I can see it totally happening. It would be Emma/Walsh all over again and we know how much they love to reuse their own crappy storylines.

Edited December 3, 2015 by RadioGirl27

[Mari]

So, they would have brought Zelena back just to act as baby-maker for Regina to adopt next? Yuck.

I think Zelena was brought back to solve the Marian problem, and they didn't kill her off because they enjoy the actress or the character.  Then, the fandom seemed to pretty much unite in the belief that Zelena and her pregnancy were a horrible, horrible idea.  

 

Killing her off might be a panicked fix of their fix of their fix.

 

Also, yes, yuck.

Edited December 3, 2015 by Mari

[Souris]

Papa Hook seems to be living on a farm. There are goats in a pen behind Hook in one of the promo pics.

[HoodlumSheep]

^ yeah, I'm surprised he isn't by the water or something.

At least Colin pretty much confirmed that Hook left excalibur with Rumple for a reason. It's probably not a good reason.

Edited December 3, 2015 by HoodlumSheep

[KingOfHearts]

 

So, they would have brought Zelena back just to act as baby-maker for Regina to adopt next? Yuck.

 

 

I think Zelena was brought back to solve the Marian problem, and they didn't kill her off because they enjoy the actress or the character.  Then, the fandom seemed to pretty much unite in the belief that Zelena and her pregnancy were a horrible, horrible idea. 

Killing her off might be a panicked fix of their fix of their fix.

 

 

On both accounts, I believe she just brought back as a plot device. The writers needed to kill several birds with one stone and bringing back Regina 2.0 for to bring the stark in a lite Regina arc was preferable. It's shame they're offing her, since they seemed to setup some potential plots during 5A. However, I do have hope she won't be gone for as long as we're going to the Underworld. I'm going to speculate the writers are going to resurrect at least one dead character after it's all over. Zelena is probably #8 on my wish list, but I'll take the truth bombs where I can get them.

Edited December 4, 2015 by KingOfHearts

[Mathius]

While I still believe there's no long con and his sacrifice will be a turnaround, Colin sure is going out of his way with the "Hook is eeeeviiiil!" hype, and a part of me can't help but side-eye him in suspicion now.

[chrisvee]

Colin's comments about the UW are interesting. I wonder if people forget who they are after some period of time or after they drink something.

"They want to open a portal to the Underworld essentially and banish people there, which eventually -- I can't reveal too much in talking about it because it's part of the second half of the season, but it's worse than death."

Do they end up with fake memories? Think they are someone else? Sad to think Hook might be given a bunch of fake memories that he's Hades' evil right hand man or something.

Edited December 4, 2015 by chrisvee

[YaddaYadda]

While I still believe there's no long con and his sacrifice will be a turnaround, Colin sure is going out of his way with the "Hook is eeeeviiiil!" hype, and a part of me can't help but side-eye him in suspicion now.

This sounds exactly like it did with the whole Ursula thing. He's the worst EVAH! Yeah, not really. That was actually a bit disappointing. 

 

I am looking forward to seeing where all of this is going. I really think this whole thing will be interesting. I just don't want it to end in a cliffhanger.

[Rumsy4]

Colin's interview at least confirms the idea that Hook threw the duel with Gold because he was preparing a fare worse than death for him. 

[Mathius]

At this point, there are three possibilities I consider concerning Hook ending this in a sacrifice, which seems almost definite now with Colin's sketchiness about Hook being aware of Excalibur's threat to him even though he left it behind and isn't taking it back and that it will "play a part".

1. He's running a long con, which will be a "gotcha!" twist that had little to no build-up in the show or outside of it.

2. He's completely sincere, but will have an abrupt turnaround at the last minute out of love for Emma.

3. It's a mix of both: his plan is to sacrifice himself after Rumple is dragged to Hell, not caring who else gets dragged there as well, but imminent danger to Emma makes him choose love over revenge and he makes his sacrifice early even though it means Rumple is spared.

[Hookian]

While I still believe there's no long con and his sacrifice will be a turnaround, Colin sure is going out of his way with the "Hook is eeeeviiiil!" hype, and a part of me can't help but side-eye him in suspicion now.

It's Colin. The dude wanted Hook to stay dead until the season five premiere after his death in the AU.