pirateherokillian:

I’m seeing a lot of discussion about this on my dash, and wanted to add in what I think is a very important point in regards to Wish Hook’s redemption, without post hijacking…

The only reason (IMO) that Wish Hook’s redemption arc works at all is because of OG Hook’s, not in spite of it (or in contrast to it).

The reason why we know Wish Hook can be a better person, and has that capacity for it, is because of OG Killian having already done it. Without the first five seasons of seeing Killian go from being the revenge-thirsty pirate to the redeemed hero, Wish Hook suddenly going from this

to this

Doesn’t connect. Because we wouldn’t understand what’s going on in his head here if we didn’t already know how he thinks and what he’s motivated by.

They aren’t mutually exclusive. You need the knowledge brought about by OG Hook’s story (including the very important backstory that they both share, as well as OG Killian’s story post-meeting Emma), otherwise everything that comes from this shift in Wish Hook’s demeanor and behavior from here on out falls flat.

In that same sort of vein, because of the first five seasons of Killian’s redemption playing out on screen, it negates the need for them to have to fit it into the story in Season 7. It’s not that Wish Hook doesn’t have to pay for his past sins, we just already know he will. 

Why?

Because an alternate version of him already did.

And as this show repeatedly emphasized over and over, they are the same person at their core… they’ve just gone through different journeys to both get to that place where they are the redeemed hero.