#Neal is in trouble and Peter just manifests | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

firebirdsdaughter · 2 years

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Actually…

… This is gonna bother me… Anyone remember/can tell me what is going on at the end there? The impression I originally got was that they just. Sent Neal right back to the start bc fuck s3 and all the people who care about him, he likes stealing too much, which for me is ugh. Guys, I’m here for the found family??? Esp bc some of the lines I know he says to Peter there are really sucky if he’s just going right back to lying to people.

But was also reading something that implied that’s not it? That he does it bc of the gang or whatever? Which is a much better reason and showcases what should be Neal’s character development from only a blind and unjustified devotion to Kate to having a family and friends and a life and something to lose. Having Neal revert not for his own enjoyment but for the sake of others is so much better than his initial selfishness.

So now I’m confused, bc I was really mad about the ending bc I thought it was the former, but is it the latter? Bc that’s much better. I do get the impression they forced Peter to be overly jerky, which I presumed was to justify Neal suddenly reverting bc ‘ooo look how mean and restrictive he is,’ and probably still is to cause Drama (which I’m like… why, I’m genuinely much more interested in Peter and Neal caring about each other and being protective of each other in their own ways), but if they at least don’t try to end it like that, I can just ignore it.

Sooo… Anyone wanna tell me which it is?

#White Collar #it'll make me hate the ending less #plus it makes reunion easier #obviously Peter's gonna find him again bc Peter always finds him #Neal is in trouble and Peter just manifests #which is one thing I always appreciated about the show is that Peter is allowed to be competent #and Neal acknowledges that #seems they sorta bastardised that towards the end bc 'lol conning people cool lol'#(it's not I hate lying just for fun I hate it)#so it seems like they kinda vilify Peter to justify Neal leaving #which I HATE #bc I want that shit to fucking HURT #like I said I prefer a Neal who cares and does things for his family than a Neal who deceives and manipulates others for his own enjoyment #so now I'm a little torn and my paranoia is going wild #Adopt a Felon 101

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firebirdsdaughter · 2 years

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Before I go to bed too late…

… On the rerewatch, I wish Sara had had to learn about El being kidnapped. Bc if I’m gonna throw Neal under the ‘should have said something to Peter’ bus, I gotta throw her under as well, no special treatment. This is a massive case of young(er, in Mozzie’s case) people not considering the consequences of their actions. Despite the fact that Keller had Peter kidnapped, apparently no one considers he might target the Burkes again. ‘Ooooo he talked to Sara’ are you forgetting he’s well aware that the Burkes are your parents. Keller won’t try to touch Sara, she’ll beat his ass, but it’s easier to go after a civilian. Like this is literally no one considering the stress and harm they are causing the parents. Mozzie and Neal are being self centred, Sara, I don’t know, gets caught up in the romantics?

A running theme w/ Neal is that he rarely considers how his behaviour will effect those around him, and I feel like it’s esp clear w/ Peter and El. Maybe it’s the little kid in him, but he seems to take them for granted, likely not helped by Peter’s dedication to him and ability to manifest whenever he’s in trouble. Neal doesn’t think about Peter and El getting blow back from his shit and esp doesn’t register the danger he causes them early on—when something happens, he’ll come through, but he just… Doesn’t seem to take them into account sometimes and, like I said, not just on the ‘going after them to get to him’ angle but in the ‘they care about you and you being reckless is stressing them out and making it hard to trust you.’ It’s a lesson El, bless her heart, tries to give him multiple times but I think he… Doesn’t totally understand the implications. It’s not just that they could get hurt, literally or reputation-wise bc of him, it’s when he does reckless, impulsive shit it scares them, whether he’s putting himself in dangerous situations or keeping secrets and acting suspicious. Perhaps a better description would be he doesn’t realise how those effects change as they get closer—it becomes more personal for them. It’s more painful. That’s why I love s3 bc of the oblivious and sometimes intentional guilt slinging. Sure, Neal didn’t ask for this, but he also didn’t walk away, and he didn’t tell Peter the moment he found out. If he had, Peter might’ve kept Mozzie’s name out of it (and yeah, part of this is Mozzie being a bad influence, he’s lucky he’s likeable the rest of the time). It’s like my post about Honour Among Thieves; the reason Peter is suspicious is bc Neal is suspicious. In so many ways Peter throws himself all in on this and Neal just… Doesn’t reciprocate. And the more Peter cares about him, the more harsh the possible/apparent betrayals are. And Neal… Doesn’t seem to entirely clock that. Peter’s clearly out of sorts and overly emotional about the whole thing, and Neal’s initial response is being all shocked Peter ‘turned against him,’ just keeps trying to deflect suspicion. Predominately thinks Peter is going after it just bc he’s Peter, doesn’t seem to realise Peter is so obsessed w/ this bc it’s personal, bc to Peter this is not just a crime but a massive, very personal betrayal. Again, it’s Mozzie and Alex and Adler’s influence, but Neal just… Doesn’t seem to get how badly lying and deceiving can hurt people. It’s not just that he’d do it, Peter acknowledges early it could have been Mozzie or Alex who actually pulled the theft, it’s that Neal would keep it from him, outright hide it from him, and participate in the plan to run at all. It’s that Neal doesn’t tell him things until it’s critical, that’s why he’s so cagey during s4. Bc he loves him. And I don’t think Neal really gets that that’s love? I dunno, I’m rambling now, but while his relationship w/ Ellen was sweet, I think it’s telling of how he turned out that she acts like Peter was in the wrong for arresting Neal, too. Most of the people around Neal enable and/or encourage his reckless and more self centred behaviour, even the ostensible parental figure; Peter and El are the first ones to hold him to a higher standard not based on allowance or conning, as Peter says, trying to help him be the man they think he can be, give him a future where he doesn’t have to run all the time. What started as more a matter of convenience and fondness goes into them being full blown invested in helping this kid change his life. They’re the first ones to care about him and just. Be there, even when he makes being there really hard. They are literally his parents. And maybe partially he’s not used to having parents this invested in him but… Look, I’ve lost my train of thought but it’s like he sees some levels of consequences, but not all and not the right ones. Expects a level of separation that’s no longer there and doesn’t always realise the everyday pain he causes w/ his behaviour, and doesn’t seem to realise how much not knowing hurts, and definitely doesn’t always think about the fact that they’re intense connection to him makes them even bigger targets.

And he really doesn’t get the stress his improvisation and wonton nonsense put Peter through on a regular basis. Like how does Peter even sleep at night having to put up w/ that?? It’s no wonder her wants to put a tracking anklet on the second kid, Neal’s gotta be responsible for every single grey hair on his head and a few counts of high blood pressure. How has this man not had a heart attack yet, I would be dead.

#White Collar #Neal is such a weird study #like he's a fully functioning adult mentally and physically and all that #but on some levels like emotionally I think he kinda stalled out at eighteen from running away #so he's the uncontrolled impulsivity of a badly raised teenager w/ the mind of an adult #he's a big boy who needs to deal w/ the consequences of his choices #and ESP needs to learn about dealing w/ people #for a guy so charming his social skills are actually shit #and he's clearly not used to being really held accountable #people like Mozzie and Alex encourage his more uncontrolled behaviour and antics #they think of him as a good conman but neither of them care for being a 'good person'#neither are monsters but they're selfish and they encourage Neal to be selfish #Adler's just a terrible role model James is also right out #his mother mighta been okay but she wasn't really around #Ellen was there at least but I don't think she was really holding him accountable either #but Peter and El do #they care enough to want him to be better to be the person that's definitely in there somewhere #and when he screws that over there are and should be consequences #and Neal's… both not used to facing consequences and not used to other people facing his consequences #at least not having to witness it #that's why I also love 3x12 bc Peter TALKS about that #how Neal gets away w/ things bc he's 'Neal'#fortunately in this case I think having El kidnapped AND having to watch Peter go through he kidnapping was a good scare #it's horrible but it was a wakeup call #like I mentioned in another tag if anything happened to either of them it's a double whammy #bc not only would he lose one he'd have to watch the OTHER go through it #like Neal cares about all his friends and coworkers even if he's bad at it sometimes #but I think Peter and El become something esp precious and important to him #like see my analysis that what Neal REALLY wants is his parents back #he still has the little kid dream of having a loving family

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