White Collar

[kriadydragon]

Oh my goooooooosh!

Saddest cliffhanger evah! I nearly cried it was so sad. I knew something bad was about to go down what with Neal talking about how happy he was and then... *wibbles* Even Neal looked like he was about to cry. Stupid Kramer! Yes, I get that Kramer was trying to protect Peter but... he made things worse! In his obsessive quest to save Peter he destroys Neal's happiness instead *sobs*

Ugh, just broke my heart to pieces. How will Neal be able to come back? Will Peter get in trouble for it? Will Kramer? (because I think a case could be made that Kramer provoked Neal into running, thus taking a lot of heat off of Peter). I hope this doesn't lead to a string of "Neal returns, has to face consequences and everyone is mad at him" fic. This is the kind of scenario that fans of punishment fic would eat up, except that it's not Neal's fault. He didn't want to run, at all, but Kramer wouldn't back off.

But kudos to those who said that Kramer wanted Neal to come work for him. My mom thinks it's more than that, though. That maybe it isn't about keeping Neal on a leash to protect everyone, that maybe Neal has something or knows something Kramer wants, because Kramer was pretty dang obsessive about catching Neal. On the other hand, it really could just be a matter of bitterness over having been betrayed by his own CI.

I knew the Rafael was going to play a major part.

And Neal's dad lives! And his former partner was in witness protection... hmmm. So not only was what his dad did bad, it was bad enough for his partner to be in witness protection? Most interesting.

Hee! El made him a cake and a back up cake :D

Neal tram jumping - crazy boy.

I hope this doesn't mean a ton of repercussion on Peter, but as I said I wonder if a case could be made to lay it all on Kramer. But, oh, man, poor Peter.

Oi, why must the next season be so far away?

Comments

[sholio]

I LOVED THIS EPISODE SO MUCH. The ending actually didn't break my heart because the whole rest of the episode did nothing but affirm how much they all care about each other and how far Peter, Diana, et al are willing to go to protect Neal. They may be geographically separated now, but everyone's loyalty to each other is as solid as it's ever been. And if Neal had to run -- I'm not wrong that he ran because Peter basically signaled him that he ought to, right? So it's not going to torpedo his relationship with Peter. And there are so many awesome story possibilities next season! I hope they go ahead and keep Neal off the anklet for a little while, because there's SO MUCH they can do with that idea.

I'm basically full to the brim with joy and delight for the show right now (and also, the urge to write about a million episode tags, most of which will be instantly AU as soon as the next season starts to air).

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

They may be geographically separated now, but everyone's loyalty to each other is as solid as it's ever been.

That is very true :D What made me sad was that Neal had found his happiness and stability and had to give it up. That end scene with him on the plane, and that moment he's looking out the window and his smile falters and his eyes water... Ooohhh! *Smishes Neal*

But, thinking about it, there was a sort of loveliness to it as well. Because, yes, as you said, the support wasn't broken. Neal ran not as a betrayal but because it was the only way (maybe at least to him, maybe it really was the only option). And I always felt that if Neal did run it would be on good terms, so to speak. He would have to run, and Peter would be okay with it, because Neal was being dealt an unfair hand. And that's exactly what happened! (love you show so much!) Although I had thought that's how the show as a whole would end. But this is better since it means Neal coming back and more show :D

It was sad but, dang it, it was probably their best episode yet. Team Burke and Caffrey FTW!

[sholio]

Yeah, I see what you mean about Neal having to give it all up. SO SAD. *weeps* But it's all still there for him to go back to -- leaving under these conditions, everyone will understand (well, the important people will, at least), and this episode really showed how much they're willing to do for him. And yes, this was one of the best episodes to date, I think! Along with the mid-season premiere, which I also think was one of their best episodes ever. eeeeeee. STILL FULL OF FLAIL. \o/

WC season finale - spoilers

[(Anonymous)]

I just finished watching the episode and am a complete puddle of goo. Each time I think WC can't find a cliffhanger more intense or emotional than what has come before, but they keep proving me wrong! Tonight's episode was profoundly moving in so many ways -- learning more about Neal's past, watching bonds of friendships become that much stronger because of the intense pressure they were under, Neal's desire and determination to stay put, to stay with family being thwarted at every turn by Kramer -- summer feels like a lifetime away at this moment!! :-(

Kramer -- at this point I don't think he's a villain with nefarious purposes for our Neal -- though his obsession does make you think twice. I keep thinking of the quote, “Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; [and] justice without mercy is cruelty.”. Kramer is justice without mercy and his actions tonight were cruel and coldly calculated. He might have the law on his side, but his actions are wrong. One thing I have loved since day 1 of the show is that Peter is smart, honorable, dispensing justice, but with compassion and mercy balancing justice. It doesn't make him weak, but rather it makes his actions and decisions that much stronger. Mercy without justice IS weak, and if Peter were some gullible doofus who Neal kept conning then Neal would never change and we'd have an entirely different show on our hands. But the fact that Peter has held Neal accountable, yet tempered that with mercy and grace is, I think, at the core of why Neal is different than the character we first met. It seems maybe that we could surmise this is the first time in Neal's life that he's experienced this. It killed me to see him forced to run when he was trying so desperately to stay.

I have no idea how this will be resolved. I only know I came away from this finale loving this show and all the characters (except Kramer!) all that much more. Each had their shining moment tonight. But Peter --- he was beyond awesome. I love seeing a character with such strength and integrity and boldness and honor. We saw Neal choose his side earlier this season, and tonight we saw Peter choose his side.

I think Neal's father is going to factor in somewhere this next season. I thought it might be this season, but I think the writers are saving that plot.

Anyway, enough rambling! :-). I always enjoy your insights and observations about the show, and I love your fan fic and look forward to whatever you'll be posting between now and the loooooooooong wait ahead of us until the show returns. My thanks for sharing your gift of writing with all the fans like me who adore these shows and characters and get to spend more time with them bc of writers like you.

Re: WC season finale - spoilers

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Everyone was so awesome in this (well, not Kramer, of course). Loved how it was team Burke vs. Team Kramer, because what Kramer had in mind for Neal was so many kinds of wrong. And I loved that Neal has found his happy place, that he has changed and isn't the criminal at heart everyone pegged him for. And I loved the reason that he ran was because he had to, not because he betrayed Peter. As Sholio said, the friendship and loyalty is still very much intact. The latter I adore so, so much. My biggest worry was that the show would have Neal do something illegal in order to create trust issues again (and resulting in an explosion of guilt-trip fic, which I can't stand) but, but... didn't happen at all! And I was so relieved.

Yes, much to ramble about :D

[scarletamethyst.livejournal.com]

The ending really killed me too! I don't even know what to imagine next season is going to be like. I don't know if Neal should have though, I felt like maybe Peter was signalling for Neal to keep low and hide from Kramer until Peter could try to take care of it. On the other hand, so much new background info on Neal and his past! So much love for this episode because everybody really was very wonderful.

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

I'm kinda with you on that respect. I don't think it was a signal for Neal to cut the anklet and run but to definitely not come back to the meeting just then.

However, Neal at the end.... he didn't want to run! He was panicking because his flight response had been tripped in a big way here.

Damn you, Kramer! You just had to go and upset our perfect duo here! :-p

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I also got the impression that Peter wasn't telling Neal to run but to lay low. But I also think Peter was well aware of how Neal would react, that running for him was inevitable because Kramer had him cornered. And I think, in a way, Peter wasn't bothered by it. That is, he wasn't angry. He just seemed... resigned. And I do think it's possible that, maybe, he was even happy about it, preferring that Neal run instead of letting Kramer hound him until he got what he needed to take Neal away.

Whether Neal should have run, I don't know. But I'm sure that to both Neal and even Peter it seemed like the only workable option. As I said, Kramer would have kept hounding Neal until he had something, and I'm sure Peter realized there was little he could do about it.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Friend's friends jumping, hi! *waves* According to Jeff Eastin, Peter did tell Neal to run. Because whatever the outcome of the commutation, Peter knew that Kramer would take Neal away and slap... something on him, which would mean 25 years more, basically he would have Neal in his service for life. Peter preferred him free than being under Kramer's thumb which would break Neal.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Yay! I like that much better :D

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Here's the link to where he said it - link (http://www.tvline.com/2012/02/white-collar-season-3-finale-season-4-eastin/) - just in case you would like to hear it from his own mouth :) "The difference here is Peter gave Neal the nod to go. That nod really changes everything."

[swanpride.livejournal.com]

According to Eastin, Peter was telling him to run.

I nearly cried at the end too - and I really, really hate Kramer now!

[tinypenny.livejournal.com]

I didn't like that Kramer thought the only way he could get Neal to work for him was to force Neal into it. I think Neal would gladly have still worked for the FBI if he could have had his home base as New York. That wouldn't have stopped him from working on cases in D.C.
I wanted to cry when Neal was on the plane! He looked so broken hearted!

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Neal did want to continue working for the FBI. At least that was the impression I got when Neal mentioned something about getting the anklet off and coming into the office the next day as he had no desire to leave. Kramer's obsession to take Neal was so odd, but I have to remind myself that he was betrayed by his own CI and it had left him bitter and untrusting. But I can totally see him being "I told you so" to Peter and Peter launching back with "It wouldn't have come to this if you had just backed off" (which is true. Stupid Kramer).

[cimmerdeux.livejournal.com]

If Peter were in trouble, Neal would come back, I wonder if that might happen next season? Or what if some other organization 'hires' Neal after all his good work with the FBI? What if another organization hires Peter? I don't know how it will be resolved but I like that in the end, Peter chose friendship over the strict letter of the law; that's what's always made Peter a great opponent and a great lawman - his heart. It's that same sense of 'heart' that makes Neal a good soul as well, IMHO. I have to say though, I would love a story arc where Neal is the 'good guy' and Peter isn't. I have no idea how they'd do it but Peter would make one heck of a criminal mastermind and he's more ruthless than Neal. Great ep.

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

If Peter were in trouble, Neal would come back, I wonder if that might happen next season?

I would love for that to be the case. Or something where Peter goes to Neal and they work together on something where the results grants Neal immunity to return, or at least his old sentence.

It would be interesting to see Peter doing the "wrong" thing, but it would also be tricky. Because anything outright illegal or morally wrong you know he wouldn't do, but were it a revenge scenario - someone hurting El, for example, or Peter going darkside for Neal - I could totally see it (and now I want so badly a fic in which Peter goes darkside to save Neal. I think I'll go make a request :D)

[cimmerdeux.livejournal.com]

Wow, Peter going 'darkside' and Neal having to bring him back? Wow. That would be an awesome storyline. I agree, I have no idea how it would be done because Peter is a good man in every sense of the word buuuut, he did go a 'little' darkside to save El when he was working with Mozzie, Neal and Keller. The sad part, it would totally break him up inside. He's a good man and his conscience would bother him so much, but he has a will of iron, he'd go dark or kinda dark to save a loved one I think and do it with eyes wide open. But Neal, and Mozzie and even June, would, I think, have a much clearer idea of the price to be paid than Peter. After all, they've already made that 'deal with the Devil' when they took the paths they took; doesn't mean they're not good people at heart, it just means, they know it's not all just an intellectual decision when one chooses the dark side. *sigh* IMHO.

I hope someone takes you up on your request.