Title Fall
Two-Sentence Summary As the Spell of Shattered Sight looms in the distance, the residents of Storybrooke prepare for the worst. Even a happy reunion between Anna and Elsa can’t stop it, especially after Rumplestiltskin orders Hook to trap the fairies (who were working on a counter-spell) in the sorcerer’s hat.
Favorite Line “Well if the mayor only has to worry about one villain—and it’s herself—that frees up a lot of time for infrastructure and other issues.” (Snow)
My Thoughts When Once Upon a Time is driven by pure emotion, there’s nothing else on television that makes me feel like this show. “Fall” was basically a series of deeply emotional moments strung together by some very small (but significant) points of plot progression, and sometimes that’s exactly what this show needs—to take a step back from breathless plotting and twists and simply allow these characters time to open their hearts to one another. Episodes like this one show off the talents and chemistry of this cast, and they’re reminders that Once Upon a Time isn’t afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve.
There’s something special about episodes of Once Upon a Time centered on the arrival of a curse (“Pilot,” “Going Home,” all of the Snow/Charming stuff in “A Curious Thing”). If there’s one thing this show gets right every single time, it’s goodbyes. These actors tap into something special in episodes like this; their emotions are so palpable that it’s easy to forget that every spell and curse on this show gets broken, and for every tearful goodbye there’s a good chance of a happy reunion. That’s a sign of good acting—when you forget that logically things have to work out okay because you’re so caught up in the emotions of characters who don’t know that everything will work out in the end.
I felt that sense of emotional reaction overriding logic most strongly in Anna and Kristoff’s scenes in this episode, which surprised me. I don’t know how it happened, but these two have become one of my favorite couples on Once Upon a Time, despite only seeing them together in a handful of episodes over less than half of a season. It’s not just because both Scott Michael Foster and Elizabeth Lail have perfectly channeled their Frozen film counterparts. (Although how perfect was Lail once again in her moments on Blackbeard’s ship and her disgusted “I sang with you!” to Hans?) It’s because Once Upon a Time has done what it does best with this couple: It’s given their love story weight and depth; it’s made them true partners; and it’s tested them in ways beyond even the darkest moments of the story we all know about them. I loved watching them take down Hans and his brothers as a team because it reminded me of my favorite moments between Snow and Charming—moments of fighting side by side, trusting that the other had their back.
That little moment of victory, however, was short-lived. Although Anna was clearly right about pirates being better than wizards (a nice little nod to everything going on with Rumplestiltskin and Hook), that still doesn’t mean pirates are the kind of people you can easily trust. While it was a little too convenient for Anna and Kristoff to wind up on the Jolly Roger, it was a nice way to tie in some long-awaited exposition about what happened to Hook’s beloved ship after he traded it for the bean to get to Emma in New York. I was more than a little confused about how Blackbeard had the ship and the story about Hook making him walk the plank if this was in the past, but it all made sense once Hans revealed that everyone had been frozen for 30 years. The question then became: Why would they get unfrozen now? Did Ingrid mean for that to happen, or was it the result of all of her magic being needed for the Shattered Sight spell? We’ll probably get the answer to that eventually, but even if we don’t, I won’t lose too much sleep over it. I didn’t love this storyline because of its plot; I loved it because it made me cry like a baby when I didn’t expect it at all.
When Anna started saying her wedding vows to Kristoff, thinking they were going to die, I lost it. In an episode full of painful goodbyes, this one was the one I never saw coming and was consequently the one that blindsided me with its emotional power. Kudos to Foster and Lail for making me truly believe their characters’ love and desperation in that moment. They have incredible chemistry, and it was what made that scene so touching. It was especially heartbreaking to see Anna—the pinnacle of optimism—so sure that they were going to die, so completely without the hope that has come to define her character. But that’s what made it even more romantic to see Kristoff try to help her hold on to that hope. In an episode filled with interactions between characters who bring out the best in each other (fittingly, before the worst is brought out because of this curse), it was beautiful to see that Anna—who has always helped others stay positive—has someone in her life who is devoted to helping her stay strong when she is at her lowest point. That’s what true love does—it helps you hold onto hope in even the most hopeless situations.
One of the themes of this episode was that hope pays off in the end (which is foreshadowing for both the Shattered Sight spell and for what’s going on with Hook’s heart). Kristoff’s hope that they would make it out alive worked in tandem with Elsa’s hope that she would find Anna. Both situations looked pretty grim, but it turned out that all that was needed to reunite the sisters was a wish from Elsa’s pure heart. Yes, the deus ex machina nature of the wishing star was a little much to swallow, but this show has never been one for people who can’t take a little plot contrivance every now and then. What mattered wasn’t the star itself but the pure love behind the wish—the kind of love between these sisters that has thawed frozen hearts and now has been proven to work across realms to bring them back to each other. Because that’s what loved ones do on this show—they always find each other.
Anna and Elsa’s reunion was absolutely beautiful. It was as joyful a moment as I’ve seen on this show. And so much of that joy came from the way Lail and Georgina Haig played their reunion. I loved the way their voices went up an octave in their excitement because it added so much realism to that moment. If Lail and Foster made me believe the love Anna and Kristoff have for each other, then the same can be said of Lail and Haig. When Elsa and Anna finally hugged one another again, I was overcome with relief and happiness for these sisters—even more than I felt at any point during Frozen. I say this every single week, but can we please keep these characters longer than just the next two episodes? They have been such phenomenal additions to this show, and the actors fit in like puzzle pieces I didn’t even know this cast was missing until they arrived.
Despite the heavy nature of this episode’s main plot, there were still some moments of pure joy and humor interwoven throughout, like Anna and Elsa’s reunion. I loved all of the banter when the main group was trying to decide what to do with Elsa’s necklace. (I also found it interesting that Emma keeps getting played by people giving her pouches missing their contents—first Hook, now Elsa.) I also loved the happy reunion between Charming, Anna, and Kristoff. That scene was a much-needed moment to smile before the very emotional last few scenes of the episode. Another reason I would like these Frozen characters to stay is so that I can get more of Kristoff and Charming’s bromance. I have now affectionately dubbed them “haircut buddies,” and I don’t want to only have two episodes to expand on their friendship beyond their hair.
The joy of all of these reunions didn’t last long, however, thanks to Rumplestiltskin. I have to admit, I was surprised to see him show some humanity in including Henry in his deal with Ingrid, but that sense of pleasant surprise went away when he told Hook that he would choose himself over everyone else every time. That kind of selfishness is its own kind of cowardice, and part of me still wonders if it’s taken over his character because he did the brave thing once and sacrificed himself for the town, and it only ended in him losing his son and coming back as the Dark One. It’s easier to be selfish; it’s safer. But in the world of Once Upon a Time, the easy way is hardly ever the right way.
While no act will ever be as cowardly as letting Bae go, I think using Hook to do his dirty work is a close second. If there’s one positive thing you could say about Regina when she was at her worst, it’s that she owned who she was. She didn’t hide her darkness. Rumplestiltskin, however, is trying to have it both ways, and it’s killing me to watch him get away with it right now. Instead of going in there himself and trapping the fairies, he made Hook do it to eliminate the risk of getting caught. He thinks he’s getting blood on Hook’s hands to keep his clean, and he’s having fun torturing a man who wants none of this kind of darkness. I know that this is all happening so that when Rumplestiltskin’s hubris-driven self is brought down, it will feel even more earned. But that doesn’t make it easy to watch him kiss Belle and tell her he has to fear being hurt by her darkness when it’s his darkness that’s already wreaking havoc on not just their marriage but all of Storybrooke.
No matter how shady I think the Blue Fairy is (and I do think she’s shady), I still didn’t want to see her get sucked into the hat. And I think a lot of that had to do with how convincing Keegan Connor Tracy was at showing just how afraid Blue was. Her fear in those moments of hiding was palpable, as was Hook’s disgust with himself when he was hiding from Emma and the Frozen gang. I said it after the last episode, and this week proved it to be true: It may be hard to watch Hook so consumed by self-loathing, guilt, and shame over what Rumplestiltskin is making him do, but Colin O’Donoghue plays it so well that you can understand why it had to be him not just from a plot perspective but from the perspective of using an actor’s talents to the fullest.
It’s fascinating to watch O’Donoghue and Robert Carlyle play off each other as actors, and it’s fascinating to watch Hook and Rumplestiltskin clash as characters. They are perfect foils, and that was evident in the scene where Hook confronted Rumplestiltskin outside of his shop about Belle. Love has always driven Hook’s character—for better or worse. He literally cannot comprehend something that’s worth more than having someone truly love you for all you are. But Rumplestiltskin believes that power is worth far more than love; although he also believes he can have both.
Rumplestiltskin’s arrogance when it comes to love is such a sharp contrast to both Hook and Regina. The latter two are shown struggling to believe themselves worthy of love, even as they work every day to be better people than who they were. Rumplestiltskin, however, knows he hasn’t changed and isn’t going to try to be a better man, even for Belle—at least not anymore. It’s difficult to watch both Regina and especially Hook suffer and struggle while Rumplestiltskin is close to having his cake and eating it too in terms of power and love, but I have to hold on to the belief that this isn’t the kind of show that would let Rumplestiltskin get everything he desires while the two characters who are working to be better people are left to suffer. He’ll get what’s coming to him (I think by the midseason finale), and I really hope it at least partly comes at the hands of the wife whose love he treats with such little respect.
While Rumplestiltskin may not treat love with the respect it deserves, he was the only one in this episode, which featured some truly outstanding moments of emotional power between loved ones. What I enjoyed most about all of the goodbyes was that they each reflected the idea of people saying goodbye to those who helped them be their best selves on the eve of a spell designed to bring out their worst selves. This spell is designed to literally blind you to the good in others and in yourself, so it made sense for the relationships focused on in this episode to be relationships built on the idea of love helping you see the good in the world and in yourself.
It started with Robin and Regina. Say what you want about where their relationship is right now, but there’s no denying that Robin’s love played a role in Regina growing as a person. He’s supported her and believed in her, and Lana Parrilla made me feel how much it hurt Regina to think that she could lose that because of this spell. And Robin himself is driven by his love for his son, too, and that’s why the little moment we saw between him and Roland was so poignant (and not just adorable). This spell isn’t just going to turn lovers on each other; it’s going to turn parents against their children, which is horribly tragic. And whatever you think about Robin at this point, he’s clearly a good father. Him touching Henry’s head in a very fatherly way added to that sense and was also simply a very sweet gesture. To think that this man who is so warm towards the children he clearly loves could turn cold and even deadly towards them is proof of how awful this spell is.
I got that same feeling watching Regina say goodbye to Henry. That was one of the farewells that got to me the most because Parrilla has always been so good at making me feel just how much Regina loves her son. Henry has played such an important role in Regina’s quest towards becoming a better person, and it continued even in this scene, with her apologizing to Henry for not prioritizing Operation Mongoose above what’s been going on with Robin. You could feel her regret over not spending more time with her son before this spell was going to turn her into someone who would be blind to the goodness in Henry and the goodness he’s helped her find in herself. It was heartbreaking bit of acting from Parrilla.
The love between parents and children has always been something this show has celebrated, so it’s natural that a spell designed to destroy that love would bring about heavy emotions. And nowhere were those emotions heavier than in watching Snow and Charming have to say goodbye to not one but both of their children in the face of dark magic once again. Watching Ginnifer Goodwin’s face contort with grief was almost too much to take as she touched Neal’s head through the prison bars. Hasn’t this family suffered enough?
The only saving grace this time was that they were entrusting one child to the care of the other. The symbolism of Snow finally putting Neal in Emma’s arms after being so afraid to do that only days before was more poignant than any words she spoke about not fearing Emma’s magic. But it was still nice to hear the words—and to have Emma hear the words—too. The look of understanding Goodwin and Jennifer Morrison showed on the faces of both mother and daughter was beautiful. And just like Kristoff gave Anna hope when things looked their bleakest, Snow gave her daughter hope. The sincerity behind her belief in her daughter was lovely to see. For as mad as I’ve been with Snow, she was every bit the mother I’ve wanted her to be towards Emma in this scene. Elsa was right; Emma has great parents who believe in her and support her (which made me sad because Elsa never had that). Their optimism may be infuriating sometimes, but it’s going to help Emma get through the trials ahead because that kind of hopeful, supportive love has always given characters on this show strength in the darkest times.
Morrison absolutely broke my heart as she reacted to having to lock her parents up in jail cells, looking every bit as lost and scared of being without them as she did in “Going Home.” There are moments when Morrison shows us the little girl desperately wanting her parents who hides just under Emma’s surface, and those moments always make me cry. Nobody on any TV show I watch plays raw vulnerability as well as she does. But nothing Emma did made me cry more than her reaction to having to say goodbye to Hook. It all started with the way her voice broke as soon as she saw him, asking Elsa to hold her brother with such sadness in her voice that it’s still making me emotional to think about even now. Because, while Emma’s goodbye to her parents was just as emotional as it was in “Going Home,” her goodbye to Hook was a thousand times more emotional because of how far she’s come as a character and how hopeless this moment was supposed to be for Hook.
O’Donoghue played this farewell with such a sense of finality; from the moment Emma walked up to him, you could see Hook trying to look at her as long as he possibly could because he believed this would be his last chance to do so. And when Emma said she wasn’t a “tearful goodbye kiss person,” you could see the subtle hint of fear on his face that she wouldn’t let him say goodbye at all, that she wouldn’t let him kiss her one last time. It was a very small beat, but O’Donoghue played it perfectly.
The Emma we saw in “Going Home” wasn’t a tearful goodbye kiss person. She was still scared to be completely vulnerable with Hook, but she still gave him all she could, even if that was just one word. Now, she still gives him all she can, but it’s so much more than just one word. This whole season has been about building a sense of safety for Emma with Hook in an emotional sense, and that paid off in this scene. The Emma of the past would have pushed him away because she was afraid of how much it would hurt to kiss him goodbye and how much it would break her to be vulnerable with him only to have him leave. Emma isn’t that person anymore. Morrison did such a great job of showing that Emma trusts Hook enough to let him see her at her most vulnerable, which allowed her to be a tearful goodbye kiss person just this once. And that’s the bravest kind of person she can be—someone who knows she’d rather have one more moment of love that could hurt in the end than run away from having what could be one last kiss because she’s afraid of the pain that might come afterward.
And what a kiss it was. O’Donoghue and Morrison put so much desperation and vulnerability into that moment. It was raw and intimate and absolutely devastating in its emotion. And when Hook said his last goodbye, you could see his struggle not to tell her he loved her, even if this was his last chance to do so. He didn’t want to burden her with that knowledge if he was going to die. He already knew he was breaking his promise to survive so she wouldn’t have to lose anyone else, and you could see him not wanting to make it harder for her after he’s gone by telling her he loves her. In the end, though, Emma clearly knew something was going on with him. Her expression as she touched her lips showed that she instinctively sensed something was off in his kiss. It was a lovely parallel to Hook touching his lips after their first kiss, thrown off completely by “what the kiss exposed.” This kiss exposed to Emma not just that something was wrong but that she loves him enough now to be able to sense that just in his kiss.
The hopelessness Hook felt contrasted well with the hope Charming felt as the spell came closer. He truly believed that nothing could come between him and Snow, and that was perhaps the most beautiful statement of love in an episode basically bursting with love. Once again, Josh Dallas killed me with his sincerity, and I found myself wanting to believe it, too. And that made it even harder to watch the spell take hold. The beauty of Snow and Charming holding hands was replaced by the tragedy of those hands pulling away from each other and the camera pulling back to reveal their faces. The brutal coldness in Snow’s eyes is something I won’t soon forget. My hat goes off to Goodwin for being able to look at her real-life husband with such harshness. That one shot was enough to have me waiting with bated breath for next week’s episode.
The entire last sequence, with the spell descending on Storybrooke, was masterfully directed by Mario Van Peebles, my favorite Once Upon a Time director. It was gorgeous to look at even as it broke my heart to watch. Thankfully, though, for as good as this show is at crafting emotional goodbyes, it’s just as good at crafting wonderful reunions. That’s what we have to look forward to now, and I can’t wait.
Nerdy Girl Notes 
Fantastic write-up as usual! This episode absolutely exhausted me — and I mean that in the best possible way. For an ep that focused on emotional exchanges rather than elaborate action set pieces, this was in my view on of the show’s most intense hours (or I’m too emotionally involved…ha!). 😉
This has to be one of the most terrifying things the core cast has faced…and seeing them each attempt to put on a brave face and to come to terms with the concept that they could lose even an inch of the ground they’ve gained just broke my heart. ESPECIALLY with Regina and Robin. While we are still lacking Robin’s backstory (sadly), this episode went a long way toward making me feel like my hope for Outlaw Queen is justified by relational development on the show (if any of that makes sense??). There was such emotional depth in Robin and Regina’s exchanges — the fear, the hope, and the desire to be their best selves for each other. And Regina’s fear that the curse would expose her darkest self to those she loves most (Henry and Robin) just broke my heart.
Rumple is killing me. SUCH BACKSLIDING. But as painful as it is watching Hook clench his jaw and anticipate losing what he loves most — not just life, but life WITH Emma — seeing O’Donoghue and Carlyle play off each other so brilliantly makes it (almost) bearable. I am eagerly anticipating the day this Crocodile gets his comeuppance!
Love, love, LOVE everything you said about Emma and Hook’s goodbye and what it meant for each character. The growth in both of them, individually and as a couple, has been on of 4A’s greatest joys for me. And while I hate the pain and the angst, the thought of the coming payoff is a sweet consolation.
I completely agree that this was an exhausting hour of television, and that’s a high compliment! The focus on emotion over action really helped it achieve maximum impact. And this spell is so terrifying because it’s not just about physical separation or even erasing memories; it’s about taking away love, something not even the Dark Curse could ultimately do. And it’s about turning love into hate, which is the epitome of evil for a show like this one. The payoff for all of these storylines is going to be amazing, and I am excited to watch it all unfold!
Great analysis of the show. I always love to read your thoughts and find myself nodding along about 99% of the time.
Yes, this show does say goodbye quite a bit. But there is always that sense that you never know this might be the big one that does everyone in for good. I was blown away with all of the actors’ performances in this one. Each showed vulnerability and emotion that usually isn’t apart of a normal episode. From the wedding vows in the trunk to Hook’s simple “Goodbye” as he backed away, I was a crying mess who had to assure her husband that I was going to be fine.
What a difference a year makes for Hook and Emma. She went from calling a kiss a one time thing to now offering one tearful goodbye kiss. Yes, you can certainly tell that she knows something is off. She had an even stronger reaction this episode than in the previous, perhaps due to the finality of his actions. I have to wonder if it is the kiss that makes her realize it or something in the way he is acting toward her. From everything we have seen, he would have been supporting her, encouraging her, and telling her that she was going to win against the Snow Queen. None of that was offered here, as he simply said he wanted to see her one more time and said goodbye to her, very reluctantly.
Yes, the show could have gone very melodramatic there. It could have had him declaring his love for her and the sadness of their parting. However, this was the right touch, in my opinion. He feels he is about to die. He is not burdening her with that when he knows that she has a huge battle ahead for her. I’m sure that his thought process would be that she would be better off finding out about his death upon the reversal of the curse. Much less painful than expecting her to fight for everyone with the knowledge that he will not be among those for her to return to afterward.
Rumple is certainly showing his cowardice. He’s more than capable of wielding the hat himself to obtain the magic needed. He showed us in the last episode that nobody needs to actual hold the hat for it to work – as he planned to send Emma into the room alone with it. That’s what makes his use of Hook as a puppet all the more hard to watch. I do question one aspect though. I realize he wanted Emma in the hat because of the amount of power she has. He had to collect all of the fairies to make up for the fact that Emma did not go into it. Why has he not taken Regina into the hat? Wouldn’t her magic be more than some of the others?
I thought for a second that Emma was going to be the one to make a declaration, and whisper “I love you” after they’d broken the kiss and he’d left…but as much as I would’ve loved that spelled out, here actions speak louder than words. 🙂
Thanks, Rebecca! I think you’re right in saying that Hook’s demeanor definitely could have signaled to Emma that something was wrong. The way he left so quickly was probably a red flag for her given that he’s never the one to pull away or walk away first, especially only saying “Goodbye” and not something more elaborate, which she’s used to from him now.
You also brought up a really good point about no one needing to actually hold the hat, which makes what Rumple’s having Hook do even worse. I’m curious like you about why Regina seems to be spared from his hat plans. I wonder if this is something we’ll ever get an answer to.
A friend just pointed out to me that Rumple stated that the hat was able to contain white magic. While Regina was able to harness and use white magic to defeat Zelena, she’s not really known for that. She’s more about dark magical abilities. So maybe that is why Regina isn’t being considered a part of the hat plans.
I COULD NOT AGREE MORE ABOUT MARIO VAN PEEBLES. (Well and everything else too, duh).
But his episodes are always so well paced, and visually gorgeous, and they slay my feels. We need him there every week!
Mario Van Peebles is the best! I don’t normally notice directorial styles (despite taking film classes in college, shame on me), but his episodes always stand out to me. He has such a distinct style, and his pacing is A+.
This episode was a lot emotionally.
Elsa, Anna and Kristoff
The Anna and Kristoff scene in the trunk absolutely broke my heart. When she started saying her vows, the tears started rolling. It was such a beautiful and unanticipated moment and I loved it so much.
I’m genuinely going to miss Anna, I kinda wish she could have made it to SB sooner so we could have more interaction with her there.
Initially I was getting annoyed with Elsa for risking the entire town to save Anna, but in the end the reunion was really beautiful and I couldn’t even be upset. It was definitely emotionally satisfying and Elizabeth and Georgina sold it perfectly. Even tho the standing around hugging it out on the beach and then walking (not running, or jogging, just walking) back to Granny’s, while there is a curse descending on the town momentarily, and Anna is the only one who can help create a vaccine was slightly frustrating.
Emma and Hook
Another goodbye scene that broke my heart. Emma who was so guarded being so vulnerable and emotional in that scene was just… That got a few tears out of me. Hook believing that this would be his final goodbye was also heartbreaking.
Emma and Charmings
This scene was one of my faves. The contrast to a few weeks ago where Snow was scared to give Neal to Emma and was afraid of her and her powers, to Snow being like here you’ll take him and we have faith in you, felt redeeming to an extent on Snow’s part. Having Emma lock them up and just holding Neal looking like this scared little girl was also so sad.
I’m really intrigued to see what happens to them next week and what type of things they’re gonna lash out at each other with. Snow and Charming are that old married couple that has never has let anything, magical or otherwise come between them, so in that last moment where the spell takes over and they let go of, and look at each other the way they did, it was weird and scary in a way, because it kinda goes to show how powerful this curse actually is. This couple whose love is so strong can be turned on each other after everything.
Hook, Rumple and Belle
Rumple, Rumple, Rumple. He’s always been one of my fav characters, but I wanted to choke him last night. I understand his need to be separated from the dagger, but the extent he’s going to to do it. He’s damned the whole town with the exception of his wife and Grandson. Like you I also hate that he’s getting all this blood in Hook’s hands instead of just doing his dirty work himself. I need Rumple to suffer a bit sometime soon.
Part of me feels horrible for Hook, but part of me is still just annoyed. I feel like with this situation we are just repeating the same thing that happened with Zelena. She cursed him, he said nothing to the others and left them in the dark, Emma lost her magic and they nearly lost to Zelena until Regina came thru. Again now, he knew Rumple was up to no good, said nothing left everyone in the dark and Rumple has now taken his heart and vacuumed the fairies up and thwarted their attempt in saving the town. All because he chose not to speak up when he had the chance. I love Hook but I hate that he didn’t learn from (in SB time) a few weeks ago.
I hate all of Rumple’s lying to Belle. If their relationship isn’t on the rocks by the mid-season finale, I’m gonna be slightly annoyed. It drives me crazy that he has everything, power and love and it’s just never enough and that he’s currently not paying any price. Meanwhile, you have characters like Hook and Regina who are struggling to be their best for those they love.
Regina, Robin and Henry
*sighs* Regina’s goodbyes hurt.
I feel like Regina is as scared of the Evil Queen as everyone else was back in the Enchanted Forest. Regina and The Evil Queen are kind of like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, it doesn’t completely even feel like they’re the same person anymore. Regina’s fear of herself in this episode was heartbreaking. She been alone for so long and has worked so hard to be her best self, and she’s finally in a good place where she has a great relationship with her son, she has love in her life with Robin, and she has a budding friendship with Snow. It took so long to get to get to this place and she realizes that in a matter of hours, she could lose it all, not because she’s consciously done something awful, but because this curse is gonna bring the part of her that she’s spent so long burying back to the surface in full force. She’s terrified that after those she loves the most see her worst, they’ll leave her and she’ll be back in that place where she’s alone again. She wasn’t really surviving well in that place before, and I don’t think now, especially after all her growth and her opening herself back up to love, can even fathom attempting to survive in that place again.
What I do love is Henry not being afraid, having faith and basically telling her that after this passes, and it will, they’re gonna continue searching for the author and that basically they’ll be fine. I also love Robin’s completely unwavering faith in her. I love that even though he knows she’s powerful and that she was a ruthless psycho at one point, he genuinely believes in her and who she is now and is unwilling to run away and give up on her because of this. I love how comforting and genuinely loving he is with her as well, the scene at the camp was beautiful.
I’m interested to see dark Robin and what he’s gonna be like.
Also, Regina’s pep talks to the Charmings and sass over the last couple weeks have been perfect.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Kaydee. 🙂
Like you, I was moved enough by all things Frozen to not be as annoyed as I should have been with how long it took them to stop reuniting and start moving towards Granny’s.
Like you, I’m frustrated by the similarities between Zelena’s lip curse and the Hook/Rumple situation (which now is slightly different since he literally can’t tell anyone, or at least I think Rumple would be smart enough to order him not to), but I have always hated storylines about secrets and people not talking when they need to. Alas, it is a common TV trope I have to learn to live with (and neither of Hook’s secrets will ever last as long as someone of the ones I’ve dealt with on some of my favorite TV shows over the years). In the end, I see this situation as a dumb move on Hook’s part that he’s more than paid for at this point, so I can’t be too annoyed with him since he’s clearly being punished for it within the narrative.
Your thoughts on Regina were lovely to read, and they made me even more emotional about her situation. Henry and his “truest believer” heart will never fail to move me when he’s directing that belief at people who have so much trouble believing in themselves, including both of his moms.
That last five minutes were soul-destroying! IF anybody had doubts about E and K loving each other, I’m willing to bet my laptop that they are gone after that kiss! And the last few seconds of Snowing were just heartbreaking
Those last few minutes were beautiful, but they were certainly painful!
Reblogged this on inksplatis: this is my design and commented:
Such a beautiful recap and insights into the characters. Waiting for the reunion. So many heartbreaking scenes in this episode.
Your description of Anna and Kristoff’s moment in the trunk almost made me start crying again. I lost it there too and was kind of surprised since I don’t know them as well as the other characters on the show.
I am writing this comment as I read and got a little choked up again reading about Anna and Elsa’s reunion too. UGH. This show.
Interesting about the pouch- I for sure thought that Emma had told her to take the necklace and run and was playing dumb when they all discovered it was missing. I think I have to watch again (such a hardship).
That look of Emma’s after that kiss has my imagination going crazy. I think you’re probably right that she just realizes something is wrong, but I also wondered- was it something to do with magic? I saw on tumblr the kind of crazy idea that he did something to his lips (potion, idk) to warn her when he was forbidden to say anything. And since this show does have a lot of deus ex machina, maybe her true love kiss will protect him somehow and she was realizing it. (heart eyes)
Such a good write up! thanks again 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us!
I’m not sure Hook would have had enough time or resources to do anything like that to his lips, but I definitely think that kiss is going to play a big role in saving him because she’s not going to forget that moment and when she has enough time to really process it, she’s going to know that he’s in trouble (which will lead to the beautiful rescue we’re all patiently waiting for).
Another strong episode – I am really enjoying 4A and I can’t believe there’s only 2 episodes left before we go on hiatus again! I agree 150% with everything you said about the goodbye scenes and all I’m going to say is that once again Jennifer Morrison killed me – every time Emma cries it kills me and this episode was no different.
I can’t wait to see Rumple’s plans fall apart on him and when he told Hook he would have everything (his power & Belle) I think they were foreshadowing what will happen when Belle finds out about what he’s been up to. I think Belle will give him an ultimatum – chose me or your power and I think Rumple will chose his power. Considering Rumple has always been the Dark One on this show, it’s amazing that it’s only in S4 that I actively dislike him – but I think he’s finally living up to his name.
i can’t wait to see what will happen next week – I loved the parting shot of Snow and Charming letting go of each others hands and looking at each other so coldly – it seems not even their love is strong enough to beat this curse. Bring on next Sunday!
I’m so sad that 4A is almost done, but I think these next two episodes have the potential to be two of the best in what’s been a very strong half-season!
And yes, every time Emma cries, I cry, too. Jennifer Morrison is just so good at breaking my heart.
I’ll preface all of this by stating that I am an emotional person – like cry at sappy Hallmark commercials sentimental. I kept it together pretty well during this episode right up until the end. When Regina told Robin she was memorizing his face with love in his eyes, and when Anna started to recite her vows my throat felt a little tight, but man, it all went to hell when Snow put her hand on Neal’s head. The look on her face just about killed me, and from there it was all ugly crying until the credits rolled. Your observation that the curse wouldn’t only affect love relationships but also parent/child ones was something I hand’t really considered before, but having the writers build in the concept first with Robin and Roland and then Snow and Neal, and then going into that scene knowing Snow’s anxiety and insecurity about keep her children safe, and about her attachment issues with Neal in particular, I just came undone. All that grief and fear about what she could do to him, and yet she still just couldn’t quite let go.
I couldn’t have imagined a more heartbreaking moment between Emma and Hook, and just got misty again reading your recap. It was such a perfect balance of emotion from Emma and quiet desperation from Hook, and I couldn’t agree more with what you’ve already said about their kiss. It’s really struck me that no two intimate moments we’ve seen between them has really been the same, and it just surprises me every time how they can convey such a wide array of emotional motivation in what is essentially just pressing lips together. I was just a little disappointed that Emma didn’t follow up on her moment of confusion/doubt after the kiss, and was also sad that she didn’t find anything odd about Hook telling her goodbye. It just seemed, to me at least, really out of character for him. I’d have expected a “see you after you defeat the SQ” or a “I know you can do it, Swan” or something to that effect. His “goodbye” had such a clear finality to me and that she didn’t pick up on it as someone that is used to people leaving her bothered me a bit. I’ll excuse it as being distracted by the OVERWHELMING amount of misery around her, but still.
I’m kind of excited to see what people say and do under the curse; they’ve teased us with some dramatic interactions (i.e. Snow and Regina), but what I really want is to see how it plays out with the romantic pairs and between Henry/Regina/Emma. I can’t imagine what Snow and Charming could say or do given that they are THE fairytale couple, and I’m also very, very, interested if they’ll give a scene to Emma and Hook. He has always been so unflinchingly supportive of her, I can’t begin to think what he could say or do to hurt her. At most I could see him re-directing back to himself, telling her that he’s unworthy of her and that he’s failure, so she shouldn’t love him. One thing is certain, it will definitely be an amazing hour next week.
I think that his odd goodbye will come back into play after the curse is broken. She certainly sensed something being off, but put it in the back of her mind because the spell was moments away from arriving.
Once everyone is back to normal and reuniting, I think that she will seek him out and really put things together. While it would be interesting to see it play out that she had to make a choice of going after him/saving him or going ahead with the plan to defeat the Snow Queen, this approach will be good too because it adds the element that she might be too late. That element of time being of the essence usually stirs up emotions in even the most guarded characters – think back to her rescuing him from the water when his lips were cursed.
I don’t doubt that everything has been mapped out specifically to build to a very particular scene or series of scenes, but it still bothered me just a bit that Emma, who who has always been portrayed as this very damaged person, mostly as a result of people constantly abandoning her, didn’t even flinch at the goodbye. I’m still waiting to see her fight for him, but I’m guessing that will be a pretty big element in the final episode(s) when everything that has been happening re: Rumple and the hat final comes out in the open. I do also acknowledge that it’s difficult as an audience member who has the benefit of back story and perspective to let the characters play out the drama in the way that the writers have planned for them 😛
Thank you for sharing all of your feelings with us, because it makes me feel less alone for being so emotional about everything! 😉
I absolutely loved your observation about no two intimate moments between Emma and Hook being the same. And as for Emma’s lack of reaction to Hook’s goodbye, I think there was one—I think when she touched her lips she was contemplating not just the kiss but his entire demeanor in that scene, and something was wrong about all of it. His goodbye felt completely in-character for me for his situation because it was filled with the kind of hopelessness that I think anyone would have in his predicament, and I think that’s one of the things that’s going to stick with Emma once she has time to process everything—the fact that he didn’t say he’d see her when it was over; he said goodbye. I just don’t think there was time for her to have much of a reaction to his goodbye beyond what we saw. But I am certain that we’ll see a reaction from her once the curse is broken and she has time to really think about it. She just had a lot on her plate in that particular moment. 😉
I loved this write up, thank you! The second to last paragraph in particular was exactly how I felt.
Thank you! 🙂
Excellent recap. I don’t really have much to add — just lots of agreement. I assume you can’t see the head-nodding, so just to let you know — there was lots of head-nodding.
I think one of the reasons that I’m so frustrated with Robin is because of how he acts here. He IS a good father. He IS good for Regina. He’s good with Henry. He’s making sure his men and his family are taken care of. In so many ways, he’s a stand-up guy, so his setting aside of Marian makes me want to shake him.
I would also like to add my voice to the can-we-keep-Anna-and-Kristoff wish. I got weepy during the trunk scene. There relationship is just wonderfully done.
I also got weepy during the Emma-Killian goodbye. *sniffle* Honestly, I feel like I should organize this around “scenes I sniffled during” — but that might take up too much space. Basically, I sniffled during the same scenes everyone else did.
And like many others, I’d love to shake Rumple. (But good grief, how good is Robert Carlyle?) I do love, though, that everything he does can really be traced back to his cowardice. How heart-breaking is it that love isn’t enough for him. Belle seems to be a little withdrawn in her interactions with him . . . I wonder how much she suspects.
I’m really looking forward to next week’s episode to see how everyone acts under the curse . . . will we be able to tell the difference with Grumpy?
Thank you so much! There was lots of head-nodding as I read your comment, too!
Another strong episode. I am with you in being overly attached to the Frozen characters at this point. What might have started out as a bit of annoyance at sacrificing time spent on our established cast has now backfired and now I just want more of Anna and Kristoff and less of everyone else. Not only did I spend the entire episode smiling and laughing at their banter, the scene of the two of them in the chest was by far the most emotional one for me, and that really caught me off guard. As you mentioned, seeing someone has optimistic as Anna finally break was really hard to see. The way she turned herself away from Kristoff and shut her eyes and wouldnt move just killed me. And Kristoff not letting her give up was just perfect and everything this show has ever been about. Ugh I love them. I NEED to see their wedding, even though I doubt Disney would ever allow it, especially with an animated Frozen sequel in the works. But can you imagine all of the charmings taking a cross realm trip to go to the wedding (lets ignore the logistics right now)? Ugh, WANT SO BADLY.
This episode had a very Buffy feel too it, more so than most. One of the things I always liked about Buffy was even in the episodes that destroy you, there is an equal amount of humor and lightness.
I loved watching Killian plead with Rumple to reconsider about the hat and be with Belle. Even then he wasn’t begging for his own life, he was trying to convince Rumple to do the right thing, knowing first hand how love was able to give him purpose beyond his revenge. After watching ‘The Crocodile’ again last weekend, it really puts into perspective just how long these two have been foes. The show doesn’t quite give it the same attention as Regina and Snow (I would have loved to see what could have been if Hook has been around from the beginning), but the tension and history there runs just as deep, if not deeper. Sometimes I think its a bit weird that Rumple keeps giving Killian these long grand speeches about his feelings and plans with the hat, but I think Rumple finds it cathartic to tell someone. And nobody knows Rumple better than Hook. Hook is acting as Rumple’s conscience at this point as well as a constant reminder of all of his failures. Its not surprising he wants nothing more than to kill him to make his decent into total darkness complete. I almost feel as long as Hook lives there is still a sliver of hope for Rumple.
The goodbye with Killian and Emma was a bit more reserved than I was hoping, but still it made sense in context. This moment wasnt an epic forever goodbye because Emma didnt know the gravity of the situation. If I thought for a second they would never see each other again, I would be disappointed, but since I know they will be together again, I can accept this scene for what it was. I am also with you in the camp of people that thinks Killian wouldn’t want to burden Emma with an “I love you” in that situation knowing he wont be back (if you couldnt already tell from the angsty minific I wrote, lol) . I just hope when they are together again he doesn’t hold back. With this show its only a matter of time before they are separated again, they better make the most of it.
As you said, Once knows how to do a goodbye, but for me, their reunions are what makes this show for me. I loved the reunion between Anna and Elsa in this episode (the excited sister babbling was perfect) and I cant wait to see all of the reunions we have coming at the end of 4A
Randomness:
Even though Jane says the kitchen scene wasnt a nod to ‘Jurassic Park’, I couldn’t help picturing Blue on the floor hiding from Velociraptors.
Props to Anna for voicing the opinion I have on playing in a pile of gold I have held since I first saw the intro to ‘Duck Tails’ in 1987. Ouch.
I kept wondering what the heck this wishing star thing people kept talking about all episode was supposed to be until the very end with Elsa on the beach. That plot device was heavy handed even for ‘Once’ standards, but whatever, they had to be reunited somehow and I dont really care how it happened.
I am now really intrigued by how Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff are going to get back to Arendelle when this is all over. I kinda want Emma’s light magic to be able to transport herself and others across realms. That sounds fun. And gives me a way to believe everyone can go to Anna and Kristoff’s wedding.
The next episode has to be crazy writer wish fulfillment with everyone going dark, and I am looking forward to a bit of ridiculousness before we get the emotional conclusion.
Perfect review as always Katie!
“Its not surprising he wants nothing more than to kill him to make his decent into total darkness complete. I almost feel as long as Hook lives there is still a sliver of hope for Rumple. ”
I really love the above comment because it reminded me of what Hook told Regina in 2×20 that his revenge was en ending not a beginning. And if Hook had succeeded in killing Rumple like he planned he would never be where he was today with Emma and the Charming’s. So maybe you are right as long as Hook lives, Rumple still has a chance.
Thanks, Shauna! I’m excited I’m finally getting the chance to reply!
After reading your comment, I NEED to see all of the Charmings (and Hook, of course) at Anna and Kristoff’s wedding. There better be some fan fiction out there for me to read about this. 😉 I was just thinking today about how we only have two more weeks with these Frozen characters, and I got very intensely emotional about it. They’re added so much to the show, and I can’t believe there was once a time when I was nervous about how all of this would go.
I agree that I would have probably found Killian and Emma’s goodbye lacking if I thought it was going to be a “forever” goodbye. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it was lacking for a reason—Hook’s missing heart. Yes, he can still feel and still love a tremendous amount without his heart. But he can’t feel as deeply as I’m sure he wants to, and part of me wonders if that was shown in his lack of beautiful words that we’re so accustomed to from him. I have no doubt, though, that once his heart is back, his reunion with Emma is going to be beautiful and neither of them will hold back. (Can you tell I’m getting really excited not just for this week but for the midseason finale?)
PS: A+ Duck Tales reference! 😉
The gold bars comment also totally reminded me of DuckTales when I first heard it. And then I suddenly pictured Hans and his brothers as the Beagle boys and their inept attempts to rob Scrooge McDuck.
Great Review. I really loved your comments on Rumple/Hook and how they are perfect foils. As awful as Rumple’s actions are the writers have managed to make Rumple incredibly interesting again. In season 3 he was on the fringes, but I find that Rumple has become an incredibly dynamic full on villain again – something that imo he hasn’t been seen since he was in the Enchanted Forest. I was also surprised that Rumple included Henry in his deal with the SQ, mainly because we have seen very little interaction between the two, not to mention that Rumple has no problem sacrificing Emma to the ice wall and the hat. But I’m actually thinking Rumple may view Henry as his second chance. Rumple plans to leave town with Belle and Henry reminded me of how Milah begged Rumple to leave town with her and Bae. Rumple refused to leave town when Milah asked him, but now Rumple is ready to pack up Henry and Belle and leave town – despite the fact that neither one of them have shown any desire to leave SB. Ironic that Rumple lost his chance to start fresh when both Milah and Bae wanted him to, but know he’s ready to move on with two people that don’t want to leave. Hook and Rumple really do have a fascinating dynamic, and one of the most interesting is that Hook really does know Rumple better than anyone when it comes to his darkness, but Rumple doesn’t know Hook as well as he thinks and in the end I think Rumple will underestimate Hook and just how much he has changed and that will be Rumple’s downfall.
Emma’s scene with her parents when Snow handed over Neal was heartbreaking and while I appreciate Snow showing faith in her daughter I really hope the writers aren’t just brushing over the Charming’s concerns over Emma’s magic. I’d like to see them have an honest discussion about her magic – as well as a whole lot of other things. If Snow and Emma are ever going to get their relationship on track it needs to happen. I know they have a limited amount of time and a lot of story to tell but there are times I’d rather see an honest discussion of issues then just chasing the next big bad.
The scenes with Kristoff and Anna in the trunk was great and Kristoff offering Anna hope is a parallel I’d like to see repeated with Hook and Emma. Hook has lost hope of getting out of this alive, but he’s also always been the one to encourage Emma so I’d love to see Emma offering him hope.
If there was one thing I wanted when Kristoff/Anna met David again it was a comment on David’s hair and I’m so glad we got it.
Emma and Hook’s goodbye was beautiful and I love that Emma could tell something was wrong immediately. I realize that the pacing of this story is a little off and it might have flowed if episode 4 occurred right before episode 7 and we didn’t have 5 and 6 as filler since that filler would have been the perfect chance for Hook to tell Emma about his deal with Rumple – but then again as much as Hook wants Emma to trust him, sadly I don’t think he trusts her enough to love him mistakes and all. Everyone Hook has ever loved he lost – and just a few weeks ago Emma was hell bent on leaving town as well. I think Hook has some of the same scares Emma has still lingering from childhood and heartbreak.
And then we have Regina. Her scenes at the town line with Emma and Henry reminded me of 3×10 when Regina insisted Henry was fine even thought Emma thought something was off with Henry. I understand that the SQ was targeting Emma, but since Regina was about to be inflicted with a curse bringing out her worst self and her magic has been proven to be ineffective against the SQ it irked me that she dismissed Emma’s concerns. I wonder what would have happened if Henry hadn’t agreed to go with Regina?
I’m waiting to see how the next two episodes play out for Outlaw Queen, but at this point the only person I feel sympathy for is Marian. Also when Regina told Robin that only he and Henry had faith in her I was annoyed. How many times has Snow given Regina the benefit of the doubt? Or believed that she could change? Regina’s only alive today because Snow thought she could be a better person and change. I did think it was interesting though that the only two people Regina thinks have faith in her are also the two that have never seen her in her evil queen glory. Henry and Robin have only ever heard the stories, so it’ll be interesting to see how things play out when they do get a glimpse of her as the evil queen.
Finally I also didn’t like the last scene with Regina/Henry. The thing about Operation Mongoose is that it’s all about getting Regina HER happy ending, but Regina has never considered the fact that her happy ending could be the boy standing in front of her that has forgiven her for all the crap she put him through. And at the end Henry is still telling Regina they’ll get her a happy ending. That and the scene at the town line were like Henry placating Regina like a parent placates a child. Only in this case the dynamics are all screwed up.
If the Rumple/Hook story is doing anything its proving how great a foil they are for one another, but also proving how Regina’s story is lacking without a decent foil which used to be Emma and Snow. That being said I wouldn’t mind seeing Regina’s search for a happy ending parallel Rumple’s quest for power, I think it would be an interesting dynamic in 4b.
I didnt see an issue with Regina insisting Henry go with her. Like you said the SQ is targeting Emma and Elsa, they have the ribbons attached to them that they can’t remove, and they don’t know the extent of the ribbons control or power. It was pretty established that the spell wouldn’t arrive until sundown. The SQ had no interest in Regina, was not targeting her & the curse wasn’t in effect yet. It made more sense to send Henry with Regina considering Elsa and Emma are part of the SQ’s big plans, and there was a decent chance with her now having cast the curse, that she might try to catch up with them. Henry didn’t need to be with them if that happened.
As far as Snow goes, I don’t think what she said is based on what actually is, but how she personally feels. Their friendly, bonding relationship is new and she’s still not at that point where she has completely embraced the Charmings, part of that probably stems from guilt and not feeling completely worthy of having this unit behind her. Her relationship with Henry and Robin is just different, she’s completely open, vulnerable, comfortable and understood by both. I took her apologizing about operation Mongoose more in regard to it being their special mission they were supposed to be working on and her kinda neglecting it. She recognizes that Henry is a huge part of her happy ending, but Henry can’t be her everything, he’s growing up and he’s between houses, to rest her entire happiness on him isn’t really gonna work and also isn’t healthy. Henry wasn’t placating her at the town line, he was about to be separated from his mother who had raised him from birth forever, and he simply came to the realization that he was wrong about certain beliefs he had regarding her and wanted to apologize to her while he still had a chance to. Even then Regina took all the blame from him. Regina wasn’t looking for him to assure her that he’d help her get a happy ending, in that moment that wasn’t even her main fear, that was just him giving her some hope because he knew she was absolutely terrified of what the curse was about to make her become and what it would potentially do to their relationship.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Mary!
Your theory about Rumple using Henry as a second chance is spot-on, I think. Unlike Bae, though, Rumple isn’t Henry’s father. Henry has two mothers Rumple would be taking him away from. It just further highlights how even his desire to save Henry from the curse by taking him out of Storybrooke disregards anyone else’s wishes but his own.
I didn’t have much of a problem with Regina wanting Henry to go with her, actually. Ingrid cares much more about Emma than Regina, and I think having Henry too close to Emma might cause Ingrid to try to remove Henry from her forcibly because he can’t be part of their family. I also was surprised like you were that Regina didn’t count Snow among the people who had faith in her. However, I think that she knows Snow has had faith in her but still has trouble accepting that due their past. I think she’s trying so hard to get away from being the Evil Queen that she has trouble feeling like someone could have seen her at her worst and choose to believe in her ability to be better than that.
I am incredibly intrigued by who is going to interact with who while under this spell. I would love to see what Henry would say while under to spell’s influence to Regina in full Evil Queen mode. That has the potential to be amazing.
Great review, Katie! This episode was so intense. Although I’m very emotionally attached to these characters, I don’t normally cry during episodes. But this episode totally made me cry. Emma saying goodbye to her parents killed me. And Hook’s goodbye was just so painful to watch. One thing I’m wondering about was that shot of the message in the bottle in the water. Was that supposed to be the message from Anna and Elsa’s parents? I’m curious to see what significance that plays later.
Thank you! You brought up a great question about the message in the bottle. I think it was from Anna and Elsa’s mother, and I think it might have some important information in it about Ingrid that might help them break the spell. I’m sure we’ll find out soon!
*cries* Beautifully said. I always look forward to your reviews. Apart from the show, it’s also a highlight of my week! And god, I thought the episode was bad enough, your write-up had me bawling just as hard as I did during the episode, and I cried DAMN HARD. You just get this show so good and I seriously appreciate your blog. It’s one of the best!
Thank you so much for the kind words! 🙂
Your recap, as always, is perfection! I watched this episode in a roomful of family, none of whom watch the show, so needless to say, it needs a rewatch. I will reply soon! And I will echo the absolutely momentous feeling of the sisters’ reunion. That kind of emotion is hard to do with characters who were introduced just this season, but somehow the show pulled it off!
Thanks, Christy! I know how tough it can be to watch this show in a roomful of family, so hopefully you’ll get to enjoy a rewatch of it before Sunday! 🙂
Once definitely needs to keep Mario as a director. Everything in this episode was amazing and the last minutes gave me chills.
As heartbreaking the goodbyes, I have no doubt there will be heartfelt happy reunions later.
I have so many issues with Rumple this season. The sad thing is, he was my first favorite and now, I want him to lose everything and quite frankly, he deserves it for all his lies and manipulations. But I do appreciate the very clear contrast between how Rumple has not changed and Hook has; that Hook cannot even fathom choosing power over love the way Rumple has.
Excellent review. I really have to go back after this first of the season is done and read your comments on earlier episodes.
Thank you for the kind words! I love all the love for Mario Van Peebles I’ve been reading lately because I think he’s so good. He has such a distinct style that works for well for this show.
Like you, I can’t wait for all of the happy reunions after all of those sad goodbyes!
It’s funny. I can usually type a never-ending amount about this show, but for some reason, this episode hasn’t really sunk in for me; maybe the holiday, maybe I’m just so worried about the Hook angst with no resolution in sight, but I think this is one of those episodes that I’ll reference at a later date with deeper meaning.
Kudos to the writers, the actors, and everyone involved with the storyline of Frozen for making me care about the Elsa/Anna reunion as much as if I had been watching them search for each other for years. When Anna popped out of the trunk (she’s so “talky”, loved that), and Elsa realized that her sister was back, it was such an incredible display for the character of Elsa, who never gave up hope. She’s like the new and improved Snow White; excuse me, Mary Margaret.
I think this episode set up amazing things for next week. I can say with full confidence that I will love the Mirror of Shattered sight curse, largely because I think that intentionally or no, the writers have swept a lot of characters’ feelings under the rug and this spell, if done right, can bring all of those feelings out. Emma is immune, but she’s already said all how she feels to her parents, but there is so much simmering tension between Snow White and the Evil Queen that remains unresolved, and I honestly think there is some between Charming and Snow White as well with everything they have been through. And lord knows that Belle should be able to give Rumpelstiltskin an earful! And Henry himself probably has some choice words for his Jerry Springer family. The curse could be fun, and deep, and story-advancing. I really do feel the whole town still has to make peace with Regina as the Evil Queen, and I’m hoping they get a lot of her sins out into the open. Maybe that will finally lead her to the happy ending she so desires. And let’s face it, there’s no better character than Regina in all her campy evilness.
I’ll admit to being disappointed that Blackbeard lived. I loved the dark side of Hook actually murdering someone, and the shades of regret he’s had to live with, even once he found out that Eric was still alive. I thought that was a nice bookend to Hook’s darkness arc, but maybe when he learns that Blackbeard is still alive, it will spark him to tell Emma the rest of the story from the missing year.
And the show continues to toy with Rumple. He doesn’t seem to actively want to hurt the rest of town; i.e. his indifference to Emma, and even to some extent, Hook, but he has no interest in saving them again, either. More and more, I think he just wants to be free of the dagger, and I’m not sure there’s more to it than that. But I think somewhere along the line, he’s fallen out of love with Belle, or has closed his heart to her. There isn’t much there from his side these days.
All in all, I cannot wait for next week!
And I obviously can’t talk at all about Hook and the goodbye kiss. Emma putting her finger to her lips, just like he did on their first kiss? KILLS ME.
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Christy! Like you, I think this spell has the potential to bring a lot of important things out into the open, in addition to providing for some humorous moments. It will be interesting to see just how deep they go with these issues in this next episode. I for one cannot wait for Henry’s interactions with people while he’s under the spell’s influence.
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Hello maate great blog post