Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 11 & 12 Review

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Episode 11: Shattered Sight

Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan ABC Once Upon a Time Shattered Sight picture image

Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

It’s the Purge, ABC Style! This episode wraps up the Snow Queen’s arc. The past portionis about Emma and Ingrid’s relationship. Ingrid and Emma did have a nice relationship and Ingrid was trying to adopt her. Ingrid messed it up however when she tries to push Emma’s powers out by nearly getting her hit by a car. Emma thinks she is crazy and runs off. Prior to that 28 year deadline Ingrid finds Storybrooke and sets up shop. When Emma wonders into the Ice Cream shop, Ingrid takes her memories.  

Most of the episode is the fairy tale character being horrible to each other or beating the crap out of everyone. Emma releases Regina out because she figures that Regina’s hatred for her will undo the Ribbons. Not really sure how that really works. So as once the ribbons are off Emma and Elsa go to face off against Ingrid, as killing her is the only way to break the curse. Otherwise it’s a Regina and Snow bitch fight.

Anna then finds a the letter that Gerda wrote before she drown which recounts Ingrid and how she loved her and how she should encouraged Ingrid to accept her own powers and  nothide away.  Ingrid realizes that she has what she always wanted; her sister’s love. She then sacrifices herself to break the spell so that she can join her sisters.   

The is arc made some aspects of Frozen make a little more sense. It  serves as somewhat prequel and sequel to frozen and yet NO OLAF, I’m over it but a little annoyed. I wish Ingrid’s plan wasn’t so off. She wanted the love of her sisters but she didn’t want anyone else around. Just seems a little weak of an evil plan. It slightly evil but not really all that evil. She did get redeem though which is more than Rumple can say. His character development is like in the negatives at this point. He’s worse than when he started. Since his plot is still up in the air I bet the next arc will focus on him more.      

I will say that Evil Snow and David  were  fun but why did the spell wear off quickly with Anna but not on the town? Did Ingrid control durations? Or is it like once the person does some task?  Like with Anna it was threatening trapping Elsa  in the urn and for the town it was just death?    

This arc felt too all over the place. There were like so much set-up for other plots and the main Snow Queen/Frozen felt drawn out and nearly divertive of Frozen. It wasn’t a re-imaging but Frozen 2.0 which felt cheap.  Also Will Scarlett is colossal waste of time.

 

Episode 12; Heroes and Villains

Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil, Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Merrin Dungey as Ursula ABC Once Upon a Time Heroes and Villains picture image

Kristin Bauer van Straten as Maleficent, Victoria Smurfit as Cruella De Vil, Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Merrin Dungey as Ursula

This episode wraps Rumple wanting to be free of the dagger plot, wanting to  kill Hook and the aftermath of the Frozen. See because Rumple lied about knowing Anna, and Anna knows his plan he wants Anna gone. Rumple finds a portal and as the Frozen crew leaves Anna clues them into Rumple’s plan. Emma and Snow try to stop him but fail. Belle stops him with the help of an object that can lead someone to a person’s weakness which leads her to the dagger.

The past plot deals with Rumple trading the object for Belle’s life after Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella kidnapped her. Rumple then got the thing back from them and Belle found in in present day Storybrooke.  Basically Belle thought she was worth more to Rumple than power so in the end she makes him leave Storybrooke. He then goes to New York City, because there is nothing between Maine and New York City. At least Belle got smart again. Smart might be the wrong word, maybe perceptive.          

Robin and Marian also leave town because Marian got refrozen and it was the only way to save her except for Roland’s kiss which could have  if the character remembers things. So even though Marian was going to left Regina and Robin be together NOPE. Also now when people leave town the don’t forget but they just can see the town anymore.  

One question! Didn’t Mulan join the merry man? Or did she lied to Aurora? Where is Mulan? Or Nova? Or Ruby?  Also just a minor nitpick but it’s more of a personal pet peeve, Individuals  do not evolve. Rumple didn’t evolve he either matured or reverted. I hated it the usage of the word  even in Pokemon.  

Mostly this was good episode, though do wish we saw something of Elsa and Anna taking back Arendelle, seems like they just beat up Hans and that was enough. They redid the chocolate line because they had to throw ONE MORE FROZEN thing in the show. Speaking of divertive things we are introduced to  Maleficent in her evil sleeping Beauty costume(though we have seen her before), Ursula who seems the least derivative one and Cruella who has amazing cheekbones. Let’s see where this new arc is going but it has a lot to do with previous set-up arc of finding the author. Which Henry did find a clue of in the sorcerer’s mansion. So either the sorcerer is the author or knows the writer. Seems weird there even is a physical author.
Anyway this a good episode, I like seeing Rumple suffer.

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 9 & 10 Review

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Episode 9; Smash the Mirror Part 2

Georgina Haig as Elsa & Elizabeth Lail as Anna ABC Once Upon a Time Smash the Mirror Part 2 picture image

Georgina Haig as Elsa & Elizabeth Lail as Anna

Over the course of the season, Ingrid has told Elsa that it was Anna who trapped her in the urn which was true but Anna was under the shattered sight spell. Elsa refuses to hurt Anna so she  lets herself get trapped. Elsa getting trapped in the urn wasn’t part of Ingrid’s masterplan so she took Elsa memories of her but Rumple turns up and wants the hat and takes the urn for leverage. Ingrid is about to summon Rumple to make the  but the apprentice shows up because Ingrid made a deal with the sorcerer which was to exchange the hat for a magical third sister match. He tells her that if Ingrid gives the hat to Rumple she will never get her happy ending. In the end she gives the apprentice the hat and he sends her to “the real world.” That answered how Ingrid got to the real world, or place without magic, who trapped Elsa in the urn and why Rumple has the urn.

So in Storybrooke, Ingrid tries to stop Emma from getting of her magic which she thinks is suspect so she goes to the mansion. Basically Rumple manipulates Emma further saying that as a villain he wouldn’t give up his power but Emma is a hero who makes the right decision so she should.  Elsa shows up and tells Emma that she really needs to love herself to control her powers. This gets through to Emma and she doesn’t go through the door to the hat. Everyone is happy except for Rumple who didn’t get Emma into the pokeball erm magical hat. Instead he takes Hook’s heart as part of what he need for the spell to be free of the dagger and for fun. He needs so one who knew him BEFORE becoming the Dark one.

Then no one is happy since Ingrid put ribbons Emma and Elsa to harness their magic so she can cast the shattered sight spell that will make everyone in Storybrooke hate/kill each other.

B plot is MORE Regina and Robin. Robin is looking for clues on the author and he finds an alternate page where Regina goes to meet Robin at the bar when Tinker bell showed her true love instead of the page in the book where she walked away. Basically it shows her that she has hope if only she makes better decisions and that she not doomed as a villain.

Nitpicks! Why didn’t Ingrid use her powers to puncture Emma’s tires or tried to immobilize her?  I’m not one for noticing continuity errors but Ingrid’s neckpiece falls down between cuts during her scene with the apprentice.       

Also this isn’t really a nitpick but a more of visual metaphor which again isn’t something I tend to pick up on.  Rumple is shutting out the light and love for power when he closes the ball room door to set-up the hat trap. He is literally shutting out from light and the love come from the place where he danced with Belle  

This wasn’t  a bad episode. It did answer a lot of questions and it didn’t feel like it jerked the plot all over the place. I’m sick of the Rumple’s plot though and now Hook is more of a minion than he was before. Still it wasn’t  a bad episode it was pretty okay.   

 

Episode 10: Fall

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Scott Michael Foster as Kristoff ABC Once Upon a Time Fall picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Georgina Haig as Elsa, Elizabeth Lail as Anna & Scott Michael Foster as Kristoff

Anna and Elsa are reunited! Apparently Arendelle was frozen for 30 years and of course once unfrozen Hans is back to being a douche conqueror. Ok but like why would anyone in Arendelle follow him?  Doesn’t matter because Anna and Kristoff are off to find Blackbeard to get a thing called the Wishing Star. Turns out Blackbeard already sold it to Anna’s parent but they didn’t have pure hearts so it didn’t work doesn’t matter though because Blackbeard is in league with Hans and Kristoff and Anna are thrown into a truck and pushed into the sea.  

In Storybrooke, Ingrid sets the curse in motion. Rumple brokerages a deal with Ingrid to protect Belle and Henry so he can leave with them. Awww, Rumple does like Henry. It can be hard to tell with him. The good guys try to climb the wall but that doesn’t work but Elsa finds the necklace she gave Anna for her wedding, the same necklace that was in Rumple’s shop that she lost in episode 2. Turns out since Anna was inflicted by the curse and thus they can make an antidote with her hair. Apparently The Spell of Shattered Sight is like the chicken pox.  So it off to find Anna using the necklace and a locator spell. However Elsa and Emma  hit a literal dead end.  Turns out since time is a factor that they can make the antidote with the necklace but the  it will destroy the necklace. Since the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few they elect that the town is more important so Elsa gives them the necklace however since everyone is super trusting and doesn’t looks in the bag to see if the magical item is there, Elsa switches the necklace for some rocks to find Anna. It’s the bean from season 2  all over again. Hey Emma’s lie detector doesn’t go off here? It’s better for drama if it doesn’t.

Anyway, the necklace is the wishing star, or another magical out, and Elsa wishes for Anna to be with her and POOF Anna and Kristoff are saved from drowning along with a message in a bottle. They try to get Anna to the fairies making the antidote but Rumple has Hook trap the fairies in the hat. Freaking Rumple, just doom the town for literally no reason. You could only be redeemed for your son except no. So with the curse falling everyone locks themselves up in various why to avoid murdering each other.    

The reunion was nice but really Hans shouldn’t have gotten this far being evil. It’s just not believable especially when aside from just wanting to rule he has no other motivation for wanting Arendelle. Is Arendelle the Jean Valjean to his Javert or the Esmeralda to his Frollo. Hugo did a lot obession stories. Tangent, if this show does Les Mis over Hunchback I will quit!
The music as the curse fall is nice. Especially with all those epic stares. Otherwise this episode was fine. Kept the pace and is at least moving forward. Wish all the stuff with Anna getting Storybrooke happened sooner but drama.    

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episode 5 & 6 Review

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Episode 5: Breaking Glass

Georgina Haig as Elsa and Elizabeth Mitchell as The Snow Queen ABC Once Upon a Time Breaking Glass picture image

Georgina Haig as Elsa and Elizabeth Mitchell as The Snow Queen

Yet another episode of set-up with some Emma and Regina character development thrown in while they try and find that pesky Snow Queen. The Snow Queen also lures Elsa into the woods Basically Emma wants to be Regina’s friend. Emma relates this story to a past event when she was teenager and she befriended a girl named Lily. Lily was a runaway who claimed she was in the system. When Lily’s family comes for her Emma walks away from Lily’s friendship. Emma regrets what happen and does wantn’t that with Regina, since she feels Regina understands her more than the Charmings and Henry.

The Charmings’ B plot deals with Snow White thinking David set up a thief, Will Scarlet’s escape from jail so she could get her groove back. Snow in the scene where she finds Will is amusing because she is dumb but she thinks she being oh so smart. Oddly I haven’t mentioned Will Scarlett yet till now because he annoys me. This part of the plot has a Thor reference because Disney owns Marvel. Disney owns pretty everything days, including your soul.

Also the Snow Queen used Sidney to get Regina’s pocket mirror for her scheme of getting a family. Okay, Lady, you don’t need to be evil to get a family. I may have to read the original story of the Snow Queen because was there a mirror in this or is this Snow Queen making the Hell Mirror? Like from that other version of the Snow Queen. A quick Wiki search confirmed that the evil mirror is in the original story.

Also it’s revealed in this episode that at some point in season 1 Emma met with the Snow Queen in her ice cream shop but has no memory of it. The reason it’s pinpointed at season 1 is because Regina had Sidney tailing Emma. It’s also revealed that Emma’s foster home after the Lily’s incident was with the Snow Queen. Again Emma has no memory of that.

This was not a super bad episode just so much setting-up, get on with it show. There is like four plots going on and why do I have a feeling Lily will be coming back? Seems an odd backstory if all Lily’s purpose was get Emma on Regina’s semi-good side again, although with show maybe. I mean there is a long list of forgotten characters in this show.

Though I did like Emma’s backstory section. What I didn’t like was the fricken stair recreation from Let it Go. Does Elsa alway run up the stairs like that? With Her arms flared out? In the song, sure it was dramatic and she was singing, here it was just so awkward. Also why does Elsa need a cloak? Sure, it’s pretty but the cold doesn’t bother her.

Also WHERE IS OLAF! Snow Queen even mentions making a snowman, you’re trying to antagonize me show!

Episode 6: Family Business

Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Elizabeth Lail as Anna ABC Once Upon a Time Family Business picture image

Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Elizabeth Lail as Anna

About this whole “Magic comes with a Price” saying, I’m calling BS! What price does Regina pay when she poofs out in a puff of smoke? An Extra hour at the Gym? Mostly this episode focuses on Belle and Rumple, yay (sarcasm.) Apparently Belle ALSO knew Anna, just like David and Rumple, except Belle left Anna fall of a cliff and into the clutches of Ingrid, the Snow Queen. Ingrid is Elsa and Anna’s long forgotten aunt. All she wants to have a perfect family but since Anna isn’t cool with Ingrid, pun so intended, Ingrid locks Anna up in the dungeon. Does she have that authority to arrest the heir of Arendelle?

The reason why Anna and Belle were together was because Anna was all her way to the Rock Trolls to learn the truth about Ingrid and Belle wanted to learn how her mother died. The two met at Oaken’s sauna shop thing. So we have Oaken but no Olaf. The trolls give Belle a memory stone thing to be brewed in tea but when Ingrid sets a storm on them and Anna hangs off the cliff as does Belle’s memory stone, Belle tries to save it over Anna but both fall. The stone breaks but Anna is fine aside from being Ingrid’s prisoner.

In Storybrooke Belle is acting cagey to Elsa, Feeling guilty over Anna, Belle orders Rumple to take her to Snow Queen to find Anna. In the Snow Queen Pier One style lair, she sees the evil mirror. Evil Mirror Belle is smarter than normal Belle as the reflection tells her that the dagger is fake. Rumple tells her that the mirror is a liar and it part of spell that will make everyone in Storybrooke murder each other aside from Emma and Elsa.

Speaking of Emma, there is a prophecy that she will be Ingrid’s sister. Basically Ingrid wants a family that accepts her for who she really is, an ice magic wielder.

Well the plot is moving a touch. We know what Ingrid wants, Love and Acceptance. Kind of what Zelena and even Regina wanted, they just had it rolled up into their own insecurity and power hungry ambition. Ingrid’s a bit more watered down. She seemed less likely to have been “evil” if she had total familial acceptance. It was suspect of that there was no record of her or the other Aunt in Arendelle but these Rock Troll with their memory altering does more harm than good. We also know her evil plan involving a mirror too bad the plot was bogged down by Belle and Rumple.

Once Upon a Time Season 4 Episodes 1 & 2 Review

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Episode 1: Tale of Two Sisters

Georgina Haig as Elsa & Elizabeth Lail as Anna ABC's Once Upon a Time Tale of Two Sisters picture image

Georgina Haig as Elsa & Elizabeth Lail as Anna

Going to be honest, not a fan of this episode. I feel like the show getting cheesier. One reason for this is how on the nose the Frozen material. I would guess the reason is that Frozen is Disney’s most successful product line so leaving it as pretty much an off shot of movie makes monetary sense, why mess with something profitable? It just feel so diveritive. I feel like part of the strength of this show is the reimaging aspect not how close it is to the original movie. I mean for fuck sake they recreated  the split door scene from Do you want to build a Snowman with Emma and Regina.       

So speaking of Regina, she is now reverting slightly to her not to nice self as her plan is rewrite the book so villains can get their happy ending. Also Rumple and Belle found a mansion for their Honeymoon and even they got a divertive scene recreating the Beauty and the Beast dress. And someone they made that yellow gown look so childish. Her other yellow gown was better. OUAT why do you constantly try to upset me with your costumes?  Also the show throws the hat from soccer’s apprentice in there. Sure, why not? I hope the dinosaurs from Rite of Spring the dancing Hippos makes an appearance in this show too, I’m sure the writers can figure out how to work them in. I mean the romance with the hippo and crocodile was palpable or some magical McGuffin artifact from there will save the day at the last minute.   

Also The Enchanted Forest has another name, Mist Haven. Why? It never seemed Misty so why?  Is there Mist surrounding it?  EXPLAIN SHOW! Or why bother even calling Mist Haven for no reason other than a few minutes of mystery. 

This episode was a tepid start to this season. Also they had  Sven (best character in Frozen), Marshmallow and the rock trolls, can’t wait to see Olaf! There better be Olaf!

 

Episode 2: White Out

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Georgina Haig as Elsa ABC's Once Upon a Time White Out picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Georgina Haig as Elsa


Really episode? You made Bo Peep a Warlord? You OUAT writers are smoking so strong stuff. Like in no way should Little Bo Peep be menacing. Also in the plot of the past, Anna teaches David, who is still a shepard, how to not give up and how to sword fight. So lovable, goofy Anna is a pro at sword-fighting. I don’t know either. The past portion called for too much suspension of disbelief to be enjoyable.

In Storybrooke, Elsa puts up an wall, insert a topical joke here if you want or even Game of Thrones. The ice wall knocks out the power. The power outrage fuels the B plot line where Snow has to fix it because she now deemed the mayor and mayors are electricians, but she does fix it. Also in the B plot, or maybe it’s  the C plot, Henry is trying to cheer up Regina with wine and chocolates, Henry is weird. Anyway Regina doesn’t want to see him but he doesn’t give up.  Okay back to A plot, so many plots in this show per episode, Emma, David and Hook check out the wall and Emma sees Elsa. Elsa gets spooked and traps Emma and herself in like an ice cave thing. Emma nearly dies but David convince Elsa to help Emma because he knew Anna. So it turns out Elsa isn’t going to be a villain, you really had me going there show (sarcasm). In the end the crew is going to help Elsa find Anna as Elsa thinks Anna is in Storybrooke because of a Anna’s necklace was in Rumple’s shop. Elsa tries to remove the wall but can’t because the ice cream lady is also so ice wielding magic user, dun dun DUNN!

 Let’s talk some reference. Regina  sends a crow or raven with a message saying she wants to be alone. You know the saying from Game of Throne “Dark Wings, Dark Words.” Totally applicable here. That is a straightforward one however towards the end of the episode in the past section David’s mother gives Anna some sandwiches to which says she loves sandwiches. This is a slight reference to Love is an Open Door where the lyrics go

Hans: I mean it’s crazy,
Anna: What?
Hans: We finish each other’s-
Anna: Sandwiches!  

That in it of itself is a reference to Arrested Development Season 3, Episode 11, Family Ties. That is like referential inception.  

I also just want to touch on my thoughts of the actress playing Anna. In no way do I think she can’t act but I don’t believe her as Anna. She pretty much just a  Kristen Bell impression, which was pretty much Anna. I find her performance a little distracting. She may grow into it but right now, it’s not working.           
Personally,  I did not like this episode. The A plot with Emma and Elsa was fine but everything else was too much to deal with, I can’t process the idea of Little Bo Peep as a magical Warlord, maybe with the right chemical combination, maybe but sober, nope. The Hook/Emma hug was nice.