Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 21 & 22 Review

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Episode 21: Snow Drifts

Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan ABC's Once Upon a Time, Snow Drifts picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

In this episode is all about Emma and Hook’s adventures back in time, where they steal clothes, meet Rumple,  go to a ball and mess up Snow and David’s meeting resulting in them never falling in love so Emma will never have been born, oops. Basically they are told that messing with the past will have consequence but it doesn’t really.  Hook even punches himself because “in time” Hook is kissing Emma and  Hook is jealous of himself. It is weird and somehow endearing. Good thing there is no time paradox or something in this show. I bet Hook and Hook could have a drink and nothing would have happen aside from Hook calling himself handsome, as he does.   

The worse thing about this episode is seeing Abigail’s hideous dress again. The costumes in this show are growing on me BUT that dress is a TRAVESTY, it’s horrible and I hate it. It’s good so see Abigail and Kathryn mention, people disappear a lot in Storybrooke.  Like she she and the gym teacher ever get together after the curse? 

Also we got a BIG Star Wars reference, when entering the ball Emma calls herself Princess Leia, wonderful. Hook is Prince Charles.      

Mostly I liked this episode, Emma and Hook were fun but Time Traveling isn’t a story line I like  also I don’t really like redoing David and Snow’s meeting, but all the whole an ok episode. Emma is still annoying about the whole New York thing.

 

Episode 22:  There’s No Place Like Home

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Josh Dallas as David with Baby Neal ABC's Once Upon a Time There's no Place Like Home picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Josh Dallas as David with Baby Neal

This episode was a little bit of a trial because I can’t take it seriously when they talk about Princess Leia, Emma isn’t Leia. It might have easier to take if they just referenced to her as Leia but they used Princess. It just made me giggle too much every time they said it which diminished the impact of this episode.    

Ok, so what is the finale of season 3 about? It wraps up both Emma and Hook’s past adventures which was operation “fix Snow and David’s meeting and get her in that ring so they can fall in love,” I’m not good at code name formation.  It also wraps up Emma’s wanting to return to New York because she relieves she misses her parents and to her home is the place that when you leave  it you just miss it. So Emma got a little more character development which we saw her somewhat working towards all season with the help of Hook and her family.  Also the baby’s name gets revealed, it’s Neal.

There is a lot of plot elements that get sort of wrapped up but more elements to set up the next season. For instance in the past Emma saves a random do-gooder lady from execution. As a means to make sure the lady doesn’t mess up the past, Emma brings her to the future. This lady turns up to be Marian, Robin Hood’s dead wife, which throws a major wrench into Regina’s love life. Let’s just say Regina isn’t too happy with Emma. Emma learns how Hook got to her in New York, as he sold the Jolly Roger for a bean. That pretty much sells Emma on a romance with Hook, the ship lives because he sold his ship. Rumple and Belle get married and I’m sure it’s smooth sailing for them, I mean what can go wrong? Knowing Rumple, everything because drama.    

Let’s see anything else that will be relevant next season? Do, do, do, do, think think, think. Oh yeah, friggin Elsa gets transported from the past via a gold urn thing and she seems PISSED, with her trail of ice. Elsa is the Groke!   
All in all is was a good season finale. It  is a little underwhelming that their trip back in time didn’t have a little more consequence aside from an extra story in the book  but shrugs.  

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 15 & 16 Review

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Episode 15: Quiet Minds

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Michael Raymond-James as Neal ABCs Once Upon a Time Quiet Minds picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Michael Raymond-James as Neal

This is a super sad episode. This episode answers the question of where Neal has been and why Rumple is crackers. In the missing year Neal was so desperate to get back to Emma and Henry that he figured that bringing Rumpelstiltskin back from the dead would be the best way and naturally Belle helps him out. In Rumpelstiltskin’s library a candlestick named Lumiere tells them about a key to “The Vault of the Dark One,” creative name there, where they can bring him back. However this is all a scheme hatched by Zelena because guess what, she also wants to bring The Dark one back too.

At the vault, Belle figures out that Lumiere has been lying and the Wicked Witch is behind this. Neal doesn’t care as they all want the same thing so Neal turns the key which revives Rumpelstiltskin but at the cost of Neal’s life. Rumpelstiltskin absorbs Neal into himself causing Rumpelstiltskin’s craziness but also saving Neal’s life.

In Storybrooke, Neal is found with a triangle burn mark on his hand. Neal’s not to concerned about it as he just wants to find Rumpelstiltskin and wants Henry to remember him. As he and Emma reconnect a bit Belle calls and tells Emma what the marks mean. Neal begs Emma to separate the two so that Rumpelstiltskin can reveal who the wicked witch is in town even at the cost of his own life. Rumpelstiltskin tells Emma the witch is Zelena and Emma tells Henry that his father was good man.

There is also a plot where Regina and Robin connect a little and Regina learns that Robin is her true love has he has the lion tattoo. Does still have his Milah tattoo? I can’t recall seeing it since the beanstalk episode.

I think I like this episode more in theory than I actually do. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the episode but aside from Neal’s death it doesn’t do much. However one thing I did love was exchange between Hook and Neal. It was very nice and touching. If things had gone differently Neal would have seen Hook as a more of a father-figure instead of a rival.

Which brings me to that love-triangle which combinated in one episode and some side-glances. I’m not complaining, I’ve watched Downton Abbey where love-triangles were a big thing in season 2 though that got resolved and one different love triangle last two seasons. I also watch anime where there are tons of love-triangles everywhere so one that last about ten episodes (aside for some flirting in season 2) and was relegated to drama in one episode is fine. Though I’m surprised that this show with all its love for drama didn’t have more drama from this (show ain’t done yet though). But now it’s smoother sailing for Captain Swan. That’s mean, I liked Neal fine but you can’t deny Captain Swan as a ship. I did like the exchange between Neal and Emma, they seemed more chummy than romantic.

Also Loved the music at the end.

It’s a little unceremonious that Lumiere got one episode but so did Rapunzel. I mean if they had named him “Mr Candle” it would have been the same impact. Rapunzel was at least in a tower.

This was a fair episode that’s purpose was to get the main cast to know who the witch was and ax off Neal in a heroic way or at least in an unselfish way.

 

 

Episode 16: It’s Not Easy Being Green

Rebecca Mader as Zelena & Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin ABCs Once Upon a Time It's Not easy being Green picture image

Rebecca Mader as Zelena & Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin

Well right off the bat, A Muppet Reference? I love it

This episode goes into Zelena’s beginnings, can’t really say backstory anymore since it’s all backstory, just redundant to say. Zelena was brought to OZ via cyclone and adopted by a nice lady and jerky grumpy guy who hated Zelena because she is a magic prodigy. Like as a baby she was moving trees. Anyway her father calls her wicked and one day he tells her she was a foundling and since he doesn’t like she peaces out to the wizard of OZ.

Once there the wizard shows her Cora, Regina and Rumple. Oz gives her the silver slippers to go to The Enchanted Forest. Once there she starts growing envious of Regina’s life and stuff. She also quickly mets Rumple who trains her in magic. However he doesn’t want her to cast the dark curse since Zelena has a little crush on him. Zelena grows more envious of Regina and starts going green. Zelena tells Rumple she COULD taken him across realms with the slippers but now she won’t and she returns to OZ. There she sees the human Oz who is Walsh, Emma was dating the Wizard of OZ. Anyway Zelena turns him into a flying monkey and decides figure out a way to go back in time to stop Regina being born. She also sees Rumple praising Regina which makes Zelena go full on green.

The Storybrooke part has Zelena challenging Regina to a witch fight. Zelena does come out and tells Regina (again) that they are half-sisters. Which after Regina finds a letter she believes. At the fight Zelena reveals she after Regina’s heart which Regina doesn’t have on her, or rather in her. The crew figures she planning to cast some kind of curse.

This episode was pretty good. Zelena is growing on me, she seems to be polarizing. Her brand of evil is fun but it could get old quickly. The green with envy skin is REALLY on the nose even for this show. Also I love her earrings, which a weird thing to mention but I like them.

I also really liked the part where Hook offered to tell Henry more about Neal, that was sweet.
Emma does have a type, fairy tale and/or literary characters. Has she dated any normal human from boring old “Land without Magic?” Doesn’t seem like it.

Anyway good episode not a standout but solid and entertaining. Also points to Robin for referring to Rumple as an “Imp.” I feel like they did that more in season 1 but less now since Hook calls him crocodile all the time.

 

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 13 & 14 Review

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Episode 13: Witch Hunt

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Rebecca Mader as Zelena ABCs Once Upon a Time Witch Hunt picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina & Rebecca Mader as Zelena

In this episode we are introduced to the Wicked Witch of the West properly. Her name is Zelena, which means green in Bosnian. She is also masquerading around Storybrooke as a midwife, this way she can get close to Snow.

In The Storybrooke section, everyone trying to figure out how to get their memories back. The consensus is to figure out who cast the curse. Regina and Emma work together and decide to try and smoke out the person with a con that they are making a memory potion at Regina’s office. Regina puts a blood lock on the office so the person can’t get out but they do in a puff of green smoke.

While that is happening people who try leaving Storybrooke are getting taken away by flying monkeys and turning in to them as well. The Flying Monkeys and the green smoke  informs the group that they are dealing with The Wicked Witch.

Zelena has also brought Rumple back from the dead and he is a little touched in the head.

The past section of the episode which is only a year in the past so it feels contemporary, has Regina and Robin hood breaking into her castle. Again the group figures out it’s a Wicked Witch of OZ because if a flying monkey attacks.  Regina is a little perturbed that the blood lock to the castle was opened but she is really there to get the ingredients for a sleeping curse because she can’t bare to live without Henry. Robin pleads with her to find something to live for but her mind is set.  Regina lowers the shield and is about to curse herself when the Wicked Witch enters the room in one of Regina’s gowns and takes the sleeping curse from Regina. She introduces herself as Zelena and tells her that she is her older half sister by Cora. Zelena’s motivation is to take everything from Regina and leaves. Regina then tells Robin that she has something to life for, a person to destroy. It’s nice to have goals

This episode definitely moves the plot along. This core family group is getting more complex, now Regina has a half sister. Who is her father? Rumple? Probably not, would make that family tree weirder that it already is. It was an enjoyable episode but it just leaves more questions than it answered, that’s the point though. And Rumple is BACK WHAT? How? So much for his noble sacrifice.   

Also not sure  on the make-up on Zelena. It’s looks like glowing sweat but green. Still better than The Wicked Witch in Oz the Great and Powerful.       

       

 

Episode 14: The Tower

Josh Dallas as Princes Charming (David) & Alexandra Metz as Rapunzel ABCs Once Upon a Time The Tower picture image

Josh Dallas as Princes Charming (David) & Alexandra Metz as Rapunzel

This is a Charming heavy episode with a one-off appearance of Rapunzel. Rapunzel was a waste. Basically this episode is about facing your fear in a manifestation of yourself brought on by a root. In The Enchanted Forest Rapunzel took some because she was scared to be a leader. Her other self chased into a tower and keeps her there. Charming gives her some encouragement and she defeats her fear and goes home. This is still in the missing year period.

In Storybrooke, Zelena slips Charming the root so he can face his fear of being a bad dad to steal a symbol of his courage. Also they find traces of Rumple as they track down The Witch’s house, which is a Farm which looks like Dorothy’s 1939 farm house.  Rumple isn’t there, he got out, somehow but the spinning wheel and gold are.

Aside from Charming’s dream, which shows a Princess version of Emma and a Emma and  Hook moment this episode was a bore. It wastes Rapunzel to a scared little girl and it seems like she won’t be back as she resolved her storyline. I guess she COULD return someday but there wasn’t much to her character.

Emma’s princess dress was pretty but not the weird feathery arm bands, this show loves its feathers. In her case she is a “Swan” Princess so makes sense, in theory.

Bonus Picture Time

Jennifer Morrison as Princess Emma Swan picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Princess Emma Swan

 

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 11 & 12 Review

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Episode 11: Going Home

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as Regina, Michael Raymond-James as Neal, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Josh Dallas as David, Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook & company ABCs Once Upon a Time Going Home picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as Regina, Michael Raymond-James as Neal, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry, Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White, Josh Dallas as David, Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook & company

This episode is very dense and ends the Pan/Neverland arc and sets up a whole new world of  direction. In Storybrooke Pan crushes Felix’s heart because loyalty is a type of love. The ensemble figures out that they need to get the scroll back and a good plan is to switch Henry and Pan so that Henry can just bring it to them however they need the Black Fairy’s wand which the nuns/fairies have, which is in total RPG fashion, you need to get a thing to get another thing to do the thing that completes the quest. So Charming, Hook and Tinkerbell crash the Blue Fairy’s wake to find the wand but that pesky Pan’s Shadow gets in their way. Tinkerbell gets the pixie dust to work so that she can fly up and trap the shadow and then they throw it into a fire which apparently kills the Shadow. This relieves the Blue Fairy and she gives them the Black fairy’s wand.  Does this mean Greg is alive and the other people Pan killed by shadow removal?

Then it’s Operation get scroll but not before Rumple puts an anti-magic cuff on Pan/Henry, the one Greg and Tamara used on Regina in season 2. Regina does get the scroll but she passes out and turns out the cuff doesn’t work on Pan. Pan does put the cuff on Rumple. Pan then tells Rumple about how being a father was the worst because he couldn’t do the things he wanted and his dreams were crushed, I’m paraphrasing but you get the point.  

Regina wakes up and knows what she must do to stop the curse but Pan freezes everyone. Rumple then shows up having removed the cuff by cutting off his hand and using magic to reattach it. He grabs Pan and summons his own shadow with the Dark One dagger and stabs himself along with his father. Pan changes back to Malcolm begs Rumple to stop and that they can be a family again but Rumple says that he’s a villain and villain don’t get happy ending. He twists the dagger and they vanish into a burst of light.

However there is still the curse approaching. The way to beat it is for Regina to give the one she loves the most i.e Henry which will send everyone else safety back to The Enchanted Forest. She tells Emma she has to go with him because Henry will be alone since he was born in  the Land Without Magic, Emma can stay because of her Savior status.  Regina offers Emma and Henry  good memories of a life they spent together but they will not remember Storybrooke. Emma and Henry drive off as the curse falls.

One year later. Emma and Henry are living well in New York City when there is a knock at the door. It’s Hook telling her family is in trouble. He tries the true love’s kiss which fails and Emma kicks him in the rum balls and slams the door in his face. Hello second half of season 3.

Very dense epsiode. They were more parts involving the past of a few characters. The most memorable one was Snow White as Mary Margaret giving Henry the book. After that Henry sees her as Snow White which is when it clicked for him the nature and weirdness of Storybrooke.
All in all  the episode was highly good. Wouldn’t say it was great or a stand out but the setup for the second arc is intriguing.   Let’s see if Rumple will stay dead because I will miss him if he does but we’ll have to see.    

Episode 12:  New York City Serenade

Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan New York City Serenade ABCs Once Upon a Time picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

Following from the last episode Emma and Henry are enjoying their lives in New York. Emma’s now has a boyfriend who wants to marry her and Henry’s on broad, there is just one problem, Hook. Hook keeps trying to convince Emma that her parents are in trouble and she needs to take a memory potion. Emma thinks he is crazy but she does go Neal’s old apartment at Hook instances. There she finds Henry’s camera he left there a year ago. Emma meets with Hook at central park and gets him arrested. Afterward she gets the  photos developed and realizes that the locations and people are unknown to her except her and Henry on in the pictures. Emma posts bail for Hook and he tells her that her good life is a lie and maybe there is guy who loved her in her old life, oh this ship. Emma takes the potion and remembers everything except there was one one portion so non for Henry.

Emma goes to tell her boyfriend, Walsh, about how she can’t marry him and her family needs her. Turns out her boyfriend is a freaking flying monkey, I get it, the dating scene is hard sometimes you just have to settle, oh wait, he’s was working for the new villain. Emma, Henry and Hook go back to Storybrooke. Emma reunites with Charming who remembers her but can’t recall anything about the last year and the only reason they KNOW at least a year has passed is because Snow is pregnant, like she nearly ready to give birth.

Over in The Enchanted Forest, Regina is devastated about losing Henry and tries to give up her heart. Snow convinces her not to. Hook also peaces out on everyone because there is  no reason for him to stay, he like-likes Emma.  Also someone has moved in to Regina/Snow’s castle and they group can’t get through the protection spell. They also get attacked by a flying monkey…geeze, I wonder who this “her” Aurora spoke of??? It’s the Wicked Witch of the West. We are now in OZ territory because Oz the Great and Powerful was a thing.  
I really enjoyed this episode. Emma got a little annoying with her whole whining about how great her life is but it’s understandable. It was interesting to have less dramatic episode where you can see the character’s life even for a brief moment. The Enchanted Forest storyline wasn’t as great but let’s just see where the Wicked Witch plot goes, not really looking forward to it but maybe we’ll see what they do with the character.  

 

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 5 & 6 Review

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Episode 5: Good Form

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook ABCs Once Upon a Time Season 3 episode 05, Good Form Picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook

I won’t lie, Hook is starting to become a favorite character of mine. Didn’t love all the double crossing he did is season 2 but as pseudo good guy he’s a great foil to Snow and Charming constant, near constant noble hero characterizations, oh dear are they getting boring. They were at least some what compelling is season 1, I mean Snow White was a bandit and yelled at birds in season 1 now nearly every line out her mouth is about hope.

Anyway the past section of this epsiode is about Hook and how he was a lieutenant on his elder brother ship. They went to Neverland for what they THOUGHT was a medicine but was Dreamshade, the deadly poison (not delectable tea or medicine). Hook’s brother cuts himself with the Dreamshade to prove to Hook that it’s totally safe. However it was deadly poison and Hook’s big brother is dying. Pan tells Hook that a spring can cure his brother but at a cost. Pan doesn’t say what the price is so they leave Neverland. When they arrive back in their land, Hook’s brother dies because the water only works in Neverland. Hook and his crew become Pirates because the King was cruel and corrupt in making them get Dreamshade. Also in this flashback you get to get to see Neverland by day, crazy.

The Neverland portion has Hook tricking Charming to go to the Spring to cure him. Hook does this because he knows Charming is far to noble to put himself before the noble cause of saving the plotpoint, erm Henry. Before they get to the spring, Pan offers Hook a deal that he can leave with Emma if Hook kills Charming. Charming overhears this and tries to threaten Hook but Hook instead moves to get the water. Hook does tell him about the price BEFORE he drinks it but Charming says it’s a small price to pay for the plotpoint,. Damn it, I mean Henry.

While that is happening, Emma, Snow and Regina set up a trap and take one of the Lost Boy’s hearts to they can get a message to Henry. Snow isn’t for this plan but Emma is more agreeable to it. At first Henry doesn’t believe the Lost Boy, thinking it’s a trick but Henry sees the ladies via a enchanted mirror.

When Hook and Charming return to the others, Charming tells them that Hook saved his life but doesn’t mention the poison. In thanks for saving Charming, Emma gives Hook a rather passionate kiss even though Emma says it was a one time thing. Pan then shows up to Hook and tells him that Neal is still alive.

Well first off, I loved the Princess Bride reference with Hook telling Emma “As you wish.” All in all this was great episode. Seeing Hook’s progression from a strict Naval office to a pirate was interesting and it fits neatly into the Neverland arc. Not sure how Emma, Hook and Neal will progress but it was fun that they kissed, still Love Triangles can be taxing.

Episode 6: Ariel

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Joanna Garcia Swisher as Ariel ABCs Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 06, Ariel Picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Joanna Garcia Swisher as Ariel

The character’s past part introduced us to Ariel. Unlike in the Disney movie or even Splash Mermaids can take human legs once a year. Ariel uses this chance to go to the ball so she can meet Eric whom she saved a year prior. Snow White helps her out and the two are rather girlie. Things get a little more interesting when Eric asks Ariel to go on a trip with him. Ariel pleads to Ursula, the ocean deity and Regina posing as Ursula gives her a bracelet that will let her have legs. Ariel puts the bracelet on Snow thinking it will help them both because as a mermaid she can escape Regina. Regina however shows up and tells Ariel to run off with her Prince as she won’t get a second chance. Ariel goes and as Regina moves into to kill Snow, Ariel saves the day and the two get away.

Back to Neverland, Regina is teaching Emma magic but soon grows tired of all their good guy ways, I’m with Regina nobility and hope speech can get to you after a while. Pan meets with Rumpelstiltskin again and tells him to go back to Storybrooke and start a family with Belle. Rumpelstiltskin declines and Pan leaves, Rumpelstiltskin sees a vision of Belle he has been seeing all season. She tells him that she wants a family with him. Regina shows up and reverts Belle back into Pan’s shadow. Regina and Rumpelstiltskin come up with a plan but Rumpelstiltskin needs something back in Storybrooke to execute said plan. Regina summons Ariel and tells her that Eric is in Storybrooke, very convenient, and if Ariel retrieves the thing Regina will give Ariel an upgraded Bracelet that will let her control it, before the wearer could not remove the bracelet. Rumpelstiltskin can only give Ariel a cryptic message so Belle can find it at his shop.

But wait there is more. The Emma crew learn Neal is alive and is at the Echo caves. To free him everyone MUST reveal a secret. Hook says that kiss was more than a kiss, it meant moving on from his first love, boy’s got it bad, real bad. Snow reveals she wants another child but Charming reveals that he lied and he was poisoned and now he can’t leave Neverland. These secrets make a bridge form. Emma crosses it and tells Neal that while she’s happy he is alive a part wishes he was dead because it would be easier to move on then relive all the pain he put her through. And voila the he is free.

This episode highs were very high. The ending part with Ariel saving Snow was one the best parts. I liked how she was love struck ditz but did the right thing for her friend. Regina and Rumpelstiltskin working together is a fun combo. The echo cave secret revelation was alright not the best but they freed Neal so that is good. Now the Love Triangle can come to full fruition, ,joy… That is going to lead to some unnecessary drama. Ah who am I kidding, I do like a good love triangle so come on OUAT don’t let me down, because I’ve see some bad over-drawn out stupid love triangles, I watch anime and I seen more than one of the Twilight movies at least you can’t be that bad. Or can you? No you can’t. You really can’t.

Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2 Review

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Episode 1:  The Heart of the Truest Believer

Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan ABCs Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 01, The Heart of the Truest Believer Picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

The opening of season three was a bit up and down. The lowest point was the crew of the Jolly Roger arguing and fueling the storm. Seemed a little out of place in Once Upon a Time.  It just seem more juvenile.

Speaking of juvenile, Peter Pan was a high point.  He is introduced as a bait and switch. We think he a rogue lost boy wanting to leaving and helping Henry but that was just a test to see if Henry has “The Heart of the Truest Believer,” and of course he does. There is also the demise of Greg and Tamara. The show makes it clear they were pawns in a bigger scheme but they were so boring and Tamara, aside from killing the Dragon in season 2, didn’t have a backstory. We don’t know why she hated magic. At least Greg’s story fit in more to the larger story and characters. Plus he liked Star Wars, that a plus.   

Rumpelstiltskin is welcomed to the island by Felix, leader of Lost Boys, and issues him a warning not to go against pan and is given a straw doll which makes Rumpelstiltskin cry. Wonder what’s up with the doll?

The parts in the Enchanted Forest are also a low. It just Neal wanting to return to where Emma and Henry are. There are some fourth wall jokes about Mulan being made into a movie.  Correct me if I’m wrong, I’ve been marathoning episodes a little bit more now, but Neal gives a reason for how Beans work, you think of the place you want to go and voila the bean send you there, which is why you can go to Neverland or The Land without Magic (except when there is) or where ever.  

It’s wasn’t a bad episode. Not sure if it was on par with season 2’s opening episode but it could be a case of the lows of the episode were pretty low and the highs were really great. I really enjoyed the Hook and Emma exchanges, like him giving her Neal’s sword and saying that he fancies her when she isn’t yelling at him (I think he might  that a little too)   Also as someone who never liked Peter Pan, I really like that he is the main antagonist. He’s like some demonic overlord of Neverland.   

 

Episode 2: Lost Girl

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan ABCs Once Upon a Time Season 3 Episode 02, Lost Girl Picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan

Quite a bit happens in this episode. For one thing The Neverland plot is stronger than the character’s past plot. The past plot revolves around Snow White  getting her groove back and believing that she is the rightful ruler of the land. This done with Charming planting a fake excalibur to make her believe. Apparently Camelot is another realm, I guess since they mention it and Lancelot has cameo in season 2 maybe they will go there at some point.

The Neverland plot has Pan giving Emma a map to his camp and Henry’s location.  The map can only be read if Emma admits who she really is.  Regina however doesn’t want to wait and uses a spell instead but Pan isn’t too happy that group isn’t playing his game and attacks. Charming is hit by an arrow and SEEMs to okay. After looking into a Lost Boy’s eye, Emma sees herself and spares the kid. She admits that what she really is an orphan, a lost girl and the map reveals where the camp is located. Charming also sees that he has been poisoned.

Rumpelstiltskin also removes his shadow and gives it the dagger, so Pan can’t use it on him. That dagger is a liability.
This episode was good. The emotional impact of Emma saying she felt like an orphan was very moving, though it seems like it was mostly setting up Rumpelstiltskin’s no shadow/no dagger and Charming’s doom…

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 6 Review

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Tallahassee

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 6Tallahassee picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy

Of all the magic dreamy places in the world, they pick Tallahassee as place for Emma and her boyfriend/baby daddy Neal to dream about, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

In this episode we learn about Emma’s relationship with a thief named Neal. They meet in that oh so cliche ways of Emma stealing the car he stole and thus they start a Bonnie and Clyde duo and fall in love. They decide to go straight and move to the randomly selected city of Tallahassee. However August shows up and convinces Neal to walk away from Emma because of the curse. Emma gets put in jail for aiding in one of Neal’s  crimes involving stolen watches, however Neal makes sure Emma gets the money from the stolen watches and the car that brought them together. Emma also learns she is pregnant.

The other story  at play in this episode involve Emma, Snow/Mary, Mulan, Aurora and Hook get the compass from the last Giant.  Only Emma and Hook scale the beanstalk while Aurora deal with her nightmares which you learn at the end Henry is sharing with her.

Overall, this episode was really engaging. Emma’s backstory was compelling especially when you factor in the lie she told Henry about his father in season 1.  Not a lot comment on in this episode, so far it’s been the best one so far that adds more to the overall narrative.   Well one this is that the Cgs still look bad.

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 3 Review

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Lady of the Lake

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 3, Lady of the Lake picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Ginnifer Goodwin as Mary Margaret Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 3, Lady of the Lake

 

Why does this show make me have to question magic? The most memorable plotline in this episode is the character’s past. Basically evil King George poisons Snow to make her infertile. Charming’s mother is also mortally wounded. So they try to find the water from the magic lake but it’s all dried up, since Charming killed the siren . Lancelot helps them find a single drop to save Charming’s mother. However Snow tells her about her about the poison and the mother sacrifices her life so Snow can have the magic water.  Perhaps I’m no expert of Fairy Tale magic but the show has the magical out that removes curses. Would the Kiss not have worked? Does the Kiss only work once? Sure, it’s more dramatic to have the mother sacrifice her life for the future but still kind of unnecessary if there is a magic cure-all but ONLY if the lips are available and then the upgraded cure-all for if lips are somehow inaccessible.

I did like the bit where Charming’s mother has a pendant that can predict of sex of future offspring which a nice call back to the first episode where Snow knew her child would be a girl.

The second story is Emma and Mary Margaret  trying to get to the old wardrobe along with Lancelot, Mulan and Aurora. They also fight an ogre. When they get to Snow White’s castle there is a very bittersweet scene where Mary Margaret reflects on what life could have been. Also Lancelot is really Cora in disguise and she is evil, probably.

The Storybrooke story isn’t super memorable. Henry wants to help Charming get some form of magic to get Emma and Mary Margaret  back, but Charming wants Henry to go to school and be a normal kid. Henry also helps Jefferson and Grace reconnect. At the end Charming decides to teach him sword fighting.  Also King George makes an apprence at the end of the episode. What’s he going to do?

All in all this episode was ok. I wish that magic wasn’t so all over the place since the show makes it clear that magic follows the Game of Thrones logic where magic  has trade-off and prices except for that kiss and the water. It’s a cheat.

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episodes 21 & 22 Review

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Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Lana Parrilla as Queen Regina ABC's Once Upon a Time, An Apple as Red as Blood picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Lana Parrilla as Queen Regina

 

Episode 21: An Apple as Red as Blood

Ok Let’s wrap with season up!

In that crazy wonderful magic world known as the Fairy Tale world or The Enchanted Forest, Regina saves James/Charming, I guess he should be called Charming as James was his brother. Charming is saved by Regina as bait for Snow White. Snow White and her band of scrappy pals launch a rescue mission. Snow White’s Prince however is in another castle. Queen Regina then arranges Snow to meet with her in a parley back at the stables where  Snow first saw the kiss between Regina and Daniel. Snow White willingly eats the apple to save Charming’s life putting her into a deathlike sleep.

In Storybrooke, Emma tries to leave but Henry begs her to not go as she has to break the curse. Emma returns but is chastised by Mary Margaret for leaving and not saying good-bye and not doing what is best for Henry. Emma also talks to Dr.Hopper who tells her not to fight against Regina for Henry’s sake. Emma’s solution is to talk to Regina about a deal where she leaves town and while Henry lives with Regina she can still be in Henry’s life.

Meanwhile Regina used Jefferson’s hat to get the poison apple back using that last bit of magic that was left. Wait, Jefferson is back? Where did he go after vanishing at the end of episode 17? Oh well.  Since part of the curse is that Emma can’t die or it will be broken,  Regina bakes the poison apple into a turnover and gives it to Emma during their parlay.  Before Emma can eat the turnover Henry visits her and finds out she is leaving. He notices the turnover and eats it causing him to be put into the sleeping curse.  

I have to ask why doesn’t Rumpelstiktskin’s dagger work but the apple does? They are both objects that came from the fairy world so why does one work and the other doesn’t? I guess the reason they give is magic is unpredictable but Regina’s ring she got from Daniel had magic but it didn’t in the Fairy Tale world. These rules are so arbitrary and yet they are so important. There is no logic.  I give up on Emma’s whole lie detecting thing too, again no logic, it just comes and goes when the plot needs it to work.

So what about the episode? It was okay. It moved this along to the finale while connecting the dots to the beginning of the season with Charming and Snow White. I  didn’t really love the whole rescue thing but that is a personal preference thing

 

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & ared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, ABC's Once Upon a Time, Land without Magic picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills

Episode 22: A Land without Magic

I was pretty disappointed in this season finale. It felt pretty rushed  and yet some elements came out of left field that padded out the episode. It was underwhelming.  

First, in our Fairy Tale universe, Charming is escaping the castle and is he helped by the Huntsman, remember him?  Charming then gets lost in the forest and Rumpelstiktskin appears and offers him a deal. Rumpelstiktskin will give Charming back his mother’s ring that now has an enchantment on it to find Snow if Charming puts the True Love potion in the belly of the beast, which is Maleficent. He does this tasks, finds Snow, smooches her, she wakes up and proposes to her. This ends with them vowing to take back their kingdoms together. We know they do this but how they do it is the question for the next season. I also really loved Snow’s white flowerly cloak, it’s very pretty, I want it.

Meanwhile, Emma takes Henry to the ER and she realizes that the curse and the fairy tale people are real. Apparently that is all that it took, belief. So Emma believes and her Regina go to Mr Gold to help Henry. Dudes, just kiss him! But instead of that, which Regina and Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiktskin freaking know,  Rumpelstiktskin gives them the quest to get the true love potion from the dragon’s belly, ok sure, whatever.   Emma fights a Dragon a la Sleeping Beauty because we need a climax and this dragon has totally been setup for this moment, no, not really, no, the love potion was but a scary Dragon, nope. Heck, the building was set-up more than the dragon as you see a broaded-up building on the main road all the time.  I do give them credit Emma’s special savior status was explain. You see, Rumpelstiktskin dropped the love potion on the paper that curse was written on and since she was the product of the true love that is the reason for her having special saving powers. However it was all a ruse by Rumpelstiktskin to get the love potion. And while that is going on Jefferson frees Belle and sends her to Mr.Gold in some attempt to thwart Regina for going back on her promise to him to get his daughter back, BUT wait there is more. Emma and Regina return to the hospital to find Henry is dead. Emma kissed him and voila-ed Henry is cured and the curse is broken. Everyone now remembers who they are and everyone’s roles. But for some reason they don’t get transported back to the fairy tale world. Rumpelstiktskin then pours the true love potion into that magic well and releases a new magic on the story.

While this episode was weird paced and the reason why the curse was broken isn’t explain I’m still pumped for Season 2. Bring it ON!  

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Prince Charming ABC's Once Upon a Time, Land without Magic picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Prince Charming

Once Upon a Time Season 1 Episodes 19 & 20 Review

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Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiktskin & Dylan Schmidt as Baelfire ABC's Once Upon a Time, The Return picture image

Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiktskin & Dylan Schmidt as Baelfire

Episode 19: The Return

The title of this episode made me think of a Japanese movie called “The Returner.” Which I recall not liking.

So far this might be my favorite episode. The Fairy Tale world plotline follows everyone’s favorite “evil” manipulator, Rumpelstiktskin and his son Baelfire. Though who thinks it’s a little funny to hear Rumpelstiktskin calling his son “Bae”? Baelfire doesn’t like that his Papa has become the Dark One and can see him losing his humanity. Baelfire strikes a deal with Rumpelstiktskin that if can find a way to make him normal again without killing him,  Rumpelstiktskin will return to his old self. Baelfire learns from the Blue Fairy that the only way for Rumpelstiktskin to be normal is to go to a world without magic using the last magic bean ever. Rumpelstiktskin agrees to go but as a green vortex opens he chickens out and Baelfire falls in and the Vortex closes. Rumpelstiktskin instantly regrets not following his son. The Blue Fairy shows up and berates him. Rumpelstiktskin then learns the only way to go to the Land without magic is through a powerful curse. Thus revealing Mr.Gold/Rumpelstiktskin motivations for the whole thing.

In Storybrooke, Mr.Gold is growing suspicious of August. He suspects that August is after the knife that can kill/control Rumpelstiktskin making him think that August is Baelfire. Mr.Gold confronts August  and August says he is his son but after Mr.Gold shows him the knife which can’t control him without magic he knows August isn’t his son. Turns out August is dying and he needs to speed things up to get Emma to be the savior.

While that is going on Mary Margaret exonerated as Kathryn isn’t dead and the lab report of the heart MUST have been falsified. Regina fears everything is going to tie back to her so she uses Sidney love for her to get him to confess which Emma doesn’t believes and Emma vows to take back her son from Regina. Also Mary Margaret and David are still off even though David tries to get Mary Margaret to forgive him for doubting her.

This may be the first episode where I don’t prefer one plot over the other.  I will say I was hoping that August was Baelfire as it would make perfect sense why he could come into town as he would have been in the world without magic pre-curse but he is still of the story world. However he is not so give me another reason show. I really enjoy Carlyle duel performance, still think he is the best actor on this show, not that the other principal actor aren’t good because they are at least competent.

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Eion Bailey as August Booth ABC's Once Upon a Time, The Stranger picture image

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan & Eion Bailey as August Booth

    

Episode 20: The Stranger

Well, Well, Well the question from the last episode is answered.

I hate Pinocchio. I saw this casting on wiki so I wasn’t surprised by August being Pinocchio but I was confused by August claiming he was Baelfire. Well Pinocchio is a liar so it does fit.

In this episode we learn that Geppetto makes a deal with the Blue Fairy that  Pinocchio is to go  through the wardrobe with pregnant Snow as the wardrobe can fit two people which is why the Blue Fairy told everyone that only one can pass through. However Snow goes into labour early and the Blue Fairy wants Snow and the Baby to go through together. Geppetto being a desperate parent maintains the lie that only one can go through and makes Pinocchio promise to protect the Baby. But he is a seven year old child and can’t.

In Storybrooke, Regina is up to her shenanigans by trying to seduce David, which fails. August tries to convince Emma of the fairy tale reality which also fails. This means because August couldn’t keep his promise to help Emma he turning back into wood. He tries to show Emma his wooden leg but she can’t see it.  At the end Emma tries to leave Storybrooke with Henry as she has had with it.

It seems that Emma’s super lie detector power is thwarted by her own denial. She doesn’t want to believe any of it nor does she want to help. All and all I did like this episode. I do think it was overly simplistic to have August know about the fairy tale world because went through the wardrobe, also now I have to wonder about Baelfire and who is Dr.Whale? Also if the Blue Fairy knew about the tree then why didn’t she tell Rumpelstiktskin? Because then the curse wouldn’t have happen and there wouldn’t have no show. It’s all very tidy except for the whole lying thing Geppetto made the Blue fairy tell so her would make the wardrobe. Sorry for nitpicking, I did like the episode and I do like the show.