Episode 3: Siege Perilous
Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Hook & Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan
I found this episode mostly boring. It centers on David and Arthur going on a quest to get a mushroom so they can chat with Merlin who is a tree. Arthur turns out to be sketchy as he steals the mushroom from David in the flashback and convinces a dude to kill himself in Storybrooke. To be fair, Arthur was sketchy in the legends as he tried to murder his incest baby and killed the May Day babies, so he wasn’t that great. At least Lancelot reappears to tell Snow about Arthur, sometimes you just got to tell these people or they won’t learn who the villain is.
In other events Emma tricks Hook and learn how to wake Rumple up so he can pull excalibur for her from the rock in her cave-like basement. Apparently he is a perfect hero as he is a blank slate. Not really sure how the makes sense. All his karma is wiped away because he not the Dark One? Good thing he cured his heart of darkness from the last season. And hey, where is Lily and Maleficent? Guess the show dropped them too.
Aside from a few action set-pieces and Emma’s crafty new attitude this episode was a bit of a snooze.
Episode 4: The Broken Kingdom
Liam Garrigan as King Arthur & Joana Metrass as Guinevere
I mostly liked this episode. The exploration of Guinevere and Arthur’s broken relationship was the most compelling aspect of the episode. Guinevere didn’t like Arthur’s obsession with getting excalibur mended at the cost of ignoring his Kingdom and wife. He basically uses a sand that fixes things to brainwash her into being supportive. Arthur is a selfish A-hole.
I more like like the fake-out between David, Snow, Arthur and Lancelot but since Arthur uses that sand it doesn’t amount to anything. Might as well not had the plot at all since it doesn’t seem to further the arc. The only thing it add was getting Lancelot locked-up and apparently Arthur wants to kill Merlin for some reason. Could be as simple as Arthur hates that the sword was broke. Made he thinks Merlin is making fun of his manhood.
Emma and Hook have a date to make her forget the voices in her head. It was visually pretty with the flowers and Emma’s white cape. I really like the cape. Speaking of the costumes I do like Emma’s dark one jacket. Nice nod to the crocodile.
The only part that took place in Storybrooke is Emma using Merida to make Rumple “Brave,” they literally name drop the movie. Though you could have made a drinking game with the number of times they say “Frozen.” Oh and Merida is in Arthur dungeon and she doesn’t like him very much. While I don’t love the character of Merida, I do think the actress, Amy Manson does a good job.