OUAT - "There's No Place Like Home" Review

I am still recovering from last night’s “Castle” season finale so bear with me while I try to organize all the thoughts and feels from Sunday night’s season finale of “Once Upon A Time.”

Really, who did not want to smack Emma at least four times during the show? At one point, I wanted to clack her and Rumple’s heads together just to reset the absolute irritation that was brewing inside. For those that have not seen the finale yet, I would advise stop reading here.

“There’s No Place Like Home” had dual meanings for Emma. She got another taste of the Enchanted Forest and this time she nearly managed to erase herself from history by foiling her parents first meeting. Along for the ride is Hook and it’s a good thing too because he keeps Emma from totally screwing things up in the past.

Courtesy of ABC Studios

Rumple is back to his old evil self and lies blatantly to his future bride. In the Enchanted Forest, he is an unreliable ally but that is to be expected of Rumple. Once he aids Emma and Hook who are disguised as royalty to help get Snow and Charming back on track things go a bit haywire. Of course the time travelers are caught and Emma decides if they make it out of their new dungeon digs she is going to take along what turns out to be a parasitic stowaway back to Storybrooke.

With her last puff of green smoke, the Wicked Witch definitely won the round. Belle marries a liar with no idea how evil he truly is and Emma’s stowaway causes a ton of damage.

Poor Regina, all good and shiny with new love on the horizon and here comes Emma toting Maid Marian back to Storybrooke and right into Robin Hood’s arms. Nice job, Emma and honestly I don’t blame Regina for coming after you.

When the green smoke around the portal faded, things became icy blue. I suppose for now we’ll just have to let the season finale go. Otherwise, Elsa may freeze our tongues.  

Once Upon A Time: "Bleeding Through"

“Bleeding Through” is wicked little family ties that reveal hints to Zelena’s true plan in this week’s episode of “Once Upon A Time.” Hatred, jealously and vicious little secrets litter Cora’s life and her one true desire – to marry royalty.

A tiny mistake stood in the way of her becoming a queen and Cora always thinks of herself first. She let Zelena fend for herself much the way Charming and Snow left Emma. The savior grew up strong and street smart and Zelena grew up vicious and vindictive.

The veins of twisty tangled plot maneuvers are nothing short of brilliant. When “Once Upon A Time” began, it was clear to see what side the characters stood. Now, there are so many intersections you need a scorecard to keep track.

Courtesy of ABC Studios

Zelena has a plan and she doesn’t care what she needs to do to get there. Belle discovers the witch plans to travel back in time to change fate and kill Snow’s mother. This will effectively eliminate most of Zelena’s enemies and then there is the spoils of Rumple if he’s willing to go along with the plot.

I know there were some fans worried when it came the promo photos of Rumple kissing Zelena. Rumple always has ulterior motives and this time it was his knife. I’m pretty sure we need to worry more about next week when Henry is finally pulled into the game.

Once Upon a Time - "The Jolly Roger"

Wow, Zelena definitely puts the “W” in wicked. I mean, seriously, you are impersonating Ariel. Who does that? Conniving, thieving bratty little witches, that’s who! That takes a special kind of low to sneak around pretending to be a sweet mermaid looking for her true love when in reality, you are just toying with Captain Hook.

“In the Jolly Roger” episode from Sunday night, Ariel washed up in Storybrooke without her Prince which leads the good-hearted residents on a quest to find him. Killian has recently been very helpful to the townspeople so it was surprising he refused so blatantly. Then we find out that our good captain remembers more of his time in the Enchanted Forest, specifically the part where he agreed to help Ariel find Prince Eric in the first place. Hook gets out maneuvered and ends up hunting clues in Mr. Gold’s shop where Eric’s cloak is discovered.

Courtesy of ABC Studios

While all of this is going on, Mary Margaret and Prince Charming distract Henry – sigh and Regina takes Emma out for a little magic training. The magic lesson ended as expected but Regina’s reaction was priceless.

Now for the latest wicked little threat: Since it appears that Zelena can’t kill Emma, she’s decided to suck the magic out of her via Hook’s lips. While Hook thought he was confessing his selfishness to Ariel, Zelena in disguise, he let the witch get too close and she swabbed his lovely mouth with a green concoction designed to get rid of Emma’s powers when he kisses her.

Hook refused and Zelena promised to start killing people. I really can’t wait for next week and I’m hoping the witch gets her just desserts very soon!

                                                                                       



OAUT - "Quiet Minds"

“Quiet Minds” was a shocker on so many levels, it makes you wonder what sort of tally system the writers use to keep score with. The ripples of this episode will be felt through the season finale I am sure and it will definitely embed itself into some of our favorite characters.

Crazy Rumple is not a pretty sight. That said, let’s move on to the rest of the episode.

I was a bit surprised that Emma admitted wanting to return to her pretend life in New York City to both Neal and Charming. After a few years of magic, curses and a host of villains you would have thought she’d get it by now. Nothing is going to be easy for the savior and as soon as she figures this out her life might actually be kind of fun and Henry would probably be happier too.

Courtesy of ABC Studios

Regina recognizes her chance at true love and walks away. This was very intriguing because it makes you wonder, is she scared this isn’t going to work and her heart will be broken or is she scared one of her many enemies will find out and use him against her? Robin doesn’t look like the walking away kind of guy so it should be fun watching this play out.

The journey in the Enchanted Forest to uncover the “tomb” of the Dark One certainly peeled back a relative circus of writing opportunities. Neal wants to find his father only because he thinks Rumple can get him back to Henry and Emma – totally ignoring the fact that Emma pretty much told him there was no chance with her – and appearing a bit selfish in the pursuit. Belle, on the other hand, just wants her guy back.

Now, I’m not saying Neal’s death wasn’t tragic but again, I go back to the writers and that mystical tally board thinking whose death would serve the greatest purpose.

The Wicked Witch knows exactly what she is doing. She cut Rumple deeper and faster than any blade by sinking his son into his consciousness. Zelena also knew that by ripping him away she would shackle any thoughts of Rumple trying to escape. He is battered and beaten.

Now, with the showdown coming between Evil and Wicked it will be interesting to see if the Dark One’s blade turns back into his hands.

And who else thinks Snow’s baby is going to have a wee touch of green?

Wicked Relations

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” Shakespearean quotes seem to come in handy when talking about the tangled business of plot twists and family ties this season on Once Upon A Time. It seemed almost prophetic last night when Regina nearly pricked herself to save the misery of Henry not remembering her in Once Upon A Time’s “Witch Hunt” which gave fans a lot of weirdness and the return of the Dark One.

Regina out of commission and slumbering might have spelled doom for the citizens of Storybrooke who are doing a really creepy shape shift into flying monkeys. If that isn’t weird enough still no one can recall exactly what took place the past year but almost everyone thinks Regina had something to do with it. (I was really glad to see that Emma was just setting a trap for the wicked Miss Green. I would’ve been really disappointed if she’d reverted back to her old form.)

Courtesy of ABC studios

And what was that business with Zelena and Snow White? “Oh, I’m a midwife! And look, you’re pregnant.” Yikes! We seriously do not want those green hands helping in the delivery room.

Outside of the sibling connection – if you haven’t watched last night’s episode, Spoiler alert! Who else thought it was strange that Zelena’s daddy wasn’t mentioned? She danced right over that and let Regina assume that Rumple was merely her old mentor. We know Rumple and Cora had an affair and Rumple was sort of greenish. Anyone else making the connection here?