The Crocodile

Colin O'Donoghue as Captain Killian "Hook" Jones, Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 4, The Crocodile picture image

Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Killian “Hook” Jones,

Correct me if I’m wrong but this seems to be the first episode without Emma, Mary Margaret and Henry. Their absence doesn’t detract from the episode.

This is another  Rumpelstiltskin backstory episode. Basically hiss wife was unhappy in their marriage and ran off with an attractive pirate captain. After Rumpelstiltskin becomes the Dark-one he runs into the captain agian. At first Rumpelstiltskin plays that he is a weak beggar and the captain calls him crocodile. Rumpelstiltskin then reveals his all-powerful self and challenges him to a duel but his former wife stops him and tries to get him to spar their lives in exchange for a magic bean. The bean that can take him to where his son got transported to. However Rumpelstiltskin’s wife, Mila, confesses that she never loved Rumpelstiltskin and he kills her. He also cuts off the Pirate’s hand and the pirate vows revenge. However Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t get the bean and instead the captain takes on a hook for a hand and uses the bean to go to a place where no one ever ages. You see where this is all going. Also Smee is there.

The Storybrooke plot involves Belle and Rumpelstiltskin. Belle is tired of Rumpelstiltskin not being emotionally honest with her so she leaves. She meets up with Ruby who tells her she should work at the libray, because it’s super easy to become a  librarian, you don’t need an expensive master degree. Belle is promptly kidnapped by her father who wants her to give up her feelings for Rumpelstiltskin. When she says no he rigs it so Belle will forcibly be taken over the town lines to forget everything. Rumpelstiltskin saves her. He arranges for her to live and work at the library and is finally truly honest with her.

Rumpelstiltskin sure does wear a lot of hats in this show, and by that I mean he plays a lot of roles. He’s Rumpelstiltskin, a trickster, the Beast, a dark lord of the Sith erm Dark one and now he’s the crocodile from Peter Pan. He’s a real swiss army knife character. One question that I have now is Baelfire Peter Pan? Or can the bean transport people to multiple places pending on where the sender wants to go?
For the most part I liked this episode but that is mainly because Rumpelstiltskin is one of more favorite characters.  I just wish the reveal of Captain Hook wasn’t so obvious. Like when the hook fell in background it wasn’t subtle.  Whatever it’s fine. Good episode.