Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episodes 9 & 10 Review

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Episode 9: Queen of Hearts

Barbara Hershey as Cora Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 9 The Queen of Hearts picture image

Barbara Hershey as Cora

Oh! I get it, clever. Very Clever. She’s the Queen of Hearts because she takes hearts.  Anyway back to three narratives. The first deals with how Cora met Hook. Regina wanted Hook to take Cora’s heart but Cora doesn’t wear her heart in her chest, like a peasant. Cora offers Hook a better deal, he gets her close to Regina so Cora can take her heart, geeze this family. However Regina says she killed her out of love being a weakness and Cora, who is playing dead, has a change of heart, pun so intended. Cora then protects a corner of the kingdom from the curse, hence why a part of Kingdom was fine and when Emma breaks the curse, Cora and Hook will go to Storybrooke for revenge and yet to be determined.

Next up in Storybrooke, Regina is trying to change, to be a better person but Rumpelstiltskin cautions her that they CAN’T let Cora get through the portal. So Rumpelstiltskin and Regina use all the fairy dust to set-up a death trap. People find out and Henry does this WHOLE thing about how good wins and have faith in his faith in Emma, yadda yadda yadda. So Regina stops the storm but who comes through?   

In the Enchanted Forest, oh boy. Cora traps the crew in the enchanted prison cell and she gets the compass. And to make things worse, Rumplestiltskin used up all the magic ink, writing Emma’s name over and over again. However Snow manages to use the ink to bust out. So yeah Rumpelstiltskin could have left at anytime. So everyone meets at the magical cure-all lake, which Cora  fixed  and used it to restore the wardrobe’s magic. Question why can she restore the lake but not the wardrobe? Anyway, there is a fight scene during which Mulan gets Aurora’s heart back and Cora tries to take Snow’s heart. Emma however jumps in the way BUT Cora can’t take Emma’s heart. In the end Emma and Snow go through the portal. However don’t feel too sorry for our villain pals. Hook got the petrified  magic bean from the giant and they use the cure-all lake to restore it.          

Also Mulan restores Aurora’s heart and they go off to save Philip’s soul as Cora said something about souls consumed by a wraith are in some other dimension. I think there is a pin on that plot till later.

I thought Snow and Emma’s adventure in the enchanted forest were going to last MUCH longer but sure move it along.  It was a sappy episode especially with Henry’s speech about faith  and love is strength part. But yeah it was a fine episode. Not boring. Though these people must use quick travel because they get to places FAST. Wikipedia says this was the winter finale so that is why this plot got solved. How neat and tidy, so an okay episode.             

 

Episode 10:  The Cricket Game

Lana Parrilla as Regina, Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper & Meghan Ory as Ruby, Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 10 The Cricket Game picture image

Lana Parrilla as Regina, Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper & Meghan Ory as Ruby

Heh,  a pun.  This episode was meh. It does open the story up as Cora and Hook are up to shenanigans.

Basically this episode core theme is a redemption of the Regina kind. And since she didn’t murder Han Solo she seems to be ok I swear Star Wars fans  are weird about that one. I digress. In Storybrooke Regina is persona non grata but since Henry believes Regina is changing Emma tries to believe in Regina. Regina asks Emma if she can still be in Henry’s life, apparently the whole adoption is null and void since curse broke? What? Cora then frames Regina for the murder of Dr.Hopper whom Regina got into an argument with on the pier which Ruby saw. Emma’s super lie detection kick in when questioning Regina, however Snow and Charming think she totally did it since all the convenient evidence points  to Regina. However since the dog saw the whole thing, Emma and Rumpelstiltskin use magic to see Pongo’s memory and confirm it was Regina that did the deed. Actually it was Cora as Regina and some corpse deguise as Archie, Archies is fine. Kidnapped by Cora and tied on Hook’s ship but fine otherwise.

Then the character’s past. Snow and crew capture Regina and believe she can’t change. Snow tries to convince them that they still good in her, that she felt it and she won’t turn Snow over the emperor, wait wrong thing.  Rumpelstiltskin sets up a deal with Snow with no price that is a test for Regina. Snow lets Regina go but she tries to murder Snow. Rumpelstiltskin enchanted Snow against her so Regina can’t do anymore physical harm to her in their world. Regina is then banished and the curse threads are planted, if Regina can’t hurt Snow in their world then she can hurt her in another.        
Yeah this episode is just ok. Not bad but definitely back to a slower pace. I guess that is because in a sense this a soft season opener.  But  that Emma lie detection. Emma knows both Ruby, who saw not-Regina enter Archie’s office and Regina telling the truth  and since she is cool with magic she can’t fathom another option besides Rumpelstiltskin?   

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episodes 7 & 8 Review

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Episode 7: Child of the Moon

Meghan Ory as Ruby and Josh Dallas as Charming Once Upon a Time Season Episode 7 Child of the Moon picture image

Meghan Ory as Ruby and Josh Dallas as Charming

Oh, King George, you suck. This episode centers around Red/Ruby. In Storybrooke King George a.k.a Spencer, frames Ruby for murder. David doesn’t buy it and calls him out of him but Spencer burns Jefferson’s hat which was to get Mary Margaret/Snow White and Emma back.  

Also we learn the truth behind Henry and Aurora’s dream.  It’s really their soul being set to a netherworld. Mr Gold gives Henry a necklace to control his presence there and speaks a little with Aurora.

In the character’s past, Red meets more of her kind and  learns how control herself in the wolf form. However Red’s mother tries and makes her choose between her wolf side and human side, Red picks both facets of her being.

The CGs are still bad and I will still bring it up otherwise the episode was great. Red/Ruby is great character as she both strong yet very vulnerable in a believable way.    

 

Episode 8: Into the Deep

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Charming Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 8 Into the Deep picture image

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Charming

I really liked how this episode blended the two narratives of the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. So everyone figures out that since Henry and Aurora were under the sleeping curse and their souls go to that red room when they sleep, Henry can give info to Aurora to get Snow and Emma home, or rather how to deal with Cora. However as Aurora and Henry try and converse the Enchanted forest crew is attacked.  Aurora is then kidnapped and Cora gives them a deadline to turn over the compass or it’s bye-bye Aurora. Snow gets the idea that if she can go into a deep enough sleep she can enter the red room to speak to Henry. So they go Poppy hunting.

However in Storybrooke, Regina and Charming see burns on Henry’s arm and Charming decides that HE should get cursed too since he KNOWs Snow will find a way there. The two soul mates reunite in a hellish prison. Anyway the way to stop Cora is the way they stopped Rumpelstiltskin way back in the Cinderella episode with squid ink. Rumpelstiltskin says there is some in his old prison cell.

Back in the forest, Hook frees Aurora but Hook is a no good double traitor and takes Aurora’s heart and gives it to Cora. This means Cora can control Aurora’s words and actions.
I enjoyed this episode but there is  a lot going on. I mean it’s better than that Frankenstein filler episode.  It also had a good cliff-hanger. Not too much I can say about this episode.

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 5 Review

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The Doctor

  

David Anders as Dr. Frankenstien, Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 5, The Doctor picture image

David Anders as Dr. Frankenstien,

      

Full-Disclosure, the reveal in this episode was semi-spoiled for me when I watched a blooper vid on youtube. I regret it because there is no freaking way I would have ever though that is who Dr.Whale was. In some ways it doesn’t make anysense.

Ok, so we’re back to the three plot episode structure. Let’s start with our crew in the Enchanted Forest. Emma, Mary Margaret, Mulan and Aurora go back to base camp and everyone is dead. Everyone except for one, a blacksmith who is really Hook. Hook’s real name in this show is Killian Jones which is funny since  Hook’s name is actually James Hook from the source material but whatever just going to call him Hook because between Mary Margaret and Rumpelstiltskin the monopoly on long names is taken.

Emma’s lie detecting power return as she knows Hook is lying. He comes clean after they threaten him with death by orge. Hook and Cora are working together to try and get Storybrooke basically for revenge, the purest motivation.  Hook then teams up with them to get a compass so they can gather the necessary magic to go to Storybrooke. The next step is up a beanstalk.

In the character’s past Sith Lord Rumpelstiltskin is training his new padawan Regina. I’m sorry I really have been watching too much Star Wars, I regret nothing! But seriously, Sith Lord Rumpelstiltskin is training his new padawan Regina and she isn’t too willing to go full on dark side by taking a unicorn’s heart and crushing it. Regina is really only  learning the dark arts to bring Daniel back from the dead. Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t have this power but Jefferson knows a guy who has powers beyond magic that could help.

Jefferson introduces Regina to Dr.Frankenstein, yes this true, this happen, it’s not a coke dream. All Frankenstein needs is a heart. Regina gives him one from her mother’s collection but the process doesn’t work and Regina goes full on Dark Side.  Turns out that Frankenstein failed on purpose to get the heart and so that Rumpelstiltskin could get his apprentice back, oh the intrigue.

And in Storybrooke, Dr Whale brings back Daniel from the dead but he is a monster and Regina is forced to kill him. Also Rumpelstiltskin makes Dr. Whale admit that magic is way better than science.

 

This episode aired on October 28th 2012 so it seems like the decision to make Whale Frankenstein hinged on Halloween but it seems like a weird mix to include Frankenstein. Especially since I thought the premise of this show was Fairy Tales/Disney movies but now they can literally throw in whatever they want to the story. Ultimately it adds more questions about the transportation, Jefferson’s hat can go to Frankenstein’s setting  easily BUT somehow Jefferson never offers to send Rumpelstiltskin there? I mean Rumpelstiltskin must know that Frankenstein comes for a world without magic since they have snide remarks to each other about science vs magic. OR is Frankenstien’s world a different place? Because that makes it weirder since the book takes place in the real world. I shouldn’t have this many questions about this show.
Not my favorite episode. I did like Rumpelstiltskin and Regina’s interactions and David Anders’ performance as Frankenstein was pretty good but this episode was way too all over that place.  Plus towards the end there were so many points where the episode could have ended and didn’t. Too many false ending.  

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 4 Review

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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.       

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 2 Episode 2 Review

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Season 2, Episode 2;  We are Both

The Dwarves in Storybrooke , Once upon a time season 2 episode 2, We are Both picture image

The Dwarves in Storybrooke

This episode’s focuses is more on the Storybrooke side than the past or Enchanted forest plotlines. Basically in the episode we learn that the Storybrooke characters can’t leave the town now because if they do they will again lose all their memories of being a Fairy Tale character and revert to their Storybrooke persona, poor Sneezy.  If only there was a magical curse all, like a kiss. Guess no one loves Sneezy enough.

In the end Charming tells everyone, minus Sneezy, to embrace both personas. Yay, split personality disorder for everyone.   It’s a fine yet odd sentiment but works in their case.

 

The Fairy Tale past centers around Regina disposing of her mother with the help of Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin is the one who gave Regina’s mother, Cora the book of spell, which Mr.Gold/Rumpelstiltskin gave to Regina in Storybrooke. Anyway Regina pushes her mother through a mirror to is a portal to another world in exchange for a favor.

And in the adventure of the current Enchanted Forest Mulan and Aurora imprisons Mary-Margaret and Emma and that is where they met Cora. I guess it wasn’t another world just a different place in the Enchanted Forest. Now really sure why that should have stop from going back to Regina’s castle but maybe that will get answered later, maybe it won’t.
Can’t say this was my favorite episode. I didn’t hate it but in truth I watched it  awhile ago and for the life of me I couldn’t really remember this episode that well.  I remembered the Sneezy losing his memories but not much else.

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 1 Review

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Season 2 Episode 1: Broken

Sarah Bolger as Princess Aurora, Julian Morris as Prince Phillip & Jamie Chung as Mulan Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 1 Broken picture image

Sarah Bolger as Princess Aurora, Julian Morris as Prince Phillip & Jamie Chung as Mulan

Technically speaking the scene of Phillip waking Aurora up was the first thing I ever watch from Once Upon a Time thanks to the casting post for Sarah Bolger. I was confused then but as it turns out it’s meant to be a little confusing.  

This episode picks up right where Season 1 left off, everyone is pissed at Regina and wants to murder her. Emma jails her and Mr.Gold marks Regina as a wraith prey because of what she did Belle. So the show now has wraith in it, okay, sure. The wraith  also attacks Aurora, Phillip and Mulan who is Phillip’s warrior pal.

Regina uses Jefferson’s hat to send the wraith to the fairy-tale world which is just an oblivion as this point however while this plan does work Emma and Mary-Margaret are pulled in too.

And in the Fairy Tale Enchanted Forest Aurora, Phillip and Mulan try to get away from the warith but Phillip is marked and gets his soul sucked out. Mulan also them revealed to Aurora that while she was sleeping everyone else was also in a 28 year old slumber and they too just wake up. At the end the two find passed-out Emma and Mary-Margaret.

Overall I liked this episode. I like that plot has a current Fairy-Tale story running alongside the Storybrooke plot. THough actually season 2 has three plot per episode so hopefully it won’t be too hard to discuss them. I will say I’m not sure how to feel about the wraith. They are technically not out of place within the context of the story but they feel out of place somehow.  I also like how Mary-Margaret really wants to be Emma’s mom and Emma is really reluctant. Emma has to be older than Mary-Margaret at this point right? And who is Dr Whale? The mention that at some point and I was wondering that all throughout last season. More secrets…yay.

 

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.