Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episodes 17 & 18 Review

by

Episode 17: Her Handsome Hero

Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Wes Brown as Gaston Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 17 Her Handsome Hero review picture image

Emilie de Ravin as Belle & Wes Brown as Gaston

Not one for mixing references but they could have given Gaston the surname of Leroux but instead they went with LeGume as in a bean. Is Gaston’s Kingdom in bean trading? Or they COULD have made it Avenant from the 40’s version as it was name originally considered for Gaston.

This is a Belle heavy episode and she puts her foot down on Rumple using Dark Magic. Hades enlists the help of Gaston to get his revenge on Rumple for his death. Hades does this since he knows Belle will insist that Rumple not hurt Gaston. Hades also makes Belle a deal that if Gaston or Rumple knock the other into the River of Lost Souls, her baby is safe. Belle tries to save Gaston but ends up pushing him into the water to save Rumple. Oops and it doesn’t free the child from the contract.

The reason for this is supposedly souls make Hades more powerful and he doesn’t like the hope going around town as flowers are starting to grow. Flowers growing from hope is super sappy. Hades, you seem like a god of moderate intelligence, why not just let Hook and everyone go and count your loses? Sure your down some souls but there is no hope floating around. Sounds like a win-win. Instead he does more antagonist stuff and pines for Zelena.

Past plot was Gaston is a jerk who doesn’t like ogres but does like Belle. Gaston is a nicer rendition of his Disney-self. Was it just me or did the ogre looks similar to Quasimodo? Especially in the opening sequence. Oddly Her Handsome Hero sounds like Star Wars. As it’s a story about compassion and forgiveness, though lots of stories are about that. And LeFou got a name drop, which is more than Olaf got in season 4.

B plot is simple. Emma has a scary dream and it turns out to be Ruby/Red.

This episode was alright. Not a huge fan of Belle and Rumple anymore. Rumple did make a point about dark and light being a point of view. As Belle was ok with stealing property to help someone even though that didn’t happen.

Episode 18: Ruby Slippers

Meghan Ory as Red/Ruby & Teri Reeves as Dorothy Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 18Ruby Slippers review picture image

Meghan Ory as Red/Ruby & Teri Reeves as Dorothy

Is some ways this is a filler episode as it takes focus off the Hades’ plot, which is fine, but it does somethings to move things a little bit. The theme of this episode it to take the risk on love. Zelena does it with Hades and Ruby does it will Dorothy.

Ruby and Mulan’s quest leads them to OZ to find Ruby’s pack. They get there just as Zelena returns and they meet up with Dorothy as Zelena dog-naps Toto in exchange for the slippers. Other than hating Zelena, there was no point in Dorothy keeping the shoes. The crew’s plan is to put Zelena to sleep with the poppy sleeping potion. Dorothy and Ruby bond while getting the poppies and Ruby crushes hard on Dorothy. After the potion is made Dorothy goes off on her own and Zelena puts her in a sleeping curse and takes the slippers. As Dorothy just has the love of OZ she doesn’t have true love.

Ruby follows Zelena to UnderBrooke and hijinx ensue. Mainly they want to get Aunty Em to blow a kiss into a bottle but Hades liquidates Aunt Em to make Zelena happy. While that is happening the Haunting booth is removed and Snow begs David to leave with Ruby with the slippers that Zelena did give back. Snow can’t leave because her name is on the headstone BUT Hook crossed her name off so David stays for her. Hades enchanted his Hook so he could engrave names on the stones. So Snow leaves with Ruby. Ruby kisses Dorothy and she wakes up and Snow goes back to Neal. Also Belle figures she doesn’t have nine month to save her child so she puts herself under a sleeping curse, that Zelena gave her. Not sure if that was a great plan.

Let’s just unpack Belle’s plan. The Sleeping curse on her was practical matter by the show as Belle’s actress was pregnant hence the big red coat she wears. You can see her abdomen sometimes. So this was just a necessity. If you look at in the context of the show, sleeping curses do stop aging but does that apply to an embryo? Shrugs. Doesn’t seem like a great plan but not sure how much Hades REALLY cares about Belle and Rumple’s kid, he just likes the leverage and deals.

Then there is the crux of this episode Mulan is all still alone. Ruby and Dorothy are true loves because I guess they both felt like outsiders and liked dogs. Not a bad start to things. I hope Mulan will finds someone too. She was cute with Ruby but I guess they were just friends on a mission to find Ruby a place in the world, and she did. To be fair, I don’t know what’s up with Dorothy. I don’t mean her character but her costume. Can’t quite put my finger on it but it looks like something out of steampunk. With two patterns going on. Warrior grab with a gingham skirt? NOT sure hot to feel about that one other than confused. The pairing on Ruby and Dorothy was ok but it was contained to one episode so while there is an attachment to Ruby and Mulan, there isn’t one to Dorothy as show depicts her.

Another curiosity in this episode is the guy removing the Haunting Booth is named Claude. I do feel like I’m being mocked here. First the lady at the dinner, then the ogre now a random dude named “Claude.”

This episode was fine. Ruby and Dorothy got their happy endings while the others are in Hell. Still not bad not amazing but it was ok episode.

 

 

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episodes 9 & 10 Review

by

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

by

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.