ONCE UPON A TIME is "Going Home" Happy

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 11 Going Home at Seat42F.

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME is “Going Home” in the midseason finale. Pan (Robbie Kay) unleashes his curse on Storybrooke, which will wipe everyone’s memories and allow him to build a town full of people suffering at his hand. As the others race to stop him, it soon becomes clear that the magic required to defeat the villain will come with a very steep price, and the sacrifices must be made by those who, in the past, have seemed least likely to put others first.

It’s a surprise when Pan kills Felix (Parker Croft). It shouldn’t be, as we’ve seen that Regina (Lana Parrilla) had to murder her own father to enact the first curse. But for some reason, it comes as a minor shock, perhaps because Pan doesn’t telegraph it all. Nor does Pan seem to love Felix, which makes him feel like an unworthy sacrifice, but since Pan loves no one, I guess Felix is the closest person in the world to him. Which means Pan would rule the new Storybrooke completely alone. I wonder if he would cope with it better than Regina did? Probably.

Not that Pan gets the chance to find out. Rumple (Robert Carlyle) has a semi-complicated plan. They must get the black fairy’s wand (who is she and why haven’t we seen this character before?) to switch Henry (Jared Gilmore) and Pan back to their bodies, then Henry can bring the curse scroll to Regina to destroy. No one worries that Henry will suddenly be by evil Felix’s side when the swap occurs (thankfully, Felix is dead by that point, but they don’t know that), and not a single character asks Rumple ahead of time what the price may be, even as Rumple warns them about the cost (why not?).

The wand proves difficult to come by as Pan’s shadow guards it and hovers above where Neal (Michael Raymond-James) can use his coconut to nab it. Cue Tink (Rose McIver) believing in herself enough to reactive the pixie dust and fly up. It’s a simple solution that seems a little too easy, but it’s a story point that has to happen for Tink, so that’s excusable. Then Tink kills the shadow, which seems a little out of character, since up until now, we haven’t seen our heroes execute the bad guys, though Tink isn’t exactly the pure moral soul that Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) is.

Somehow, killing the shadow brings Blue (Keegan Connor Tracy) back from the dead. Does that mean others the shadow has murdered are alive again, too? Will there be any implications from this (probably not)? We have to have Blue remain in the show because she ties into everything and gets to give Tink back her more-than-earned wings. But I’m not completely clear on this plot point.

Then, Rumple uses the wand to make the body switch, putting the magic-blocking cuff on Pan. This proves ineffective, as after everyone leaves Rumple around with his father, Pan wakes up, declares he made the cuff and is thus immune to it, and slaps it on Rumple. Rumple is a very smart man, and while we know Pan is devious to be steps ahead, does Rumple really think it’s enough precaution just to put a cuff on Pan, with no other back up? No wonder Rumple gets his butt kicked.

However, right after that we get the most emotional scene in “Going Home.” With a frozen Bae, Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and others, including the entire main cast, looking on, Rumple has his shadow return the Dark One’s dagger to him and uses it to kill both himself and his father. It’s the ultimate act of redemption, a hero’s death, and everyone is affected by it, even Hook (Colin O’Donoghue). And thank goodness Rumple doesn’t cut off his arm, which is what his first though appears to be after being cuffed.

Many fans think that Rumple is not really dead, and that could be; he disappears in a puff of smoke. But if he is alive, does that mean his father, Pan, now reverted to the older form of Colin (Stephen Lord), is alive, too, to cause more trouble? And if somehow only Rumple survives, is he no longer the Dark One? And how will his friends and family see him differently, since he sacrificed himself for them? Whatever happens, whether Rumple is dead or alive, this teary scene should definitely have ripples later in the story.

With Pan gone, the only thing to do now is to stop the curse. Regina reveals that means everyone is “Going Home” to the Enchanted Forrest, with Storybrooke never having existed, including in Henry’s memories. See, Henry was born in the real world, so even though his parents both hail from fairy tale land, he can’t go back with them, nor remember Storybrooke at all. (So he’s an anchor baby? That doesn’t quite add up to me). Emma (Jennifer Morrison), being the Savior, is a loophole in the curse, so she can stay with Henry under the same restrictions (OK, this does make sense). Regina offers them nice, false memories of a happy life together to fill the gap.

This is almost as big a moment of redemption for Regina as Rumple’s scene is for him. She has to give up the thing she loves most – Henry – sacrificing her own happiness. However, she does it directly for her child, so one could argue a small bit of selfishness, too. Still, it’s awfully nice words that Regina says to Emma upon their departure, and it solidifies the change that ONCE UPON A TIME no longer has a villain in the main cast, no matter what Regina and Rumple call themselves in the end.

The goodbyes for everyone, who have time to gather and walk to the town line, even though Grumpy (Lee Arenberg) already told them the curse was coming from all sides in a panic-stricken tone, are heartfelt and sad. Emma is losing the family she always wanted, and even though she gets to keep Henry, it’s not enough. At least Snow, Charming, and the others will remember Emma, but it’s not a two way street. Neal pledges to find them again, and of course, someone must, or the series would cease to be what it is.

But it’s not Neal who shows up at Henry and Emma’s door in New York (why not Boston?) one year later. It’s Hook. Since Emma doesn’t remember him, and she’s not in love with him so his unwanted half-kiss does nothing to bring back her memories, he definitely has a hard task ahead. That’ll be for the back half of the season, though, so nothing to do now but wait for February.

“Going Home” has flashbacks, as most other episodes do, but instead of telling a complete tale, each scene follows a different character. All of them except the one where Snow gives Henry the fairy tale book give a little insight and are nice. My problem with the Henry one is where did the book come from and why does Henry see Mary Margaret as Snow immediately and how come he immediately leaves town to find Emma that very same month? It doesn’t take him any time at all to figure things out?

As you may be able to tell from my review, there are plenty of holes that can be poked in the plot of “Going Home.” Yet, while watching, it’s a highly enjoyable episode. ONCE UPON A TIME hits the emotional beats right, it just doesn’t always deliver the most cohesive story, with things not quite making sense. If only they would think through the scripts a bit more to eliminate some of those flaws, that would raise this show from a pretty good one to one of the best. It’s just not there yet, and after two and a half years of very slow improvement, it probably always will be B-level, never A.

I still like it a lot, though. There are great questions left to ponder over the break. Will Hook be in a better position to capture Emma’s heart if he’s the one that ultimately leads her back to her family, setting aside their false start? How will the Storybrooke residents adjust to being home? How long will there be two separate settings? Did the writers lie about the Storybrooke / Enchanted Forrest format (seems so, and that’s fine)? Can Emma please recover her memories quickly once reunited instead of another long adjustment period where she doesn’t believe what’s happening (though now that she’s had the love of Henry, she may not be so jaded)? And how does new-baddie the Wicked Witch (Rebecca Mader, Lost) and her land of Oz come into play?

ONCE UPON A TIME returns in a couple of months and will air without reruns through the spring.

"New" ONCE UPON A TIME Builds To Climax

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 10 The New Neverland at Seat42F.

In last night’s installment of ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME, our intrepid heroes return to Storybrooke, seemingly triumphant. Warm reunions abound as everyone is glad to find their loved ones safely returned. But all this threatens to unravel when it becomes clear that Pan (Robbie Kay) is not trapped in Pandora’s Box, as they believe, and has a very terrible plan to make “The New Neverland.”

The hugging scene on the dock is a little cheesy, but it’s been earned after the long absence. Rumple (Robert Carlyle) gets to be back with Belle (Emilie de Ravin), and that alone calls for a little schmaltz. Ariel (JoAnna Farcia Swisher) finds Eric (Gil McKinney) in what looks like a close of their story, and similarly, Wendy (Freya Tingley) is back with her brothers.

The one completely inexcusable thing about this sequence is that no one keeps an eye on Felix (Parker Croft). They know he’s bad, and sure enough when “Henry” (Jared Gilmore) asks the grownups what should be done with Felix, they toss him in a cell. Why isn’t he bound or guarded before this? There is ample opportunity for him to slip off into the crowd, which Felix doesn’t do because he’s waiting on orders from Pan, but no one else knows this, or even wonders why Felix doesn’t flee.

No one is happy to see Regina (Lana Parrilla). Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) makes sure to publicly note Regina’s help, as relations between Regina and the main characters have thawed a bit, but that doesn’t send the townspeople into her arms. Regina is alone, which is why Pan (as Henry) finds it so easy to fool Regina, playing upon that sense of isolation and telling her exactly what she wants to hear  –  that she is loved by the boy she raised.

Now, the real Henry does care about Regina, and after hearing of her doubts late in the hour, he gives her a hug, proving that Pan’s lie isn’t without a grain of truth. But Henry also has Emma (Jennifer Morrison), Neal (Michael Raymond-James), and assorted grandparents. Will there be enough room for Regina in his life to satisfy her, especially when she has no one else?

It’s time for Regina to find love. I don’t think she’ll go evil again, nor will Henry turn his back on her once more, but she will not be able to move forward without someone else. This will most likely be a romantic partner, though it doesn’t necessary have to be. But it’s definitely time for Regina to be truly appreciated and valued. She deserves it.

The Henry-shaped Pan tricks Regina because she has all the magic, which is the power he needs to enact his plan of reviving the curse, wiping everyone in Storybrooke’s memories and creating himself a new place to rule over. Pan finds Regina’s weakness and exploits it, which actually makes it seem a bad thing that Regina isn’t cold any more. Luckily, this should be a temporary viewpoint.

Pan’s biggest enemies in Storybrooke are anyone that can do magic. This list would include Regina, Rumple, Emma, and Blue (Keegan Connor Tracy). He can’t take them all out at once, and doesn’t need to. Subduing Regina, he is able to get away with what he needs from her vault. He also kills Blue, perhaps because she always seems to know what is going on, and in doing so, stops the one person who can restore Tink’s (Rose McIvers) wings, an occurrence that would give Pan yet another enemy with magic.

Blue’s death is very anticlimactic and not nearly important enough for someone who has been such a vital character. Though never a member of the main cast, Blue is involved in most characters’ stories in one way or another. She should not be able to be taken out so easily, as logical as her demise would seem for Pan’s plan. Which is why I won’t be convinced she’s really permanently dead unless she remains so after next week’s episode. Or unless McIvers signs a deal to stick around for awhile, effectively replacing Blue. (Personally, I feel those room for both in the story).

I assume Tink will be instrumental in saving the day in next week’s fall finale. Otherwise, why bring up her lack of belief in herself or her inability to make the pixie dust glow again in “The New Neverland?” Presumably, she is being set up to find her way on her own, and she’ll be able to step up and lend a hand. ONCE UPON A TIME wouldn’t let a recurring character be the ultimate savior, that’s Emma job, but she should be helpful at a key moment.

In flashback, we see Snow just after her wedding. As much as Charming (Josh Dallas) begs her to just appreciate their moment of happiness, Snow cannot bring herself to do so, worried that the Evil Queen will attack. Charming points out that there will always be danger and they just have to live in the moment, but Snow resists. That is, until a close brush with death at the hands of Medusa opens her eyes.

This may seem like a weird time to visit the seemingly unconnected back story, but it does have an important connection to the present day events in “The New Neverland.” Emma is a like her mother, something we don’t get a lot of chance to see, but is very evident with this bit. Neal is trying to get back together with Emma, but Emma resists because she feels she can’t take the time to just be happy. Hopefully, she will soon learn the same lesson Snow did.

And what of Hook (Colin O’Donoghue)? Many will surely be disappointed when Hook promises Neal to back off of Emma. Yet, he’s clearly still into Emma, and even tries to use Tink to make Emma jealous. Will those Hook / Emma shipper fans get a chance to see the two together? Signs point to yes, at least for a little bit.

While I do have a couple of small plot complaints above, what I am most disappointed in is the way Kay plays Henry and Gilmore plays Pan. I can tell they’re trying, but, for me at least, I’m just not seeing the actors in the other characters’ shoes. They still seem a lot like their own parts, just with different dialogue and an extra face or two. Kay, in particular, maintains some of Pan’s mannerisms. Now, this can all be explained away as muscle memory or something in the bodi, but I really wish this particular element came through better.

Next week, excitement will definitely build as the final showdown with Peter Pan plays out, with the very fate of Storybrooke on the line! ONCE UPON A TIME airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

ONCE UPON A TIME, There Was a "Lost Girl"

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 3 Episode 2 Lost Girl on Seat42F.

This week’s ONCE UPON A TIME is called “Lost Girl,” and unlike other episodes, the action is kept solidly in Neverland, with neither the Enchanted Forest nor Storybrooke glimpsed in the present timeline. We do get flashbacks to the E.F., but those are in the past, and meant to echo the journey our hero faces in the main thread. The rumors are correct, Neverland is dangerous and dark. Will our beloved characters make it through the woods intact?

The challenge of “Lost Girl” is finding oneself. Emma (Jennifer Morrison) is the titular Lost Girl, having been an orphan who, even after finding her parents as an adult, doesn’t understand where she fits in the world, feeling lonely and adrift. Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) asks her to face that part of herself this week in order to complete her quest to find Henry (Jared Gilmore).

The main relationship Emma must examine to find this missing element is that between her and her parents, Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Charming (Josh Dallas). Early in the episode, Snow tells Emma she can should feel free to call her “Mom,” but that doesn’t go over very well with Emma. This, despite the fact that Snow acts more mom-like to Emma in “Lost Girl” than I think we’ve ever seen her before, actually seemingly wise beyond the young age she appears. It isn’t until late in the hour, though, when Snow prompts Emma to explain an action, that Emma lets loose and admits the hole in her heart.

This is a vital part of Emma that has been glossed for most of ONCE UPON A TIME’s run. We know that Snow and Charming sent Emma out into the world alone, effectively leaving her an orphan. But we rarely see the effect that their actions have had on Emma, who puts up a brave, bold front. In “Lost Girl,” Emma has to face those unresolved issues, causing further rift between the family, though opening up the possibility of healing, now that the cards are on the table.

One must assume Pan is cruel to Emma because Emma abandoned Henry, and so Pan knows Emma is someone who created an orphan. Being one himself, Pan is protective and soft-hearted towards those without parents, and even though that category describes Emma, the fact that she perpetuated the trend means she cannot be part of Pan’s gang.

Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) tells Emma that Pan is one of the most dangerous villains in any realm, and this episode backs up Hook’s claim. Pan is playing a game with Emma, true, but he is far from playful. When Emma allows Regina (Lana Parrilla) to cheat Pan’s rules, Pan reacts by attacking, and only calls off his boys after Charming is infected with a poison. This shows not only is Pan cruel, he is without mercy, punishing any infraction severely.

Of course, Charming hides his deadly injury from everyone, but that’s a story for another episode.

It remains to be seen if Emma can hold her group together long enough to defeat Pan. It’s already cracking, with her strained relationship with her parents and Regina being the outsider. At least Hook is easy-going, following Emma willingly, but that just may be because he wants in her pants. Which might happen, considering Emma relies on him as an ear to talk to, her options being limited.

I do think Emma will rise to the occasion. We see Snow do so in flashback, a tale in which Charming tricks her into thinking she has pulled Excalibur from a stone, giving Snow the confidence to stand up to Regina. There is definitely a strong trend in the family to be a leader who triumphs. Snow and Charming’s time is past, and now it’s Emma’s turn. She will prevail.

Elsewhere in Neverland, Belle (Emilie de Ravin) appears to Rumple (Robert Carlyle) at a crucial time. Rumple is off by himself, and that’s not a good thing. Rumple is often alone while being the Dark One, and it seems he needs loved ones to make him do the right thing. By himself, he gives into the worst parts of his nature. Here, the vision of Belle reminds him to hang onto the good things, even if she isn’t really there for him.

It’s cool that Rumple has the sense to summon Belle’s visage. This shows a turning point for him, as we never saw Bae appear to him after Rumple’s son fell through the portal. Maybe this Rumple has come too far to backslide into what he was in the Enchanted Forest. If so, he may end up actually being the hero Henry needs him to be.

Other fantastic bits in this episode: Pan psyching Emma out when he says Henry won’t want to go home with her; Hook and Emma sharing rum, the solution to all of life’s problems; Hook threatening Felix (Parker Croft) by reminding the lost boy what Hook did to Rufio, a character not see before in ONCE UPON A TIME, but clearly a reference to the movie Hook; Hook asking about the movie-version of himself, and wondering what a perm is; Grumpy (Lee Arenberg) and the dwarves bonding with Charming; Rumple being clever enough to cut off his own shadow, which he sends to hide the dagger.

The relationships and character exploration in “Lost Girl” are what makes this a top-notch episode. It’s a little sad to be missing other plots, but I guess that’s the trade-off for having the flashbacks, a trade I would gladly make the other choice with. Even so, the writing seems to have gone up another level this year, and the series gets better with each passing season.

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.