Once Upon A Time: Child of the Moon

Yaaaay, a Red episode! But, sadly, not the best Red episode. It was just okay for me. How about you guys?

Oh, and do I get to gloat now? I do? Okay!

I was right, nyah, nyah! I was right about Henry and Aurora's dream! I am teh smart! S-M-R-T, smart! (Simpsons reference for the win?)

Ahem! Okay, on with the recap! Here we go!

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In Fairytale Land that Was-

Snow and Red are running from the Queen's lackeys. They escape, but the full moon is upon them and Red's cloak has ripped. They must split up. They agree to meet again the next day.

Red wakes in the forest and goes to meet Snow. As she's washing up, her hood is stolen. She chases after the culprit who reveals that he knows what she is, and that he's also a child of the moon.
His name is Quinn and he brings her to a place that can help her learn to control her wolf side.
The leader of the wolf band is Anita...Red's mother.
She tells Red the 'truth' about her childhood and her wolf side and takes Red for a run. Red remembers everything. She can control the wolf.

Suddenly, Snow enters the wolf hideout. Red saves her from her wolf pack, but the King's men track her and find the hideout.
Quinn is killed by the soldiers and Anita wants to make Snow pay for his death.
Red refuses to kill her friend, but Anita changes and lunges for Snow. Red changes and pounces on Anita...accidentally pushing her onto a spiky adornment that kills her.

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In Storybrooke-

The Dwarfs are mining when Grumpy falls through a wall. He's found diamonds, and diamonds means FAIRY DUST!
Everyone heads to Granny's to celebrate. As they eat, drink and make merry, Red is working.
A man named Billy tells her that his name is really Gus and that he was one of Cinderella's mice. (OMG, I loved Gus! The adorable fat little mousie!)
He asks Red out for a drink, but she has to turn him down. It's the first full moon since the curse was broken, she can't find her red hood, and she has no idea what's going to happen.

Meanwhile, Widmore King George drops by to talk to Charming. He threatens to tell the townsfolk who Charming really is. Charming doesn't seem to give a rats ass what the King does. He has faith in his people.

The next morning, Granny comes into her diner to find that Red has escaped the fortified freezer. There are wolf-scratches all over the kitchen.

Across town, Henry is having the dream again. The room is on fire and he sees a woman in white....and then Regina wakes him. (She's babysitting because Charming has to find Red)
Oddly, he wakes with a burn on his hand!

 Granny and Charming find Red in the forest. Charming gets called to a suspicious vehicle.
Inside they find half of poor Billy. Red finds the other half a few feet away. Red is sure she killed him.

Over at Snow's place, Mr. Gold makes a housecall. He gives Henry a charm that will help him control his dream--which is actually a real place. A place somewhere between life and death.
He does this as a favour to Henry. (I wonder what housecalls REALLY cost?!)

Back at the crime scene, Charming doesn't believe Red did it. She convinces him to lock her up, just in case.
But in walks King George, who accuses Red of murder and wants justice. Charming's not having it and stands in the King's way.
The King goes to the people and rallies a mob against Red. Luckily, Charming has recruited Belle and has taken Red to the library basement.
Belle refuses to leave Red so Red tricks her and cuffs her inside the library.
Red then goes to turn herself into the mob because she believes she should die. (Er, wut? This is all not very Red-like...)

In the meantime, Granny tracks the killer--King George--who has Red's hood in the trunk of his car.
Charming realizes this is all a plot against him. Poor Red was just the device the King chose to use.

The mob finds Red in her wolf form and the King raises a gun. But, THWACK, Granny is right there with her crossbow and shoots the gun out of his hand!
Charming explains what the King did and proves that Red isn't a killer by 'taming' the wolf, making her remember who she is, and giving her hood back.
The King escapes and Charming and Red go after him.

They find him easily enough, near a bonfire. He has the fairy dust and he tosses it all into the fire. He vows that no matter how much they get, Charming will never see his wife or daughter again.
Red talks Charming out of killing the King.

Later at Snow's, Charming is feeling disheartened and Red gives him a pep talk. Then she goes for a wolf run.

And Henry has another dream. This time he controls it. He makes the fire die and speaks to the girl he sees...

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In Fairytale Land that Is-

Aurora has another nightmare.
"This time it was different. There was a little boy. He put out the fire. He talked to me. He said his name was Henry."

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BOOM! How's THAT for a reveal, right?!

So, a 'meh' episode with a pretty great ending. And remember, 'meh' for OUAT is 'frickin' awesome' for all other shows. That's how high my standards have become because the writing/acting/directing/everything is just SO DAMN GOOD.

Sadly, I just didn't find Red all that believable in this episode. She's a STRONG woman. I don't think she'd just roll over and give herself up like she did.
But I'm not a writer, so what do I know?! ;)


Highlights:
-Beverley Elliot is just so, so great as Granny.
-Meghan Ory is a brilliant Red.
-The Dwarf scene at the beginning. I got goosebumpy when they found the diamonds!
-Lee Aranberg. 'Nuff said,

What questions do we have after this episode?
-Will Henry and Emma communicate through Aurora now?
-How will Emma and Snow get home?
-Why does King George want to ruin Charming?
-Does the King want the town?
-How did he get the fairydust?!
-What did he mean when he said Charming will never see his wife and daughter? Does he know something or is he just going to keep stealing the fairydust?
-CAN the fairydust help Emma and Snow get home?
-What do housecalls really cost?
-Why did Gold do Henry that favour? Is Belle rubbing off on him, finally?


No episode next week, Oncers. But here's the trailer for 'Into The Deep', which airs on Nov. 25!

WHAT THE WHAT?! ZOMBIES?!

Only TWO more episodes until the mid-season break, you guys! WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO WITHOUT OUAT?! :(

See you back here in two weeks!

Once Upon A Time: Tallahassee

I sound like a broken record, right? But AGAIN, Jane Espenson knocked it OUT of the park! And co-writer Christine Boylan as well!

What an absolutely BRILLIANT episode! So many questions answered...and so many more questions raised!

How much did you love Neal?! Michael Raymond-James is gorgeous and amazing and I'm completely head-over-heels in love with him already! Heehee!

By the way--I'm totally shipping Emma and Hook. And Emma and Neal. Either of the two, I'm good with. ;)

Before I start, I'm going to point you all towards this Wikipedia page, just in case you're not familiar with the name Neal Cassady and who he is. Go ahead and read it. I'll wait.

Okay, done? Good.
Interesting parallels, no?
Cassady was arrested for receipt of stolen property. Served 11 months of his sentence. And he was a drifter.
Just like Emma.

The writers REALLY do their homework, and I love them for it!

And, lastly, I'm not even going to bother to mention that there's NO way Jennifer Morrison can pull of being a teenager. No, Emma in Portland didn't look like a teenager.
But do I care? Did it make the episode unwatchable? No frickin' way!
The end. ;)

So here we go!


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In Fairytale Land that Is--

It's decided that Emma will climb the beanstalk with Hook.

Emma asks about the magic beans and Hook tells her that Jack fought a war with all giants. The giants destroyed all the beans so no one would have the power.
Jack killed all the giants but one--The strongest and biggest of them all. And they have to get past him to get to the magic compass.
They can use Cora's magic ashes to get back to Storybrooke, but they need the compass to show them they way.
Hook swears allegiance to whoever can get him there.

Snow, Mulan and Aurora settle in to wait and Aurora tells Snow about her nightmares.
Snow says it's from the sleeping spell and that they'll go away, eventually. She promises to watch over Aurora as she sleeps.

Back up the beanstalk, Emma figures out that Rumple took a lot more from Hook then just his hand....
Hook summons the giant (Hi, Jorge!), and Emma puts him to sleep with the powder (made from poppies?!).

At the bottom of the beanstalk, Aurora has a nightmare and Snow wakes her.
Aurora dreams of, "A red room. Bright red curtains, but no windows or doors and she couldn't get in or out. The curtains are on fire. She was in the corner and she looked over to the other corner and sees someone else there. She can only see HIS eyes."

Back at the top, Hook and Emma are admiring the booty (with much flirting on Hook's part). Hook wants to stay and plunder, but the giant wakes.

He catches Emma and she bites him. He drops her and she uses the tripwire to trap him.
Holding Jack's giant-killing sword, she gets the compass from the giant but doesn't kill him.
The giant frees himself, but he doesn't kill Emma either.
He grants her two favours and frees both Emma and Hook....But Emma cuffs Hook and traps him in the giants castle because she 'needs a headstart'. She asked the giant to hold Hook there for ten hours before freeing him too.

At the bottom, Mulan starts chopping down the beanstalk, as she'd promised Emma she would after ten hours.
Snow fights her and Emma returns.
Snow makes Emma promise that they'll go home together only.
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In...er....Portland, 11 years ago--

Emma steals a very familiar car.

And--GASP!--Mystery Man from the season premiere pops up in the back seat!
It seems that Emma has stolen a stolen car!
Mystery Man introduces himself as Neal Cassady (see link above).

In time, Neal and Emma fall in love. And steal stuff. Lots of stuff. All over the country, it would appear!
During one such outing, Neal steals Emma a keychain and Emma steals a dreamcatcher. (The same dreamcatcher that can be seen in Neal's apartment in the season premiere, by the way!)
He seems to want to settle down. He convinces Emma as well, and they choose Tallahassee.

Sadly, Neal finds a wanted poster of himself up in the post office from a jewelry heist he'd done previously.
They can't go to Tallahassee. Neal has to leave. Emma and the country.
Emma won't allow it. She suggests that she go get the watches, sell them, buy new identities and go to Tallahassee.
Neal reluctantly agrees.

Emma succeeds and Neal takes the watches to the fence.
They make a plan to meet later, after he gets the money.
On the way, Neal is accosted by....AUGUST?!? (And I screamed at my TV)
Our darling August, with a much younger-looking face, explains that he's Emma's guardian angel.
He shows Neal something in his wooden box that convinces Neal of Emma's destiny and of Fairytale Land.
He believes everything August tells him.

Neal calls the police, who find Emma is possession of stolen goods. A watch.
Emma is obviously confused and heartbroken.
Her love has turned her in...and left her.

Two months later, Neal and August meet in Vancouver.
Neal can't move on. He wants to know about Emma. Is she okay?
August explains that she's serving 11 months in a minimum security prison. That she's going to get out and have a good life, as long as Neal stays away.
Neal makes August promise to be there for her. August does.
Neal gives August thousands of dollars and the keys to the Bug to give to Emma. He then asks August that, if anything changes...if she does her job...if she's free...
"I'll send you a postcard.", is August's reply. (This was the second time I screamed at my TV)

And in a minimum security prison in Phoenix, Emma Small gets mail from Phuket, Thiland. (Where our darling August once 'lost himself', as you may recall from 'The Stranger')
Inside are car keys...on a familiar keychain. A SWAN keychain.
And in her hand is a pregnancy test....a positive pregnancy test.

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In Storybrooke--

Henry wakes from a nightmare. He tells Charming, "I was in this room...and it was red. And there was no doors, no windows. And these curtains...and they were on fire. And I was in this corner...and I was looking up....and there was someone else there...SHE was staring at me through the flames..."
And Charming tells Henry that it was just a bad dream....

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HOLY COW, right, you guys?!?!

Epic episode of eipcness!! Jorge Garcia is a perfect giant, although I wish he'd had more lines!
The GOOD news is that...ready?...He's COMING BACK!
Yes, he mentioned in an interview that the show has called him back to appear on at least one more episode this season! *happydance*

Okay, so now I want to mention a theory I have--
Aurora and Henry are having the same dream. And if you noticed, I bolded the important parts in each's description of their dream.
Aurora speaks of a MALE in the dream and Henry of a FEMALE.
My theory? They're dreaming of EACH OTHER.
And when Emma/Snow/Charming figure this out, THIS WILL BE A WAY FOR THEM TO COMMUNICATE THROUGH THE DIMENSIONS, YOU GUYS!!!
I'm a frickin' genius, right?!? Of course, right! :P
Who's with me here?! *crickets*
(Might I add that Jane Espenson called me 'clever' when I mentioned this theory to her on Twitter? So there! Nyah, nyah!)

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Highlights: 
-Jorge Garcia! Even speaking with mostly grunts and groans, the man is wonderful! You know, he did every single one of his scenes in front of a green screen?! How amazing is he, right?!
-Michael Raymond-James. I'm so, so in love with his character! The chemistry between he and Emma was so gorgeous!
-AUGUST!! I'm SO happy they kept his appearance a secret!
-The swan on the keychain is WHY Emma Small is now Emma Swan! AWW!
-The car was Neal's car! Now we know why Emma drives it and loves it so much. It's a piece of him!

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What questions do we have after this episode?
-ARE Henry and Aurora dreaming of each other? If so, can they communicate? And if the dreams are a side effect of the sleeping spell, can Snow also have the dream and communicate with Henry??
-Will Neal come to Storybrooke for Emma?!? (Oh, God, YES, PLEASE!)
-How will Emma react if/when she sees Neal?
-Where is August? (We now know he's alive because he sent Neal the postcard!)
-Why did August leave Storybrooke after the curse broke?
-Will Hook catch up to Snow and company?
-How will Snow and Emma return to Storybrooke?
-How will Snow and Emma get the wardrobe ashes from Cora?
-How did August convince Neal about Emma?
- (BradPittSe7ev) WHAT'S IN THE BOOOOOOOOOX?! WHAT'S IN THE BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOX?!? (/BradPittSe7ev)
-Is it possible that Neal is also Baelfire? He was convinced of Emma's destiny awfully easily.
-How much older than Emma is Neal? (This could matter if he is Bae!)

Here's the trailer for next week's episode--it's all about Red!--called, 'Child of the Moon':

Okay, you guys! Share your theories, please! I want to know what you guys think will happen with Aurora & Henry, with Neal and Emma, with everything!

And as always, I'll see you back here next week, Oncers!

Once Upon A Time: The Doctor

And so, now we know who Whale REALLY is! What do you think? Are you okay with this turn of events?
This ain't your kids' Disney story anymore! ;)

I'm seeing a lot of folks on Twitter and message boards are unhappy with this. They say that Frankenstein isn't a fairytale. And they're right, of course.
But who said OUAT was only about fairytales?! I don't recall hearing that! And frankly, I'm glad to see them going off of fairytale characters for once. I hope we see many more like Dr. Whale!

Here we go!

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In Fairytale Land that Was--

Rumple is teaching Regina magic. Alas, Regina is unable to take the heart of a unicorn because, "It's innocent."
Rumple doesn't really care. He wants to know what's holding Regina back.

Some time later, Regina finally asks Rumple is he can teach her magic to bring back the dead.
Rumple says no such spell exists.
The Mad Hatter drops by with a crystal ball. Rumple asks about the 'the slippers' (Oz! OMG!) and learns that they've been taken to another land.
Rumple explains that he needs to get to a land without magic, but takes the ball and tells the Hatter to help himself to his payment.
Rumple tells Regina to let herself out--they're done and she was a waste of time.

The Hatter overhears and offers Regina his help. He happens to know a man who can bring back the dead.--a wizard--but for a price.
He wants safe passage through Regina's lands. She agrees.

The Hatter introduces Regina to the Doctor.
He examines Daniel's preserved body. This is when Regina learn that the Doctor has never actually done this before. It's completely experimental.
He needs a heart and none that he's used have survived the shock needed to resurrect the dead.
He's been told that the hearts in Fairytale Land are stronger. Regina refuses to use her magic to obtain a heart, but brings the Hatter and the Doctor to Cora's secret room. It just happens to be FULL of hearts.

The Doctor chooses a heart but, sadly, the experiment fails. Daniel is still dead.

Or did it?

Enter Rumple, who's been working with the Doctor. He gets his heart and Rumple gets Regina--who's now the cold, bitter Regina we've come to know and love.

The Hatter sends the Doctor home.

And Regina? Well, Regina kills her 'replacement' after ripping the heart from her body and asks Rumple to continue teaching her.
He, of course, obliges.

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In Storybrooke--

Regina visits Archie to talk about her magic addiction.
We learn that, along with bringing over all of the live people, she's also brought a dead one to Storybrooke.
Her fiancé, Daniel, who's been preserved with a spell all these years.
Dr. Whale barges in on Regina and Archie and asks her to send him back to his land. To his dead brother.
She says she can't, of course.

Driving home in the rain, Regina spies Daniel, who promptly disappears.
She goes to check the vault (the next day, for some reason?) and she finds his glass coffin empty.
She goes to find Dr. Whale. His office has been destroyed and he's been attacked. He's also missing an arm.
He tells Regina that he brought Daniel back from the dead...but he's not Daniel anymore. He's a monster.

Regina brings Whale to the hospital, Charming shows up and she tells him everything. They realize that Daniel is on his way to the place he and Regina last saw each other--the stables.
Exactly where Charming just left Henry, mucking out horse stalls.

Daniel enters the stall and attacks Henry, but Regina and Charming arrive in time.
Henry runs off and Charming is ready to kill Daniel. Regina convinces him to let her talk to her fiancé.
Daniel attacks her, but she's able to remind him of himself before he kills her.
He's in pain and he begs her to let him go. With many tears and emotion, she uses her magic and destroys her love.
Regina returns to Archie's office and asks for help.

Meanwhile, Whale enters Gold's shop carrying a cooler. Yes, it contains his arm, of course.
He asks for Rumple's help reattaching it. Rumple first asks Whale why he brought Daniel back.
Whale reveals that he thought that if he helped Regina, she would send him back to his own world so he could try to bring his brother back. Again.
Before Rumple reattaches the arm, he makes Whale say one thing, "I need magic."
With the wave of his hand, Whale's arm is once again whole and attached.
"Always a pleasure doing business with you...Victor."

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In Dr. Whale's Land that Was--

With the stronger heart from Fairytale Land, the Doctor and his assistant reanimate a body on the table.
The body of Victor Frankenstein's brother.
"It's alive."
"You did it. Victor, you did it."
"Yes. I believe I have. Welcome back, brother."
"It's magic, Dr. Frankenstein?"
"No. Not magic. Science."

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In Fairytale Land that Is--

The safe haven has been destroyed and all of the inhabitants killed. All but one. The blacksmith.
Emma, of course, finds that odd and finally gets him to talk.
He confesses that he's Captain Hook and that he's been working with Cora to get to Storybrooke.
He's now willing to work with this new crew, and he tells them about a magic compass that they'll need to return to their home.
Why does he want to go to Storybrooke?
"To exact revenge on the man who took my hand. Rumpelstiltskin."

Only problem?
The compass is at the top of a beanstalk. And, of course, that's also where the giant lives.

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GIIIIIIAAAAAAANNNNNTTTTT!!!! Played by the amazingly awesome JORGE GARCIA!!!!!
SO EXCITED!!!


Highlights:
-Rumpelstiltskin. ALWAYS. Sometimes his ways make me laugh so hard that I have to rewind the scene because I missed everything he said!
-"When they say I charge an arm and a leg...that's a figure of speech." (Gold)
- David Anders was brilliant as Frankenstein, wasn't he? Eyeliner and all!
-Regina's emotion and tears. Lana was amazing.

What questions do we have after this episode?
-Who is Frankenstein's brother?
-Where is Frankenstein's land? Does that matter?
-Why does Whale want to reanimate his brother so badly?
-How did the brother die?
-What happened after the first attempt? Exactly what the story we know says? Or something else?
-How are Emma and Snow going to get home?
-Will they get the compass?
-Will Hook be brought to Storybrooke with them?

AGAIN, the promo is spoilery, but this time the Canadian version is MUCH more so than the US version!
Here's the US version for you guys!

It's called Tallahassee!

Did you guys like Frankenstein's reveal? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

See you next week, Oncers!

Once Upon A Time: The Crocodile

Tonight we met Captain Hook...and what a HOT villain he is! Phew!

Another brilliant episode from the Once crew, and I'd seriously love to know who does the casting for this show. They never miss! Every character has been absolutely bang on, right?

After last week's Gold-lite episode, I was more than ready for a big Rumple/Belle return...and what a return it was!

Ready? Here we go!

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In Storybrooke, Belle wakes from a horrible dream where her new and improved Rumple turns into the Rumple that was.
After she wakes, she goes downstairs and spies him in the basement, working some magic.
Later that day, she confronts him. She wants to know why he brought the magic to Storybrooke.
He gives her a line about power, but she's not buying it.
Rumple goes to speak to her and finds that she's gone.
He goes to the flower shop to speak to Belle's father, Moe. (If you recall, Maurice French, Belle's dad, runs Game of Thorns, the local flower shop!)
Moe hasn't seen or heard from Belle since the curse broke.

Belle is at Granny's, drinking iced tea.--a luxury she's never had before!
She and Red talk, and Red convinces her to see if she can reopen the library. With Belle's love of books, it would be the perfect place for her.
Belle heads there and is suddenly kidnapped by a man in a red toque.

Meanwhile, Charming is putting in some time at the mines with the Dwarfs.
He heads back to his temporary Sheriff's duties, just in time for Rumple to come by. He needs help finding Belle.
As Charming asks around town, Rumple asks Charming for dating advice. Charming tells him that honesty is the secret to any relationship.

The man in the red toque brings Belle to her father, who was the one who had her kidnapped.
Belle tells her father that she'd fallen in love with Rumple and the two argue.
Her father ties her up and puts her on a mine cart to go across the townline through the tunnels. He's willing to sacrifice her memories of him as long as she forgets Rumple as well.
The man with the red hat send the mine cart towards the townline, with Belle handcuffed inside.


Charming and Rumple head to Granny's where Red first denies seeing Belle.
Charming  convinces her to talk, and she offers to help sniff Belle out.
The trail stops at Moe's flower shop.

Moe won't tell them where he's sent her. Luckily, Charming sees the mine dust on Moe's hands and puts two and two together.

Rumple uses magic to easily bring the mine cart back and open the handcuffs. Belle is still Belle, and still angry at both her father and her love.
She tells them she never wants to see either of them again.

Back at Granny's, Red gives Belle a small package...It's the key to the library.
She enters and gazes in wonder.
Of course, Rumple is there--he's the one who gave her the key.
Rumple finally uses honesty.
He tells Belle everything. He's a coward who uses magic as a crutch. He has so much guilt for losing Baelfire, and now he's trying to use magic again to break the curse so he can leave Storybrooke to find his son.
Rumple says goodbye and walks away...When Belle asks him to go for a hamburger one day.
She's never had one, and they're supposed to be good. (*cue my tears*)

Back in Gold's basement, the man with the red hat is tied up. Rumple wants to know about the man he works for. His Captain.
The man has never seen his Captain in Storybrooke. For some reason, the curse didn't take him.

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In Fairytale Land That Was, Rumple goes to find his wife, Milah, who's MIA.
He finds her at a bar, drinking with a band of pirates.
She insults him and calls him a coward in front of their son, Baelfire.

The next morning, Rumple is told that his wife has been taken by the pirates.
He goes to try to get her back, and the Captain, Killian Jones, challenges him to a dual. Rumple stands down and loses Milah.

Years later--after he's become The Dark One and lost Baelfire--Rumple meets a man in a tavern. The man tells him that he can get a 'magic bean that can transport people between worlds'.
The two agree to a deal.

After the man walks out, a familiar face walks in--Captain Killian Jones.
The pirates leave and a disguised Rumple bumps into the Captain, who calls him a crocodile.
Rumple reveals himself and he uses Killian's own words when the Captain recognizes him.
Rumple asks about Milah and Jones tells him she's dead. Rumple challenges Jones to the dual they never had  and tells him to be ready the next day.

The next day arrives quickly and the two fight. Just as Rumple is about to end it by pulling out the Captain's heart, Milah makes herself known. Yep, she's alive.
She tells Rumple that she and Killian fell in love and that's why she left. Again, Rumple is about to kill Killian when Milah pulls out a red toque and tells him that she has the magic bean.
She'll give it to him in exchange for their lives.

They go to Jones's ship and Rumple confronts Milah about leaving Baelfire. Milah confesses that she never loved Rumple. He rips her heart out and kills her.
Killian refuses to give Rumple the magic bean, so Rump cuts of Killian's hand to get it.
With a hook from the deck, Killian tries to kill Rumple, but fails. It takes more than that to kill the Dark One.
Rumple poofs away in a puff of smoke.

Once home, Rumple pries open the dead fingers of the hand he chopped off and discovers that it doesn't contain the magic bean.

On the ship, Killian has the bean.
He says goodbye to his love and then speaks to the prisoner--the same man with the red hat who offered the bean to Rumple.
Killian offers the man a chance to join his crew and tells him that they're about to set said to a place where no one ever grows old.
He asks the man his name, "William. William Smee."
And Mr. Smee once again dons his familiar red hat.

Captain Killian throws the magic bean into the water where it turns into a whirlpool.
He then snaps his hook into place where his hand once was. Mr. Smee asks where they're headed and Captain Hook replies, "Neverland!", as they sail into the whirlpool.

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In Fairytale Land That Is, Captain Hook appears to be looking at an island through a telescope when Cora appears.
Cora shows Hook the ashes she took from the wardrobe.
She tells him their destination is Storybrooke. That's where 'she' is...and so is 'he'.

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So many goosebumps, so many giggles, so many squeals of joy during this episode!
I really, really enjoyed it!

Highlights:
-Rumpelstiltskin. Back to his giggly, flamboyant self, and I LOVED every second of it!
-"That's going to save us time during the question and answer portion of our game!"

-"I will find you and gut your entire crew, like-ah de feesh!" LMAO!!!

-"TICK TOCK, DEARIE! TICK TOCK!" (Nice nod to Peter Pan's crocodile!)

-"Well I've had many a mans wife."

-"Sparkly dirt. Wonderful."

-Colin O'Donoghue was amazing as Hook! PERFECT casting!
-The sword fight!

-Belle and Rumple. I just adore these two together!

-Charming in the mine. Phew, hawtness!

-Smee! I LOVED Chris Gauthier (Eureka) as Smee!

What questions do we have after this episode?

-How does Cora know Hook?
-What is Cora going to do with the ashes?
-Why didn't Hook get sent to Storybrooke?
-What is the island Hook is watching? The safe haven, maybe?

-Is Rumple going to be able to break the curse?

-How are Cora and Hook going to get to Storybrooke?

-Is Rumple turning over a new leaf, like Regina?

-Will Snow and Emma somehow follow Cora and Hook to Storybrooke...or vice versa?

-Will Rumple find Baelfire?

Okay, you guys, this time I WON'T be posting next week's OUAT promo.

I'm sorry, but I REFUSE to spoil my readers like that. ABC decided to pretty much spoil Dr. Whale's identity in the trailer, which is a VERY stupid move.

I urge all of you to avoid it like the plague! I'm SO MAD that I saw it. :(

Go in as blind as you can, okay?

See you back here next week, Oncers, after "The Whale"!

Once Upon A Time: Lady of the Lake

So! A much more quiet and somber episode this week as compared to the last two.
More touching and heartfelt as well.

Sadly, not my favourite episode, but good development for the characters and storylines!

I LOVE watching Mary Margaret become tough Snow White again, but I REALLY disliked how stupid they made Emma in this episode.
Fairytale Land or not, Emma is NOT a stupid woman who needs help every step of the way. They wrote her in a way that just wasn't believable to me at all.

Gold's absence was really felt, wasn't it? And it's so sweet watching Henry and Charming bond and get close. :)

Here we go!

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In Fairytale Land That Was:

Lancelot kidnaps Snow and takes her to King George, who curses her so that she can't have children because his wife suffered the same fate.

Lancelot sees the error of his ways and helps Snow by telling her that the King is going after Charming's mother next.

At their home, Charming fights off the attackers, but not before his mother is struck with a poisoned arrow.
Snow and Lancelot arrive too late, but Charming has an idea. He believes that the waters of Lake Nostos can cure his mother.

On the trip, Snow confesses to her future mother-in-law about her curse after a baby-gender-guessing necklace doesn't work on her.
They arrive at the lake...and it's gone. Dried up since Charming killed the Lady of the Lake.
Luckily, Lancelot finds a tiny shell with a few drops of water left inside.
Snow convinces Ruth to drink, but it's too late. There's no magic left. Her last wish is to see her son married, so Lance--as a knight--marries Charming and Snow, using a goblet (much like the holy grail?) as part of the ceremony.
Ruth dies as it ends.

Afterwards, Snow is about to confess to Charming her curse, but before she can, Charming gives her the necklace that was his mothers...and it tells her the gender of her future child.

Snow confronts Lancelot--Ruth never drank the water and Lance used it in the goblet during the ceremony.
Lance says nothing as a reply.
Lance asks what the necklace predicted and Snow replies, "A daughter."

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In Fairytale Land That Is:

Snow wakes up to see Cora in the cave and jumps in front of Emma to protect her. She tells Emma that Cora is worse than Regina ever was.
Emma is skeptical.

Snow and Emma are taken to the leader of the camp--Lancelot. Snow and Lance hug and he apologizes for locking them up.
Snow asks to be allowed to go back to her home to see if the wardrobe portal still works. Lancelot agrees, but sends Mulan with them.
While walking through the woods, Aurora pops up and pulls a knife on Snow, who quickly turns the tables.
Emma sees the scuffle and fires her gun into the air, drawing the ogres to their location.
Snow kills the ogre with an arrow through the eyes.

They arrive at Snow's castle and enter Emma's nursery.

Seeing how Snow had once lived, Emma finally realizes how much her mother gave up for her and she breaks down in tears, "I'm not used to somebody putting me first."
Great, great moment. I got teary.

They decide to bring the wardrobe back to the safe haven to see if it can be recharged somehow, when Lancelot shows up...and quickly reveals himself to be Cora.
Apparently Cora killed Lancelot long before and has been playing at being the leader for some time.

Cora wants the wardrobe for herself, so she can get to Storybrooke.
Emma sets the wardrobe on fire to keep Cora from getting to her son and Cora escapes.
Mulan says they need a new leader and appoints Snow.
They turn to leave and Snow glances back in tears, mourning what once was and what could have been.

After they exit, Cora returns and places some ashes from the wardrobe into a glass bottle.

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In Storybrooke:

Henry desperately wants to help Charming find Emma and Snow, but Charming isn't down with Operation Scorpion.

Henry runs into Jefferson and tells him to go to his daughter.
Jefferson mentions Regina's vault, so Henry goes a-searchin'. He finds it and opens a box of vipers, when Charming comes to the rescue.
(Seriously how creepy were the heartbeats?!)
Notice here that Regina sent Charming to find Henry. Redeeming herself?
One point for Regina.

Charming realizes that Henry's not going to give up, so he buys wooden swords and teaches his grandson how to fight.

Meanwhile, Jefferson finally finds the courage to reveal himself to Grace, who runs into his arms, so happy that her Papa is back.







As Charming and Henry swordfight, we see Charming's 'father', King George, watching from his car...







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Lots of touching, teary moments for sure, bit definitely a more quiet and reserved episode.
Not that those are bad--We need them to catch out breath between action-packed shockers, right? ;)

Now, I get what they're doing, showing how the roles have reversed between Snow and Emma. Showing that Snow is the mother now..the leader, the strength.
But they could have done that without making Emma look stupid or helpless...and I wonder if things will come to a head eventually when Emma has NOTHING to do while Snow leads.

But anyway...

Highlights?
-The scene with Snow and Emma in the nursery.
-Jefferson finding Grace.
-Henry and Charming's sword fight.
-Lancelot. I've always loved the story of King Arthur and his knights.
-"It's dangerous to confuse vengeance for justice."
-"That is chimera. Part lion, part serpent, part goat."
  "Like turduckin?"

-"Ogres? Like Fee Fi Foe Fum?"

-"I just killed a dragon last week."

-The ogre was pretty cool!

-"What kind of corset is this?"

-Lancelot alluding to the Holy Grail.

What questions do we have?

-Is Lancelot really dead?

-Why does Cora want the ashes?

-Why does Cora want to go to Storybrooke, really?

-Will Cora get to Storybrooke?

-How will Emma and Snow get back to Storybrooke?

-What is Charming's name? Ruth kept calling him 'son'. We DON'T know his name. Why not? (Remember, he was David is Storybrooke and James was the king's son's name)

-Why were the people in the safe haven saved not affected by the curse?

-The safe haven is an island. Does that matter?

-Will Jefferson and Grace be okay?

-How will having Grace back change Jefferson?

-How will Regina react when she sees Cora again?

The opening was a knight, and here's the trailer for next week's Gold/Belle episode, where we also meet Captain Hook, The Crocodile!

See you back here next week, Oncers!

Once Upon A Time: We Are Both

AHH, YOU GUYS I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!

Y'know, last week's premiere feels almost boring compared to THIS frickin' amazing episode!!

Written by the always-awesome Jane Espenson--who gave us Skin Deep, Red-Handed and The Return (among others!) last season, We Are Both was full of shocks, surprises, touching moments and, yes, teary bits!

I think Ms. Espenson loves Rumple as much as the viewers do. The voice she gives him is always perfect!

Ready, then? Here we go!


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In Storybrooke, the Dwarfs want to know if they can leave town. They draw straws and Sneezy loses.
Okay, can I just say how happy I am that the dwarfs are once again the DWARFS?! Grumpy is grumpy and Doc is Doc...and did you see Dopey's clothes?! Haha, so dopey!
I missed them so much this summer!


With a little help, Sneezy steps over the line and starts to...well, he shimmers.


Meanwhile, the town is cleaning up. We get a glimpse of Granny's diner and the smashed-up cars in the street and wooden-August lying in his bed, blinking....Wait, wut?
WHAT?! AUGUST BLINKING??

Next we get a look at the missing persons board--and of Marco/Gepetto putting up a drawing of his son, Pinocchio.
The citizens are lingering in the street and Red is shouting directions, trying to help. She mentions to the Blue Fairy that she's sure the Prince is working on something.

And yep, he is!
Charming goes to see Regina and asks her about the hat. He says he knows she's having magic issues.
She lies and tells him she has no idea where she got the hat.
They fling insults, Regina lies again about Fairytale Land being gone and then she says that Henry will be hers again once she gets her magic back.

Charming goes back to the citizens of Storybrooke, who desperately need a leader.
They have so many questions that need answers, and they need guidance.
Charming is too focused on finding his wife and daughter to see that.

Suddenly, Grumpy and the Dwarfs come running up yelling about terrible news!
When Sneezy stepped over the town line, he FORGOT WHO HE REALLY IS!!!
He thinks he's Tom Clark who owns the pharmacy!
BOOM, WHAT A TWIST!

The townfolk freak out and Charming realizes that he needs to do something.
He tells them to come back in 2 hours...which gives him 2 hours to come up with a plan to help everyone.

Meanwhile, Regina goes to Gold's shop.
She 'needs the book to get her son back'.
Regina convinces him to give her the book and as she's walking out he tells her that she does NOW look like her mother (in not so many words).

Back at Mary Margaret's, Charming is trying to come up with a plan when Henry spies the hat. He knows it's the Mad Hatter's hat, but doesn't know who the Hatter is.

It's Charming's turn to show up at Gold's shop, and before he arrives, we see Gold packing road maps into a bag. Going somewhere, Gold?
Charming asks for a spell to help find the Hatter and the two make a deal. Charming will no longer bother Gold and Gold will no longer bother Charming.
Seems a good deal to me!
As he's leaving, Charming tells Gold about the problem Sneezy had when trying to leave Storybrooke.
Gold is NOT happy with this news at all.

With the spell, the hat leads Charming to Jefferson, who's trapped in his over-turned car.

Sadly, Jefferson can't help. The hat is destroyed and he has no magic without it.
(Jefferson has a rabbit and a tea set in his car...but he hasn't yet connected with Grace)

Back at Regina's, she opens the book and regains her magic.
Once again the Evil Queen, she goes to the town meeting, threatens the townsfolk and takes Henry home.
Regina tells Henry she's going to teach him all that she knows and that he'll never lack for friends or love.
Henry tells her he doesn't want it that way. That he doesn't want to be like her.

The townsfolk are scared and decide to leave Storybrooke and forget who they once were.
Charming stops them in the nick of time with a great speech. A perfect Charming speech.

Charming goes to see Henry and we see that Regina has had a change of heart.
Henry is allowed to go home with Charming and she wants to redeem herself.
Charming asks for proof and she tells him that, yes, Fairytale Land still exists.

The town reopens and the Dwarfs buy mining picks.
Tom/Sneezy asks them what they need them for and Grumpy replies, "Don't worry, brother. You lost somethin'. It's gonna take fairy dust to get it back. So we're gonna do what we do best. C'mon, boys. It's off to work we go!"
(Did anyone else cheer through tears here?! Okay, good!)

Henry sees Marco/Gepetto in the diner and whispers to him.
Gepetto goes to August's room at Granny's and finds...Pinocchio's hat.
AUGUST IS GONE.

And Regina...Well, Regina almost burns the magic book. But then locks it away instead.

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In Fairytale Land That Was, we find out how Regina meets Rumpelstiltskin and becomes who she is.

To escape her horrible mother, young Regina calls Rumple and asks him to help her get ride of Cora.
Rumple seems to know Regina.
Regina says he probably knows her because he's the one who gave Cora her magic and she's been told she looks like Cora. Rumple says no and makes a bunch of oddly cryptic remarks.
Rumple then conjures a portal to 'a specific, annoying world'.

The day of her wedding, Regina finally finds the strength and the magic and pushes her mother through the portal, freeing herself from her mother's clutches.

She gives the book back to Rumple, saying she'll never again use magic. That she never wants to be like her mother.

Rumple, of course, convinces her otherwise and apparently teaches her everything she knows and uses against the citizens of Fairytale in the future.







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And in Fairytale Land That Is, Mulan, Aurora, Snow and Emma arrive at the 'safe haven'.
Emma and Snow try to escape, and Snow is knocked unconscious.
They're put into a cave where they meet a woman who wants to help.
A woman named Cora.
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!
Seriously, sometimes I have NO words after I watch this show!
The twists and turns and shocks just overwhelm me! And SO many questions!!!

Highlights:
-Grumpy's speech at the beginning.
-August blinked!
-"Are the nuns still nuns, or can they, y'know, date?" (Dr. Whale)
-I love how strong Charming is. I love how he's taken over. I love the difference between he and David. It's amazing how they wrote David so weak for THIS reason!
-"If it did would I have come running in yelling, 'Terrible news'?"(Grumpy)
-"I knew you long ago, dearie. It's been some time, but I knew this day would come. I've been waiting for it. And I'm so happy we're back where we belong." (Rumple to Regina)
-The Dwarfs going to help Sneezy. LOVED SO MUCH.
-Charming's speech.

What questions do we have after this episode?

-WHERE IS AUGUST?!?!

-Did the spell break for him? (Was it just me, or when he blinked was he more human-looking than he was when he turned to wood last season?)

-Who put up the barrier around Storybrooke? Regina?

-Who can break the barrier? How?

-What's in the black box in Gold's shop?

-Will the Dwarfs find fairy dust?

-Will Sneezy be fixed? How?

-When will Jefferson talk to Grace?

-What did Rumple mean when he was speaking to Regina, "I'm so happy we're back where we belong."?

-Where was Cora before the safe haven?!

-Why is Cora in the cave?

-How did Cora get to the safe haven?

-Rumple said to Regina, "Someday, you'll do something for me." What will she (did she?) do for him?

-Is Regina for real? Does she REALLY want to redeem herself?

-Will evil-Regina come back to mess things up?

The opening was creepy vines...and did Rumple seem toned down to you guys at all?

There wasn't so much giggling or flamboyancy..or am I seeing things?

Here's the promo for next week's episode, Lady of the Lake:

Your turn! What are your thoughts after watching We Are Both?

See you back here next week, Oncers!

Once Upon A Time: Broken

Welcome back, Oncers! Did everyone have a great summer? I'm so glad to see you all again!!

So, what a premiere, right?! The mysterious man in the opening?! The big reveal at the end?!? God, I missed this show!!

We begin in...Central Park?!
A 'mysterious man' is walking home from work.
Y'know, I was going to get into the whole thing with this guy, but then I read this post by TVLine.com.
There's NO way I could do it any better than they did! They have pictures and links to the exact album that is playing through his headphones and everything!
So PLEASE click that link, have a look, be awed, then come back here and finish this recap. Okay? Good.
I'll wait.

You back? Pretty trippy, right?! Okay, ready? Here we go again, Oncers! Season 2!

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In Storybrooke, we come back to the EXACT point where we left off last season. THANK YOU, OUAT writers!

Snow and Charming are reunited with Granny and Red...and then Snow with her Dwarfs, as I laugh through my happy sobs....And then with their daughter, Emma.
I'm so, so glad the writers gave this to us. That they allowed us to be a part of the reunions and realizations.
What amazingly touching, emotional scenes!

The Blue Fairy arrives and tells everyone that magic has been brought to Storybrooke.
Emma wants to confront Gold about the purple smoke, but Snow wants to talk about Emma.
Luckily, they're interrupted by an angry mob who's on the way to kill Regina!

Jiminy runs up and explains that Dr. Whale has whipped the townsfolk into a frenzy, and Emma has to try to stop them from killing the Evil Queen!
Henry begs Emma to help, "Please. She's still my mom!"

Meanwhile, in the forest, Belle tells Gold that Regina had her locked up for the last 28 years. Belle makes Gold promise not to kill Regina, and that they'll be together.
As always...there's a loophole...

Gold brings her back to his shop to find her some clothes. While he's there, he brings out a mysterious gold amulet and holds it menacingly.

Back at Regina's, the mob, with Whale leading, is out for blood.
Regina threatens them with magic...but it doesn't work. Her magic is broken!

Just as Whale is about to wrap his hands around Regina's evil little neck, Emma and company come to the rescue.
Emma is still the sheriff, and Regina is thrown in jail.

Interesting little reveal here--The curse IS broken, but that doesn't mean that everyone knows who everyone else is.
Charming has no idea who Whale is, and Whale ain't telling! Ooooh!


Regina tells Snow and Charming that Fairytale Land no longer exists, and that's why no one returned when the curse was broken.

By the way, I found it adorable how Charming no longer even speaks like David. He's ALL Prince Charming now, right down to his speech!

At the jail, Emma and company go off to find Gold...who walks in just after they leave.
Gold tells Regina that 'magic is different here...dearie.'
He's TICKED about what she did to Belle, and he shoves the gold amulet against her hand..but nothing appears to happen.

Gold goes back into the woods and summons...something, with the gold amulet!
And in her cell, Regina wakes up in pain and sees a strange mark on her hand.

Back in town, Snow and Emma finally talk.
Snow desperately wants to know about her daughter. She wants to be a mother and she wants her daughter's love.
But Emma...can't. At least not yet.
Emma had a very hard life. She was alone. They abandoned her. And while she does understand why...She feels that she should have been with her parents, curse or not.

They finally head to Gold's shop and the confront him about everything. Gold says they should be thanking him instead, for reuniting the family.
The town suddenly quakes and Rumple tells them that it's his gift to them. That's what's going to get rid of Regina.

They leave (but not before Gold reminds Emma that she still owes him a favor!) and Belle comes in. She's overheard everything and she's upset. He broke her promise with a loophole...
"You lied to me."
"No, no, I kept my word! I will not kill her."
"You toy with words like you do with people"
(What a brilliant exchange!)
She leaves his shop as he yells apologies after her.

At the jail, a wraith attacks Regina and starts to suck her soul out!
Charming, Snow and Emma arrive and scare it off with fire....but it will return.
They prepare to get rid of it by sending it elsewhere with Jefferson's hat.
The wraith returns but the hat won't work....at least not until Emma touches Regina and her magic...er...magically returns!

The wraith is sent to another land, but it takes Emma with it!
Not about to lose her daughter again, Snow dives into the portal with her, and it closes just before Charming can dive in as well.
Charming is angry and goes after the Evil Queen...but she uses her magic against him. She makes trees on the wallpaper (LOVED that!)  bind and choke him!
Luckily, Henry enters with Red and begs Regina to stop. He tells her to leave everyone alone, and Charming takes Henry to stay with him at Snow's.
He promises Henry that he'll find Emma and Snow. That he'll 'always find them'.

Back at Gold's shop, Belle returns.
She notices that he still has the chipped teacup.
"There are many, many things in this shop. But this? This is the only thing I truly cherish. And now you must leave."
"What?"
"You must leave because despite what you hope, I'm still a monster."
"Don't you see? That's exactly the reason I have to stay."
(LOVE SO MUCH!)

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In Fairytale Land, we meet Prince Phillip, Aurora and Mulan.
Phillip wakes and rescues Aurora.
The three are suddenly attacked by a wraith, but Phillip fights it off. He also cuts a very familiar-looking amulet off the wraith, and picks it up.
He doesn't realize that this is how the wraith marks their prey...which is what Phillip has now become.

Phillip doesn't tell Aurora and Mulan that he's been marked. He brings them to a safe spot to camp, and then disappears while gathering firewood.
Of course, the women go after him (and Aurora figures out that Mulan is also in love with Phillip), but they're unable to save him and can only watch helplessly as the wraith sucks the soul from Phillip's body, killing him (or is he only 'mostly' dead?). ;)

Mulan gives the charm to Aurora and the two prepare to leave Phillip's body in the castle.
Mulan finally tells Aurora the truth.
That something happened while she was asleep...
"Are you familiar with Regina the queen? She cast a curse on this land. A terrible, terrible curse. It ripped everyone away to another world. This corner of the land was untouched. No one knows why, but something saved us. And for 28 years, we were frozen. And then..time started again."
And now Fairytale Land is full of beasties and bad things.
Those that remain are in a 'safe haven', and the two have to go there.

Just then, they hear a noise. They go to investigate and discover exactly what brought the wraith to them...They see Emma and Snow lying unconscious in a pile of rubble...With Snow gripping Emma's jacket tightly in her fist.

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Epic premiere of epicness or what?!?

Highlights:
--That wonderful, touching scene when everyone reunites. I lost it with the dwarfs!

--"I assume this is all your doing?" (Regina)
"Most things are." (Gold)

--"One night stands and the like." (Snow)
"One night stands?!" (Charming)
"Whale." (Snow)
"WHALE?!?" (Charming)
"We were cursed." (Snow)
LOL!!

--Henry calling Charming, "Grandpa."

--The Gold/Belle kiss. *swoon*

-That amazing opening with the mysterious man! SO MANY DETAILS in that apartment!!


What questions do we have after this episode?

-Who is the mysterious man in the opening?!

-Who is Whale?

-Will there be any kind of mental issues with Belle being in an asylum for 28 years?!

-Why did Gold bring magic to Storybrooke? He had it planned way before he found Belle!

-What's up with Emma seemingly 'powering up' Regina's magic?! Is she a kind if link to it?

-Is Jefferson's hat destroyed? Charming smooshed it!

-How did some get left behind in Fairytale Land? What protected them??

-Who was left behind in Fairytale Land?

-Where's the 'safe haven' in Fairytale Land?

-Aurora mentions making a sacrifice? What was it?

-Will we learn more about how Mulan and Phillip met?

-And about Aurora and Phillip's past?

-Is Phillip truly dead?

-Mulan says, "Those are the sounds of the souls it's trapped, trying to escape." CAN the souls escape the wraith? How?

-Are there TWO gold amulets?! How??

-How does Mulan know the others were sent to another land?

-How will Snow and Emma get back to Storybrooke?

-Will they find a way to bring the others to Fairytale Land, or vice versa?
-Who sent the postcard to the mysterious man?

My theories so far:

First, I love that the Storybrooke timeline and the Fairytale Land timelines are almost equal! The wraith was sent through from SB to the exact moment we saw FTL!
I believe that Mulan and Aurora (and the rest of the FTL folk that were left behind) will be our 'eyes' this season in that world. I think we'll get to see exactly what's going on there in the present day since the curse broke through them, just as we're seeing exactly what's going on in Storybrooke.

I think there will be a rocky road ahead for Gold and Belle. There's no way he'll change so quickly. He's STILL Rumple.

And the 'mysterious man' in New York?
Yeah, I'm going with everyone else and saying it's Rumple's long-lost son, Baelfire.

Next week's episode looks awesome! Jefferson is back!

Almost forgot! The opening was a wraith!

Okay, your turn! Let's hear your theories, your questions, your opinions and thoughts! Did you like the premiere? Who do you think is the mysterious man? And who is Whale?

I'm SO happy you're back with me again, Oncers! Here's to a fabulous season!

See you next week!

Once Upon A Time: A Land Without Magic

YOU GUYS, THAT WAS THE BEST SEASON FINALE I'VE EVER SEEN, EVER!!!!

My brain is like mush right now, that's how amazing that was!!! I sobbed, I laughed, I freaked out, I screamed...Aside from my theory about Emma's kiss waking Henry because it's a kiss of true love (posted that on my Facebook page), I had NO idea what to expect, and I was SO impressed with every single thing about this episode!

Because this episode switched back and forth so often, and because the two worlds overlapped quite a bit, instead of posting the recap of one timeline, then the other like I usually do, I'm going to recap it all at once.
Forgive me if it's a bit messy looking! ;)

Here we go!

We begin in Fairytale Land, with Charming still locked in his cell. The guards come and take him and while they're walking down the hall, Charming fights back, knocking two of them out.
Unfortunately, he runs into two more. Fortunately,one is THE HUNTSMAN!!!! (Did anyone else squeal and tear up when they saw him? No? Just me?)
He kills the second guard and helps Charming escape.

Flash to Storybrooke.
Henry is in the hospital with Dr. Whale checking him out.
He's unconscious, and Emma tells Whale he was poisoned. Whale disagrees because Henry's showing no signs of it.
Whale tells Emma he needs something to treat. That what's wrong with Henry 'It's like..."
"Like magic.", is Emma's reply.
Emma takes the book out of Henry's bag. As she's holding it, she remembers everything Henry's told her about Fairytale Land. All of the stories flash through her mind.
And she believes.

Regina walks in and Emma drags her out of Henry's room.
Regina finally admits that it IS real. The stories, Fairytale Land, all of it.
She tells Emma that she can't wake Henry because she has no magic left, and she has no idea what the sleeping curse will do to Henry.
Regina realizes they need help, and the two go to Mr. Gold.
"Actually, he goes by Rumpelstiltskin."

Back in Fairytale Land, the Hunstman enters the Evil Queen's chambers. He tells her Charming has escaped. He promises to find him, but Regina can see the prince through her magic looking glass.
Charming suddenly finds himself in the woods. The camera pans back and we see he's in the same woods where poor Hansel and Gretel were--Miles away from anything.

Luckily, Charming runs into Rumpelstiltskin.

Rump offers a deal. He'll give Charming his now-enchanted mother's ring that will help him find Snow--Before we can find out what ol' Rumpy wants in exchange, Charming says no and the two do battle! (Who knew Rumple was so good with a sword?!)
With the help of his magic, Rumple wins, of course.

Charming finally agrees to help Rumple when the sorcerer tells him that they want the same thing--For Charming and Snow to be together.

Back to Storybrooke--
David finds Mary Margaret and tries to apologize to her again. And again, he tells her he loves her.
And AGAIN, she turns him down.
He tells her he's leaving Storybrooke.

And back to Fairytale Land!
Rumple tells Charming that he needs help to hide his bottle of true love magic.
He explains that he'd once been in love and so he's not as ignorant on the subject as Charming thinks.
He wants the magic protected inside 'the belly of the beast', because he's 'saving it for a rainy day'.
Charming agrees to help.

In Storybrooke, Regina and Emma go to Gold's shop.
He can see that Emma believes as soon as she walks in.
He agrees to help, and explains about the true love magic.
It seems that when he created the Queen's spell, he put a single drop of true love on the parchment, which is why Emma is the saviour. She was CREATED through true love. The same true love in Rumple's magic potion! (BOOM, there's a HUGE answer to one of the many questions we've had since the pilot!)


Gold tells Emma she has to get the rest of the potion. The bottle that he'd 'saved for a rainy day'.
Dancing around the 'who', exactly, Gold helps Regina figure out where the potion is.
Emma, still clueless, is told she needs to be prepared.
Gold opens a case and tell her she'll need 'this'.
Emma asks what it is.
"Your father's sword." is Gold's reply. (I squealed in glee at that line!)


Back at the hospital, Emma tells the still-sleeping Henry that he was right and leave the book beside his bed.
Regina comes in to see the boy and Emma leaves.
As she's at the bedside, she apologizes aloud, and in walks Jefferson.
He wants Regina to hold up her end of the bargain. He wants his daughter back.
Regina refuses and Jefferson walks away after Regina calls his bluff.

Meanwhile, Emma goes to Granny's to see August. He can't open the door, so Emma breaks in.
She can now see that he's Pinocchio, and that he's turning to wood.
She asks for help because she doesn't think she can do it alone.
He gives her a confidence boost--and then completely turns to wood before Emma's eyes.
(I really hope he's not dead and is able to return next season!)


Regina and Emma meet at the abandoned library and Emma goes down in the hidden cage elevator.
In the 'basement' (it's more a cave, really), Emma spies a glass coffin (*gasp*) and a HUGE fire-breathing dragon!

In Fairytale Land, Charming is in Maleficent's castle looking for the 'beast'.
It turns our Maleficent IS the beast, and she turns into a HUGE fire-breathing dragon! (*gasp*)

In a series of EPIC, wonderful, parallel scenes, we watch father and daughter battle the same dragon, with the same sword (well, mostly) in two different timelines and two different worlds.
I LOVED everything about this part of the episode!!

Finally, Charming stuffs the jeweled egg containing the true love potion into the dragon's..er...gills?

And in the Storybrooke timeline, Emma THROWS her father's sword into the dragon's heart and kills it, then finds the jeweled egg in its ashes. (Please forgive me if I'm wrong. It's been years since I've seen it, but doesn't Prince Charming kill the dragon the same way in Disney's Sleeping Beauty?)


At the hospital, Mary is reading the Snow White story to the unconscious Henry when he takes a turn for the worse.
Alarms beep and Doctor Whale rushes in to start CPR.

Also in the hospital, Jefferson, now wearing the white scrubs of an orderly, gives the basement nurse a drugged tea.
When she passes out, he rescues Belle (who now lives next door to Sidney Glass, apparently!) and tells her to 'Find Mr. Gold and tell him Regina locked you up.'
He tells her Gold will protect her and he sends her off.

In Fairytale Land, Rumple is waiting for the now-wet (wet leather pants...Oh my) Charming as he climbs out of the water after fulfilling his part of the bargain.
Gold gives Charming the ring--and changes his clothing into something a bit more regal. ;)
When Charming asks why Rumple is doing this, Rumple replies, "I'm a fan of true love, dearie. And more important, of what it creates."

Charming finally finds Snow, but he's too late. She's dead in her coffin, surrounded by her dwarfs.
He leans in to say goodbye--and kisses her.
She wakes, as we already know. :)

Charming proposes, Snow accepts, and she then suggests they take back the kingdom. (EFF YEAH!)

In Storybrooke, Emma is almost to the top of the elevator when it stops.
Gold calls down to her that is's been sabotaged and that Regina has left her. He convinces her to throw the egg up to him. Emma does and Gold takes off.
Emma climbs to the top and spies Regina tied and gagged. The two go off after Gold, but they're stopped when both get calls from the hospital.
They arrive at Henry's room and they're told he's dead.

Back at Gold's shop, he now has the potion--And in walks Belle. (HIS FACE! OMG HIS FACE IS PRICELESS!!)
Of course, she doesn't know him...but he knows her. :)
Belle tells him what Jefferson said, and Gold hugs her and promises to protect her.
She asks if she knows him and he replies, "No. But you will."
(Was anyone else completely fooled into thinking ol' Rumpy would change now? Become a good person? Just me again? Bah!)


Back at the hospital, Emma and Regina are in tears. Emma leans in to kiss Henry and tells him she loves him.

As her lips meet his forehead, THE CURSE IS BROKEN!!!!!!!!!

The WHOLE TOWN remembers! Snow on the street, Charming on his way out of town, Archie in front of his office, the Blue Fairy in the hospital--THEY ALL REMEMBER!!!
(Oh, God, did I SOB!!!)


Before she flees, Regina tells Henry that she DOES love him.

On the street, Charming, now back in town, spies his love.
"Snow!"
"Charming! You found me!"
"Did you ever doubt I would?"
And the two kiss in the middle of the street.
(And I cried even harder, if that's possible)

At the same time, Gold and Belle are walking through the woods when the curse breaks.
"Wait."
"No, no, we're very close."
'Rumpelstiltskin, wait."
He realizes the curse is broken and she remembers.
The two hug and declare their love for each other, but first, there's something he must do.
They arrive at the magic well. The well who's waters have the power to restore that which has been lost.
Rumple drops the true love potion in the water....and a purple smoke drifts across the town.

Regina, looking through her window, smiles.

Magic has once again returned to Storybrooke--And magic is power.

The town clock once again ticks to 8:15.





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So...
HOLY CRAP THAT WAS THE EPICEST MOST EPIC THING OF EPICNESS, EVER!!!!

I was SO worried about how they'd answer all the questions, how they'd NOT leave us hanging regarding Snow/Charming and how'd they'd close out the season...WHY was I worried?!
I'll never doubt you again, OUAT writers! I swear!

Best lines:

"Actually, he goes by Rumpelstiltskin."--Regina

"It was a brief flicker of light amidst an ocean of darkness."--Rumple

"What is that?"--Emma
"Your father's sword."-Gold

"You can see it now. You believe."--August

"Now you're ready for your big moment!"--Rumple

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"--Belle
"No. But you will."--Gold

What questions do we have after this episode?
-Is the magic only in Storybrooke?
-Are the townsfolk still trapped?
-Is Emma now trapped, too?
-How will they get back to Fairytale Land?
-What does this mean for Regina? Is she once again in control of the town?
-Will Rumple go back to his ugly old self?
-Will Belle stay with Rumple?
-Will August survive now that there's magic in the town?
-Now that they all remember, what does that mean for the town? Are there consequences? Repercussions?
-Will Jefferson reunite with his daughter?
-How did Jefferson know Belle was being held prisoner?
-How will Snow and Charming relate to their daughter, who's now all grown up?
-Why does Rumple want to bring magic to Storybrooke instead of going home?
-What will season two bring???


Let's Talk Theories!
It's obviously REALLY early for anything but guesses, but here are my thoughts!

It's going to be the town against Regina, with a bit of Rumple thrown in. ;)

Regina will once again be the scary Evil Queen with control over the land, but I think that, somehow, Emma will  now have magic to rival the Queen.

I think August will be okay...but he'll still be wood. At least for a little while.

And I think that we'll meet Henry's father...who will turn out to be Rumple's son, Bae.

Speaking of Rumple, he'll be conflicted. He'll want the power he once had, but he'll also want Belle. There will be many episodes showing his conflicting sides.
And he'll declare an all out war against the Queen for what she did to Belle.

If my theory about Henry's father is right, I believe Henry will turn out to be the most powerful of them all...but he'll have to grow into his power.
And, of course, the Queen and Rumple will fight over Henry and that power.

What Stories Would I Like To See Next Season?
-Alice in Wonderland from Alice's point of view
-The little mermaid!
-Sleeping beauty!
-Peter Pan!
-More Pinocchio, with Jiminy
-More of the dwarfs stories
-Grumpy and Nova in Storybrooke now that they remember!
-Who is Dr. Whale?


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And now a note from me. :)

You guys, there are no words for how much you've all meant to me during this amazing, awesome OUAT season.
Because of you, this little blog has grown into exactly what I dreamed it would be.
A place for me to geek out. A place for me to 'talk' about my crazy little obsessions. A place of comfort and fun and friendship.

While I don't get a ton of comments (I'm okay with that!), I can SEE that you guys DO read these posts, and my OUAT recaps have quickly become my most popular posts, getting hundreds of views each week.

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.

I've made a bunch of new friends with the help of this little blog (Hi, Laurie and Mary!), and I look forward every week to my 'regulars' posts (Hi, EB, Sheena-Kay, Deborah, Sophia!), and to all the newbie posts I do receive.

I'll still be here, reviewing books, movies and summer shows (yet to be determined), and I hope you'll all join me again in the fall when season two of our beloved show begins.

Now, lets hear YOUR theories on season two! What do YOU think will happen now that magic has returned? What did you think of A Land Without Magic? What stories do you hope to see next season?


And with that, I sadly bid you adieu for the last time this season, Oncers. Thank you for making this show such fun for me to watch.
I heart you all. :)