Scramble To The Portal

Once Upon A Time, S02E09

Emma and the others went to search for squid ink in Rumpelstiltskin's jail cell, but were trapped there by Cora and Hook.  Regina and Rumpelstiltskin worked together to use magic that would destroy whoever came through the portal, fearing that it would most likely be Cora and Hook.  The past between Cora and Hook was also revealed.

It was obvious to me that finding that scroll with Emma's name written on it in a stalkerish manner was going to be useful for something.  I didn't think it would be able to melt away the cell's bars, though.  That was a little weird to me.  Weirder than Rump sitting in there many years ago writing down Emma's name.

Later, it was interesting that Emma went to Rump and pointed out that he could have broken out of that cell anytime he wanted, but he was just chilling out there plotting his revenge.  I would have never gotten to the conclusion, like Emma had, that Rump had written out her fate long ago.  Rump does have a past of using people like his puppets for some long-term goal that's not clear (like his hand in molding Regina into a powerful magic user), but I feel like a lot more people were involved in what's happened in Emma's life than just Rump.  August, for instance, played his part.  But I guess that scroll with her name on it written before she was even born freaked her out to make her supsicious.

I wonder what sort of magic Emma will be capable of now that there's evidence that her being a product of true love protects her from heart-ripping attacks and the like.  Rump had been interested in bottling "true love" in the past, so I feel like he'll become even more interested in Emma in the future now that he knows she has some kind of unique magic about her.  I wonder if he'll try to take advantage of her magic one day.

Speaking of the heart ripping thing, that fight around the portal back to Storybrooke was so dumb.  I mean, you would think that with Cora being the only one using magic that she could use something really big to wipe out Mulan, Snow, and Emma in one wave of her hand.  Mulan was fighting her pretty well for someone only having a sword, as well as Snow who only had arrows.  Then it was just weird to me that Emma wasn't cut in a deadly way within two seconds of fighting Hook when she has had no training to sword fight.  Hook should have destroyed her!  He clearly had the upper hand, but it was crazy that he had any problems with Emma at all.  It was funny when she knocked Hook out--didn't see that coming.  It was moving when Emma took the "bullet" for Snow when Cora was about to rip Snow's heart out.  Lucky for her that it didn't work.

Back in Storybrooke, I felt pretty bad for Regina.  She clearly wanted to do the right thing and help Emma and Snow the best way she could, but then Rump came along and poisoned her mind.  Don't get me wrong, though--I loved seeing them work together even if it was for something bad.  I knew that Regina wasn't 100 percent on board with Rump's "win-win" view of what they were doing, and I was happy that she was swayed by Henry's words.  The funny thing about that was that Rump was just standing around not doing anything.  I mean, he did blow Red away the second she tried to get close, but the real danger to his plan was Henry and he didn't do much to stop him from changing Regina's mind.  And after it was all said and done, he just quietly limped away to his store.  No one held him accountable for anything.

Anyway, Regina nearly kills herself after reversing the magic they put on the portal, and she got the short end of the stick at the end.  Emma did thank her and so did Henry with a hug, but after everything was good again, she didn't get an invitation to dinner.  Okay, so Regina isn't friends with anyone in town, really, but she did sort of look after Charming while he was under the sleep spell.  As much of a bitch that Regina was I couldn't help but feel bad when everyone joyously left Rump's store and left her there by herself.  It was just thanks for helping get Emma and Snow back, but don't you dare eat with us.  Really?  That was cold, ya'll.  Rump did not make it better by pointing out that Henry was just going to get closer to Emma, but Regina had little hope of even sharing a meal with him.  Talk about twisting the knife!  But I sort of liked that he had to stir the pot a little.

That was the part that made me the most outraged, while I was most moved by when Henry saw Emma coming out of the well and called her "mom."  I don't know if he ever has done that before, but he still calls Regina "mom," so it was just sweet to see Emma and Henry hug while he called her that.  I mean, it was like "Regina who?" at that moment, but Emma had worked pretty hard to get back to her son, so it was nice to see her achieve her goal.

I was hardly moved by Snow reviving Charming with her kiss.  I was especially annoyed at the dwarves standing around looking sort of worried that Snow's kiss might not work.  Um, we all know that it will!  The sleeping curse has been broken so many damn times.  It's almost like when has it ever been permanent?

In the past, it was interesting that both Regina and Cora tried to use Hook.  He eventually sided with Cora because she knew more about the curse than Regina did and her knoweldge better suited his plans for revenge.  But besides that, it was a nice change of pace to see Regina in her queen mode again.  I feel like it's been a while since we've seen her like that.  For some reason, I really enjoyed her outfit with all that bling hanging down her back.  It's a sharp contrast to the stuff that she wears around Storybrooke.  She may have been really wicked back then, but at least she had some style.

Anyway, who would be surprised that Cora was the Queen of Hearts?  I mean, I figured that out as soon as I saw Regina toss her mother into a magic mirror--you had to know where she was going.  It does make me think of that one time when Regina went to Wonderland and was trying really hard to avoid the Queen of Hearts.  Was her mother the ruler then?  I feel like I need to revist that older episode now.

Another interesting part from the past was Cora's change of heart.  She seemed shocked that a daughter who pushed her into another world to escape her might want her dead (really, Cora?  That surprised you?), but she easily decided not to murder Regina when Regina confessed her love for her mother and the reasons why she had to have her killed before she went to Storybrooke.  I'm surprised that someone as cold as Cora would be moved by that.  Especially since Cora's heart doesn't even seem to be in her body (or maybe she just put it in her butt or something--it's so weird).

The end where Cora and Hook came into the bay or port or whatever of Storybrooke on a big ship was kind of dramatic in a good way.  I like that they arrived somewhere that isn't going to be obvious to someone.  Damn them for leaving that kind of cliffhanger!  

I liked this episode, but I wish the fighting was a little better.  I just always think that Emma should be killed in every fight she has.  Well, at least with anyone magic.  I'm eager to see what kind of magic Emma can do, especially if it will help fight against Cora.  I'm really excited about Cora and Hook entering Storybrooke.  The next episode has got to be super explosive! I can't wait!

More Enemies Than You Can Shake A Hook At

Once Upon A Time, S02E04

Rumpelstiltskin went looking for Belle after she disappeared from his home.  Belle found her father after being "kidnapped."  Rumpelstiltskin's past was also revealed, concerning the fate of his ex-wife.

At first, I had no idea why they were showing us Rump's past because I hadn't really thought about his wife at all.  But it was incredibly interesting to see him as his former self, which was a man who was too cowardly to even fight (even though his opponent was a pirate captain) for his wife.  It all tied into his current self, who despite having so much power, was still too cowardly to be open with Belle to have a significant relationship with her.  They do a nice job of tying things together, for the most part, so I don't have to feel like they are throwing in extra stories for the sake of a story.

I was definitely very interested in Rump's past story when I found out that he had lost his wife not to some illness or something, but to an attractive and thrilling pirate his wife happened to meet.  And of course, when Rump met Hook again as "The Dark One" it was so good!  I mean, it was really unfair that he was fighting Hook with all that magic he had at his command, but I just loved him getting back at both Hook and his wife who didn't have the decency to tell him that she was leaving him for another man.  Even still, I never thought he would rip out her heart.  That was pretty badass.  Then he also chopped off Hook's hand, which was expected.  Even though I was rooting for Rump in this episode, it was poetic justic that the hand he had sliced off didn't contain the magic bean he had sought.  Can't win them all.

It's also interesting that Hook has teamed up with Regina's mother.  Wow.  Never saw that coming.  So not only will Storybrooke have to deal with that bitch, but they will also have Hook running about.  That's going to make things really heat up and possibly get Rump and Regina to stop playing the roles of the local villains.

Another thing that tickled me during this episode was when it was just so evident that Rump has a long list of enemies that goes way beyond Hook and those we've seen.  I just loved when Charming was helping Rump out and pointed out that few townspeople wanted to help him because he's made all of their lives unpleasant at one point or the other.  In particular, there was a butcher who was pissed at him because he had turned his father into a pig.  But Rump being Rump, he didn't have the slightest memory of him.  I doubt he'll be like that when he meets up with Hook again.  I don't know what tricks Hook might have learned in Neverland, but hopefully he has some kind of power that can give Rump a run for his money.

Speaking of Neverland, I am confused as to why Smee is in Storybrooke, but Hook is not.  How did that come about?  And I'm also weary of them bringing up Neverland, in fear that Peter Pan might pop up one day.  Ugh.  I'm tolerating Hook because they've worked him into the story so well, but I'm not going to be so keen if that little boy in tights shows up.  Haha.

Anyway, I'm a little happy that Rump was able to share his past a little bit with Belle and she seems willing to give his evil ass another chance.  He doesn't really deserve pity, but he did stop her from being mind wiped and gave her a place to work (and possibly live outside of his walls).  They are a weird couple, but most of the time I want to see them together because it's a rare chance to see Rump in a softer light.

Loved this episode.  It could be my favorite yet.  I'm definitely looking forward to just watching this episode again as much as I am to know what might develop next.  All I have to say is that I was so engaged in this story that I didn't give a damn that we didn't get to see Emma and Snow at all.  But they better get back to that story next time because I'm curious to know what their backup plan is to get home.