Spoilers Ahead
For starters, we’d like to congratulate everyone in this fandom: you’ve survived yet another bloody brilliant episode. Give yourselves a pat on the back. As always, Once Upon A Time has arose countless questions and brought on screen magnificence:
What do you all think of Rumplestiltskin ripping out his own shadow? Does this mean that a person could willingly do so and not die as opposed to Pan or the lost boys doing it? Furthermore, this episode did a great job of illuminating the lost children and Rumple is definitely one as well. His father abandoned him, it’s that simple. How much did everyone enjoy Belle’s appearance in Neverland? The sole fact that she’s his sentient company is beautiful. He needs her in order to come to terms with the issues Neverland forces its visitors to challenge. Heneeds her to assure him that he’s capable of making the right choices and letting go of his cowardly ways.
Review | Analysis: Love is in the air, the trees, the rum, and in every little corner for Captain Swan. They are enchanted by one another in the most heartfelt way and it’s evident as they continuously parallel Snowing. Particularly in this episode, both men (Charming and Killian) unceasingly reinforce faith in the women and though Killian and Emma aren’t “official” it’s undeniable that they’re getting there.
Here’s a friendly reminder: love is the most prevailing force of all, Belle has always been Rumple’s reasoning, his better half, the one who’s always seen the good in him. Charming and Snow have always been each other’s backbone and faith. And Hook has without a doubt been doing everything in his ability since episode 2×06 to protect her. It is no accident that these were the prime pairs emphasized in this week’s episode.
Emma Swan is the lost girl and let’s give Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin an enormous round of applause for their impeccable acting during the mother/daughter scene we’ve all been anticipating. How many of you had tears streaming down your face? We sure did. The amount of underlying emotions in that performance was exceptional. Although Emma finally let her walls come down and allowed herself to feel vulnerable with her mother, she still demonstrated the strength of a leader as it takes a great amount of courage to show susceptibility. Moreover, this scene outlined the episode’s theme: letting go in order to move forward.
By giving Regina credit for finding Pan, Emma revealed the beginning stages of caring for the “enemy”. These women can’t hate each other forever as they’re both Henry’s mother and this scene brought Emma’s speech about believing in one another to life gracefully.
Peter Pan is surely not the sweet and innocently sarcastic young boy we’ve grown to adore, but Once Upon A Time is a series that continuously emphasizes redemption. Since the very first season we’ve been lead to believe that “evil isn’t born, it’s made.” What could have possibly possessed Pan to be as Killian called him “the most treacherous villain” he’s every faced? How can he be restored and why does he intend to have the heart of the truest believer? Why is it so vital to him that Emma won’t be forgiven the way she hasn’t forgiven her parents? What’s the purpose of him accentuating forgiveness? We’ll have to watch to see as there are countless possibilities. There is however one theory we can’t and don’t want to let go of simply because it’d tell a marvelous tale: Hook and Peter are somehow connected in some unearthly way we can only understand in time. Anyone else?
Lastly, Charming’s wound will not result in death as that is the most obvious thing and the show wouldn’t be able to go on without the adored knight/prince. Someone in the bunch will see his injury and assist in mending it. Something tells us that someone is going to be Hook given the amount of dialogue the two of them had in tonight’s episode regarding them “getting along.”
Next week: TINKERBELL arrives, and from the looks of the trailer, the tiny and most bold fairy will be an exquisite addition to the show. Her role will surely tell a phenomenal story.