Spoilers Ahead
Citizens of Storybrooke who really trust each other should come up with some kind of a secret code to verify they are who they say they are.
Enchanted Forest Flashbacks: Regina seeks Maleficent in order to get her revenge started, but what she comes to find is that the darkest of them all has given up. However, when King Stefan (Sebastian Roche) traps the two of them after he catches them trying to bring Maleficent’s dragon back, Regina’s magic and encouragement play a role in the revival. The two of them later find Aurora, and Maleficent feels that the perfect way to torture Briar Rose and King Stefan is by placing Aurora under the sleeping curse.
Present-Day Storybrooke: Regina does everything the Queens of Darkness tell her to in order to prove that she can be just as evil as they remember. Rumplestilskin impersonates Killian and takes the dagger away from Belle. And the Charmings stay on guard to make certain Regina doesn’t resort to her old ways. The episode concludes with a friendly face returning.
In terms of analyzing, there’s not much to say about this episode because it felt more like the stepping stone into “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” but we do have some vital concerns we feel are necessary state.
First things first, we feel it’s important to state that Belle’s becoming one of our favorite characters. It’s not like we didn’t like her before, but at times we felt she wasn’t given enough opportunities to really show how special she is. Parting ways with Rumple has legitimately been one of the healthiest choices she’s made, and it was radiating into her life wonderfully until this very moment.
We can’t say that we instantly suspected Rumple of impersonating Killian, but we can say that there are some brilliant moments where O’Donoghue brings Carlyle’s mannerisms into play perfectly. Rumplestilskin has lost himself — at this point, he’s the one character we feel needs to make the most amends because of his past, and because an invasion of privacy is plainly, simply revolting. He’s used Belle’s trust in Killian against her and once again stolen Killian’s identity. And the worst, he’s used Belle’s fears against her. One of the most beautiful things about having someone to love is that they’re the ones who are meant to chase away fears.
And at that moment when Belle began to doubt and showcased how happy she’s been without him, Rumple continued to use her fears as a toy for himself. Yes, it’s evident that he still cares for her, but he’s too messed up to understand how to love properly. He’s too power-hungry to be able to see that if you want her back, you have to earn the love and trust back. Point is, we’re not going to get into it too much because it wholeheartedly makes us angry that such an extraordinary female is being treated this way. And truth be told while we’re still not super sold on Belle and Will because we’re fans of Anastasia, their relationship is very intriguing and we’re excited to see where it goes. Also frightened, we’re truly frightened for what Rumple may do to him.
In an episode that was otherwise pretty simple, Emilie de Ravin and Colin O’Donoghue did remarkable jobs in their performances. As the two of them stood there with the dagger, they were able to manifest the right amount of emotions to have viewers in chills with anticipation. If you pay close attention, the expression O’Donoghue wears in his eyes lacks the same warmth present when he’s playing the real Killian. And if that’s not a gifted actor we honestly don’t want to know who is. Give this man an Emmy already. And good grief, De Ravin broke us in the moments where she begins to doubt the fact that Rumple’s really gone because she conveys such damaging and heartbreaking fears. It’s evident that Belle really loves Rumple, but it’s also evident that she fears him, and there’s nothing worse than fearing a loved one. It’s unhealthy and terrifying, and De Ravin sold a wide range of emotions with that scene.
Though it was a small moment, we really loved watching Henry and Belle bond for a bit. Belle exudes such warmth in her relationships with people, but there’s something really special about the one with her step-grandson.
Additionally, there’s a moment where Regina walks into Geppetto’s house to do what must be done, and there’s a real sense of heartbreak in her expression that shows it’s not something she’s proud to do. It was a nice touch.
And we’re at the end of our thoughts this week, apologies but we truly feel there’s not much to analyze. However, we do have a question, if August could’ve been “saved” why’d we have to turn him into a child first? Plot holes are a funny, funny thing, but oh well. Promos tell us that he doesn’t know anything and we honestly feel he may not.
It also seems like next week will be an Ursula centric and to say we’re excited is the biggest understatement. Mainly what the episode lacked was a bit more of Emma, but it appears that next week her powers aren’t as manageable and we can’t wait to see where that takes her. We also cannot wait to see how she reacts to Ursula’s and Killian’s past because it feels as though the episode will be an appropriate time to reveal that secret. And something tells us it’ll only bring the couple closer.
What are your thoughts on this week’s episode?