Once Upon a Time - Stable Boy
It's time for Regina's backstory on Once Upon a Time! Review under the cut. :)
Well, now we have it! We know what horrible things the evil Snow White did to Regina to put her on the path to evil herself and decide to punish the entire world. Not too much in the way of twists here though. (as far as the backstory goes) This episode might have been better placed earlier in the season before they basically laid out the plot in various comments by the characters over the season. I was expecting a young Snow White to innocently spill the secret about Regina's love for a commoner, Regina's mom to kill him, and Regina to turn her rage on Snow instead of mom (not surprising considering the abuse and how controlling mom was); and that's what we got - all the wild theories about a Regina losing a child or Snow White being malicious or any of the others I've seen turned out to be...wild theories.
Now, while blaming Snow for Daniel's death was about a misguided as I thought it would be, I can understand why Regina went there. She has been abused and mistreated since she was a child and the thought of going against her mother and putting the blame there where it belongs would have been too difficult to contemplate. Much easier to blame the child who told than the powerful, manipulative mother. Especially considering that Snow is the symbol of her captivity and misery right from the moment she saved Snow from the runaway horse. And I have to say that the scene were all her anger crystallized onto Snow White was an amazing feat of acting. Until Snow admitted she had told Regina was still in many ways the young girl she was while Daniel was alive: capable of love and hope, grieving but able to heal. Then came the confession and her whole aspect changed. *wow* The woman who walked away at the end of the scene wishing for Snow's death was a completely different woman than the one who mourned at the beginning. That was the birth of the Evil Queen.
As for Mr. Gold, I'm losing track of what he trying to do! We need some insight into him and his schemes! At least I figured out that he was probably behind the frame of Mary Margaret though even after last week I didn't guess that it was all his idea right from the start as part of a deal with Regina. I knew they were working together obviously but I thought the deal had come later in the process not that he planned it all. Thinking about this now, knowing EVERYTHING has been according to his plan, I am ever more curious about what he gets out of this. Is this maybe all part of a plan to weaken Regina by planting public doubt about her involvement in framing Mary Margaret? It can't be just to get him out of jail for the beating. He has cleverly kept all of his own involvement nice and quiet while making very sure all the evidence points to Regina. Hmmmm.
And obviously he never intended for Mary Margaret to get sent away! He said he was going to work some magic and he did. He was the one who was holding Kathryn! He kept her until he got the deal with Regina and made sure she was in good and deep and then *poof* Kathryn's back and Mary Margaret is off the hook. Kathryn's heart in a box? Nope. The evidence must have been faked and who is going to get the blame for that? I think we know. :)
• Kathryn is alive! I knew it!!! That was a cruel way to end the show though considering we have to wait three weeks to see more!
• Young!Regina was damn amazing. I had seen the stills but I was still in awe of how young Lana looked in this episode. My husband didn't even believe it was the same actress at first and I don't blame him. Young!Snow was also amazing. Obviously not the same actress but that was an EXCELLENT piece of casting. The line readings were spot on.
• I know a lot of people think that really is Kathryn's heart in the box but I don't. It is exceeding easy to fake a DNA test if you control the reference sample. I wonder if we'll find out whose heart it is anytime soon.
• After this episode and Heart of Darkness, I would be completely unsurprised if Regina ends up killing her mother. We know from HoD that killing someone evil and powerful will give you their power and send you irrecoverably down the path to evil yourself. Regina has already taken the first steps (as did Snow in HoD) but killing mom would finish the journey as well as give Regina the heart stealing power.
• So, Cora is the miller's daughter! I guess we'll be seeing that backstory next season. \o/ I never thought it was Regina since it didn't seem to fit but it works with Cora and explains her obsession with social climbing. I have to admit that I was hoping for a twist where Henry was the miller's son and Cora's father was the king in the story since that would explain why he was so subservient. However, Cora as the miller's daughter continues the focus on the women in the story and I can't argue with that.
• They seem to be really pushing the August = Pinocchio connection in this episode what with shinsplints and references to never lying. However, the promo for the next episode points to a August = Baelfire connection (or perhaps Bae's descendents!) since the knife is coming back into play and Bae would be one of the few who would know about it. (Unless Bae started a secret society which studied the Dark One and passed on the knowledge of the knife and August is member of that society. How's that for complicated fanwank?) Of course there is also August's connection with water - his legs seemed fine until he got close to the river - which may also be a clue to some other origin.
• The scene of Regina and Mary in the jail when Mary is sobbing. *sniff* The sobbing! The unholy glee on Regina's face! That was damn powerful. But I wonder how satisfying it would be for Regina to finally destroy Snow White when Snow has absolutely no idea what is going on. I will say that Regina did look as though she was enjoying every minute of it though.
• Huh, Charming's evil non-dad is alive. How did Snow and Charming end up ruling his kingdom then?? Did he take Regina's side in the conflict? (Obviously there was one or she would still have been ruling herself as of the Pilot.) I think he might have since he has a nice, cushy place of power in Storybrooke.
• Emma FINALLY found out that Sidney was lying to her all this time! I love Emma but she really needed to get a clue about her 'superpower' and its limitations. At least she has one now.
• This is long enough but I have to say I COMPLETELY adored Mr. Gold's expressions during the scene where Mary gets questioned. So much snark and eye rolling. It was beautiful. I do so love snarky, sarcastic, trolling everyone Mr. Gold.
This entry was originally posted here and has
comments. Comment here or there.
Well, now we have it! We know what horrible things the evil Snow White did to Regina to put her on the path to evil herself and decide to punish the entire world. Not too much in the way of twists here though. (as far as the backstory goes) This episode might have been better placed earlier in the season before they basically laid out the plot in various comments by the characters over the season. I was expecting a young Snow White to innocently spill the secret about Regina's love for a commoner, Regina's mom to kill him, and Regina to turn her rage on Snow instead of mom (not surprising considering the abuse and how controlling mom was); and that's what we got - all the wild theories about a Regina losing a child or Snow White being malicious or any of the others I've seen turned out to be...wild theories.
Now, while blaming Snow for Daniel's death was about a misguided as I thought it would be, I can understand why Regina went there. She has been abused and mistreated since she was a child and the thought of going against her mother and putting the blame there where it belongs would have been too difficult to contemplate. Much easier to blame the child who told than the powerful, manipulative mother. Especially considering that Snow is the symbol of her captivity and misery right from the moment she saved Snow from the runaway horse. And I have to say that the scene were all her anger crystallized onto Snow White was an amazing feat of acting. Until Snow admitted she had told Regina was still in many ways the young girl she was while Daniel was alive: capable of love and hope, grieving but able to heal. Then came the confession and her whole aspect changed. *wow* The woman who walked away at the end of the scene wishing for Snow's death was a completely different woman than the one who mourned at the beginning. That was the birth of the Evil Queen.
As for Mr. Gold, I'm losing track of what he trying to do! We need some insight into him and his schemes! At least I figured out that he was probably behind the frame of Mary Margaret though even after last week I didn't guess that it was all his idea right from the start as part of a deal with Regina. I knew they were working together obviously but I thought the deal had come later in the process not that he planned it all. Thinking about this now, knowing EVERYTHING has been according to his plan, I am ever more curious about what he gets out of this. Is this maybe all part of a plan to weaken Regina by planting public doubt about her involvement in framing Mary Margaret? It can't be just to get him out of jail for the beating. He has cleverly kept all of his own involvement nice and quiet while making very sure all the evidence points to Regina. Hmmmm.
And obviously he never intended for Mary Margaret to get sent away! He said he was going to work some magic and he did. He was the one who was holding Kathryn! He kept her until he got the deal with Regina and made sure she was in good and deep and then *poof* Kathryn's back and Mary Margaret is off the hook. Kathryn's heart in a box? Nope. The evidence must have been faked and who is going to get the blame for that? I think we know. :)
• Kathryn is alive! I knew it!!! That was a cruel way to end the show though considering we have to wait three weeks to see more!
• Young!Regina was damn amazing. I had seen the stills but I was still in awe of how young Lana looked in this episode. My husband didn't even believe it was the same actress at first and I don't blame him. Young!Snow was also amazing. Obviously not the same actress but that was an EXCELLENT piece of casting. The line readings were spot on.
• I know a lot of people think that really is Kathryn's heart in the box but I don't. It is exceeding easy to fake a DNA test if you control the reference sample. I wonder if we'll find out whose heart it is anytime soon.
• After this episode and Heart of Darkness, I would be completely unsurprised if Regina ends up killing her mother. We know from HoD that killing someone evil and powerful will give you their power and send you irrecoverably down the path to evil yourself. Regina has already taken the first steps (as did Snow in HoD) but killing mom would finish the journey as well as give Regina the heart stealing power.
• So, Cora is the miller's daughter! I guess we'll be seeing that backstory next season. \o/ I never thought it was Regina since it didn't seem to fit but it works with Cora and explains her obsession with social climbing. I have to admit that I was hoping for a twist where Henry was the miller's son and Cora's father was the king in the story since that would explain why he was so subservient. However, Cora as the miller's daughter continues the focus on the women in the story and I can't argue with that.
• They seem to be really pushing the August = Pinocchio connection in this episode what with shinsplints and references to never lying. However, the promo for the next episode points to a August = Baelfire connection (or perhaps Bae's descendents!) since the knife is coming back into play and Bae would be one of the few who would know about it. (Unless Bae started a secret society which studied the Dark One and passed on the knowledge of the knife and August is member of that society. How's that for complicated fanwank?) Of course there is also August's connection with water - his legs seemed fine until he got close to the river - which may also be a clue to some other origin.
• The scene of Regina and Mary in the jail when Mary is sobbing. *sniff* The sobbing! The unholy glee on Regina's face! That was damn powerful. But I wonder how satisfying it would be for Regina to finally destroy Snow White when Snow has absolutely no idea what is going on. I will say that Regina did look as though she was enjoying every minute of it though.
• Huh, Charming's evil non-dad is alive. How did Snow and Charming end up ruling his kingdom then?? Did he take Regina's side in the conflict? (Obviously there was one or she would still have been ruling herself as of the Pilot.) I think he might have since he has a nice, cushy place of power in Storybrooke.
• Emma FINALLY found out that Sidney was lying to her all this time! I love Emma but she really needed to get a clue about her 'superpower' and its limitations. At least she has one now.
• This is long enough but I have to say I COMPLETELY adored Mr. Gold's expressions during the scene where Mary gets questioned. So much snark and eye rolling. It was beautiful. I do so love snarky, sarcastic, trolling everyone Mr. Gold.
This entry was originally posted here and has
comments. Comment here or there.