true love's kiss can break any curse
Welcome to the post where Anya is going to Talk About And Discuss All The Things re: Skin Deep Or The Episode Of Once Upon A Time That Made Anya Care About This Show More Than She Ever Thought She Could To The Surprise Of No One.
• I honestly don't even know where to begin. I took random notes during and after the episode of what I wanted to talk about and...it got a little out of hand. But I guess I should start with the episode as a whole. There was a whole lot of wank before this episode even aired which I found terribly unnecessary. I've been really excited for it since the promo (no surprise since it's Beauty and the Beast ♥) and it absolutely did not disappoint. In fact, it actually surpassed my expectations. I was thoroughly impressed with the whole episode and I know that I'm going to be watching it a handful of times before I get over it even in the slightest. I know some aren't happy that it deviated away from the Disney story but just because the show is on ABC and has been making numerous Disney references, they haven't followed any of the Disney fairytales to the tee so why this one? They need to make the storylines fit this show and universe, not the Disney movies we grew up with, as wonderful as they are. I personally just loved this episode.
• The moment this episode really clicked as being like The Episode for me was when Mr. Gold was beating Belle's father with his cane in the cabin and shouting at him about how he shunned her and now she was gone forever and ohhhhhh god I was experiencing so many feelings. Because Gold was experiencing so many feelings and just the pain he had was breaking my heart. And seeing him snap like that really made this episode stand out to me. It was so raw and animalistic and yet there was so much emotion and while I haven't watched the entire episode again yet, I have watched this scene several times because, as uncomfortable as it makes me, it's just so powerful.
To be honest, as I excited as I was for Rumpelstiltskin and Belle, I was a little more eager for the storyline in Storybrooke just because it was so much more up in the air and mysterious. I had theorized with people and thanks to our deductions and Emilie de Ravin being an adorably horrible hinter, we all knew that Belle would have a part in Storybrooke and our theories turned out to be true that she would only show up at the very end. BUT OH GOD WHEN SHE SHOWED UP. SO MANY MORE FEELINGS FLOODED MY HEART. I feel like I had heard something an insane asylum before but a lot of things I had heard was that Gold was holding Belle somewhere. When it was revealed that she was Regina's captive....oh man.
Here's my idea: Belle is Regina's "secret weapon". Gold obviously doesn't know she's there. So Regina is going to use Belle as leverage against him. When she needs him to do something or needs to hold something over him, she can reveal that Belle's alive and she has her and then shit will get real and Gold will experience All Of The Feelings and so will the rest of us and I will basically be an emotional wreck. I think the same thing can be said of Fairy Tale Land. Belle is much too strong to have thrown herself from a tower. In fact, I don't think she ever even got back to her village to be shunned by her father or anything! I think the Evil Queen snatched her up right as she left Rumpelstiltskin and voila! More leverage. But we shall see~
• Another thing in Storybrooke: Mr. Gold knows! I think we all sort of called that he knew but it was so satisfying to hear him say his name. The scene between him and Regina was just delicious. Robert and Lana can get it. Clearly I'm Team Gold in this case and I know some people love Regina and sympathize with her but she's a character I love to hate and she really is a villain in my eyes. I think she's had tragedy in her life, certainly, but she's still the villain. And Gold definitely is to an extent as well, perhaps an even bigger villain, but I still side with him, haha. I used to think Fairy Tale Land was much more interesting/entertaining than Storybrooke but now I'm loving both so much and one more than the other with certain storylines, etc. (It also helps how hard I've fallen for Emma. 8D)
• NOW I'D LIKE TO TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT BELLE AND RUMPEL AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP. And the fact that Robert Carlyle and Emilie de Ravin are ahhhhmazing. omgosh how awesome was it so see Emilie again? So awesome. ♥ She was an amazing Belle. I loved how coy she was and yet how fierce and independent and badass she was. Female characters are the beeeeest and my faaaaaavourites. Which reminds me that you all should go read this interview with Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis BECAUSE THEY APPRECIATE FEMALES AND I LOVE WHEN FEMALES ARE APPRECIATED.
But anyway, I really loved what both Robert and Emilie did with this storyline. I really love Robert's Mr. Gold, probably more than Rumpel, but I still love his Rumpel as well. Especially that giggle oh my god. And I really love that gave his performance elements that made it clear that Rumpel hadn't just suddenly transformed and that he was still a villain. And I like that. I don't want him to ~magically become good again~ or anything. I think his character is very intrinsic and there there definitely is good in him (and the capacity for love) but he doesn't need to become that again or anything. I don't think this is making any sense but whatever! I love Rumpel and Belle and now let me talk about some of my favourite scenes of theirs!
♥ Rumpelstiltskin waiting at the window to see if she'll come back after he sends her away and that little smile on his face when she does. dkfghdfkjg he just had so many feelings about it. And then he ran back to his spinning wheel ~as if it was nothing~. OH RUMPEL YOU SO SMOOTH AND SUBTLE. And the kiss scene, while powerful, is not a scene of theirs I'd rank as a top favourite or anything, believe it or not. But I did love it all the same.
♥ BUT ACTUALLY LET'S TALK ABOUT THE KISS FOR A MOMENT. BECAUSE IT WORKED. And I'm a romantic so I do believe it was ~true love's kiss~ and it just gave me a lot of feelings. And Rumpelstiltskin is a coward in many ways and I love Belle for standing up to him and I'm getting near the end now but I loved the:
UGH BELLE YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL AND INDEPENDENT AND FIERCE. ♥
And this is about him and how he views him and how he just refuses to believe or let her genuinely love him and I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS OKAY.
♥ Do you know what I also have a lot of feelings for? "So she needs...a home?" dfkgjkdfg oh my god Rumpel the feelings you give me I can't.
♥ "IT'S JUST A CUP." I swear this is giving me the most feelings right now. Because one, Chip! :D And two, everything it symbolizes and comes to mean to him. Especially in Storybrooke and how desperate Gold was for it. Also, I reaaaaaaaally need to know Gold and Belle's backstory because obviously it can't be identical to the story in Fairy Tale Land because while it will have its similar elements, there will be key differences AND I JUST NEED THEM ALWAYS OKAY. I know Emilie's back for episode 1.14 but I really hope her arc isn't just a season one arc and that she'll be back for season two. But I am excited for the finale and everything coming to a head and whatnot.
EDIT: OKAY HAVING WATCHED IT AGAIN AND WATCHED SEVERAL SCENES I FINALLY CONNECTED SOME DOTS. I'm thinking Gold was beating her father because of what happened in Fairy Tale Land as he believes she died because of him there. And because in Storybrooke he's never seen her or known her to be there because Regina's had her locked up for 28 years (wtffffff Regina). And she has her locked up in Storybrooke still because of leverage but also because Belle knows who she really is? Because she wasn't affected by the curse (or at least not as much)? Maybe because Rumpel believed her to bed dead? idkkkkk but OH MY GOD SUDDENLY EVERYTHING MAKES MORE SENSE. loling at myself for not catching this the first time or so. I got it now. Gold and Belle have no history in Storybrooke.
Annnnnnd I probably didn't realize this at first because the beating scene happens before you find out the ~lie~ about what happened to Belle in Fairy Tale Land and before you find out that Gold knows who he is and everything. ahahahaha clever clever clever~!
Now for quick, random thoughts!
• I need a gif of Rumpel's face when Maurice calls him a beast at the beginning when Belle decides to go with him. omg Robert Carlyle let me count the ways that I love you.
• GAME OF THORNS TROLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
• "I AM SIR GASTON AND YOU, BEAST, HAVE - " omg Gaston you are such a ham. The actor who played him was perfectly good-looking and hammy for Gaston but I will never get people who ship him and Belle, especially after her speech about him and love. Also the fact that he is now a rose and Belle cut him. I died. It was really creepy giving it to Belle and yet also hilarious and endearing? idek but I cracked up.
• I'm surprised people aren't flailing about it more (but I guess with how amazing the episode was, we don't have time to!) but the direct reference/hint to Ariel and The Little Mermaid! I don't think they could get to it till S2 but still, very exciting!
• One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest reference! Show, I love you and your references to everything. One of the best things about this show, imo.
• The little bit we got of Henry and Emma was adorable. I love how happy they were to see each other. I'm really starting to fall in love with their relationship. And it's no secret how much I fucking love Emma Swan and want to be her when I grow up. She is amazing and if this episode could have been improved in any way, it would have been more her. Though what we did get over her I adored, of course.
• Okay and the subplot of the episode. Ruby guuuuuuuuuurl you are fierce and ilu. I am seriously pumped for her episode soon! And I actually really really liked the scene between Ashley and Sean? It was really sweet. ♥
But ohhhhhhh David and Mary Margaret. Oh you two crazy kids. I maintain the fact that I like James and Snow much more but hopefully it'll balance out a little more after the next episode when everything will, hopefully, conclude for the most part with the love triangle. It's just frustrating because they obviously want to make David seem like a good guy by not wanting to hurt Kathryn but I mean by not telling her, he hurts her more in the long run. And now Regina's going to tell her first and you are fucked, David. If only you had been a man first. I am excited for the James/Snow scenes next week, though! Those look really excited! And as I said, I hope next week will make David and Mary Margaret less frustrating because clearly we want them together, it's just difficult rn.
• In conclusion I'm starting to really love this show a lot. It still has its very obvious flaws and it's definitely not perfect but it's started to take a big spot in my heart. I think it's been slowly happening for a while but this episode totally did me in. One of the biggest reasons are the creators. I know the writing can be clunky and stuff and people are worried about plots but I love Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis and I'm obviously biased because I tend to have faith in anything with LOST involvement but I really do have faith. And I love them and how much they've put into this show and how ambitious they are and what they want to do with it. I'm just so excited for its future.
Another thing is how enthusiastic the cast and crew are, especially on twitter. People like Ginnifer and Josh and Jennifer and Emilie and Lee and how much they really seem to love and enjoy this show. It's really infectious when they care so much about it because they make you want to as well. I'm just getting such a kick out of the show and everyone involved with it and such. It just makes me happy.
Congrats if you got through all that, I'd love to talk about it with people!
II. Gosh, whatever can I say after all that? Well, I did get an e-mail with some really good news today! We got assigned personal tutors and we were supposed to get tutors from the department where we have most of our classes. Problem with me is that my four classes are in four different departments but back at AU, they'll count as one film class and three history classes. I got assigned the tutor in the theology department of all departments. I sent them an e-mail asking if I could be switched to the history tutor because it just makes more sense and would make me more comfortable. They got back to me today and success is mine! Now here's the real icing on the cake: I have such a crush on this guy. I met him when he did the departmental welcome for the History department and ohhhhhh man massive crush on him and his passion for history. brb making an appointment with him stat. He also looks like a mix between Neil Gaiman and Robert Carlyle and I am just way too in love with him for my own good ahahahahaha.
Otherwise, today was good for those two reasons but not so good for others! Mainly, how much it sucks being a girl and waking up at six in the morning from awful cramps which I'm so not used to because birth control is a beautiful thing. They've been off and on all day and just been killer and not fun. ):
Also my bag broke the other day which is aggghhhh. I have another one so it's not so bad but the one I have isn't the best for when I'll be traveling so I need to keep an eye out for a new one. But I don't want to spend too much money since I have bags at home too. Yesterday was a mostly good day as well though! Went out and saw Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close with artic_fox (maybe I'll give more thoughts later but...not my cup of tea at all) and then felt very English when we went to a pub and had a Sunday roast while watching rugby! It was lovely! :D
And quick BAFTA thoughts: JEAN DUJARDIN LET ME LOVE YOU FOREVER. ♥ I know it would have been nice to see Gary win because this was his only shot but dkfjghkjdfg I just love Jean so much that I don't mind at all. omg new celebrity crush ahoy. Not many other thoughts besides being sad that Hiddles lost, loving Colin Firth to death, and that the Miss Piggy red carpet video is to die for. It was really nice to watch them live though for once!
Catch you later, calculators.
