OUAT The Tower (spoilers)
I was nervous at the start of last night's episode, because, while I have enjoyed the two previous episodes, they were largely setting the chessboard. I'm not sure that I'm going to like the game once it's all unveiled. Fortunately (?) last night felt like more window-dressing. I enjoyed it, but I'm still filled with a sense of dread for things to come.
Best scene - Regina and Henry bonding in the park. Know what would make me really happy? If Henry's lost memories are returned to him by a True Love Kiss from his adoptive mom.
I also liked the Rumple and Zelena scene (of course). I was strangely relieved by the implication that Rumple is NOT Zelena's father. There have been no indications that he was ever a drunkard, and the whole conversation seems a little third-persony - if it turns out to be a diversion and that she was talking about him, then it just is kind of weird. BUT, this is OUAT, and they have given us weird dialog before to try and throw us off - remember "the package" Greg and Tamara kept dithering about, that turned out to be Hook? Blegh. Strange and intriguing dialog at the time that is just SO stupid when you re-watch it.
Since Rumple is definitely in Zelena's thrall, I wonder if his escape revealed at the end is part of Zelena's larger plan. She spoke of appearances in their first scene (presumably just so she could shave him and get his blood), but I think that belies the point that she knew he would be seen out and about soon. It also seemed a little too convenient that Zelena left a holly berry footprint in Regina's office, essentially leading them straight to her cottage and Rumple's prison. Either she is really that incompetent, or she has them playing right into her hands.
Also wanted to mention how unbelievably disappointed I am in Snow. She's always been too bloody trusty, and it's made me want to hit my head against a wall before, but has she REALLY learned nothing?! They know there's a Wicked Witch loose in Storybrooke with nefarious plans. She's a pregnant amnesiac, and decides to blindly trust someone she's never met before in an incredibly intimate way. Sure, Zelena could be a midwife from the Enchanted Forest; how about you ask for some references first, Snow? Surely, there's got to be someone else in Storybrooke who could confirm that Zelena is actually a midwife and not just some crazy psycho after your baby (ugh - do we really need another "after the baby" plot lines? I don't. The less time spent on this, the better. Please be a diversion from Zelena's actual purposes!! Pretty please?!)
The Oz fan girl in me got pretty excited when Charming lost his "courage" talisman to the Wicked Witch. Guess that makes him the Cowardly Lion! Although it came across as pretty silly, I still kind of love it. Then I read fan theories that Regina is the Tin (Wo)Man (she's been trying to cut out her heart) - and also, if Zelena is being honest about her origins (which I hope is another diversion), the Wicked Witch of the East? Rumple is the Scarecrow (he's lost his mind and he's surrounded by straw). Those three characters all kind of loosely fit. Fans point to Emma as Dorothy, which could work perhaps, but I think a case could be made for Henry, as well, since he's the real outsider at this point. And the Wizard is...???
Other tidbits - I kind of tingled when Zelena called Belle "Mrs. Gold." Potential foreshadowing for the season finale wedding? Seeing Gold's shop was like a homecoming. I've missed that set. It might be my favorite.
Unrelated, I really want a Belle-centric episode that is about her back story, and not in order to make her an object to fuel Rumple's angst. We got so close in the episode last season with the yaoguai, but then she got shot and amnesiafied at the end. (That was the worst thing I think this show has done...Welllllll...It could've ended up working if they hadn't done that whole damn "Lacey" subplot. It leaves such a nasty taste in my mouth. Such a waste of what could have been a great character arc!)
Can I just take a moment for how adorable Snow and Charming are? "We'll do it like we do everything else... TOGETHER." (I couldn't help saying "together" along with her, and I KNOW it's so corny and lame, but in all the RIGHT ways and I can't help loving them in all their cheesy, simpering glory.)
No Red this week. Sigh... No Bae either, which makes me feel even more certain that he's dying - perhaps as soon as next week.
On to the promo - next week is FINALLY the Rumple-centric episode that may answer some of the questions that have been burning the most. Bae apparently makes it to Storybrooke, which at first made me think "YAY! He doesn't die after all!!" Then I remembered that the theory that his heart gets ripped out to start the new curse was my theory, and that just because he survived the casting of the curse doesn't mean he's going to survive the season. I suppose it does raise the question about the nature of the curse. It is SO different from the last one. Just one year of memory loss and everyone's identities are otherwise intact. Maybe it's a different curse and I'm wrong to think about whose heart was used to cast it.
I was also tickled to see Rumple in his Dark One get-up. Clearly his resurrection took place in the Enchanted Forest - which means there is room for some Rumple/Belle/Bae family time? That would just tickle my heart. Please let it be so.
I did have the thought that maybe his resurrection is entirely down to Zelena. We KNOW Belle and Bae want to attempt to bring him back, but their plans haven't been revealed yet. I wonder if it was as easy as Zelena finding Rumple's dagger and summoning the Dark One. Since he killed himself, there would be no one for the Dark One powers to have transferred to, so maybe summoning the Dark One would be enough to bring back Rumple? Just a theory - we do have Zelena summoning him in the promo, but we also have Belle and Bae opening a magical hatch (that coincidentally looks like a recycled prop from Lost). Either way, can't wait to see how it plays out. I hope it's Belle and Bae, but more importantly, I hope it's GOOD.
Other things from the promo- looks like Bae and Emma will get reunited in Storybrooke, and that makes me happy. I don't ship them, but it would have sucked if he had gotten killed off and never saw her again. (It will suck if he gets killed off anyway - please don't do it!!!)
I didn't notice in watching the promo, but did in stills later, that it looks like Bae is breaking into Gold's shop which Belle and HOOK(?!?!?!?!) have barricaded shut. What could Bae be after? Why would he be threatening Belle? Why wouldn't Belle and Bae be working together? Why would Belle and Hook be working together?! He's tried to capture/erase her memories/KILL her enough that I would think she'd keep a little distance there - or at least insist on having Emma stand between them. What's gotten into Bae? Is his aggression against Belle the reason he's gonna bloody flippin' die? Please tell me that Rumple doesn't have to kill Bae to protect Belle.
I might be stuck on the idea of Rumple killing Bae - I'd be SO happy if it doesn't play out that way, and if Bae doesn't die at all. *sigh* Maybe it's Emma who has to shoot him - it looks like they're in for a showdown or some sort next week.
I sort of loosely entertained the notion that maybe it's Snow or Charming who dies (with a real life baby on the way, maybe one of the actors wants to leave the show and tackle the wonders of parenthood full time). I thought for a brief moment that Charming was going to get the ax in last night's episode. Fighting a clone of himself? What if the evil clone wins, and then later, when everyone else figures it out, they kill the clone? It didn't play out that way obviously, but there was a moment there...
But no... cast-wise, what-they-bring-to-the-program-wise, it's gotta be Bae. MRJ hasn't been on set for the closing of the season. They said it would be a main character, and the other characters have way more to give yet. (Unless Hook makes a noble sacrifice maybe? He's still filming. It's so unlikely. It's got to be Bae.)
Ugh. Moving on.
Last thoughts on The Tower. Although it was a story about Rapunzel, I didn't really care much about her parts of the story. Really, it was framed to be Charming's story and she was just a bit player in it. I loved that that had a WOC playing her, but wish they could've made her a little more important than she was. I did LOVE the twist that the mysterious hooded person was a shadow version of themselves. Not Bae as many initially predicted or the Wicked Witch as would seem obvious. Nice twist, that. Well done, writers!
Well, I'm drained of OUAT ramblings. Til next week, imaginary readers!
Best scene - Regina and Henry bonding in the park. Know what would make me really happy? If Henry's lost memories are returned to him by a True Love Kiss from his adoptive mom.
I also liked the Rumple and Zelena scene (of course). I was strangely relieved by the implication that Rumple is NOT Zelena's father. There have been no indications that he was ever a drunkard, and the whole conversation seems a little third-persony - if it turns out to be a diversion and that she was talking about him, then it just is kind of weird. BUT, this is OUAT, and they have given us weird dialog before to try and throw us off - remember "the package" Greg and Tamara kept dithering about, that turned out to be Hook? Blegh. Strange and intriguing dialog at the time that is just SO stupid when you re-watch it.
Since Rumple is definitely in Zelena's thrall, I wonder if his escape revealed at the end is part of Zelena's larger plan. She spoke of appearances in their first scene (presumably just so she could shave him and get his blood), but I think that belies the point that she knew he would be seen out and about soon. It also seemed a little too convenient that Zelena left a holly berry footprint in Regina's office, essentially leading them straight to her cottage and Rumple's prison. Either she is really that incompetent, or she has them playing right into her hands.
Also wanted to mention how unbelievably disappointed I am in Snow. She's always been too bloody trusty, and it's made me want to hit my head against a wall before, but has she REALLY learned nothing?! They know there's a Wicked Witch loose in Storybrooke with nefarious plans. She's a pregnant amnesiac, and decides to blindly trust someone she's never met before in an incredibly intimate way. Sure, Zelena could be a midwife from the Enchanted Forest; how about you ask for some references first, Snow? Surely, there's got to be someone else in Storybrooke who could confirm that Zelena is actually a midwife and not just some crazy psycho after your baby (ugh - do we really need another "after the baby" plot lines? I don't. The less time spent on this, the better. Please be a diversion from Zelena's actual purposes!! Pretty please?!)
The Oz fan girl in me got pretty excited when Charming lost his "courage" talisman to the Wicked Witch. Guess that makes him the Cowardly Lion! Although it came across as pretty silly, I still kind of love it. Then I read fan theories that Regina is the Tin (Wo)Man (she's been trying to cut out her heart) - and also, if Zelena is being honest about her origins (which I hope is another diversion), the Wicked Witch of the East? Rumple is the Scarecrow (he's lost his mind and he's surrounded by straw). Those three characters all kind of loosely fit. Fans point to Emma as Dorothy, which could work perhaps, but I think a case could be made for Henry, as well, since he's the real outsider at this point. And the Wizard is...???
Other tidbits - I kind of tingled when Zelena called Belle "Mrs. Gold." Potential foreshadowing for the season finale wedding? Seeing Gold's shop was like a homecoming. I've missed that set. It might be my favorite.
Unrelated, I really want a Belle-centric episode that is about her back story, and not in order to make her an object to fuel Rumple's angst. We got so close in the episode last season with the yaoguai, but then she got shot and amnesiafied at the end. (That was the worst thing I think this show has done...Welllllll...It could've ended up working if they hadn't done that whole damn "Lacey" subplot. It leaves such a nasty taste in my mouth. Such a waste of what could have been a great character arc!)
Can I just take a moment for how adorable Snow and Charming are? "We'll do it like we do everything else... TOGETHER." (I couldn't help saying "together" along with her, and I KNOW it's so corny and lame, but in all the RIGHT ways and I can't help loving them in all their cheesy, simpering glory.)
No Red this week. Sigh... No Bae either, which makes me feel even more certain that he's dying - perhaps as soon as next week.
On to the promo - next week is FINALLY the Rumple-centric episode that may answer some of the questions that have been burning the most. Bae apparently makes it to Storybrooke, which at first made me think "YAY! He doesn't die after all!!" Then I remembered that the theory that his heart gets ripped out to start the new curse was my theory, and that just because he survived the casting of the curse doesn't mean he's going to survive the season. I suppose it does raise the question about the nature of the curse. It is SO different from the last one. Just one year of memory loss and everyone's identities are otherwise intact. Maybe it's a different curse and I'm wrong to think about whose heart was used to cast it.
I was also tickled to see Rumple in his Dark One get-up. Clearly his resurrection took place in the Enchanted Forest - which means there is room for some Rumple/Belle/Bae family time? That would just tickle my heart. Please let it be so.
I did have the thought that maybe his resurrection is entirely down to Zelena. We KNOW Belle and Bae want to attempt to bring him back, but their plans haven't been revealed yet. I wonder if it was as easy as Zelena finding Rumple's dagger and summoning the Dark One. Since he killed himself, there would be no one for the Dark One powers to have transferred to, so maybe summoning the Dark One would be enough to bring back Rumple? Just a theory - we do have Zelena summoning him in the promo, but we also have Belle and Bae opening a magical hatch (that coincidentally looks like a recycled prop from Lost). Either way, can't wait to see how it plays out. I hope it's Belle and Bae, but more importantly, I hope it's GOOD.
Other things from the promo- looks like Bae and Emma will get reunited in Storybrooke, and that makes me happy. I don't ship them, but it would have sucked if he had gotten killed off and never saw her again. (It will suck if he gets killed off anyway - please don't do it!!!)
I didn't notice in watching the promo, but did in stills later, that it looks like Bae is breaking into Gold's shop which Belle and HOOK(?!?!?!?!) have barricaded shut. What could Bae be after? Why would he be threatening Belle? Why wouldn't Belle and Bae be working together? Why would Belle and Hook be working together?! He's tried to capture/erase her memories/KILL her enough that I would think she'd keep a little distance there - or at least insist on having Emma stand between them. What's gotten into Bae? Is his aggression against Belle the reason he's gonna bloody flippin' die? Please tell me that Rumple doesn't have to kill Bae to protect Belle.
I might be stuck on the idea of Rumple killing Bae - I'd be SO happy if it doesn't play out that way, and if Bae doesn't die at all. *sigh* Maybe it's Emma who has to shoot him - it looks like they're in for a showdown or some sort next week.
I sort of loosely entertained the notion that maybe it's Snow or Charming who dies (with a real life baby on the way, maybe one of the actors wants to leave the show and tackle the wonders of parenthood full time). I thought for a brief moment that Charming was going to get the ax in last night's episode. Fighting a clone of himself? What if the evil clone wins, and then later, when everyone else figures it out, they kill the clone? It didn't play out that way obviously, but there was a moment there...
But no... cast-wise, what-they-bring-to-the-program-wise, it's gotta be Bae. MRJ hasn't been on set for the closing of the season. They said it would be a main character, and the other characters have way more to give yet. (Unless Hook makes a noble sacrifice maybe? He's still filming. It's so unlikely. It's got to be Bae.)
Ugh. Moving on.
Last thoughts on The Tower. Although it was a story about Rapunzel, I didn't really care much about her parts of the story. Really, it was framed to be Charming's story and she was just a bit player in it. I loved that that had a WOC playing her, but wish they could've made her a little more important than she was. I did LOVE the twist that the mysterious hooded person was a shadow version of themselves. Not Bae as many initially predicted or the Wicked Witch as would seem obvious. Nice twist, that. Well done, writers!
Well, I'm drained of OUAT ramblings. Til next week, imaginary readers!