Once upon a Time 4.12.
In which the show comes through with the pay-off for a long term build up, and then some.
But before I get to the big one, the expected farewell of the Frozen characters was nicely done. I really liked these versions, and so I think all in all using them was a good decision. Also, my faith that the show wouldn't just kill off Marian was rewarded, and even better: we avoided a repeat of the s1 Mary Margaret-David-Kathryn situation by honesty all around after Marian was defrosted, and by Marian being written, like Kathryn, as a strong sympathetic character. Btw, I wouldn't have believed it if she'd reacted this way at the start of the season, when she was just hours away (in her pov) from being executed on Regina's orders, but at this point, after having had some time to adjust before Ingrid's spell hit her and after having seen Regina did indeed change and has saved her life, I can believe it. (To clarify in case of misunderstandings: if Robin had, after some years post Marian's assumed death - in his timeline - fallen in love with, say, Ruby, Marian would also have reacted the way she did in this episode; but Regina's Evil Queen past and the part where she was almost responsible for Marian's death were bound to make it feel different at the start.) That it then turned out to be only a temporary defrosting, requiring Regina to come up with the alternate solution of Marian, Roland and Robin leaving Storybrooke in order for Marian to survive was a twist that miraculously didn't feel like gratitiously giving Regina more angst, possibly because of the way she reacted. She really did grow and change; this time, she didn't just make the right decision without expecting fate to reward her for good behavior, she also didn't try to blame it on anyone or try for a magical sleep or heart removal to avoid having to work through the aftermath. She acted, she owned, and she coped. And got Emma as a drinking buddy. Go Regina!
I also loved the earlier scene between her and Rumplestilskin, when he was saying farewell to her while preparing for his supposed victory tour. It was oddly touching and captured their dynamic, those years of being her mentor, their enmity, feuds and alliagences and understanding. Anna's wrong guess about who "Mr. Gold" was (that led to the discovery of one of his many lies) - "a fairy godfather" - was both hilariously wrong and true for one specific relationship because though no one else's he's been Regina's godfather in the fairy and the mafia sense; he's shaped her in the way no one else except for her mother did. So it fits she's the one person he bothers to say goodbye to in person. I think he's honest about both that the year as Zelena's prisoner drove home to him again the need for power, and about wishing her happiness as well. (The same way Regina was glad to find him alive last season. Neither excludes her also being satisfied he didn't get to have it all after all, and I don't doubt that if manipulating Regina again would be useful to him he'd do it in a heartbeat. But their connection does run really deep.)
Which brings me to, at last, the pay off for the looooong (that's what it feels lilke anyway) deception(s) on Belle and Rumplestilskin's use of the Ingrid situation to have a go at becoming all powerful and dagger independent while prepared to throw everyone else (except for Belle and Henry) to the wolves. And it was magnificent. Belle was truly fantastic here when the scales at last dropped from her eyes, and it was more than what I had hoped for, because what I had hoped for was simply that she'd dump him. But Belle really is a hero. And aware that Rumplestilkin, with more magical power than anyone else in Storybrooke and the just proven continued readiness to exploit anyone , isn't just her marital problem. So what she does, immediately, unhesitatingly and decisively, is not just to remove herself from a relationship that has ended up on the wrong side of the thin line between believing in someone's potential for change and enabling. Instead, she removes Rumplestilkin from his access to magic and from Storybrooke. That she uses his dagger against him, to force him to cross the town line and banish him, is karmic justice at its finest.
Lastly: so we'll get Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella de Ville next. Did they recast Maleficent, or is it just the fact her hair is hidden that makes her look different? (Also, what with Maleficent when last spotted being a dead dragon under the library, there is a sliiiight continuity problem, unless they intend to use her only in flashbacks. Then again, magical resurrections are possible. Anyway, I hope there are flashbacks because I want to know more about the Maleficent and Regina relationship hinted at at the start of s1.) (Oh, and does using Maleficent mean Aurora and Philip and hopefully Mulan will be back as well?) Ursula comes across as delightfully snarky, though of course I'm curious what she's doing outside of Storybrooke. Considering Cruella is a non-magical villain, I have to wonder what skills she'll bring in, because skinning Dalmatians isn't going to cut it. Then again, being without magic hasn't stopped Mr. Gold becoming Storybrooke's grey eminence during the original curse's 28 years. His ability to scheme and manipulate is magic independent.
Now Rumple and the posse of Disney Villainesses are going after the Author who turns out to be the Sorceror who owns that mansion which showed up at the start of this season. (And who probably is identical with the Apprentice as has been hinted at.) I like the speculation from some commenter he'll also turn out to be Merlin, but whether or not he is, I still stand by my theory that it will be revealed he's not writing anyone's fates, they're writing them themselves, and he's simply providing the books (i.e. space) to act it out.
In conclusion: great half season finale to go on hiatus on.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1038258.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
But before I get to the big one, the expected farewell of the Frozen characters was nicely done. I really liked these versions, and so I think all in all using them was a good decision. Also, my faith that the show wouldn't just kill off Marian was rewarded, and even better: we avoided a repeat of the s1 Mary Margaret-David-Kathryn situation by honesty all around after Marian was defrosted, and by Marian being written, like Kathryn, as a strong sympathetic character. Btw, I wouldn't have believed it if she'd reacted this way at the start of the season, when she was just hours away (in her pov) from being executed on Regina's orders, but at this point, after having had some time to adjust before Ingrid's spell hit her and after having seen Regina did indeed change and has saved her life, I can believe it. (To clarify in case of misunderstandings: if Robin had, after some years post Marian's assumed death - in his timeline - fallen in love with, say, Ruby, Marian would also have reacted the way she did in this episode; but Regina's Evil Queen past and the part where she was almost responsible for Marian's death were bound to make it feel different at the start.) That it then turned out to be only a temporary defrosting, requiring Regina to come up with the alternate solution of Marian, Roland and Robin leaving Storybrooke in order for Marian to survive was a twist that miraculously didn't feel like gratitiously giving Regina more angst, possibly because of the way she reacted. She really did grow and change; this time, she didn't just make the right decision without expecting fate to reward her for good behavior, she also didn't try to blame it on anyone or try for a magical sleep or heart removal to avoid having to work through the aftermath. She acted, she owned, and she coped. And got Emma as a drinking buddy. Go Regina!
I also loved the earlier scene between her and Rumplestilskin, when he was saying farewell to her while preparing for his supposed victory tour. It was oddly touching and captured their dynamic, those years of being her mentor, their enmity, feuds and alliagences and understanding. Anna's wrong guess about who "Mr. Gold" was (that led to the discovery of one of his many lies) - "a fairy godfather" - was both hilariously wrong and true for one specific relationship because though no one else's he's been Regina's godfather in the fairy and the mafia sense; he's shaped her in the way no one else except for her mother did. So it fits she's the one person he bothers to say goodbye to in person. I think he's honest about both that the year as Zelena's prisoner drove home to him again the need for power, and about wishing her happiness as well. (The same way Regina was glad to find him alive last season. Neither excludes her also being satisfied he didn't get to have it all after all, and I don't doubt that if manipulating Regina again would be useful to him he'd do it in a heartbeat. But their connection does run really deep.)
Which brings me to, at last, the pay off for the looooong (that's what it feels lilke anyway) deception(s) on Belle and Rumplestilskin's use of the Ingrid situation to have a go at becoming all powerful and dagger independent while prepared to throw everyone else (except for Belle and Henry) to the wolves. And it was magnificent. Belle was truly fantastic here when the scales at last dropped from her eyes, and it was more than what I had hoped for, because what I had hoped for was simply that she'd dump him. But Belle really is a hero. And aware that Rumplestilkin, with more magical power than anyone else in Storybrooke and the just proven continued readiness to exploit anyone , isn't just her marital problem. So what she does, immediately, unhesitatingly and decisively, is not just to remove herself from a relationship that has ended up on the wrong side of the thin line between believing in someone's potential for change and enabling. Instead, she removes Rumplestilkin from his access to magic and from Storybrooke. That she uses his dagger against him, to force him to cross the town line and banish him, is karmic justice at its finest.
Lastly: so we'll get Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella de Ville next. Did they recast Maleficent, or is it just the fact her hair is hidden that makes her look different? (Also, what with Maleficent when last spotted being a dead dragon under the library, there is a sliiiight continuity problem, unless they intend to use her only in flashbacks. Then again, magical resurrections are possible. Anyway, I hope there are flashbacks because I want to know more about the Maleficent and Regina relationship hinted at at the start of s1.) (Oh, and does using Maleficent mean Aurora and Philip and hopefully Mulan will be back as well?) Ursula comes across as delightfully snarky, though of course I'm curious what she's doing outside of Storybrooke. Considering Cruella is a non-magical villain, I have to wonder what skills she'll bring in, because skinning Dalmatians isn't going to cut it. Then again, being without magic hasn't stopped Mr. Gold becoming Storybrooke's grey eminence during the original curse's 28 years. His ability to scheme and manipulate is magic independent.
Now Rumple and the posse of Disney Villainesses are going after the Author who turns out to be the Sorceror who owns that mansion which showed up at the start of this season. (And who probably is identical with the Apprentice as has been hinted at.) I like the speculation from some commenter he'll also turn out to be Merlin, but whether or not he is, I still stand by my theory that it will be revealed he's not writing anyone's fates, they're writing them themselves, and he's simply providing the books (i.e. space) to act it out.
In conclusion: great half season finale to go on hiatus on.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/1038258.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.