Interview With The Evil Queen

I just read an article which contained an interview with Lana Parilla.

http://tvline.com/2012/05/30/once-upon-a-time-season-2-preview-lana-parrilla/

Though the author of the article isn't entirely accurate in his first paragraph.  We all know it was Emma who broke the curse, not Rumpelstiltskin.  Too bad he doesn't seem to have watched the show.  *Sigh*

Full Circle

WOW!  That was one of the absolute best season finales ever.  While some things I had guessed, and some things I had hoped, did happen, I was surprised from practically the first moment until the last.  I found it immensely satisfying that so many loose ends were neatly tied, and still we got a wonderful glimpse of what will come in the next season.  (Metaphorically at least.)

The official chat asked, "Who benefits the most from magic coming to Storybrooke?"  That is an interesting question.  It's hard to say for certain, because we don't know what the Purple Smoke Curse will do.  I think Regina will benefit from the return of magic, for sure, but she may not realize the damage she's caused herself by manipulating others.  She was happy at the return of magic, but she may not be thinking about others having magic, and what they will do to her.  Rumpelstiltskin will benefit, as he is the most powerful character of all, but if Emma is now aware of who she is, she may prove to be a very powerful person, and perhaps even more than any of them can fathom.

I was so happy to see Graham again, even if just for a moment.  When he drew his bow, I knew it was him and what he was doing, even before we saw his face.  I do hope we get to see more of him in future episodes, even if only in the past.

I think the one thing that made a bit less sense to me was at how quickly Emma realized the poisoned apple turnover was magic.  But, given time constraints, I can see why.  I probably shouldn't have been, but I was surprised at what happened when Emma picked up the book.  After so much disbelief, she believed in an instant.  I loved the look on her face when she heard Regina come into the hospital room.  Pure unadulterated hatred.  For a second, I wondered (not reallllly) if she was going to just kill Regina right then and there.  Brilliant.  I was surprised at how easily Regina admitted the truth of what she had done and who they all were.  I was surprised at a lot of things in this episode.

It had been so long since I'd seen "Sleeping Beauty" that I'd forgotten Maleficent was a dragon.  Surprise!  I find it interesting how James was so brave and jumped on the dragon, basically got the job done without hesitation, and how Emma, with a little hesitation, jumped in and did what she needed to do.  She is her father's daughter.  I wonder how Rumpelstiltskin got James' sword.  Last we saw of it was when ... wait.  At Snow and James' wedding, he threw the sword at Regina, and it went with her when she transported back to her castle (it flew past her).  Then when the curse was coming, he was fighting the Queen's guards and he had a sword.  I know this is a technicality, but was this a different sword, and how did he get it back if not?  Hmm...  Is it silly to think the mirrored tree wall was a cool touch?  Rumpelstiltskin told James, "I'm a fan of true love, and more importantly, what it creates."  I still don't know if Rumpelstiltskin is a good guy or bad guy.  What he does tends to lend itself to good, but he creates bad as well. 

I was sad to see August completely transform into wood again, and I hope he can return to human form.  I liked him a lot and hope it isn't the last we see of Pinocchio.  I loved Emma's line, " I just talked to the Evil Queen and Rumpelstiltskin about a quest to save the kingdom."  Gotta have a sense of humor.

I knew from the cast list that Jefferson would be back in this episode, but his part in the unraveling was totally unexpected.  He knew the code to the basement door, so did he work at the hospital?  How would he have known about Belle being down in the basement?  I just thought of something.  Was it Jefferson who switched the DNA and aquired the heart for Regina?  So many questions.  The "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" nod, while confusing as to why, is a fun touch.  And we see where Sidney is being locked up.  Poor Sidney, such a lost soul.  When Belle walked into Mr. Gold's shop, and he saw her and squeezed her arm to be sure she was real, that was a sweet touch. 

I knew that Emma would save Henry, whether it be from a sacrifice or a mother's kiss to her child, and I'm happy they didn't actually kill him off.  I hoped both curses would be broken at the same time, but wasn't sure they would go that far.  I loved when the Blue Fairy/Mother Superior told Regina, "If I were you, Your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide."  Regina has hurt and used so many people, everyone will be after her now.  

When Charming finds Snow in the coffin, we find ourselves right back where we started.  We've gone full circle, and I find that oddly satisfying and kind of poetic.  Even at the end when James came back to find Snow in Storybrooke, it was again their anthem, "You found me." And, "I will always find you."  Aww.  Sweet.  And once again the clock ticks 8:15PM.  And so it ends, right where it started.

What happens next?  What does the Purple Smoke mean?  Is Henry right, that it means something bad is coming?  When it lifts, will they be in Storybrooke, or Fairy Tale, or some new land?  Will Emma now have powers?  I am so excited to find out once the new season starts.  Can we survive the summer without our beloved "Once Upon A Time?"


So that is my final  posting for the first season, and I'm not sure what will happen to the blog over the summer.  I will try to write a note here and there, post when I find some new information or interviews, but I don't want to post just for the sake of posting.  So, I'll see you all soon, and I hope you have a wonderful summer.
Hugs to all!  And thanks for visiting me here.
--Cooky

The Poisoned Apple

I usually watch the episodes at least three or four times before writing the blog, but I'm kind of winging it today, no notes, just mostly thoughts and ideas blurted out.

The producers have stated that one of the major characters will die in the season finale, but I don't think it's going to be Henry.  For one thing, the poisoned apple doesn't kill its victim, it just puts them into a deep sleep.  We know that Snow White was awakened by her true love's kiss (from Charming), but since Henry is a child, he has to be awakened some other way.  I think he may be saved not by true love's kiss, but by true love's sacrifice.  The love of his mother.  I don't know that Emma is much closer to believing the truth, but I think somehow she will sacrifice herself for Henry, and will break the poisoned apple curse.  Will Emma survive?  I'm not laying any bets either way.  It's possible to wake Henry from his curse by Emma sacrificing herself, and also to break the Big curse that's keeping everyone in Storybrooke, sort of killing two birds with one stone.  This show is just so enigmatic, it's hard to know anything for sure until we actually see it, and even then, things can change.

Someone on the Official Chat asked about Jefferson, and how he got back to Storybrooke after falling into his magic hat.  They stated he was last seen in a room full of hats, so how did he get back to Storybrooke without his hat?  My answer to this is:

He didn't fall into HIS hat necessarily. I think it was the one that Emma made (not sure on this though).  In that last shot of him becoming mad/crazy, his hair was longer, so it was in the Fairy Tale past. And we don't know that he actually fell into the hat, we just assume he did. Someone could have saved him possibly or he fell into a bush or something. We didn't see him land.

After he was left by Regina in Wonderland, she took the hat, so she's always had it apparently.

Many of us still wonder what will happen when the curse is broken.  Who will go back, who will stay in our world, etc.  Mr. Gold was planning a trip out of Storybrooke, and I suspect he knows where Baelfire is, and he needs to go retrieve him before the curse is broken so he can bring Bae back to Fairy Tale with him.  I don't see what other reason he would have to leave Storybrooke at this critical time.  Does Mr. Gold know the end is coming? 

Emma still owes Mr. Gold a favor (after she insisted Mr. Gold allow Ashley/Cinderella to keep her baby), and I wonder if repayment is coming soon.

Graham/Huntsman, Belle, and Maleficent will all be back in the finale, so that can open up many possibilities.  One thing I am certain of:  We will be left with a cliffhanger.  We know they are planning a second season, and they want to make sure we all come back to see what happens.

Just A Note

I know I need to update the cast list.  I will within the next couple of days. 

Lying In Wait

I've seen people comment on the Official Chat that we didn't learn much from this week's episode, but I think we learned a good deal, and specifically things we need to know.  So now we know that August is Pinocchio, and many of my suspicions were right, or darn close.  I say that not to brag about my genius, because mostly I read others' ideas and expanded upon them, but just to say it's nice to know I'm on the right track once in a while.  I'm usually the last to know, and this is a nice change for me.  :)

We learned about Pinocchio and Emma's entry into our world, and how he lost his way.  I can't say I blame him for leaving the house of those horrible people, even if he had to leave Emma behind.  What would any seven-year-old have done?

I am most pleased at Mary Margaret and Henry standing up to Regina.  They are those "YES!" moments we all love.  Mary has come into her "Snow White-ness."  I loved when Regina said, "Is that an accusation?" and Mary said, "Yes it is."  (Or something very close to that. I didn't write it down.)  I loved when Mary Margaret said, "I forgive you."  To someone who's trying so hard to hate Mary, that is a really difficult thing to hear.  But it shows us that Snow/Mary is the kind-hearted person we all love, and it helps to diminish Regina's power over her.  Bravo, Mary Margaret!  Then David refused her advances, which shows he's becoming much more the Charming we know from Fairy Tale.  Those things are making her very angry, and add to it the fact that Emma has taken Henry, and she is going to blow her top. 

I think Emma's fierce denial that it's her destiny to save Storybrooke, and her disbelief is a mask, and that she really is starting to believe it's all true.  I think that may be a big reason she wants to leave town with Henry.  Of course once Regina finds out Emma has taken him, Emma can as much as kiss Henry goodbye, since it amounts to kidnapping.  She's just scared and what does Emma do when she's scared?  Run away.  I am not so sure Regina will find out, though.  Henry may convince her to stay, and I do hope that he does.

August is truly his father's son, fixing the latch on Mary's door, helping to fix the clock.  It was sweet when he finally went to Marco and asked to be his helper.  Tears in my eyes on that one. 

I wonder what will happen once the curse is broken.  Will everyone go back to the same place and time in Fairy Tale?  Or is it 28 years later?  If it were right after the curse, then Emma would still be a baby, and no Henry would have been born.  Will Emma, August and Baelfire go back to Fairy Tale?  They came to Storybrooke by means other than the curse.  So can they ever go back at all?  And what if Emma goes back?  What will become of Henry?  Can he go, too?  He's never been there.  The Huntsman/Graham will be in the finale, which makes we wonder, if the curse is broken, will he live on in Fairy Tale, even beyond the curse?  Jefferson will be in the next episode, so does that mean we will see into Wonderland?  Or some other land?  We don't know where he went when he fell into the hat.  These are all things I think about.

I can't help but be a bit preoccupied with what will happen in the next two episodes.  We are at the top of the roller coaster and we are going to drop fast.  So far there is no information about the finale, so we'll have to just wait and see what happens.  I avoid most sources of spoilers, since some are wrong and I don't see any reason to dread the death of a beloved character any longer than necessary (learned that lesson with Graham).  Just hold on tight, scream if you need to, and enjoy the ride!