
This episode gave us a big piece of the puzzle, even though we’re a long way from seeing the finished picture. In the flashbacks to life in the Enchanted Forest, we see Prince Charming struggling with internal angst over becoming a father again. I have always admired the stroke of brilliance this show displayed when it took the black & white, good & evil fairy tale characters we knew and loved as children and infused them with character flaws in myriad shades of gray. I find it quite interesting that these human fallibilities carried over in their return to the fairy tale world. That Charming has doubts fits well with this paradigm, and I suppose drinking and drug use isn’t much of a stretch. Fortunately for him, there is another who has already tried the night root he plans to use, and it turns out to be Rapunzel.

She stands as forewarning to the risks involved with easy solutions and quick fixes, as she has been held captive by her own fear for years. In helping Rapunzel overcome the fear that has ruled her life, we can better understand how and why David is made to face his own fear in Storybrook. On a side note, Rapunzel’s hair must also be a totem of courage now. I hope she used the excess braid to stuff a pillow or accent a dress, it sounds like she might need her courage near at hand to rule her kingdom. Also, the Enchanted Forest must have great cell coverage, since Charming was able to get Snow White, Belle and Robin Hood together with Rapunzel’s parents (whom we can assume none of them have ever met) before he himself returned from Sherwood Forest with Rapunzel.
Am I wrong in thinking that gold-tipped arrows are the WORST reward ever? You can’t shoot them because gold is too pliable to make a useful arrowhead, and I imagine that spending them might cause problems as well when one enters the store armed with a bow and whips out an arrow at the cash register. Any self-respecting shop proprietor would certainly hit the silent alarm at that sight.  I feel kind of bad for Robin Hood.

Zelena has so many tricks up her flared sleeve it’s hard to know which to focus on. She is keeping Mr. Gold captive, spinning away in her storm cellar. He is clearly struggling with his sanity, but having Zelena give him a shave seems to snap him out of it. And he’s right to be suspicious of her motives, since she “accidentally†nicks his face with his own dagger and then saves the blood on her thumb for later use. We soon see she needs his blood to access the safe in his pawn shop to retrieve the night root she plans to use on David. So the question then becomes, why does she need David to face his fear? Her goal is to get his sword hilt, now a totem of his courage. We know from the Oz tales that courage is an important theme, but why does she need it?  Does she have some foreknowledge of her dismal future in Oz? Will she try to usurp the Wizard’s leadership, or befriend the cowardly lion before Dorothy ever meets him? Or, worst of all, could the baby Mary Margaret is carrying actually be Dorothy herself? After all, the child is clearly important to Zelena. I have a feeling that if something isn’t done soon, Snow White and Prince Charming are about to lose another daughter.
In Storybrook Emma is tasked with finding the Wicked Witch, and she finds the hideout with surprising ease. Holly berries at the edge of the forest lead directly to a Kansas style farmhouse, complete with storm cellar out back that, as we’ve seen earlier, is where Zelena is holding Mr. Gold captive. Although nobody is home at the moment, this is certainly the place. It’s interesting to think of her living in the house that may eventually kill her sister, and I am eager to see how this storyline plays out. Also, how wonderful to see Miss Gulch’s bike on the porch! Now I’m curious to know if that’s the last name Zelena is using in Storybrook. It would make sense, after all.
Moment of Goodness: Daddy daughter danceÂ
I have no doubt that the moment of goodness in this episode is the same for us all. Emma, in the castle, dressed for the ball. Sure, it’s just a dream, but it’s every girl’s wish to be a real princess, isn’t it? And her gripe is one that most princesses can relate to:  “A full-grown princess still living in her nursery? I don’t even have a proper vanity!†Ah yes, Disney marketing department, prepare to add “Princess Emma†vanity sets to your merchandise line. With accessories, of course. Superpower Shampoo, Curse-Breaker Cream, Bounty Hunter Balm, and Poison Apple Turnover Polish. Well played, Disney, well played.
Once Upon A Time airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.
Related posts
1 Comment
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Classics
Thank Me Later: Will Trent
[Warning: spoilers ahead.] I’m on record as loving and losing shows over at ABC so I’m usually very reticent to pick something up on the network until it’s been renewed, and I seriously hope I’m not jinxing it, but I took a chance on the deeply odd and very sweet…
Dennis Heaton Talks The Imperfects
Longtime readers at TV Goodness will know that Motive is one of my ride-or-die series, and as such, I am fiercely loyal to its creator, Dennis Heaton. He followed up that fantastic reverse procedural with Netflix’s The Order and is back on our streaming screens with The Imperfects, which dropped…
Kelly McCormack Talks Favorite Moments in A League of Their Own
[Warning: Mild spoilers for season 1.] Now that you’ve had a chance to watch A League of Their Own, here’s the rest of my chat with Kelly McCormack about her favorite moments of the season. Seeing the iconic Peaches uniforms for the first time wasn’t just a goosebump moment for…
John Griffin and Harold Perrineau Talk From on EPIX Season 1 Finale
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] How are we doing, #FROMily? In case you missed it this morning, the very good news is that that cliffhanger will be followed by a second season, which was gifted this morning ahead of the linear broadcast of the finale. I always legitimately appreciate when we…
Elizabeth Saunders Talks EPIX’s From
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] One of the things that makes EPIX’s From such a fun ride is the abundance of Canadian cast members. Elizabeth Saunders, who plays Donna, is a favorite from her turn on the third season of Mary Kills People [streaming on Global TV in Canada and Roku…
Corteon Moore Talks From “Broken Windows, Open Doors”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight’s episode of From had us all in our feels as we learned through flashbacks about the Sophie’s Choice Boyd had to make to save his son, and back in the present as Boyd said his piece with Ellis before heading into the woods with…
Pegah Ghafoori Talks From “All Good Things…”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode] Tonight on From, Fatima’s anniversary celebration turned into a Colony House of horrors when a misguided Kevin let his monster bae in and she promptly killed him and left the window open for her crew. While the party devolved into terror and sent everyone running,…
Shaun Majumder Talks From “Book 74”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight on EPIX’s From, Father Khatri made a bold move, kidnapping Sara instead of turning her in, and then recognizing her as a vessel for some big messages. That startling realization speaks to him on multiple levels–as a man of faith, a man trapped in…
Avery Konrad Talks About Sara’s Struggle in From “Silhouettes”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Over the course of the season so far on From, we’ve witnessed Sara’s battle against the voices telling her to to do terrible things, and tonight we saw her unravel further, threatening the Matthews and lashing out in a moment of terror with horrifying results….
Hannah Cheramy Talks From “Choosing Day”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight, on EPIX’s From, the Matthews participate in the show’s version of the sorting hat, choosing where to call home–the town or Colony House. At the end of the episode, Julie makes the decision to split from her family and instead settle in with Fatima…
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…
In some early societies, gold was seen as a symbol of purity and goodness since it didn’t change like other metals which tarnished or rusted. I imagine a gold arrow will be a first-rate evil monster and witch killer in this story.
And didn’t Robin Hood win a gold arrow in the archery contest in the original Robin Hood stories?