#4x10 shattered sight

[wicked-storybrooke]

[intothewickedwood]

Once Upon A Time Rewatch: 4x10 Shattered Sight

So I’m reading Once Upon A Time: Reawakened and I’m really, really enjoying it. I mean, the slight changes do get to me a bit but so long as I don’t see it as canon I really love it. It was hard to put down. I’m on the chapter ‘7:15 AM’ next, which is my favourite episode ever, so excited to see how they’ve adapted it. Spoilers: The book is solely from Emma and Mary Margaret’s/Snow’s point of view, so anything that happens outside of that is either recounted by Henry if it’s a tale from his book, or not mentioned. Some episodes are skipped completely, like ‘True North’ but some things are mentioned in the next chapter. 

Back to the rewatch

Everyone’s gone bananas.

You know what would have been cool; Snowing sword fight!

Like, I like this episode. It’s funny but I can’t help feeling a little disheartened that we didn’t get to see everyone’s darkest side. I would have enjoyed a darker take on the episode, like less of them shouting at each other and more fighting/evil plotting or something. More stuff like Anna’s reaction to the curse, where she was genuinely digging the knife in where it hurt and more of Belle’s reaction to the mirror maybe, like paranoia.

Like, I feel like they’re not their worst selves though. If, for example, Regina was her worst self, she would try to kill everyone in the town. 

Aww. Emma kissing her baby brother on the head. I would have loved to have seen their relationship when he grows up. 

Anna: “Do you trust Emma?” Elsa: “I do. She’s my friend” <3. Emma has to be, like, Elsa’s first friend. But we all know it’s more than that for her. 

Did Snow just say, “He’s a doctor. He knows which part is which.” I mean, does that mean what I think it does?

Lol. Kristoff just through paper at David. Much evil. Very violence.

Yeah, where is Belle?

Rumple: “Tomorrow night, when the stars in the sky, align with the stars in the hat…” What does that meeeean?!

Carrot sherbet ice cream??! No wonder she hid the stones in there. Nobody would ever ask for that!

The way Ingrid says: “Soon, you won’t wanna hurt me. Soon, you will love me.” It makes me so freaking sad!! She just wants to be loved!!

Ingrid’s plan is pretty airtight. Like, she’s made it so Emma and Elsa can’t hurt her, she’s got their memories. The only problem is, they’d never agree to be with her once all their family killed each other.

Ingrid seemed like such a great foster mum to Emma.

Doc! Leave Dopey alone!

Snow to David: “He’s a baby, not a breakfast burrito.” Okay, now I’m hungry.

Okay, Snow telling Anna that she killed the Evil Queen’s mommy is creepy as hell.

Oh yeah. I wonder if the ribbons stop Emma just jumping on Ingrid and attacking her with her bare hands.

Okay but Ingrid wanting to adopt Emma meant so freaking much to Emma. I’m gonna freaking cry!!!! They could have been happy!!!! 

And Emma saying she loved Ingrid meant so much to Ingrid! Omg my heart!!

Uggh! I am emotion!!

Wouldn’t that fireball have burnt Emma? Maybe not Elsa but ouch! I wonder if Elsa is immune to fire. But if those ribbons make all their powers each other’s then maybe Emma temporarily has fire immunity too.

Oh God. They just let out the Evil Queen.

Ow! Henry went full Home Alone on Hook.

Lol. Poor Will. 

That means Will does still have his heart in though. I wasn’t sure.

Ingrid’s playing hide and seek again.

Emma’s a Harry Potter fan! Same Emma, same. 

Had the Half Blood Prince (at least the book) come out yet? I think that’s the first time Harry apparates. No, it hadn’t! This is about 1996 or 1997, if Emma is 13 or 14 here, like she claimed to be when she saw the tape. The Half Blood Prince Book came out in 2005! The Philosopher’s Stone was published in 1997! So, Emma has to be at least 14 here. The only problem is Harry doesn’t apparate in that book. Although we’re not told that what it is is apparition, Dumbledore does seem to do it though. Maybe that’s what she meant?

Ingrid, no!!

Ingrid, Emma could have been hit by that car!!

Ingrid why?! Why did you have to do that?! Poor Emma! She thought she was gonna get adopted!

At least Snow and Charming haven’t turned against their baby. Even if he’s secretly plotting evil things. 

I wonder why Ingrid waited 4 years after Emma ran away to come to Storybrooke. But it checks out! Emma would be 18 in 2001 and 10 years later in 2011 she’s 28! It works! Remember when Ouat told us the exact years flashbacks took place?

Emma must have thought Ingrid was a stalker when she saw her in that Ice Cream shop. 

So, Emma came to Storybrooke October 22nd. She wanted to get Henry ice cream in the autumn/winter? Oh, it happens in November! Emma’s wearing a jacket that I think she wore in ‘1x04 The Price of Gold’. I wonder if this happens on the same day.

How does Ingrid know what Henry is telling Emma? I thought it was top secret.

Emma: “What’s that, your pet rock?”

Emma must wonder why she can’t even remember entering the shop.

Ingrid really is a patient woman. She waited 28 freaking years for a sister!

I love this scene. It makes me so nostalgic for season one!

Lmao! This fight between Snow and Regina is hilarious! 

Yay! David’s helping Snow! I like that subtle way of showing that their love is strong enough to transcend curses.

Snow just throws her through the glass looool! 

Snow: “I was tennnnnnn!”

Oh my God lol! Anna just knocked out Kristoff with a bottle!

Anna to Kristoff: “I love you. You’re amazing! You’re unconscious. I’ll be right back. Stay here. I mean, I know you’ll stay here but I’ll be right back anyway!” I love Anna? She’s so adorable!

Oh yeah. I forgot Gerda realised she was wrong to tell Elsa to conceal her powers! 

This letter and Ingrid’s emotional rollercoaster listening to it freaking breaks me!!

And then she just freaking strangles Anna!

Ingrid: “You’re not like me. You understand nothing!” Oh God. You can hear the pain in her voice. Poor Ingrid.

Oh my God. Tears are coming from my freaking eyes!! This scene always gets me. I can’t!!

Ingrid no!!!! Please don’t sacrifice yourself!! I can’t take it!!

I am emotion!!!!

My eyes!!

The spell is breaking!

Charming family hug!

Snowing kissing in the snow. God bless! I love them so much.

I miss Ingrid already! Such a great character!

What a great episode! I loved it! 

[hooksmoak]

Emma Swan in every episode | 4x10 Shattered Sight

[fallenandrogyne]

Swan Queen vs. Xena/Gabrielle: Xena & Regina’s dislike of seeing their love with certain other women ↳ Xena: Warrior Princess 4x08 & 6x08 | Once Upon A Time 4x03 & 4x10 28/∞

[timelordthirteen]

100 Days of Rumplestiltskin - Day 76

[my-beautiful-wickedness]

Shattered Sight (4x10)

Poor Unfortunate Souls (4x16)

The Price (5x02)

A Bitter Draught (6x02)

Changelings (6x09)

The Final Battle (6x21/6x22)

[cogentranting]

101 Great Captain Swan Scenes

“Have you ever been in love?” Emma and Hook climb the beanstalk (2x06)

“I don’t mean to upset you, Emma, but I think we make quite the team” Hook and Emma knock out the giant (2x06)

“I can’t take a chance I’m wrong about you” Emma leaves Hook on the beanstalk (2x06)

Emma and Hook fight beside the portal (2x09)

“If I had to pick dead guy of the year, I’d pick you” Emma visits Hook in the hospital (2x12) 

“You and I, we understand each other” Emma tries to convince Hook to stay (2x22)

 “Maybe I just needed reminding that I could” Hook returns to help (2x22)

Hook gives Emma Neal’s cutlass (3x01)

Emma and Hook share a coconut (3x03)

“Perhaps you’re the one who couldn’t handle it?” The first kiss (3x05)

“It was what the kiss revealed” Hook’s secret in Echo cave (3x06)

“When I win your heart...” (3x07)

Saving Hook from the Shadow (3x07)

“There’s not a day will go by I won’t think of you” “Good” Hook and Emma’s goodbye (3x11)

Hook shows up on Emma’s doorstep (3x11)

Hook crashes Emma’s date (3x12)

“Did you miss me?” Emma drinks the potion (3x12)

“You mean the monkey you were gonna marry?” (3x13)

“If it can be broken, it means it still works” (3x14)

Hook talks with Emma about Neal’s death and offers to help Henry (3x16)

Emma asks Hook to watch Henry and they flirt (3X17)

Emma uses magic to steal his hook (3x18)

“You can see a future here” Killian tries to convince Emma to stay (3x20)

“Killian, come back to me” Emma save’s Killian’s from drowning (3x20)

“Never thought I’d see one of those... a smile” Killian thanks Emma for saving him (3x20)

“One of these day’s I’ll stop chasing after that woman” Killian follows Emma through the portal (3x21)

“We both know I’m his type” Emma flirts with past Hook (3x21)

“Pick a partner who knows what he’s doing” Emma and Killian’s first dance (3x21)

“You’re depriving me of a dashing rescue” Killian finds Emma escaping the dungeon (3x22)

Killian comforts Emma after Snow’s “death” (3x22)

Emma and Hook in Gold’s vault (3x22)

“You traded your ship for me?” Killian and Emma get together (3x22)

“You want to go home and see what’s on Netflix?” Killian tries to get Emma to talk (4x01)

Emma and Killian cuddle after she escapes the ice cave (4x02)

“Everyone I’ve ever been with is dead” Emma opens up (4x03)

Emma asks Killian out (4x04)

Killian picks Emma up for their first date (4x04)

“I’d love to know more about your beginnings” Looking through Emma’s childhood things (4x05)

“Wounds that are made when we’re young tend to linger”  Emma and Killian talk about their childhoods(4x06)

“I just wanted to be a better man for you” Killian calls Emma to save her from Gold’s plan (4x08)

“I’m a fan of every part of you” Killian realizes Emma is safe (4x09)

“I’m not a tearful goodbye kiss kinda person” Killian and Emma say goodbye before the curse of shattered sight (4x10)

Killian breaks through Gold’s control to warn Emma (4x12)

Emma puts Killian’s heart back in his chest (4x12)

Opening daily routine montage (4x13)

“I’m gonna choose to see the best in you” (4x14)

“Don’t you know Emma? It’s you.” Killian reveals his happy ending (4x16)

“You have your parents, Henry--” “You.” What Emma has to live for (4x20)

“I like when people find their good hearts along the way” Killian and Emma talk on the shore (4x21) 

Emma teaches Deckhand Hook to fight (4x23)

Deckhand Hook dies in the alternate Storybook (4x23)

Killian’s alive when they return to the real world (4x23)

Emma tells Killian she loves him for the first time (4x23)

“This has to be her choice” Killian keeps Emma from killing Merida (5x01)

“Just because I’m the Dark One doesn’t mean we can’t still be together” Dark Swan shows Killian their house (5x02)

Camelot dance like ethereal king and queen of the fairies (5x02)

Kissing Hook to make the demons go away (5x02)

“Come on love, let’s sail away” Hook comforts Emma as she’s seeing Rumpelstiltskin (5x04)

Killian and Emma spy on Henry flirting with Violet (5x04)

Killian takes Emma on a horseback ride to a field of Middlemist flowers (5x04)

“Bring her home to me” Killian gives Emma Liam’s ring (5x07)

“You’re more than the Dark One” Dark Swan saves Killian from Arthur (5x08)

“All sins can be forgiven when someone loves you” Killian tells Emma about his rings (5x08)

Emma heals Killian’s wound after he save’s them from Arthur (5x08)

“The future’s nothing to be afraid of” Killian asks Emma to move in with him (5x08)

“That’s not enough for me” Emma save Killian by turning him into a Dark One (5x08)

“We can do this” Dark Hook and Dark Swan send each other’s demons away (5x10)

Dark Swan gives Excalibur to Dark Hook (5x10)

“That’s the man I want you to remember” *Sword through the heart and you’re to blame* Emma kills Killian (5x11)

“I will find you” Emma heads to the Underworld (5x11)

Emma tries to communicate with Killian at his gravestone (5x12)

“When you love someone, you know.” Killian sends Emma a message by saving Megara (5x13)

“I told you to let me go” Emma saves Hook from the river of lost souls (5x14)

“Knocked the handsome out of me” “No one’s that powerful” Emma heals Killian (5x15)

“Perhaps I do deserve saving after all” Killian agrees to come home (5x15)

“Love is worth it” Snow tells Emma saving Killian was worth the risk (5x17)

Emma tries to give Killian her heart (5x20)

“That’s true love” Emma and Killian pass the True Love test with True Love’s Tackle (5x20)

“We’ve already had more time than we were ever meant to” Killian and Emma’s elevator goodbye (5x20)

Emma reads the story of her and Hook, Hook uses the book to help her (5x21)

“I miss you” Emma’s goodbye at Killian’s grave (5x21)

Killian’s resurrection (5x21)

Lift kiss and the first peaceful “I love you” (5x23)

The couch scene (6x01)

Emma watches Killian play with Ashley’s daughter (6x03)

Hook and Henry sword fight with sticks (6x03)

“I have a closet full of red leather jackets I feel like I can make some space for black leather” Emma asks Killian to move in (6x03)

“I would have done the exact same thing” Killian confesses he kept the shears (6x06)

“Now remember who you are” Story time with Killian (6x07)

“I just really desperately need to kiss you” Killian distracts Emma (6x12)

“It’s just you and me” Proposal number 1 (6x13)

“I’m trying to get home to you” Seashell call (6x15)

“There’s one thing I want you to be certain of: that I will always, always be by your side” Proposal number 2 (6x17)

“I’m just... happy” The pancakes scene (6x18)

“After tomorrow, there’ll be no getting rid of me” Operation Best Man (6x19)

A Happy Beginning- The Wedding (6x20)

“We fought for our love and we won” Killian and David talk by the beanstalk (6x21)

The final shot in the bug (6x23)

Emma watches Hook teach Henry to fight (7x02)

Emma and Killian say goodbye to Henry (7x02)

The final shot of Emma and Killian and Hope (7x23)

[onceuponaseriesrewatch]

Join us this Sunday, July 7 at 9:00 pm for 4x11 Shattered Sight!

If you’d like to be added to the Hangout chat, just send us your email address.

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 4X10 - Shattered Sight

Today, Emma and Elsa attempt to break the latest curse to hit Storybrooke! But what will be the prICE of such an action?

...These puns are awful! And they must be a pain in the GLASS for you all to read! XD

Okay, there’s a review under the cut, so be COOL and check it out! (How did it take me ten episodes of this arc to come up with a “cool” pun?)

Main Takeaways

Past

It’s kind of hard to revisit this flashback. And that’s not because I don’t like it. I really do. The story points, actions, and framing hit every note they need to. Emma is completely sympathetic, we can see very clearly how things were going so well for Emma and Ingrid only to fall apart, and the pacing works so well as to make their relationship feel organic.

When I say it’s hard to revisit this episode, it’s because I realize I wanted to ask myself how much Ingrid loves Emma and how much of her actions are driven solely to get herself a sister. It didn’t occur to me until the cocoa scene with Emma and Ingrid that that was something I even needed to think about, but once I did, it became something I didn’t want to ignore either.

Because it is a question worth asking. In so many ways, Ingrid succeeds in making Emma feel loved, valued, and special. She sees what makes Emma tick and addresses those problems and Emma’s life improves as a result. So how much of that was Ingrid loving Emma for just being Emma and how much of it was loving the person that Emma would become.

Obviously, the latter plays into the narrative. There’s a line at the carnival where Ingrid says she wants to be like a big sister to Emma, which, in addition to being an awkward line, does remind the audience that for as much as Ingrid’s making Emma happy, that motivation of her being the third sister is never too far away from the front of her thoughts. And speaking in terms of the broader narrative, Things go wrong when Ingrid focuses too much on the sister Ingrid wants Emma to become and not on who she is and the fact that she’s still growing both as a person and her abilities.

That said, there’s also a scene in the present which segues into the past where Ingrid looks at her stolen memories and lovingly pulls out hers of the moment she announced her intentions to adopt Emma. And when Ingrid gets to know Emma and spends the time really communicating with her (Ex. Giving Emma pranking advice), there seems a genuine growth of love for the person Emma is beyond the magic. And in the end, when Ingrid dies, when she won’t use her as a sister, still calls Emma special in a loving way.

After rewatching the episode, I think it’s a bit more nuanced than 100% of the way one way or the other, but I do lean a little bit towards mostly loving her because she was a sister. It’s a bit more narratively concrete in how its portrayed by the text and it allows for Ingrid’s final revelation regarding Emma as she dies to feel more like her arc’s come full circle.

Present

This is probably the funniest episode of the series. The Shattered Sight curse is both shown to be a force of intimidation but something that’s given liberties to be funny as hell due to the little planning everyone was able to do before it hit. Everyone’s giving their heart and soul into making their performances something so off the walls and hammy that there doesn’t need to be a long-lasting effect of it while still touching upon points that one could reasonably expect them to make. And at the same time, the violence going on both in the police station and out in the streets is effective in painting this curse as something that does need to be stopped while still allowing for us to go along for the ride and enjoy it!

Okay, now let’s move on to the less than fun part of this review.

The actual defeat of the Shattered Sight curse...well, there’s no kind way to say it: It kind of sucks. So much gravitas is put on Emma being the one to defeat Ingrid and unlike other subversions of that setup such as the one found in the Zelena arc, it doesn’t work as well here. I get the nucleus of what they were trying to do -- Ingrid’s defeat is supposed to be the culmination of Ingrid’s character, not Emma’s and Ingrid’s problem was the way she refused to accept family that didn’t come equipped with magic and Anna being the one to set her straight sounds right on paper. There is a part of me that likes that decision in that respect and was built up well enough with the message in the bottle from the premiere. It solves Ingrid’s problem. The problem with that approach comes down to two things. First, Ingrid isn’t the character sticking around after this arc: Emma is. Second, it ignores all of the buildup of Emma accepting her magic and makes the resolution feel shallow. While yes, Emma accepted her magic two episodes ago, just the fact that Snow was pointing out how it would be used in defeating Ingrid showed that this arc wasn’t done just yet. And the fact that Emma isn’t the one to take Ingrid down stands out even more in the face of Emma being a large focus of the flashback and the further buildup of her being the Savior that’s been put into nearly every Emma-heavy episode this season thus far. So to not see her magic play a part in some way -- even if it just meant that Emma was the primary supplement to Anna reading the letter by protecting her from Ingrid’s blasts -- feels like a let down. It’s also not helped by the fact that the sequence is stretched out by Ingrid needing to almost knock Anna, Elsa, and Emma out to read the letter, stretching it out.

Stream of Consciousness

-Look at that fabulous mohawk! How much money does that dude need to pour into hair gel every day?!

-I love how the realms of story are so inherently hammy that Ingrid doesn’t even question Madame Faustina’s giant act until she fucks up! XD

-Why is no one attacking Ingrid? XD Like, I’d want to fuck up her shit!

-I gotta wonder how much being a Savior actually pays! XD

-”I don’t believe killing is the answer.” ...Neither does half of this fucking town.

-”If it comes down to her or the town, I’m gonna do what has to be done.” I like how Emma continues to follow the advice Regina gave in the last episode: As a ruler, one has to make difficult choices, ones you might not be okay sitting with, morally speaking, but need to make all the same.

-”This is what I get for being subtle!” That’s right! You get one of the most memorable OUAT performances EVER!

-Damn, I love how Rumple exposits his plan to Killian. I’ve said before how he’s a Magnificent Bastard, and this scene might be the best showing of that yet. Rumple’s going to twist circumstances to make himself the hero without even a shred of guilt and I love it. It’s so Saturday Morning Cartoon Villain-y! XD

-I also love how there’s more than one night where the stars in the sky match up with the stars in the hat.

-Is it bad that I really want to try Carrot Sherbert now? Like, Ingrid’s plan would’ve been exposed in seconds by the same people who try all of the Oreo flavors (Which is me)!

-I wonder, do you think the ribbons also make them immortal?

-I know that on some level, spooking Kevin should be a parenting no-no, but given how much of an asshole that kid is and that the spider was rubber, I am totally on board with this revenge!

-Ingrid looks so cute in her PJ’s!

-Did really no one want to beat up Killian outside of Will Scarlet? XD

-”Those things sound terrible, but they’re also romantic. Can’t you see that?” When did Anna become such an accurate voice of the fandom? XD

-”I killed the Evil Queen’s mommy and I said I’m sorry, but I didn’t mean it.” Is it bad that a large part of me is pretty happy about that considering how bad the handling of the aftermath of that murder was in Season 2 was? XD

-”Maybe without an equal, but not without an opposite equally as strong.” PHYSICS SAVES THE DAYYYYYY!!!!! XD

-”Emma, you’re a bit prickly, but you’re certainly not hatable.” Elsa, you are my girlfriend now! I don’t make the rules! <3

-I love how Emma knows Regina well enough that she knows EXACTLY how to make her hate her enough to destroy the ribbons.

-”This is a great lesson, Emma. If you push yourself and ignore the flickering lights and the distractions of this world, you can accomplish anything.” Okay, I know that this line is played semi-seriously, but how long do you think Ingrid herself was distracted by said flickering lights and distractions? Because Killian and Zelena have had their share of having to adapt to our modern world. I bet Ingrid did too and for far longer since she didn’t have friends to teach her! Like, just imagine Ingrid on a subway for the first time! XD

-Okay, baby Emma’s face as Ingrid tells her she’s gonna be adopted actually makes me cry. Like, this girl has been passed over so many times and finally, she thinks she’s going to get a real home with someone who she loves and loves her. And just knowing that that doesn’t work out makes me lose my shit with tears and feels!

-”The next part should be easy for me.” “What’s that?” “Be prickly.” I love this subtle bit of sass from Emma.

-I like how Emma has to take a pause and process “garden topiary!” XD

-”Dirty? I bathe quite frequently, thank you very much.” XD This line always gets me.

-I like how Kilian first tries to get through to Henry to open the door before forcing his way in with the potion. That was a nice and subtle way of showing respect for Henry’s judgment.

-Given how many schemes Henry’s put together, need I even ask his favorite movie after such a clear “Home Alone” stunt.

-I like how this scene between Killian and Will is basically a meta-narrative about how the season treats him as a whole. Will’s a funny distraction that takes up time, but is so avoidable and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

-Not gonna lie, I think Harry might actually be more powerful than even Emma at her most adept. Look, I love her, but Harry’s naturally talented and received the education necessary to understand his full potential as a magic-yielder where as Emma’s had a few lessons, but has otherwise mostly been going off of instincts and the odd book she and Belle find.

-Damn, baby Emma coming to the conclusion that Ingrid’s a psychopath is utterly heartbreaking :( .

-I LOVE how Regina pulls David into this for his whining!

-I also love how apparently, the Shattered Sight curse has no effect on anyone’s love for baby Neal! XD

-Dude! Regina has a sword with a black blade! That is the absolute coolest thing ever!

-Damn, Ingrid’s outfit as she enters Storybrooke is ALSO super cute and stylish! Fuck what I said earlier! This woman knows how to adapt!

-I LOVE the spinning camera effect as Ingrid wills herself into Storybrooke! Also, I like the story point that Ingrid, like she advised Emma to do, trusted her instincts as she looked for her third sister before pulling out the scroll, as this scene implies that this was the first time she used it.

-Ingrid, they don’t want to be your sisters! And you’re really more their aunts than anything. STOPPPPP! Girl, you’re looking desperate! XD

-...The most unrealistic thing this show has put in front of me is that Henry’s favorite ice cream flavor is cherry vanilla! What the hell, show?! XD

-”DO NOT WAKE MY BABY.” She might not, but you definitely will screaming like that! XD

-This fight scene between Snow and Regina is so hammy and I love it! Hell, even the music is along for the ride! Listen to how over-the-top it gets!

-”I WAS 10!!!!” BEST LINE!

-Ingrid’s death music is goosebump-inducingly beautiful!

-Okay, Dopey is so fucking adorable throughout this whole episode! He will not get mad at or attack anyone, chooses to stay by his brothers’ sides despite their danger, and when it’s all over, he adorably catches snowflakes! Best dwarf!

-”Well, perhaps you can say my heart wasn’t in it.” A Golden Hook scene with a PUN! Best scene!

-Good job to Killian! Listen, Rumple is just barely hearing him out and he knows it’s already a risk to ask for Emma’s safety, but he goes further and asks for everyone’s safety, risking Merlin knows what from Rumple!

-Rumple is looking to take over the world! He is officially a Saturday Morning Cartoon Villain and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t here for that! XD

Favorite Dynamic

Snow, David, and Regina. The greatest strength of this episode is how funny it is, and no dynamic is better proof of that than these three. Josh, Ginny, and especially Lana go above and beyond to deliver their hammiest performances. And not only that, the writing supplements that hamminess perfectly. Petty and ridiculous complaints are blown up to epic proportions and scathing cuts are made, but the outlandish and over the top way it’s all handled allows for the group laugh ending to make this perfect amount of sense. Additionally, we get to see a kickass sword fight, quips GALORE from all three parties, and we even see bits of the real Snow and David shine through when both their child and each other are threatened. This dynamic is just a spectacle to watch and it really made the episode an unforgettable classic!

Writer

Scott Nimerfro and Tze Chun are our writers for today’s episode. Scott has greatly improved from his debut episode and Tze’s is a solid debut himself. The exaggerated tone of this episode allows for a lower bar to entry for both writers and they absolutely nail it. Regarding that ending, I feel like they really paid attention to the first six episodes and then stopped before “The Snow Queen” got started! XD

Culture

What can I say about Ingrid?

Ingrid’s an interesting character for me. She’s the first villain since honestly Regina that’s set up as entirely Emma’s. It’s not that I haven’t liked less Emma centric villains -- if you’ve been reading these reviews, then you know I ADORE Pan and have gushed about Cora and Zelena in the past, but Ingrid’s relationship to Emma is a big point of mystery for her character and, while denied as the ultimate thing that defeats her, really gets explored throughout the half season. It fills in another tragic aspect of Emma’s past that is just as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking to watch. Additionally, she allows for the show to have an ice villain, capitalizing on the interesting threat that Elsa would’ve brought to the show if she was the villain (And that in itself creates an interesting mystery) as well as serve as a means to explore “The Snow Queen,” the original fairy tale of which Frozen is based off of. I also like her interactions with Rumple too. These two have a good dynamic that makes me think of two gods looming over the masses as if they were their playthings and the way they play chess with the lives of others and cooperate when it suits their needs is interesting.

I like the balance between making Ingrid sympathetic and disturbed. You get the sense that Ingrid really wants the connections she makes with Elsa, Emma, and even Anna in the “Family Business” flashback to be genuine. Not only that, but Ingrid very clearly loves her sisters. She wears her ribbon every day and only trades it away so she can physically join them in the outside world. But at the same time, Ingrid shows she is not above manipulating those she wants to be her sisters into doing the things she wants them to do, whether by threatening their lives or the lives of those they love, forcing the hands of those they love, or setting them up to be framed or put into a dangerous position and this is not framed as a positive thing at any point except arguably when it comes to Ingrid being a foster parent to Emma. And her comeuppance is likewise framed as something that she caused for herself because of the person who she let her powers turn her into. This is all very effective material that’s paints a complicated antagonist.

Finally, the scroll given to her is what allows people to enter Storybrooke and is alongside Anton’s beans as something that revolutionized how people traveled for the rest of the series. It opened the doors once more for people to get in and out, allowing for higher stakes in conflicts and more characters to be explored.

At the same time, she doesn’t rank as highly for me as the original usages of Pan, Zelena, or Cora. Ultimately, I feel like her biggest was in her backstory with her sisters. Ingrid’s entire motivation comes down to the fact that her sisters were unwilling to accept her, so instead, she searched for new ones. She goes on and on about how her original family rejected her and as a result, she does whatever it takes -- up to and including manipulation and murder -- to get new sisters. And we’re supposed to believe that yes, tragically, her sisters feared her. However, because the story was so dead set on Ingrid’s sisters being accepting of her and her magic until Helga’s death -- the tail end of the flashback and Gerda’s reaction to that comes off as a cliffdrop of fear more than anything -- it screws up because Ingrid’s sisters almost never feared her. Had they feared her from the very beginning and stayed with her out of fear more than love, this arc of Ingrid feeling rejected by them and wanting a new family would’ve made more sense. Instead, it makes it seem like Ingrid didn’t appreciate what she had until it was gone and Gerda was an idiot about it.

Overall, Ingrid’s a complicated presence in this series and I do like her a lot. While she’s not as cohesive in a lot of ways, especially compared to some of our past villains, there’s enough good and even great things about her to make her a character to appreciate and even love.

Rating

8/10. Apart from the less than stellar conclusion, this episode really does make all of it’s marks. It’s funny as all hell, allows for the cast to really branch out into off-the-wall over-the-top performances, and its past segment does hit the emotionally tragic core that it needs to.

-----

So while the Frozen Arc wasn’t all fun and games for me, I am going to miss it when it concludes next time. It’s unique and domestic and really funny at its best and introduced some great characters.

Thank you for reading as well as to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales and the awesome @daensarah! See you next time!!!

Season 4 Total (87/230)

Writer Scores:

Adam and Eddy: (16/60)

Jane Espenson: (20/40)

David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz: (30/50)

Andrew Chambliss: (14/50)

Dana Horgan: (6/30)

Kalinda Vazquez: (14/40)

Scott Nimerfro: (14/30)

Tze Chun (8/20)

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Once Upon a Series Rewatch: the Complete Schedule

With only three weeks to go before the rewatch we thought we’d give you the full rewatch schedule.  All times listed are Eastern Standard Time.  

August 26, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x1 Pilot; 9:00 pm: 1x2 The Thing You Love Most

September 9, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x3 Snow Falls; 9:00 pm: 1x4 The Price of Gold

September 16, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x5 That Still Small Voice; 9:00 pm: 1x6 The Shepherd

September 23, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x7 The Heart is a Lonely Hunter; 9:00 pm: 1x8 Desperate Souls

September 30, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x9 True North; 9:00 pm: 1x10 7:15 a.m.

October 7, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x11 Fruit of the Poisonous Tree; 9:00 pm: 1x12 Skin Deep

October 14, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x13 What Happened to Frederick; 9:00 pm: 1x14 Dreamy

October 21, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x15 Red-Handed; 9:00 pm: 1x16 Heart of Darkness

October 28, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x17 Hat Trick; 9:00 pm: 1x18 The Stable Boy

November 4, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x19 The Return; 9:00 pm: 1x20 The Stranger

November 11, 2018. 8:00 pm: 1x21 An Apple Red as Blood; 9:00 pm: 1x22 A Land Without Magic

November 18, 2018. 8:00 pm: 2x1 Broken; 9:00 pm: 2x2 We Are Both

December 2, 2018. 8:00 pm: 2x3 Lady of the Lake; 9:00 pm: 2x4 The Crocodile

December 9, 2018. 8:00 pm: 2x5 The Doctor; 9:00 pm: 2x6 Tallahassee

December 16, 2018. 8:00 pm: 2x7 Child of the Moon; 9:00 pm: 2x8 Into the Deep

December 23, 2018. 8:00 pm: 2x9 Queen of Hearts; 9:00 pm: 2x10 The Cricket Game

December 30, 2018. 8:00 pm: 2x11 The Outsider; 9:00 pm: 2x12 In the Name of the Brother

January 6, 2019. 8:00 pm: 2x13 Tiny; 9:00 pm: 2x14 Manhattan

January 13, 2019. 8:00 pm: 2x15 The Queen is Dead; 9:00 pm: 2x16 The Miller’s Daughter

January 20, 2019. 8:00 pm: 2x17 Welcome to Storybrooke; 9:00 pm: 2x18 Selfless, Brave and True

January 27, 2019. 8:00 pm: 2x19 Lacey; 9:00 pm: 2x20 The Evil Queen

February 10, 2019. 8:00 pm: 2x21 Second Star to the Right; 9:00 pm: 2x22 And Straight on ‘Til Morning

February 17, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x1 The Heart of the Truest Believer; 9:00 pm: 3x2 Lost Girl

February 24, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x3 Quite a Common Fairy; 9:00 pm: 3x4 Nasty Habits

March 3, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x5 Good Form; 9:00 pm: 3x6 Ariel

March 10, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x7 Dark Hollow; 9:00 pm: 3x8 Think Lovely Thoughts

March 17, 2019. 8:00 pm Save Henry: 3x9; 9:00 pm: 3x10 The New Neverland

March 24, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x11 Going Home; 9:00 pm: 3x12 New York City Serenade

March 31, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x13 Witch Hunt; 9:00 pm: 3x14 The Tower

April 7, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x15 Quiet Minds; 9:00 pm 3x16 It’s Not Easy Being Green

April 14, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x17 The Jolly Roger; 9:00 pm 3x18 Bleeding Through

April 28, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x19 A Curious Thing; 9:00 pm 3x20 Kansas

May 5, 2019. 8:00 pm: 3x21 Snow Drifts; 9:00 pm 3x22 There’s No Place Like Home

May 19, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x1 A Tale of Two Sisters; 9:00 pm: 4x2 White Out

June 2, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x3 Rocky Road; 9:00 pm: 4x4 The Apprentice

June 9, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x5 Breaking Glass; 9:00 pm: 4x6 Family Business

June 23, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x7 The Snow Queen

June 30, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x8 Smash the Mirror, pt. 1; 9:00 pm: 4x9 Smash the Mirror, pt. 2

July 7, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x10 Fall; 9:00 pm: 4x11 Shattered Sight

July 14, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x12 Heroes and Villains; 9:00 pm: 4x13 Darkness on the Edge of Town

July 21, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x14 Unforgiven; 9:00 pm: 4x15 Enter the Dragon

July 28, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x16 Poor Unfortunate Soul; 9:00 pm: 4x17 Best Laid Plans

August 4, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x18 Heart of Gold; 9:00 pm: 4x19 Sympathy for the De Vil

August 11, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x20 Lily; 9:00 pm: 4x21 Mother

August 18, 2019. 8:00 pm: 4x22 Operation Mongoose, pt. 1; 9:00 pm: 4x23 Operation Mongoose, pt. 2

August 25, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x1 The Dark Swan; 9:00 pm: 5x2 The Price

September 8, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x3 Siege Perilous; 9:00 pm: 5x4 The Broken Kingdom

September 15, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x5 Dreamcatcher; 9:00 pm: 5x6 The Bear and the Bow

September 22, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x7 Nimue; 9:00 pm: 5x8 Birth

September 29, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x9 The Bear King; 9:00 pm: 5x10 Broken Heart

October 6, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x11 Swan Song; 9:00 pm: 5x12 Souls of the Departed

October 13, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x13 Labor of Love; 9:00 pm: 5x14 Devil’s Due

October 20, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x15 The Brothers Jones; 9:00 pm: 5x16 Our Decay

October 27, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x17 Her Handsome Hero; 9:00 pm: 5x18 Ruby Slippers

November 3, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x19 Sisters; 9:00 pm: 5x20 Firebird

November 10, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x21 Last Rites

November 17, 2019. 8:00 pm: 5x22 Only You; 5x23: An Untold Story

November 24, 2019. 8:00 pm: 6x1 The Savior; 9:00 pm: 6x2 A Bitter Draught

December 8, 2019. 8:00 pm: 6x3 The Other Shoe; 9:00 pm: 6x4 Strange Case

December 15, 2019. 8:00 pm: 6x5 Street Rats; 9:00 pm: 6x6 Dark Waters

December 22, 2019. 8:00 pm: 6x7 Heartless; 9:00 pm: 6x8 I’ll Be Your Mirror

December 29, 2019. 8:00 pm: 6x9 Changelings; 9:00 pm: 6x10 Wish You Were Here

January 5, 2020. 8:00 pm: 6x11 Tougher Than the Rest; 9:00 pm: 6x12 Murder Most Foul

January 12, 2020. 8:00 pm: 6x13 Ill-Boding Patterns; 9:00 pm: 6x14 Page 23

January 19, 2020. 8:00 pm: 6x15 A Wondrous Place; 9:00 pm: 6x16 Mother’s Little Helper

January 26, 2020. 8:00 pm: 6x17 Awake; 9:00 pm: 6x18 Where Bluebirds Fly

February 9, 2020. 8:00 pm: 6x19 The Black Fairy; 9:00 pm: 6x20 The Song in Your Heart

February 16, 2020. 8:00 pm: 6x21 The Final Battle, pt. 1; 9:00 pm: 6x22 The Final Battle, pt. 2

February 23, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x1 Hyperion Heights; 9:00 pm: 7x2 A Pirate’s Life

March 1, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x3 The Garden of Forking Paths; 9:00 pm: 7x4 Beauty

March 8, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x5 Greenbacks; 9:00 pm: 7x6 Wake Up Call

March 15, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x7 Eloise Gardener; 9:00 pm: 7x8 Pretty in Blue

March 22, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x9 One Little Tear; 9:00 pm: 7x10 The Eighth Witch

March 29, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x11 Secret Garden; 9:00 pm: 7x12 A Taste of the Heights

April 5, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x13 Knightfall; 9:00 pm: 7x14 The Girl in the Tower

April 19, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x15 Sisterhood; 9:00 pm: 7x16 Breadcrumbs

April 26, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x17 Chosen; 9:00 pm: 7x18 The Guardian

May 3, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x19 Flower Child; 9:00 pm: 7x20 Is This Henry Mills?

May 17, 2020. 8:00 pm: 7x21 Homecoming; 9:00 pm: 7x22 Leaving Storybrooke

[wicked-storybrooke]

[intothewickedwood]

Once Upon A Time Rewatch: Links to My Recaps

So, I finished 3 year long rewatch of ouat & ouatiw a few weeks ago and I thought I’d post links to my live reaction posts of each episode. If anyone’s interested in anything specific you can find it here. It’s also just to have them all in one place. I would love to see your comments about the episodes or in regards to any questions I raised, or anything really if you would like to add anything! I’d love to talk Ouat with you!

All Episodes Tag

Chronological Order | Last To First Order

Season One

1x01 Pilot | 1x02 The Thing You Love Most | 1x03 Snow Falls | 1x04 The Price of Gold | 1x05 That Still Small Voice | 1x06 The Shepherd | 1x07 The Heart is a Lonely Hunter | 1x08 Desperate Souls | 1x09 True North | 1x10 7:15 A.M. | 1x11 Fruit of the Poisonous Tree | 1x12 Skin Deep | 1x13 What Happened to Frederick | 1x14 Dreamy | 1x15 Red-Handed | 1x16 Heart of Darkness | 1x17 Hat Trick | 1x18 The Stable Boy | 1x19 The Return | 1x20 The Stranger | 1x21 An Apple Red as Blood | 1x22 A Land Without Magic

Season Two

2x01 Broken | 2x02 We Are Both | 2x03 Lady of the Lake | 2x04 The Crocodile | 2x05 The Doctor | 2x06 Tallahassee | 2x07 Child of the Moon | 2x08 Into the Deep | 2x09 Queen of Hearts | 2x10 The Cricket Game | 2x11 The Outsider | 2x12 In the Name of the Brother | 2x13 Tiny | 2x14 Manhattan | 2x15 The Queen is Dead | 2x16 The Miller's Daughter | 2x17 Welcome to Storybrooke | 2x18 Selfless, Brave and True | 2x19 Lacey | 2x20 The Evil Queen | 2x21 Second Star to the Right | 2x22 And Straight on 'til Morning

Season Three

3x01 The Heart of the Truest Believer | 3x02 Lost Girl | 3x03 Quite a Common Fairy | 3x04 Nasty Habits | 3x05 Good Form | 3x06 Ariel | 3x07 Dark Hollow | 3x08 Think Lovely Thoughts | 3x09 Save Henry | 3x10 The New Neverland | 3x11 Going Home | 3x12 New York City Serenade | 3x13 Witch Hunt | 3x14 The Tower | 3x15 Quiet Minds | 3x16 It's Not Easy Being Green | 3x17 The Jolly Roger | 3x18 Bleeding Through | 3x19 A Curious Thing | 3x20 Kansas | 3x21 Snow Drifts | 3x22 There's No Place Like Home

Season Four

4x01 A Tale of Two Sisters | 4x02 White Out | 4x03 Rocky Road | 4x04 The Apprentice | 4x05 Breaking Glass | 4x06 Family Business | 4x07 The Snow Queen | 4x08 Smash the Mirror, Part 1 | 4x08 Smash the Mirror, Part 2 | 4x09 Fall | 4x10 Shattered Sight | 4x11 Heroes and Villains | 4x12 Darkness on the Edge of Town | 4x13 Unforgiven | 4x14 Enter the Dragon | 4x15 Poor Unfortunate Soul | 4x16 Best Laid Plans | 4x17 Heart of Gold | 4x18 Sympathy for the De Vil | 4x19 Lily | 4x20 Mother | 4x21 Operation Mongoose, Part 1 | 4x22 Operation Mongoose, Part 2

Season Five

5x01 The Dark Swan | 5x02 The Price | 5x03 Siege Perilous | 5x04 The Broken Kingdom | 5x05 Dreamcatcher | 5x06 The Bear and the Bow | 5x07 Nimue | 5x08 Birth | 5x09 The Bear King | 5x10 Broken Heart | 5x11 Swan Song | 5x12 Souls of the Departed | 5x13 Labor of Love | 5x14 Devil's Due | 5x15 The Brothers Jones | 5x16 Our Decay | 5x17 Her Handsome Hero | 5x18 Ruby Slippers | 5x19 Sisters | 5x20 Firebird | 5x21 Last Rites | 5x22 Only You | 5x23  An Untold Story

Season Six

6x01 The Savior | 6x02 Bitter Draught | 6x03 The Other Shoe | 6x04 Strange Case | 6x05 Street Rats | 6x06 Dark Waters | 6x07 Heartless | 6x08 I'll Be Your Mirror | 6x09 Changelings | 6x10 Wish You Were Here | 6x11 Tougher Than the Rest | 6x12 Murder Most Foul | 6x13 Ill-Boding Patterns | 6x14 Page 23 | 6x15 A Wondrous Place | 6x16 Mother's Little Helper | 6x17 Awake | 6x18 Where Bluebirds Fly | 6x19 The Black Fairy | 6x20 The Song in Your Heart | 6x21 The Final Battle, Part 1 | 6x22 The Final Battle, Part 2

Season Seven

7x01 Hyperion Heights | 7x02 A Pirate's Life | 7x03 The Garden of Forking Paths | 7x04 Beauty | 7x05 Greenbacks | 7x06 Wake Up Call | 7x07 Eloise Gardener | 7x08 Pretty in Blue | 7x09 One Little Tear | 7x10 The Eighth Witch | 7x11 Secret Garden | 7x12 Taste of the Heights | 7x13 Knightfall | 7x14 The Girl in the Tower | 7x15 Sisterhood | 7x16 Breadcrumbs | 7x17 Chosen | 7x18 The Guardian | 7x19 Flower Child | 7x20 Is This Henry Mills? | 7x21 Homecoming | 7x22 Leaving Storybrooke

Once Upon A Time In Wonderland

1x01 Down the Rabbit Hole | 1x02 Trust Me | 1x03 Forget Me Not | 1x04 The Serpent | 1x05 Heart of Stone | 1x06 Who's Alice | 1x07 Bad Blood | 1x08 Home | 1x09 Nothing to Fear | 1x10 Dirty Little Secrets | 1x11 Heart of the Matter | 1x12 To Catch a Thief | 1x13 And They Lived…

[themattress]

My Top 50 OUAT Episodes

And now, as a final goodbye to OUAT, I give you this list of my personal picks for the 50 best episodes in the series, listed in order of airing. Two-hour broadcasts are counted as one here.

1. Pilot - 1x01. One of the best TV pilots of recent years due to how quickly it grabs you and emotionally invests you in its magical atmosphere and the plight of its central characters. 

2. The Thing You Love Most - 1x02. Best watched immediately after the pilot, as it deals with the same story but from the dark and twisted perspective of its villain, the Evil Queen.

3. Snow Falls - 1x03. Snow and Charming are, well, charming in their first adventure together and the start of their romance, as is sweet Mary Margaret in the present day.

4. That Still Small Voice - 1x05. Jiminy Cricket of all characters gets a surprisingly dark and emotional backstory that resonates with him in the extremely intense present-day scenario.

5. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - 1x07. Jamie Dornan gives an incredible performance as the tormented Sheriff Graham / Huntsman, all the way to the episode’s tragic conclusion.

6. Desperate Souls - 1x08. We get our first true insight into the backstory of the enigmatic Rumpelstiltskin, and Emma becomes sheriff, making this a truly pivotal episode for the show.

7. Skin Deep - 1x12. A truly subversive, twisted take on the Beauty and the Beast story, with some unexpected layers added to Rumple’s character and Robert Carlyle’s performance. 

8. Red-Handed - 1x15. Little Red Riding Hood IS the Big Bad Wolf. That is awesome.

9. Hat Trick - 1x17. One of the most terrifying, surreal episodes in the entire series, with the great Sebastian Stan knocking it out of the park as the deranged Mad Hatter, Jefferson.

10. The Return - 1x19. We learn why the curse was cast in a devastatingly emotional story that adds more to the characters of Rumple and August as the season enters its final stretch.

11. The Stranger - 1x20. August’s true identity is one of the best reveals in the whole series.

12. An Apple Red As Blood - 1x21. Part 1 of the season finale, as Regina in both the past and present gears up to finish off her nemesis, with the episode ending on a huge shocker.

13. A Land Without Magic - 1x22. Part 2 of the season finale, the best finale the show ever had, and quite possibly my all-time favorite episode. Almost everything about this episode is perfect and gives you the feeling of a story coming to its end as the threads come together.

14. Broken - 2x01. A solid season opener that sets the show on an exciting new course.

15. Lady of the Lake - 2x03. Things really pick up as Team Princess is formed, Cora is established as the new Big Bad, and we get some beautiful moments between Snow and Emma that make it all the more shameful that the show utterly ruins this dynamic later on.

16. The Doctor - 2x05. Dr. Whale is Victor Frankenstein. Did NOT see that coming!

17. Tallahassee - 2x06. The first adventure that “Captain Swan” (Emma and Hook) partake in together, while at the same time we finally learn about Emma’s sad past with her ex-lover.

18. Queen of Hearts - 2x09. A thrilling conclusion to the first arc of Season 2, where we finally learn Cora’s motivations and get an epic fight between the heroes and the villains.

19. Manhattan - 2x14. This episode is a real turning point, with Emma’s ex-lover being revealed as Rumple’s long-lost son, along with several new insights into Rumple’s past. 

20. The Queen Is Dead - 2x15. One of the show’s most emotional episodes, in no small part thanks to Bailee Madison’s truly amazing performance as young Snow in the flashback.

21. The Miller's Daughter - 2x16. We learn about Cora’s fascinating backstory and the true nature of her relationship with Rumple. But then she dies, and the season totally falls apart.

22. Second Star To The Right - 2x21. Finally it feels like shit is getting done, and the concept of a terrifying re-imagining of Peter Pan in the flashback is immediately captivating.

23. And Straight On 'Til Morning - 2x22. The mess Season 2 became gets cleaned up in this gripping finale, with a brilliant new story set-up laid out to be followed in Season 3.

24. The Heart Of The Truest Believer - 3x01. OUAT is truly back at the top of its game here, juggling four different plot threads perfectly and introducing its greatest villain, Peter Pan.

25. Lost Girl - 3x02. The flashback here is meh, but the present day stuff is nigh-perfect.

26. Quite a Common Fairy - 3x03. For the first time, Regina’s potential redemption feels good and genuine, and Rose McIver’s re-imagining of Tinker Bell is a delight from the start.

27. Good Form - 3x05. Hook’s backstory is amazing, and Captain Swan truly begins here.

28. Ariel - 3x06. JoAnna Garcia Swisher makes a truly perfect live-action rendition of Ariel, and the interactions between all the characters in Neverland take a truly engaging turn.

29. Dark Hollow - 3x07. Belle and Ariel, on a mission from Rumpelstiltskin, team up to fight John and Michael Darling who serve the villainous Peter Pan. Only on this show, people!

30. Think Lovely Thoughts - 3x08. The “Nevengers” truly show how far they’ve come working as a group here, and we get one of the show’s most shocking and twisted reveals.

31. Going Home - 3x11. The perfect series finale that isn’t a series finale, with the action increasingly slowing down so that you can fully appreciate the emotions. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if the show had ended right here, I’d have been completely satisfied. 

32. Witch Hunt - 3x13. Just plain fun and funny, with great dialogue and great character interactions that really get you re-adjusted to these characters and to life in Storybrooke.

33. The Jolly Roger - 3x17. Quite possibly the quintessential Hook episode, showing just what kind of a person he was and how he desperately wants to be a better man now.

34. Snow Drifts / There's No Place Like Home - 3x21 / 22. After the incredible letdown that was the climax of the Wicked arc, we get this two-part finale that really embodies the magic OUAT had and never quite will again, with Emma’s character arc coming to a fitting end.

35. The Apprentice - 4x04. “The Dark One lies. The Dark One tricks”. This episode does a perfect job at re-establishing Rumple as a true villain and a schemer to be reckoned with.

36. The Snow Queen - 4x07. Quite possibly the most heartbreaking villain backstory the show has ever had, plus riveting scenes between Elizabeth Mitchell and Jennifer Morrison.

37. Smash the Mirror - 4x08. It’s overlong and the Regina and Robin subplot is complete bullshit, but everything else in both the past and present is golden. The 4A arc peaked here.

38. Shattered Sight - 4x10. The boffo comedy in this episode is cringe-inducing, but all of the serious, emotional stuff centered around the Snow Queen and her family gets me every time.

39. Poor Unfortunate Soul - 4x15. Ursula’s backstory is kind of iffy, but the effect it has on Hook and his development here is really good, as are the villains and August’s return.

40. Sympathy for the De Vil - 4x18. “Evil isn’t born, it’s made”...except in this case, where it is 100% born and takes us on a twisted tale that could pass for a good Twilight Zone episode.

41. The Broken Kingdom - 5x04. The twist of the glorious kingdom of Camelot being a kingdom literally built on sand, and its monarch a disturbed megalomaniac, is a great one. Plus, Snow and Charming actually get do something heroic after a long period of inactivity! 

42. Nimue - 5x07. The actors portraying Merlin and Nimue really sell the doomed epic romance between the two, as we get the most far-back flashback in the show’s entire run.

43. Labor of Love - 5x13. This episode can be summed up as “The Nevengers are back.” That alone counters the disappointment of how blandly Hercules and Megara are portrayed.

44. The Brothers Jones - 5x15. A touching tale of brotherhood, good intentions gone wrong, self-loathing and forgiveness, plus giving Hook closure with his big brother. I just love it.

45. Firebird - 5x20. The flashback is utter tripe, but the escalation in the present-day story, the performances, and Captain Swan’s True Love test makes this episode well worth it.

46. Last Rites - 5x21. Aside from that moment with Robin, this episode is awesome, especially the Underworld scenes with the duo I never knew I wanted: Hook and Arthur.

47. The Other Shoe - 6x03. This episode embodies what the show SHOULD have become: a more light-hearted series with adventures-of-the-day starring Emma, Hook and Henry. 

48. A Wondrous Place - 6x15. Hook sails on Captain Nemo’s sub, the Nautilus, alongside Aladdin and Jasmine, meeting up with Ariel and facing down Jafar. Only on this show, people!

49. The Song in Your Heart - 6x20. Because really, who doesn’t love a Musical Episode? This one centering around Emma and her marriage to Hook makes it all the more special.

50. The Final Battle - 6x21 / 22. It’s got a LOT of problems, but the ending it reaches is truly one that fits the show, and we would have been better off if ABC hadn’t renewed it afterward.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

The Price of Gold - 1x04. Rumpelstiltskin’s first showcase episode, and he’s terrifying in it.

Dreamy - 1x14. Screw the haters, I really liked this episode! It was hilarious and sweet.

The Crocodile - 2x04. Our introduction to Killian Jones / Captain Hook. It’s a good one, and I’d have liked it better had Rumple’s role in both the past and present not been so disturbing.

Save Henry - 3x09. A tad anti-climactic and the Regina focus was misaimed, but still good.

New York City Serenade - 3x12. A damn fine start to a new beginning for the show.

Rocky Road - 4x03. Elsa and the Snow Queen are both fantastic characters, both shown well here. It’s held back by the introduction of Will Scarlet, who ended up being a waste.

Darkness on the Edge of Town - 4x12. This episode gives us the visual of villains on a road trip stopping at a drive-thru. You just gotta love that! Also, the Chernabog was awesome.

Operation Mongoose - 4x21 / 22. Despite Isaac’s (and by extension, A&E’s) terrible writing, the weird situations and performances from the actors makes this an entertaining finale.

Siege Perilous - 5x03. A good old-fashioned Camelot adventure is just what I wanted. 

The Bear King - 5x09. Again, screw the haters. The show needed more episodes like this, a standalone where the plot takes a pause and the side characters are allowed to develop.

Broken Heart - 5x10. The present-day plot is absolute crap, but the flashback in Camelot is really well executed, and Colin O’Donoghue is clearly having a blast playing Dark Hook.

Souls of the Departed - 5x12. Not ideal for the 100th episode, but a good start to the Underworld arc, with a lot of familiar faces returning and a great new villain introduced. 

Devil's Due - 5x14. Despite her fate in this episode, it’s great to see the writers presenting Milah more sympathetically than she was before, and Hades continues to be a delight.

Our Decay - 5x16. The first episode where Zelena feels truly human instead of the cartoonish psychopath she was before, with her and Hades’ romance being legit touching.

Sisters - 5x19. While I don’t much care for the subplot with Prince James, the main plot featuring the reconciliation between Cora, Regina and Zelena is great and beautifully acted.

Strange Case - 6x04. Oh, Mr. Hyde, you left us way too soon. The episode is sadly weighed down by Rumple’s textbook abuse toward Belle, which we now know is never truly punished. 

Dark Waters - 6x06. A good bonding episode between Hook and Henry, plus a great new character from the Land of Untold Stories who is actually faithful to his source material!

Heartless - 6x07. For once, Lana Parilla actually gives us an old-school Evil Queen performance, where she’s scary and truly malevolent rather than campy and over-the-top.

Mother's Little Helper - 6x16. I really like the Dark Realm, and wish that more was done with it. The reunion between long-time rivals Hook and Blackbeard is also a lot of fun.

The Black Fairy - 6x19. The retcon that Rumple was born a Savior is ridiculous, but the titular Black Fairy’s backstory actually makes her an interesting character for the first time.

A Pirate's Life - 7x02. It was nice to see Emma again, and even better to see that the Hook in this arc is actually Wish!Hook rather than the original, who is still living happily with Emma.

The Girl in the Tower - 7x14. Robin and Alice are beyond precious as a couple in both the past and the present, finally washing away the bad taste left behind by “Ruby Slippers”.

The Guardian - 7x18. It may have been late in coming, but Rumple / Weaver actually becomes interesting here as we get to explore his relationship with his newfound friends.

Homecoming - 7x21. It’s good to see several old characters again, and even better to see all the loose threads from that abominable Season 6 Wish Realm two-parter finally addressed. 

Leaving Storybrooke - 7x22. Except for Rumple’s end, most of what happens following Snow and Charming’s appearance is utter shit. But.....at least the show is finally over!

[killian-whump]

That will gif of him dropping to the floor... I can't for the life of me remember what episode is from, or the context of why he dramatically flopped to the floor... I'm just assuming Killian bopped him.

Yeah. It’s from 4x10 (the numbering of that season is weird, so it’s the one when the Curse of Shattered Sight gets unleashed). After Killian takes a spill on Henry’s marbles and the lad runs off, Killian goes to chase him and gets stopped by Will, who intends to beat him up as payback for the shiner Killian gave him in 4x04 (the CS date episode). Will takes a swing, and Killian just sort of side steps it and steers him into the wall, where Will’s own momentum knocks him right out :)

[ouat-music]

Shattered Sight (4x10)

[onceuponxnicon]

Ingrid in “Shattered Sight”

30 icons of Elizabeth Mitchell as Ingrid in OUAT 4x10 Screencap Credit: Genrecaps Day 5/7 of 7 Days of Villains Like/Reblog if using Ex