by Julia Lawson
Well here we are again, letting out a big post-ONCE exhale. The mid-season premiere gave us a refreshing twist – there was no actual curse ruining everyone’s lives signaling a reset of the board. However there was smoke, a new band of villains and a whole load of intrigue, leaving us with even more questions than in December!
Well here we are again, letting out a big post-ONCE exhale. The mid-season premiere gave us a refreshing twist – there was no actual curse ruining everyone’s lives signaling a reset of the board. However there was smoke, a new band of villains and a whole load of intrigue, leaving us with even more questions than in December!
The highlight of this episode had to be seeing Cruella de Ville, Ursula and Rumplestiltskin taking the iconic Cruella mobile into a fast-food drive through; the cherry of top was Rumple’s disapproval, despite he himself, The Dark One, going through a cupboard-full of microwave ramen. Compared to their traditional lavish lifestyles, the villainous gang really have been experiencing the low times.
And while on the subject of villains, Cruella has been given powers – the ability to persuade animals to do whatever she wants. This week we saw her work with beetles and attack dogs… what will we see next? Ahem Pongo, are you listening?
As for the rest of the fairytale folk, the focus was on freeing the fairies from the magician’s hat. Thanks to a professor of linguistics at Oxford the required incantation was translated and performed by Regina in a series of Dark One dagger waving exercises. We then found out that the Blue Fairy/Mother Superior knew all about the Sorceror and the Author of the storybook, who by the way are definitely not the same person. She also said that the Author hid clues about his identity and location in his works, setting Henry off analysing the Storybook with a fine-toothed comb and magnifying glass. When does he get any school work done?
And while on the subject of villains, Cruella has been given powers – the ability to persuade animals to do whatever she wants. This week we saw her work with beetles and attack dogs… what will we see next? Ahem Pongo, are you listening?
As for the rest of the fairytale folk, the focus was on freeing the fairies from the magician’s hat. Thanks to a professor of linguistics at Oxford the required incantation was translated and performed by Regina in a series of Dark One dagger waving exercises. We then found out that the Blue Fairy/Mother Superior knew all about the Sorceror and the Author of the storybook, who by the way are definitely not the same person. She also said that the Author hid clues about his identity and location in his works, setting Henry off analysing the Storybook with a fine-toothed comb and magnifying glass. When does he get any school work done?
And finally, as soon Fantasia related themes came into play, i.e. the Hat, the brooms, the Sorceror’s Apprentice etc, there was always the possibility that they may introduce the beast from Night on Bald Mountain… cue childhood memories and panic… and today that became a reality. The Chernebog, who consumes hearts with the potential for darkness, had been trapped in the hat along with the fairies and thanks to Rumplestiltskin’s linguistic advice trick escaped into Storybrooke in a billow of black smoke. This led to parallel events as, in the past Maleficent, Cruella and Ursula worked together to escape from the beast, while Emma and Regina attempted to blow it up in the present, subsequently tricking it into destroying itself on the cursed Town line.
This week threw up some interesting new themes for the season. Not only ‘redemption for villains’ and happy endings but how these ‘evil’ people, given the right circumstances, can work together. They may not be at the point of holding hands in a circle and singing Kumbaya, but it’s a start. A key question following this episode is ‘what makes a villain and what makes a hero?’ – hopefully soon ONCE will tell us.
This week threw up some interesting new themes for the season. Not only ‘redemption for villains’ and happy endings but how these ‘evil’ people, given the right circumstances, can work together. They may not be at the point of holding hands in a circle and singing Kumbaya, but it’s a start. A key question following this episode is ‘what makes a villain and what makes a hero?’ – hopefully soon ONCE will tell us.
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