Here we are again with the life and times of Storybrooke. To recover from the show’s brief hiatus, I went off gallivanting with the fairytale folk in an attempt to fix the sorry life-and-death situation. Due to the abundance of mulled wine and Christmas Market cupcakes we didn’t finalise any plans…
Every little helps but it’s a good thing there’s a family of fairytale legends to save us…
‘You shall see you will come to me…’
To get a son called Henry?
Rumplestiltskin is very good at taunt-filled rhyming… And then of course he always knows where he wants to be, as in the curse to transport him to the real world to find Baelfire… slightly unnerving isn’t it?
‘Don’t be like that I’M THE QUEE…. the mayor of Storybrooke…’
I’m sure that it can be difficult having two life stories to cope with on a daily basis. But apparently it’s better to introduce another life into the mix.
‘I need a child, Gold, and I need your help.’ OOH ERR… Pipe down you at the back!
The actual adopting process was very easy; they practically threw her the baby and sent her back to Storybrooke! It turns out the baby would rather be sick and cry over her than bond. And she also finds out, thanks to Sidney (aka the magic mirror, Giancarlo Esposito) that his mother was found in the forest outside of Storybrooke exactly 18 years ago on the day the town arrived in the real world.
That’s why Gold chose Henry. Because it would draw Emma back to Storybrooke to break the curse.
Sneaky Sneaky Sneaky…
But despite this, and the fact that she was going to give him back to the adoption agency, he’s the only one in all the realms who actually believes in her. Lucky really, because John (Matt Kane) and Michael Darling (Benjamin Cook) were the next in line to ‘adopt’ him. And subsequently send him to Pan….
With all this background, the scenes in Neverland are emotional. I’m not condoning violence in any shape or form (seriously I give flies more than 100 chances to leave me alone before I begin the hunt for projectile weapons) but something really needed to be done!
‘He’s in his Thinking Tree.’
I wish I had a thinking tree….
Anyway, the Lost Boys, Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) and Neal (Michael Raymond-James) make their way back to the Jolly Roger, where they are going to use Pan’s shadow to fly themselves home. Yes? Yes.
Emma and Regina are going after Henry’s heart. With Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), who despite deciding to stay on the island with Charming (Josh Dallas) for the rest of time, is going on one last quest with her daughter.
Pan (Robbie Kay) catches them in vines powered by your regrets… Emma and Snow are snuck fast… but Regina… Sure she killed a lot of people. Yes she destroyed the lives of a whole land and town with the curse. BUT IT GOT HER HER SON! And before we know it she has Henry’s heart in hand and Rumple’s box. Wasn’t too hard…
WHY IN GOD’S NAME WOULD YOU EVER LEAVE HIM ON HIS OWN AGAIN?! SERIOUSLY!
Because obviously Pan turns up!
Very luckily, as this happens, they release Rumple from Pandora’s Box. And he and Neal have a happy reunion; now the whole ‘my Dad’s Peter Pan’ news is out of the way. Rumplestiltskin is different to his father, because even if it was in a twisting turning way he did come back for his son.
And he then managed to catch Pan in the act of ripping away Henry’s shadow and trap him in the box. But some strange ‘eye flashing’ takes place. Are Henry and Pan bonded for life now? Is Henry trapped in the box while Pan is inside Henry? Is Pan Henry’s shadow now?
A hero, a villain, a pirate – all united to Save Henry.
Wendy (Freya Tingley) and Tink (Rose McIver) are free, and there is some pixie dust in the mix too – could she get her wings back?
Henry and Neal are reunited.
Regina and Tink are friends again.
And then Henry decides to have a chat with Felix. And my frown refuses to be turned upside down.
You see they DID switch. Henry is in Pan’s body in Pandora’s box. Pan IS Henry.
Off we go again…
Any thoughts on this episode? Did you feel slightly sick with the idea Henry’s great-grandfather, intent on world domination and such, is inside Henry? What about the introduction of more pixie dust? Comment below!