Once Upon A Time 2x03 - The Lady of the Lake

[keep_counting]

I'm loving season 2 this far, and The Lady of the Lake was another excellent episode. Spoilers below



- I am so happy that Snow is immedeatly vary of Cora, and that her opinion doesn't change in the least: her experience with this woman is a terrible one and as she says to Emma, whatever she thinks Regina is like, Cora is ten times worse. This is a woman who severely abused her own child, turning her into the very person who cast the curse in the first place. Just because Emma is all 'look, this chick might be able to help us' doesn't mean Snow is just going to change her mind about that.

- Speaking of Emma; she was really dense this episode. She constantly made stupid decisions, barged into things she had no understanding of, spoke up even though people were telling her not to. I get why this bugs some people, but not only is it in-character for Emma to act like this, it is also understandable for any sort of character. It is even stated in the episode - Emma is completely out of her element. That she's not sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth in shock is quite a feat, I have to say. She keeps her cool all episode, even when faced with an ogre about to eat her (or whatever they do) and doesn't take any shit. I hope she is going to be a bit more careful in the next few episodes, but as evidenced by the climax in this one, she has already learned a bit from her experiences. She wouldn't be Emma if she didn't bring a gun to a sword-fight, you know?

- I AM SO EXCITED FOR CORA AS A VILLAIN Y'ALL. Of all the villains we have been introduced to, she is the only one we have yet to get a background-story for. It seems pretty clear that she is the Miller's Daughter from the original Rumpelstiltskin story, but when we ever get that story, there is sure to be some sort of twist to it - whether we will end up understanding her motives or not is still unclear. Personally I don't think so: as opposed to Mr Gold and Regina, we have yet to see any sort of endearing or redeeming behavior from this woman (though of course it could still come).

- Speaking of Regina... she was hardly in this episode, but I was really pleased with what we got. She has clearly grown: instead of going into a raging fit at Henry for what he did, she simply sends Charming, knowing that her son did what he did because he wants Emma and Snow back, and seeing her isn't going to help him (or her case for that matter). Like, that was an incredibly mature and wise decision for her to make. Also the absolute delight on her face when she got Henry's phonecall - I actually got a bit mad at Henry for just standing her up. Could we maybe see them spending some time together soon? How else are they going to mend their relationship?

- I missed Rumple and Belle. Also, wasn't Emilie de Ravin's name in the credits? Yet she didn't appear in this episode... did she? Or is she a regular now, so her name appears in every episode, regardless if she's in it or not?

- A lot of you might disagree with me on this, but I like Princess Aurora. She's been through a lot, and she makes some bad and rash decisions, but she also learns from her mistakes very quickly. Also, Mulan standing up for her when Snow is yelling at her: 'you don't talk to her like that!' I just want these two to become EPIC FRIENDS FOREVER, is that too much to ask? Sure they might've been in love with the same dude (who may or may not come back?), but as evidenced by this episode, that just means Mulan is going to do everything she can to take care of Aurora, in Phillip's memory. I don't care what you say, its my headcanon that Mulan teaches Aurora how to swordfight, and Aurora does Mulan's hair (because her style is wickedly sweet, but I have no idea how she does it without help) and then there's just epicness all around.

- I actually thought we weren't going to get more of Snow and Charming's background, and at first I was all '... -.-' because there are so many other characters to explore, but this little side-story means that we get to touch upon one of my favorite themes, which is Emma's ginormous box of issues. One thing I like about this show is that there's not as much mushiness as in a lot of other US shows (sorry US. Sometimes you get a bit too much for my head). There's no grand decision on Emma's part, no looking back and forth between Cora and the wardrobe. It's not a lifechanging decision as much as it is an instinct: she can't let Cora get to Henry. She will do anything to keep Henry safe - even if it means never seeing him again. And they're standing there, mother and daugther, in Emma's nursery, the place she should have grown up in, been happy in, and then Jennifer Morrison blows me away. I started crying as she did, as stuttered and stumbled over her words, trying to tell her mother, this woman who she has always believed abandoned her, that she understands, that she realizes that here is a person who would do anything, anything for her, and she has never had that before. I think Jennifer Morrison does crying-scenes better than Sarah Michelle-Gellar and that is the highest praise I can think of (ohgod, whenever that woman cries on Buffy, ugh I want to tear my heart out just to make all these feelings stop).

- I am a bit annoyed that Lancelot is dead. Not just because he seemed like a great character and I want more of him, but because I want more people of colour on this show. It is very white-dominated, and it bugs me that they killed him off. I know that this probably wasn't intentional (let's kill the black man!), but it is something that happens way too much in way too many television shows. It was a great twist and all, but it has come to the point were I immedeatly stop myself from becoming attached to a character of colour, because I'm almost completely sure they're going to be killed off sooner than later. Oh god, Mulan isn't safe is she? If you kill Mulan, I will get so mad at you, you have no idea!!

- I may have also gotten a bit teary-eyed at Jefferson reuniting with Grace. That was such a beautiful moment and THANK-YOU SHOW for not taking this any longer. Now, if we could only get Snow and Emma home, make Gepetto find August and Mr Gold find Bae, I will be a very happy camper.

- Can I have a shallow moment about the promo for the next episode? Here we go:

OMG CAPTAIN HOOK OMG I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE ON MY SCREEN, COLIN O'DONOGHUE YOU SEXY MAN FIRST YOU WERE IN AN EPISODE OF THE TUDORS (AND YOU TOTALLY HAD A THING WITH MARY TUDOR AS PLAYED BY SARAH BOLGER WHO PLAYS AURORA HERE, CRACKSHIP ANYONE???) AND NOW YOU'RE THE BEST PIRATE IN THE GALAXY AND ADAHJDSHJDHLSJKFLDJ IS IT SUNDAY YET??

Comments

[fogsblue.livejournal.com]

Oh very much so. If Cora did what he did out of some very very twisted version of love... It's rather a terrifying prospect. Though it puts a new light on how she could treat Henry the way she did while still loving him. But Cora, eep!

I hope we get more about King George too! Ok, I get that losing his son was heartbreaking and all but there's got to be more to him!

Snow and Emma's messed up relationship is handled brilliantly! They're still messed up and they don't entirey understand each other. And it FITS! They've only been friends for a little while and Emma obvioulsy has serious trust issues, and of course she would. But they're trying and it's wonderful!!

OOOOHHHH!! I WANT A CHARMING/RUMPLE BROTP NOW! Til then, more Mulan/Aurora! I've never seen Tudors, but yay for Hook! Though, I'm now wondering who's Peter Pan and Wendy...

Also, nothing wrong with you!

EVIL WRITER'S!! What about poor August :(

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

But that's the thing, isn't it? We saw Regina being quite cruel to Henry at the start of season 1 and the start of season 2 as well, but it stemmed from fear of losing him, and instead of just keep going like her mother did, she actually lets him go. I so hope it can be the same for Rumplestiltskin - that he can let go of his magic and power when he finds Bae as well.

I know - I do think a son is all he ever wanted. I mean, his relationship with his (apparantly beloved) wife seems to have broken completely because she couldn't get a child (which is seriously reducing women to The Vomb, but since its a villain doing this on the show, I'll allow it and not go crazy on the writers like I do Moffat)

Colin's only in the one episode, but its the sweetest episode ever, and they have amazing chemistry. Maybe Dr. Whale is Peter Pan? ... Or Wendy.

[fogsblue.livejournal.com]

Definitely. And seeing so much of Cora shows how much it must take for Regina to let Henry go like she has. I think there's hope for Rumple, it's hard to say how much and what might tip him over the edge, but his son must play a big part I think.

I think you're right. That son meant the world to him, more so than his wife apparently. So it'll be interesting to see what he'll do now that he's in Storybrooke and aware of who Charming is, who Henry is... (I'll forgive his wife being reduced to a womb on the condition that it's a once off).

HEHEHE!! Now I'm just stuck imagining him as Wendy... I can't help it.

[keep-counting.livejournal.com]

I've actually grown to love Regina much more than I expected I would. I mean, I almost always have a bit of a thing for the villains, but for maybe the first time, there's an actual hope of redemption and I love it so much and I am so scared that my dreams will be crushed.

It's a lovely image, isn't it? :D