Once Upon A Time 2x09 - Queen of Hearts
Dec. 3rd, 2012 08:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
keep_countingArgh and Ugh would be appropriate here
- First of all, I need to do my happy dance. Just wait there for a moment...
- Okay, yeah, I'm back now. Sorry, I'm just so glad, because Aurora got her heart back, she actually survived, and Mulan looked so relieved and they're off to find Philip and everything is sunshine and roses and my fabolous amazing ladies going on crazy adventures together. Excuse me, I need to go do the dance again....
- There was a lot of character development and much-needed backstory in this episode. One thing I like about OUAT is that we get a lot of backstory, and then when we think we've got the whole story, we get some of the blanks filled out - sometimes its stuff that we could have done without, but it is very cool seeing it anyway. Sometimes, like in this episode, it fills up the gaps and explains to us what exactly is going on - in the villain's heads as well
- This episode answers: how parts of FTL survived the curse, with people in it (Cora, of course). How Hook and Cora met. Who the Queen of Hearts (last seen in season one's episode Hat Trick) really is. How Hook knew/was able to take Aurora's heart. And possibly an abundance of other things that I've missed. I LOVE EPISODES THAT GIVE ME ANSWERS. (now of course for the biggest one... WHAT'S IN THE BOX??!!!!)
- Okay, I've been praising Emma and Snow for not being dense a lot of the time this episode: with Hook, they both acted incredibly smart etc. etc. Most of the 'stupid' moments was attributed to Emma suddenly being in Magic Lala-Land, and honestly, I can forgive her for that. She was so out of her element even I was jittery, and she learned to get by fairly quickly. But in this episode, OHDEARLORD HOW STUPID WERE YOU? YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INK AND ALL YOU FIND IS PARCHMENT WITH WRITING ON IT. WRITING. WRITING. WRITING. WRITIIIING!!! AND YET IT TOOK YOU AT LEAST AN HOUR TO FIGURE OUT THAT THAT'S WHERE THE INK WENT OMG, THERE IS NO EXCUSE I AM SO DISSAPOINTED IN ALL OF YOU!!! IT TOOK ME LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND I'M VAGUE AT THE BEST OF TIMES JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
- Sorry, but I hate lazy writing like that. They could have easily trapped them down there longer, maybe have the ink be invisible, maybe have them not being able to find it, anything but our characters suddenly being dumb as bricks. This is the point where I stop enjoying the heroes - because the writers make them do stupid things, just for the sake of drama and tense moments. Ugh.
- Regina's scenes with Hook, her voice or accent was a little... off? Even for what Lana usually does when she's the Evil Queen. It was distracting at first, but then I realized... I think it was deliberate, on Lana's/the Directors part. Because just like we see Rumplestiltskin using different voices and tones according to when in his life we're at, and who he's talking to (especially depending on who he's talking to and what he wants from them), this was Regina acting high and mighty and proper, in the face of this almost-ruthless pirate that she had to impress, and gain the help of. Not to mention that she is on the eve of her final plan: she is over-confident and very much corrupted by power, perhaps more so than ever. So, to me at least, her speech-patterns made sense in that scene.
- It also didn't sit well with me, at first, that Regina's reason for wanting Cora dead was not the abuse and trauma her mother had put her through - but rather that she still loved her mother, and could not afford that weakness. But it is actually incredibly in-character for Regina to do something like this. This is right after she rips her own father's heart out, and if that doesn't screw with your heart, I don't know what does. And Cora, despite how horrible she was (and still is), is Regina's mother. That's why she didn't kill her to begin with, but got rid of her by pushing her through a portal to another world - even a world where she clearly had comfort, and practically everything she ever wanted. And it is love, but it's a twisted and dark kind of love, so much that it is not at all that hard for Gold to persuade Regina to go against everything she's been trying to do these last few weeks, just in order to keep Cora away from her. And she may still love Cora, but it's not about that anymore - it's about protecting Henry. Thinking that she had turned into her mother is what stopped her from continuing her abuse of Henry, and aside from that, I think Regina's worst fear right now is Cora getting to Henry.
- Plus, she was awesome in the end. DEAR GOD FOR A MOMENT I ACTUALLY THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DIE OR SLIP INTO A MAGICAL COMA OR SOMETHING. But Regina, I am so proud of you. So, so proud.
- I want to discuss Hook: what he did for Aurora, catching the heart and giving it to Mulan, that was a genuinly good thing to do. It was yet another proof that he does have a code of honor - and I'm saying this even though we saw him knock Belle unconscious this very episode, and was about to slit her throat afterwards. I'm not excusing that. Right now I want to punch Hook in the face, and he better not come after my babies. But he is no better or worse than Regina and Gold were/are - the only difference is that they have reasons now, to redeem themselves and try to do better. Hook's reason was taken away from him, and it is consuming him. Yes, he killed and murdered and maimed. Yes, he took Aurora's heart. He is still no worse than the fandom's resident sweethearts, Rumplestiltskin who killed and manipulated and destroyed and corrupted people for 300+ years, and Regina who killed and manipulated and abused a young child and raped, for a good while as well. No, Hook is not at all turning out the way I thought he would (and ew, the lewd comments when he was fighting Emma, eweweeeew, really??), but I'm not going to call him a heartless monster just yet, because we've seen him be (somewhat) good and in love, and damn if he doesn't have good reason to try everything in his power to get back at Rumplestiltskin for what he took from him. (and god, I just want some Milah-flashbacks or at least some Peter Pan soon. IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK???)
- It was also more apparant in this episode that Cora really does love Regina - in her very own, sick way. She does want what's best for her daughter - as long as she gets to decide what that is. I mean, her plan is literally to take everything her daughter loves away from her and then Regina will be so dependent on her mother, she'll have to love her and be with her. God, I feel ill just thinking about it. At least Regina and Gold learned a lesson from messing up with their children, and are trying to make up for it - all Cora got from her daughter pushing her through a magical mirror was 'must rip her heart out... no, wait, must keep her alive and destroy her happiness once again. brilliant. i'm the best at being a mum. ever.'
- The witch in the Gingerbread House who ate children would have been a better mother than Cora.
- God, that ending with everyone leaving Regina behind just got to me. That was... ugh. But at least Henry clearly showed that he had chosen to still believe in her and is beginning to appreciate her. And Gold's offhand (and a little cruel) comment, I'm going to take that as a promise rather than a snide remark. One day, they are going to invite her with them for dinner!
- Nice detail though: in the end, when we see Hook and Cora on the Jolly Roger heading for Storybrooke, Cora is holding the rose Regina placed on her chest when she thought she was dead
- I also want to take a moment to appreciate Regina's mourning-clothes, which were taken directly out of Disney's original Snow White movie, and looked awesome!
- Okay, Emma's 'everything is Regina's fault including the curse and my lost puppy and global warming!' seems to have gone away? They're civil enough to each other here, and I'm glad of it, because... what???
- I'm also glad they didn't drag Emma's existential crisis out any longer than they had to: it was an issue that was going to come up sooner or later: is Emma really worth anything, or is everything - everything - just set up by Gold from the start? But of course, he just set up the framework: it was up to Emma (and Henry!) to actually break the curse and make everything alright. And yes, I'm sappy enough to like the detail of Cora not being able to take Emma's heart. That was really cool, okay? And I liked how she was all badass in that moment, and then afterwards back to the same old Emma. 'What the hell was that???'
- Also points to Snow for being all: 'look, kiddo, we can discuss that when we get home, because PORTAL ASAP YO.' I always hate it when they waste time standing there talking when they need to hurry.
- When Cora and Hook were walking to Lake Nostos, I was basically Hook there: 'lol, bitch, no water left'. But of course, Cora has a plan for it.she's the villain, she's the smart one right now. It also reminded me of last year, when I was in Iceland and saw a real Geysir and it was awesome.
- Someone tell me I wasn't the only one going 'now kiiiiiisssss!!' when Mulan was pushing Aurora's heart back in her chest? I mean, c'mon, that moment was so dramatic and intense and filled with sexual tension and heavy breathing and.... hrm. Sorry. There was pretty people and a desperate desire to keep the other safe and wide eyes, and it... it got to me.
- David wasn't under the Sleeping Curse very long AND THANK GOD FOR THAT. I'm wondering if they had to do it, give him some time off, so he could go film for Thor 2? Because he will be in that one right? Fandral you have to be there pleeeeeeaaaaseeee
- Off-topic, sorry
- Cora being the Queen of Hearts was kind of awesome, but very obvious. I think the writers knew it was going to be, sorta, because the reveal was pretty quick and without the dramatic heavy 'DADUUUUM' and freeze-frame that usually happens. I mean, were any of you surprised? Or were some of you hoping the writers would do something a bit more clever with it? I dunno, I was prepared to think I had been completely fooled (like when August was Bae AND THEN HE SUDDENLY WASN'T), but it fits so well with the character and everything we know about her, not doing it would have maybe been silly.
- And now its the winter break. Can humans go into hibernation? Can I just do that until the next episode?
Questions:
Who and where is Bae?
When will Neal be coming to Storybrooke?
When will Aurora and Mulan have a make-out session...
What will happen when Cora and Hook get to Storybrooke?
Where the fucking fuck hell is August??????
WHAT'S IN THE BOX???
- First of all, I need to do my happy dance. Just wait there for a moment...
- Okay, yeah, I'm back now. Sorry, I'm just so glad, because Aurora got her heart back, she actually survived, and Mulan looked so relieved and they're off to find Philip and everything is sunshine and roses and my fabolous amazing ladies going on crazy adventures together. Excuse me, I need to go do the dance again....
- There was a lot of character development and much-needed backstory in this episode. One thing I like about OUAT is that we get a lot of backstory, and then when we think we've got the whole story, we get some of the blanks filled out - sometimes its stuff that we could have done without, but it is very cool seeing it anyway. Sometimes, like in this episode, it fills up the gaps and explains to us what exactly is going on - in the villain's heads as well
- This episode answers: how parts of FTL survived the curse, with people in it (Cora, of course). How Hook and Cora met. Who the Queen of Hearts (last seen in season one's episode Hat Trick) really is. How Hook knew/was able to take Aurora's heart. And possibly an abundance of other things that I've missed. I LOVE EPISODES THAT GIVE ME ANSWERS. (now of course for the biggest one... WHAT'S IN THE BOX??!!!!)
- Okay, I've been praising Emma and Snow for not being dense a lot of the time this episode: with Hook, they both acted incredibly smart etc. etc. Most of the 'stupid' moments was attributed to Emma suddenly being in Magic Lala-Land, and honestly, I can forgive her for that. She was so out of her element even I was jittery, and she learned to get by fairly quickly. But in this episode, OHDEARLORD HOW STUPID WERE YOU? YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INK AND ALL YOU FIND IS PARCHMENT WITH WRITING ON IT. WRITING. WRITING. WRITING. WRITIIIING!!! AND YET IT TOOK YOU AT LEAST AN HOUR TO FIGURE OUT THAT THAT'S WHERE THE INK WENT OMG, THERE IS NO EXCUSE I AM SO DISSAPOINTED IN ALL OF YOU!!! IT TOOK ME LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND I'M VAGUE AT THE BEST OF TIMES JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
- Sorry, but I hate lazy writing like that. They could have easily trapped them down there longer, maybe have the ink be invisible, maybe have them not being able to find it, anything but our characters suddenly being dumb as bricks. This is the point where I stop enjoying the heroes - because the writers make them do stupid things, just for the sake of drama and tense moments. Ugh.
- Regina's scenes with Hook, her voice or accent was a little... off? Even for what Lana usually does when she's the Evil Queen. It was distracting at first, but then I realized... I think it was deliberate, on Lana's/the Directors part. Because just like we see Rumplestiltskin using different voices and tones according to when in his life we're at, and who he's talking to (especially depending on who he's talking to and what he wants from them), this was Regina acting high and mighty and proper, in the face of this almost-ruthless pirate that she had to impress, and gain the help of. Not to mention that she is on the eve of her final plan: she is over-confident and very much corrupted by power, perhaps more so than ever. So, to me at least, her speech-patterns made sense in that scene.
- It also didn't sit well with me, at first, that Regina's reason for wanting Cora dead was not the abuse and trauma her mother had put her through - but rather that she still loved her mother, and could not afford that weakness. But it is actually incredibly in-character for Regina to do something like this. This is right after she rips her own father's heart out, and if that doesn't screw with your heart, I don't know what does. And Cora, despite how horrible she was (and still is), is Regina's mother. That's why she didn't kill her to begin with, but got rid of her by pushing her through a portal to another world - even a world where she clearly had comfort, and practically everything she ever wanted. And it is love, but it's a twisted and dark kind of love, so much that it is not at all that hard for Gold to persuade Regina to go against everything she's been trying to do these last few weeks, just in order to keep Cora away from her. And she may still love Cora, but it's not about that anymore - it's about protecting Henry. Thinking that she had turned into her mother is what stopped her from continuing her abuse of Henry, and aside from that, I think Regina's worst fear right now is Cora getting to Henry.
- Plus, she was awesome in the end. DEAR GOD FOR A MOMENT I ACTUALLY THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DIE OR SLIP INTO A MAGICAL COMA OR SOMETHING. But Regina, I am so proud of you. So, so proud.
- I want to discuss Hook: what he did for Aurora, catching the heart and giving it to Mulan, that was a genuinly good thing to do. It was yet another proof that he does have a code of honor - and I'm saying this even though we saw him knock Belle unconscious this very episode, and was about to slit her throat afterwards. I'm not excusing that. Right now I want to punch Hook in the face, and he better not come after my babies. But he is no better or worse than Regina and Gold were/are - the only difference is that they have reasons now, to redeem themselves and try to do better. Hook's reason was taken away from him, and it is consuming him. Yes, he killed and murdered and maimed. Yes, he took Aurora's heart. He is still no worse than the fandom's resident sweethearts, Rumplestiltskin who killed and manipulated and destroyed and corrupted people for 300+ years, and Regina who killed and manipulated and abused a young child and raped, for a good while as well. No, Hook is not at all turning out the way I thought he would (and ew, the lewd comments when he was fighting Emma, eweweeeew, really??), but I'm not going to call him a heartless monster just yet, because we've seen him be (somewhat) good and in love, and damn if he doesn't have good reason to try everything in his power to get back at Rumplestiltskin for what he took from him. (and god, I just want some Milah-flashbacks or at least some Peter Pan soon. IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK???)
- It was also more apparant in this episode that Cora really does love Regina - in her very own, sick way. She does want what's best for her daughter - as long as she gets to decide what that is. I mean, her plan is literally to take everything her daughter loves away from her and then Regina will be so dependent on her mother, she'll have to love her and be with her. God, I feel ill just thinking about it. At least Regina and Gold learned a lesson from messing up with their children, and are trying to make up for it - all Cora got from her daughter pushing her through a magical mirror was 'must rip her heart out... no, wait, must keep her alive and destroy her happiness once again. brilliant. i'm the best at being a mum. ever.'
- The witch in the Gingerbread House who ate children would have been a better mother than Cora.
- God, that ending with everyone leaving Regina behind just got to me. That was... ugh. But at least Henry clearly showed that he had chosen to still believe in her and is beginning to appreciate her. And Gold's offhand (and a little cruel) comment, I'm going to take that as a promise rather than a snide remark. One day, they are going to invite her with them for dinner!
- Nice detail though: in the end, when we see Hook and Cora on the Jolly Roger heading for Storybrooke, Cora is holding the rose Regina placed on her chest when she thought she was dead
- I also want to take a moment to appreciate Regina's mourning-clothes, which were taken directly out of Disney's original Snow White movie, and looked awesome!
- Okay, Emma's 'everything is Regina's fault including the curse and my lost puppy and global warming!' seems to have gone away? They're civil enough to each other here, and I'm glad of it, because... what???
- I'm also glad they didn't drag Emma's existential crisis out any longer than they had to: it was an issue that was going to come up sooner or later: is Emma really worth anything, or is everything - everything - just set up by Gold from the start? But of course, he just set up the framework: it was up to Emma (and Henry!) to actually break the curse and make everything alright. And yes, I'm sappy enough to like the detail of Cora not being able to take Emma's heart. That was really cool, okay? And I liked how she was all badass in that moment, and then afterwards back to the same old Emma. 'What the hell was that???'
- Also points to Snow for being all: 'look, kiddo, we can discuss that when we get home, because PORTAL ASAP YO.' I always hate it when they waste time standing there talking when they need to hurry.
- When Cora and Hook were walking to Lake Nostos, I was basically Hook there: 'lol, bitch, no water left'. But of course, Cora has a plan for it.
- Someone tell me I wasn't the only one going 'now kiiiiiisssss!!' when Mulan was pushing Aurora's heart back in her chest? I mean, c'mon, that moment was so dramatic and intense and filled with sexual tension and heavy breathing and.... hrm. Sorry. There was pretty people and a desperate desire to keep the other safe and wide eyes, and it... it got to me.
- David wasn't under the Sleeping Curse very long AND THANK GOD FOR THAT. I'm wondering if they had to do it, give him some time off, so he could go film for Thor 2? Because he will be in that one right? Fandral you have to be there pleeeeeeaaaaseeee
- Off-topic, sorry
- Cora being the Queen of Hearts was kind of awesome, but very obvious. I think the writers knew it was going to be, sorta, because the reveal was pretty quick and without the dramatic heavy 'DADUUUUM' and freeze-frame that usually happens. I mean, were any of you surprised? Or were some of you hoping the writers would do something a bit more clever with it? I dunno, I was prepared to think I had been completely fooled (like when August was Bae AND THEN HE SUDDENLY WASN'T), but it fits so well with the character and everything we know about her, not doing it would have maybe been silly.
- And now its the winter break. Can humans go into hibernation? Can I just do that until the next episode?
Questions:
Who and where is Bae?
When will Neal be coming to Storybrooke?
What will happen when Cora and Hook get to Storybrooke?
Where the fucking fuck hell is August??????
WHAT'S IN THE BOX???
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-12-03 08:02 pm (UTC)OMG so much this. They could have at least been like, "Oh, this must be the ink! But that bastard used it so now we are screwed! Damn, damn, damn... oh, wait, I remember seeing Cora do this!"
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Date: 2012-12-04 01:18 am (UTC)Thank you for your time and keep up the awesome writing!
Kyla
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Date: 2012-12-04 02:59 am (UTC)There's a possibility that I was having that exact conversation with my TV last night.
Someone tell me I wasn't the only one going 'now kiiiiiisssss!!' when Mulan was pushing Aurora's heart back in her chest?
You definitely weren't the only one.
Because he will be in that one right? Fandral you have to be there pleeeeeeaaaaseeee
Sadly, no. Fandral was recast because the movie's shooting schedule just wouldn't work with Once Upon a Time's shooting schedule. :-(
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Date: 2012-12-04 01:59 pm (UTC)Aurora is ok!!! YAYAYAY!! I've been giddy about this for a while! And her and Mulan are going to travel and it's brilliant and I hope they show us more of them even though Snow and Emma have left....
EMMA WAS AWESOME OK! I don't care what anyone says, I love the way she wasn't sure if it was her or just her situation that made her the Saviour. And then figuring out that maybe she was special and of course being shocked by it! And Snow amking sure she didn't get distracted.
Regina broke my heart at the end. With the tears and being left behind again and Rumple was a bit of an arse with that comment... But I like to think Henry especially will try to make sure to welcome Regina.
Hook having some kind of morals was great, even if they're a bit... wonky. He's still an evil bastard really, but it's like there's a tiny bit of hope for him.
And Cora definitely has a very twisted version of family. But it really does help explain a few things.
And I agree with all
65 questions! ESPECIALLY THE BOX!! WHAT IS IN IT???(no subject)
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Date: 2012-12-04 05:51 pm (UTC)It took me a while to process the episode.
Okay, so:
Aurora didn't die, let me be happy forever!!
Lots of things surprised me, in a very good way: that David didn't stay asleep for half of S2, that Emma and MM are back already (thought there were going to be stuck in FTL forever), that Hook and Cora are coming too. It's all moving pretty fast and I really like it!
Cora being the Queen of Hearts wasn't a surprise, but I enjoyed the storyline.
I was really happy that they brought up the issue of 'Is Emma Gold's creature?' and that he answered. It was starting to be dodgy, that Rumple was in fact behind everything and what I like is that they acknowledged that by putting this dialogue in the episode. So bonus points for that.
On the other hand, I was a bit upset by the 'gang reunion' in the end. I was enjoying the Storybrooke dynamics with Emma and Snow not being there and everyone readjusting. The David/Gold/Regina dynamics in 2.8 were so good, I think I'll miss all these scenes if there aren't any more now.
Regina: All the feelings! I don't know if she is slowly becoming my favourite female character, but actually she might be. She's definitely the most interesting one right now imo.
I'm definitely happy that she had more scenes with Gold. I think they're a great evil-ish team, and I'll be shallow and say watching these two acting together is a bit of a treat. Also: Gold was a bit of a bastard. But what he did makes sense. I mean, he didn't go for the grand gesture, he's not ready for that yet, but I don't think he was trying to kill people for the sake of it either. So I'm not judging him (yet).
Lol, I had a Mulan/Aurora shippy moment too!
And now we know Belle and Hook have met before, I'm guessing that scene wasn't gratuitous and there will be more of that in the second part of the series. Although Belle going all 'he's not a monster' was a bit too much. I mean, the man kicked her out? He may be my favourite, but she'd be entitled to hate him a bit at that point, right?
What's in the bloody box?!?!Yup to all the questions. Re the ink scene, lol I was so tired when I watched it that I didn't notice at all. Of course, now you say it, ink, writing... ;)(no subject)
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