Season Two Rewind

I got the season two DVD of "Once Upon a Time" and have spent the last few weeks catching up on all the episodes so I am ready for season three.  "Once" is one of those shows that you should watch more than once if you want to catch everything that is happening.  Having now seen each episode a few times, I have changed some of my original opinions.

Rumple is awesome - and awesomely bad - The man truly is a villain.  He has a few redeeming qualities, such as his intelligence and his ability to love his son and his girlfriend, but it is never enough to make him truly good.  Robert Carlyle is the best actor on the show and he is probably the only one who could pull off this character.  Upon rewatching, I realized how terrible he could be to the ones he supposedly loves.  After foolishly letting Bae go back in season one and finally finding him in NYC this season, Rumple pretty much ignored his son and did his own thing.  You created the curse to find him and can't be bothered to be around him?  Weird.  As for Belle, how many times did he try to get rid of her?  "Oh, you are alive!  Well, I am still a monster, so please leave." "Oh, you're dumping me because I am incapable of sharing my feelings with you?  That's fine.  I'll see you in five or six episodes."  "Oh, you want to come with us to Neverland?  Sorry Toots, I need to go alone and you'll probably never see me again.  Deal with it."  Yikes.  And what about when Rumple was trying to fray the rope swing Henry was swinging on so that he would hit a rock and get hurt?  Henry might be Rumple's undoing, but he is still his grandson.  That was just mean.  I think a lot of the problems with Rumple and how he deals with people is the writing.  I truly think the writers just didn't know how to deal with Rumple reuniting with his son and him having a girlfriend.

Regina is inconsistent - She tried to be good for awhile, but it didn't last.  Good Regina was boring, but what is even more boring is that the writers want us to feel sorry for her.  I don't.  Sure, Rumple and Cora taught Regina bad things, but she didn't have to follow their advice.  I would prefer Regina to just stay evil. Regina's love of Henry also takes away from her evilness.  That is why I prefer Henry to be with Emma. Lana Parilla is also a really good actor, but I think she can only do so much with a script.

The Charmings are annoying - I have always thought they were both annoying, but I have softened my opinion about Snow.  She isn't as bad as I originally thought.  The thing is, goody-goodies are annoying to watch.  And I also hate Jack Sheppard-types who are the cocky unquestioned leaders, like Charming.  I get it, he is a prince and is used to being in charge, but it is still annoying to watch.  Mess up sometimes!  Let someone else lead!  Snow is the ultimate goody-goody, especially in Fairy Tale Land.  How many chances did she give Regina and how many times did Regina let her down?  Every single time!  Snow killing Cora, however, was a step in the right direction.  She grew a pair and did what she had to do.  The guilt that followed for the next several episodes was dumb, but baby steps are good.

Belle needs better material - Belle is pretty and awesome and has the best boyfriend on the show.  She is tough and brave and smart.  She also has very little to do.  When Belle is alone, she can accomplish great things, such as rescuing Archie, Prince Phillip, and Mulan and she easily makes friends with everyone around her.  Belle's downfall is that she is also a goody-goody (like Snow).  She doesn't believe in retaliation, which really would make her life so much easier.  Regina deserves to be punished for locking her up, but Belle didn't want that.  Hook deserved to be killed for attacking, punching, and shooting Belle, but Belle didn't want that.  Why?  Is is poor writing or does Belle like being a punching bag?

Hook isn't as awesome as everyone thinks - Ladies LOVE Hook.  I don't get it.  Pirates are pretty cool but this character only exists to be eye candy and to cause problems.  He was horrible to Belle, flirts with Emma, and stole Rumple's wife.  Heck, he might as well date Regina so they can be awful together.  I do recognize that Hook adds conflict to the show, but he is not my favorite character.

Henry is annoying, but he is probably smarter than everyone else - Kid actors are often annoying, and Henry is no exception.  Sure, he was raised by the Evil Queen, but the kid still runs wild.  I will give the kid some credit, he is reason the curse was broken and that is a pretty good thing.

Bae/Neal might be dull, but I like him - Neal is definitely a straight-man.  Sure, he was a thief when he met Emma, but he is remarkably well-adjusted for a 300 year old guy who was abandoned by his dad, lived in Neverland, and had his girlfriend shoot him.  I think he will be a good father for Henry and I hope he and Emma can get back together at some point, provided Emma learns that he is still alive and can find him.  I also hope he and Rumple can begin to heal their relationship.

Mulan, Aurora, and Phillip are good additions - At first, their story seemed pointless.  Phillip left quickly and the girls were only there to help Snow and Emma get home.  Now that I know how Belle saved Phillip and introduced him to Mulan, I want to know more.  How did Phillip get his soul back?  Are the three still in a love triangle or will we meet Shang?  I am excited to see them again with Neal in Fairy Tale Land and I hope they will somehow make their way to Storybrooke.

Emma is awesome - She always has been, always will be.  She is funny, tough, and brave.  Don't change, girl.  (Although a shorter haircut might be nice)

New Characters for Season Three

Season three is only a few weeks away and I couldn't be more excited!  The cast has been filming for a few weeks now and we are starting to get info about new characters that will appear.  When the season ended, the characters were in three different locations.  Belle and many of the recurring characters, such as Granny, Red, Archie, Dr. Whale, and the dwarves were in Storybrooke.  Neal, after having been shot, fell through a portal into Fairytale Land, where he was discovered by Prince Phillip, Mulan, and Aurora.  Hook, Emma, Snow, Regina, Charming, and Rumple took a ship to Neverland to rescue Henry from Greg and Tamara.

Most of the new cast, of course, are characters that will appear in Neverland.  Tinkerbell (Rose McIver) and Ariel (Joanna Garcia) have been cast along with a lost boy (Robbie Kay) who may actually be Peter Pan. There is a bit of confusion there.  Robin Hood is also set to appear for several episodes, though he will be played by a new actor (Sean Maguire).  Robin Hood, I believe, was last seen in Fairytale Land.

We know that most of the first half of the season will revolve around the majority of the characters (the Charmings and the villains) trying to rescue Henry in Neverland.  Obviously, since Belle (Emilie de Ravin) and Neal (Michael Raymond-James) are main characters and we will see them as well, though probably not as much.  Since Robin Hood will be part of the season, I wonder if he will team up with Phillip, Mulan, and Aurora to help Neal return home.  Hopefully, in the second half of the season, we will see Rumbelle reunite as well as Neal and Emma.  Is it September yet?

Will You Watch Wonderland?

"Once Upon a Time" season three isn't the only thing to look forward to this fall.  "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" will also be airing this fall.  Unlike the original series, "Wonderland" is a thirteen-episode mini-series.  Many people (myself included) complained about the scheduling last season for "Once".  We would sometimes only get one or two episodes, following by a several week break.  It make it very hard to follow the story and many viewers lost interest.  This season, a new plan was created to split the season in to two smaller seasons, with very few breaks in between.  Not only does this create almost two complete mini-seasons without breaks, but it leaves a large gap (probably from December to almost March) where a thirteen-episode series can be shown.  That is where "Wonderland" came in.

The plan didn't last for long, and ABC decided that "Wonderland" would begin in October and air on Thursdays instead.  So, we don't know what will air during the break, but we do get two potential awesome series to watch at once.

"Wonderland" is, of course, about Alice.  Originally, there had been talk about the series revolving around the Mad Hatter, played by Sebastian Stan, but he was unavailable.  The series takes place in modern-day Wonderland, with flashbacks to a time when perhaps Cora was queen.  What is different about this Alice, as opposed to the cartoon, is that Alice is being treated by doctors who think she is insane.  She also has a love interest in this series named Cyrus who I believe I heard is a genie.  Much of the series will involve Alice trying to rescue Cyrus.  The white rabbit will appear, along with a new red queen, and a villain you might not expect - Jafar from "Aladdin".  Jafar is played by Naveen Andrews, from Lost.  I am quite curious how he will fit into this story.

This series, we are told, will have a beginning, middle, and end.  That does not mean that the series will be over after thirteen episodes.  If it does well and is renewed, there will be a new story next year.  Will we need a second season with Alice or will we want to explore a new land?  We know that the original series will focus on Neverland the first part of its season, but where else do we want to visit?  Oz?  Agrrabah?

So, will you be watching?

Cast Changes

Season two may be over (boo!) but we are already starting to hear news about season three.  Most of the news so far has involved casting changes.  Ruby (Meghan Ory) will no longer be a regular on the series.  Heck, she may not be on the show at all.  She was a series regular last season but was rarely seen after a few episodes.  Word is, because her part had reduced, she found employment elsewhere.  She will now be on a CBS show called "Intelligence" with the always awesome Josh Holloway (Sawyer from Lost).  So, Meghan is open to doing guest appearances (in an interview she said maybe once per year) but we will be seeing a lot less of her.  I have already wrote a blog entry about Ruby and questioned why she is still on the show, but I still am sad to see her go.  She was a good friend to many characters on the show.

Where we are losing one regular, we are gaining another.  Neal/Baelfire (Michael Raymond-James) will be a regular next season.  This news was both surprising and not surprising.  Surprising because Neal had be shot through a portal into what is probably the Enchanted Forest and we don't know if he is alive or even how he would get home.  Not surprising because a lot of this show is about Rumple and his son, so it would be silly to introduce him and have them reunite in season two just to kill him off or to send him away again.  I am glad we will be seeing more of Neal.  He is connected to so many people on the show and especially because he and Emma realized they still loved each other.  The question is, how will he get home?

I was a little concerned that Belle (Emilie de Ravin) would no longer be a series regular.  After all, the rest of the main cast went to Neverland to rescue Henry and she was left behind with everyone else.  But, Emilie will be a regular next season and Rumbelle will reunite!  Yay!  While we don't know if they will show any of Storybrooke while everyone is in Neverland, we can be certain that we will see her eventually.

I don't have confirmation of this, but Mulan (Jamie Chung) and Aurora (Sarah Bolger) may have been cast in mid-season shows.  I don't even remember where I read this, but if it is true, I really hope we still get to see them next season.  It took awhile to warm up to them, but I really like those two characters.  Plus, we never got to see how they saved Philip.  And now that they found Neal, there could be a good story there.

Is it fall yet?

Belle Remembers and Gets Left Behind

Season two ended on Sunday, and I have mixed emotions about it. This show just drives me crazy sometimes. We learned a little more about Neverland through flashbacks with Hook and Baelfire.  Hook rescued the kid and had him work on his ship and Bae was just starting to trust the pirate.  Of course, once Hook found out that Bae was the son of his former love Milah and his enemy Rumple, his tune changed.  He told the kid that Rumple was the one who killed his mom.  Bae blames Hook for breaking up his family.  Peter Pan, who we can safely assume is a villain, sent out his evil lost boys to capture Bae.  Once Bae is captured, we learn that it wasn't Bae who they wanted, it was a boy who wouldn't have been born for hundreds of years - Bae's son Henry.  Yikes!

Rumple is trying to kill his own grandson with his mind when the Charmings show up to tell him that his son has been shot through a portal and is probably dead.  Rumple of course is very sad, but refuses to help save the town.  He has lost the will to live.

The bad guys Greg and Tamara activated the self-destruct diamond to wipe Storybrooke off the map.  Regina thinks she can slow it down with her magic but it will kill her.  The others plan to open a portal and escape to the Enchanted Forest.  Snow thinks there is a way to save Regina too and Henry would be heartbroken without his mom.  After a tearful hug with her same-aged parents and little son, Emma harnesses the magic in her and helps Regina absorb the energy from the diamond and saves the town.  The magic throws them back and just as they are getting to their feet, they notice that Henry has been taken.  Good job grandparents!

Meanwhile, Grumpy has a bottle of blue stuff that can bring back the memories of those who went over the town line - Sneezy and Belle.  The only catch is that they have to drink the solution from a cup that belonged to them.  As much as Rumple enjoys Lacey, he would rather be comforted by Belle in his last moments.  He uses magic to put together the pieces of the chipped teacup that she had broken and poured in the drink.  Since Lacey never met a drink she didn't like, she drinks without hesitation.  Belle is back!  She tearful makes out with Rumple and comforts him while he cries about his son.  It was beautiful.

Regina and the Charmings are determined to save Henry and high-tail it toward the docks.  They are just in time to see them open a portal in the water and jump in.  Rumple and Belle show up.  Hook brings his ship and everyone boards.  Hook has a bean that can take them to get Henry.  Rumple stops Belle.  She can't go!  She needs to save the town!  Really?  Why must you push her away Rumple?  Stay with your hot girlfriend who would undoubtedly be all over you or board a ship with all your enemies to find a grandson you don't care for and leave your woman forever.  Tough choice!  Of course, it won't be forever, but seriously, he needs to quit abandoning her.  So, Belle walks away crying and everyone else boards the ship and heads to Neverland to rescue the kid.  We also got to see where Neal landed when he went through the portal - on a beach where he can be tended by Aurora, Mulan, and a newly-alive Phillip!

So, overall, lots of good stuff happened.  Belle came back and we get to see what Neverland looks like.  Next season will probably be in that location while we are left to wonder what is happening with Neal and Storybrooke.  Is it fall yet?

To Neverland!

I have to admit, I was never a fan of "Peter Pan".  The cartoon just didn't interest me and "Hook" was only a little better.  But, for some reason, I was super psyched to see Bae (with a much deeper voice!) meeting the Darling children.  I have never quite been able to figure out the timing in "Once Upon A Time", but if Rumple is around 300 years old and Bae was sent to England when he was fourteen, shouldn't it have been mid-1700's, not 1900?  Things that make you go hmmmmmm.

The Darling children were, well, darling, but the shadow who took Wendy away definitely was not.  Being not so familiar with the Peter Pan story, I do recall Peter being separated from his shadow but don't recall that shadow being an evil tyrant who kidnaps children and never lets them leave.  There was a lot of speculation that Bae was Peter Pan, but now we know that he is not.  He was actually picked up from the water by Captain Hook and presumably worked on his ship.

It was very frustrating to see Emma try to convince everyone that Tamara was evil and everyone just patted her hand and told her to sit still.  With Neal, it was a little more understandable because Tamara was his fiancee, but Emma's parents are just morons.  There, I said it.  It's one of the things that kills me about this show.  It is basically a story about Snow White (my least favorite Disney princess), but Snow and Prince Charming are so stupid and unlikable that they are hard to watch.  The really good parts of the show have nothing to do with these characters.  That is a problem.

Of course, Emma was right, and Greg and Tamara are up to know good.  I have said many times before that I dislike Regina, but I also dislike seeing someone (especially when it is a man to a woman) being tortured.  It's gross.  Isn't this supposed to be a family show?  Kill her quickly or yell at her, but torture is just gross.  I get that Greg just wanted his dad back and Regina killed him (probably) for no reason, but still.  Tamara is also gross because Neal is a pretty good guy and she told him she never loved him and then shot him.  She needs to go.  Now.  I am pretty curious about this whole organization that they work for.  I have a sneaking suspicion that this is some sort of religious organization, which I really have a problem with.  I don't like religion being made fun of or mocked.  It has become popular in Hollywood to do so, but I am just not cool with it.  So, I am hoping I am wrong about that.

Even though this episode was pretty great overall, there were definitely some annoying moments.  The Charmings rescued Regina.  Genius move.  She will try to kill them again.  Although.....  (ha ha!)  "Lacey" was drinking again and bringing out Rumple's violent side.  And how creepy was it when she asked if he could make her be young forever?  Is she just using him?  It was really sad to see Neal fall through that portal and Emma refusing to let go of him.  It was surprising to hear them admit they loved each other being apart so long, but it was nice too.  I hope they can be together someday.

So, what is next in the season finale?  According to the episode synopsis, Greg and Tamara will use that diamond to try to destroy Storybrooke and Regina will try to stop it.  Rumple will find out what happened to his son, and of course, be really bummed out about it.  But, will Neal live?  I don't know, but if you pay attention to spoilers, there have been a few pictures of Neal hanging out with Mulan, Aurora, and Philip in the Enchanted Forest.  So, I am guessing, he will be found next season some time after the actor has a chance to film some movies.  :)  And what of the villains?  Well, again, spoilers say that they will be kidnapping Henry and his extended family will travel to Neverland to get him back.  I am not sure if this includes Rumple and Belle.  So, we will probably have another great episode and then have to wait another four months to see what happens!

Regina the Unsympathetic

There are characters on "Once Upon a Time" that I love and even more that I hate.  I love Rumpelstiltskin and Belle.  Emma is usually one of my favorites when she is not acting like an idiot. Snow can be really annoying and self-righteous, which I hate.  Charming annoys the spit out of me with his "I am your leader and I know what's best for you!" Jack Sheppard-like qualities.  Henry is an annoying kid who I don't care for.  Hook hits women and is a Jack Sparrow knockoff without any of Jack's charm or appeal.  And then there is Regina.  The one I hate the most.

Regina, like Rumple, is a complicated villain.  She has reasons for doing bad things, but she never seems to learn anything to actually become a better person.  Once upon a time, she had a really crappy (literally) heartless mother who killed her boyfriend.  Instead of blaming her mother, she blamed Snow, who was a little girl at the time.  It became her mission in life to destroy Snow.  It is all very tragic, because the two liked each other at first.  She chased her down for years with no success.  She decided to enact the curse, pulling everyone from the Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke, Maine.  I never understood this.  Is Regina's idea of paradise living in a small town with terrible winters and having to see your mortal enemy every day?  Why didn't she just stab Snow with a letter opener?

In Storybrooke, Regina was the town's feared mayor.  She had no magic, but she also had no one to talk to.  See, when you kill a whole bunch of people, you don't become very popular.  Her only friend in her old land was Maleficent and that didn't work out so well.  (And how creepy was it that old Mal keeps regenerating in the pit under the library.  Can't that woman get some peace?)  Her only romance was with Sheriff Graham who was only with her because Regina was able to control him by removing his heart.  Regina had adopted Henry as a baby and even he wasn't very fond of her.

You almost want to feel sorry for Regina.  Crappy childhood.  Dead boyfriend.  Married to a king she didn't love.  Friendless.  You know what?  I don't feel sorry for her.  At all.  As much as I hate Hook, she really could have used him as an ally.  And what did she do?  Leave him to fight Maleficent until he died.  Only Hook somehow escaped.  Hook even took her magic.  It was awesome!  You see, Regina has run out of chances.  She can't be good.  She is a villain through and through.

Is Lacey An Improvement Over Belle?

I have been waiting for this episode for so long, and like so many other things in life, the longer you wait, the harder it is to live up to your expectations.

I always thought Belle was pretty great.  She is very pretty, very smart, very nice, and she is with Rumple, which is awesome.  But, Miss Belle had some character flaws.  She is a very all-or-nothing kind of lady.  If she is mad at you, she will dump you and vow never to see you again.  If you try to harm her, she will not confront the person and get very mad if someone tries to harm that person.  It just doesn't add up.  So many times, Rumple could have gotten rid of Regina and Hook and she wouldn't let him.  And do you know what that got her?  Shot over the town line and given a new personality that is totally different from her real one.  Very annoying.

Regina, who I hate with the fire of a thousand suns, decided to treat Belle like a punching bag once again.  Instead of just letting amnesiac Belle leave the hospital in peace, she decided to give her a personality that she believed would ensure that Belle would never love Rumple again.

Poor Rumple.  It is very obvious that the man is a villain, but I still felt so bad for him.  Belle is the only woman who truly loved him and thought he was a good man.  All he wanted was to be with her and now she is "a scantily-clad barfly named Lacey".  Grrrr.  If we didn't already know and love Belle, Lacey might be a good addition to the show.  She likes to have a good time, likes to show off some skin, and loves to drink.  She goes out on a date with Rumple, only to ditch him halfway though because she is a nicer guy than she thought he would be.  Lacey doesn't like nice, she likes bad boys.  Luckily for her, Rumple is very capable of being bad.  He beats the daylights out of the guy Lacey was making out with, while Lacey watches.  Lacey likes bad-boy Rumple.

So, do these two stand a chance together?  The whole point of Rumple pursuing Lacey was to get her to fall in love with him so he can get Belle back.  But, will Rumple want Belle back if Lacey is so into his dark side?  These two have chemistry to spare, and they could create a whole lot of dynamite together, if you know what I mean.  But, I still miss Belle.  I hope she comes back soon.  After Rumple gets his fill of Lacey first of course.  Ha ha.  

How Should the Season End?

After a long hiatus, "Once" will return with the final four episodes of the season on April 21.  While I know very little of what actually will happen in these episodes, here is what I think should happen:

• Belle gets her memory back.  We know that episode 19 "Lacey" is about Belle, so wouldn't it be a great time to remember who she really is?  It is very possible that Lacey/Belle will fall in love with Gold and the curse will be broken either this season or early next season.  It is also possible that she stays as Lacey forever.  I really hope she goes back to how she was.  My prediction - the curse won't be broken until next season.
• Henry picks a family and has much less screen time.  The character is annoying and even though he is the reason the curse was broken, it doesn't mean I need to see him so much.  Gosh, go back to Regina's house and play X-Box or something.  You're a brat.  My prediction - he will stay with Emma and annoy us for the rest of his existence.
• Neal dumps Tamara and she leaves town with Greg.  She is evil and he is a troublemaker, so they need to go.  Besides, Neal and Emma belong together.  My prediction - they aren't going anywhere until at least next season, after they do something really awful.
• Neal and Emma bond.  These two belong together.  They have great chemistry and they also have a kid.  Neal can move back to town and spend more time with his family.  My prediction - bonding with Emma won't happen until next season, after he dumps Tamara's butt.  
• Rumple and Neal make up.  They are off to a good start, and at least they are talking.  Rumple needs to introduce his son to Belle and they can all be one big happen family.  My prediction - the show creators say that something big will happen between Rumple and Neal.  Hopefully it is something good, but if they turn him back into a child, I will be pissed.  It may be something like Rumple having to give up his magic to save his son and he actually does it this time.  
• Ruby and Whale start dating.  These two would be great together, but we see very little of them on screen.  My prediction - with the actress who plays Ruby being on another show next year, we will probably see much less of her next season, so this may not happen.
• Regina makes a new friend.  I am not overly fond of Regina, but even I can see how lonely she is.  Her child abandoned her, no family, no romantic partner, no friends.  She needs someone to talk to.  If she ever decides to apologize to Belle for locking her up all those years, she might be a good choice.  Belle likes almost everyone.  Archie would be another good choice.  My prediction - no new friends, but maybe a new romantic interest next season.  
• Charming becomes mayor.  He loves power and since Regina was asked to step down, he might be the right person for the job.  He could also take over as sheriff since Emma has been slacking lately.  My prediction - next season.
• Hook stops trying to kill Rumple and Belle.  Enough is enough.  We know, you loved Milah, so you want to punish them.  But, Belle is innocent and Rumple has really suffered enough.  Get a hobby.  My prediction - he will keep trying to kill Rumple, until the day that Rumple gets to him first.
• ABC gets their scheduling figured out and we don't have so many three and four week hiatuses to deal with.  Viewers are dropping like crazy.  Start the season late, take a month off in December, and just let us watch the show!  Grrrr!  My prediction - I will keep dreaming cuz this ain't gonna happen.

So, that's it!  I am so excited to see how the season ends and so curious what next season will hold.  

Why is Ruby Still on the Show?

I like Ruby, but does she really have a purpose anymore?  At first, Ruby was an entertaining character who dressed in crazy clothes and was Snow's best friend.  She was also a freaking werewolf.  It was pretty cool. But since the curse has been broken, Ruby has been in the background.  Why was the actress promoted to series regular for season two if she is only going to be in a handful of episodes?  If you think about it, she has had one character-centric episode this season.  Dr. Whale, a guest star, has had two.  Belle was also a main character this year, and while she has been absent at least half of the episodes, she will have her second episode in "Lacey" and she has more of a purpose on the show.

So, why is Ruby still on the show?  I heard rumors that the only reason she was promoted this season was to prevent the actress from appearing on other tv shows.  Pretty dirty, right?  The actress was also the only main cast member (besides the kid who plays Henry) not to be at Paleyfest.  Was she asked?  Would she have even had anything to talk about?  Well, the Ruby problem may be solved quickly, because Meghan Ory has been cast in a pilot for CBS.  You know, a different network than "Once" airs on.  Will the actress leave the show completely or just go back to being recurring?

http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/meghan-ory-to-star-in-cbs-intelligence-robert-buckley-cast-in-holding-patterns/

Is August Gone For Good?

I wish I could say I was shocked at what happened on last Sunday's episode, but loving spoilers as I do, I was not.  Yep, our dear August turned back into a little boy.  The kid is cute and all, but I much prefer Eion Bailey.  Did you notice that old and young Pinocchio had totally different coloring?  Red hair and brown eyes for the younger and brown hair and blue eyes for the older?  Kindof sloppy casting there.

Why did August have to die?  And how did he die, because we aren't really sure of that right now.  I was hoping to see an interview from Kitsis and Horowitz (show creators) or Eion Bailey, but I haven't seen any.  It is very possible that Eion just wanted to do other projects and be written off the show.  If this was just a creative decision, frankly, it doesn't make any sense.  So, I am just going to guess that this was the actor's decision.  I am really disappointed that August is off the show, because while he did do some crappy things, he was one of the only characters who know what was going on.  He escaped the curse, knew Neal was Baelfire, and has been all over the world.  And I still think he had something to do with writing Henry's storybook.  Sigh.

So, back to Tamara.  Originally, I thought she only existed on this show to keep Emma and Neal apart. But no!  She is an evil ho (pardon my language) who doesn't care about Neal at all and is only out to find magic.  Real magic.  And boy did she find it in Storybrooke!  Not only did she hit the magic mother lode, but she also reunited with her other boyfriend Greg Mendel aka little Owen who is looking for his dad.  Yep, these two baddies are in this together, although I would bet that Tamara is playing him too.  Tamara is clearly the "her" that Greg was always talking to on the phone.  So, where is Tamara getting all this money to buy other-worldly cures from dragon men in Asia?  And what about that taser that she killed the dragon and August with?  Since August was made of wood, he was likely not electrocuted, so the device must have been magic somehow.  What is Tamara's deal?  Is she from the Enchanted Forest?  She said she is human, but she could be lying.  Although, how would she have gotten there?  Was there another magical wardrobe like Pinocchio and Emma used?  My guess is that she is some kind of evil scientist and will exploit everyone in Storybrooke for the right price.  Could she even be the catalyst for some of citizens to go to Neverland?  Hmmm.

So, now we have a four week break until the new episode "Lacey", one I am really looking forward to.  Will Belle get her memories back or will she remain as her alter ego Lacey?  Will she and Rumple fall in love again?  I am really looking forward to this one!

Will "Once" Visit Neverland?

Season two is coming to a close soon, and the big question is - what game changer is in store for season three?  If you remember, in the season one finale, the curse was broken, everyone got their memories back, and Rumpelstiltskin brought magic to Storybrooke.  A lot has happened this season.  Snow killed Cora and blackened her heart, Emma and Snow visited the Enchanted Forest, Hook came to town to kill Rumple, Belle got shot and lost her memory, Henry met his father, and Rumple was reunited with his son.  What could possibly be next? 

Since "Once Upon a Time" was created by people who used to work on "Lost", it is very likely that "Once" will try to reinvent itself some way each season.  If season one was about everyone being cursed and season two was about everyone having their memories back, what could season three be about?  We don't know, but is it possible that everyone will lose their memories again or that we will be in a different time period?  I would really hate that, but could it happen?  We know that the last two episodes of the season are called "Second Star to the Right" and "Straight on Til Morning".  That's right ladies and gents, we are headed to Neverland.  But why?  We know that Hook is from Neverland and it is more than likely that Neal (aka Baelfire) spent some time there as well, whether he is Peter Pan, a lost boy, or just a visitor.  We also know that Anton the giant was planting some magic beans that could open up portals to other worlds and that Henry is desperate to get rid of magic.  And what about Neal's fiancee Tamara, who has some sort of agenda, and the stranger Greg Mendel (little Owen) who has been taking an awful lot of videos of the magic happening in Storybrooke.  I have a feeling Henry will somehow send some of his family members to the land of Peter Pan.  But who?  Will everyone go?  Just Emma, Neal, and Henry?  Hmmm.  I'm sure we will get a better idea of where the story is headed by the end of the season, so we may just have to be patient and wait.  I just hope that we don't lose any major characters along the way.  Can't wait until May to find out!  :)

The Many Loves of Rumpelstiltskin

You can open your eyes now.  The super icky love fest between Cora and Rumple is over.  That had to be one of the most uncomfortable episodes for me to watch.  Any time two characters get turned on by talking about killing people, you know that is not a match made in heaven.  I am a big fan of Rumple, but I prefer Rumple when he is not gold and doesn't have bad teeth and claws.  So, what did young, hot Cora see in him?  Just the power?  Cuz, she seemed pretty game for making out with him and having his baby.  Ew.

It wasn't just lust though.  Cora actually fell in love with Rumple.  He loved her too, but it wasn't enough to break the curse like Belle was able to do.  Cora even decided to rip out her own heart, so she would stop loving him.  That is commitment.  What does this tell us?  Cora was even more evil and ambitious than we thought.  Rumple as the Dark One is not a good guy, but he can love.  He loved his wife at one point, and he still deeply loves his son and Belle.  Cora doesn't need and doesn't want love.  She was even willing to kill the only man she ever loved (Rumple) and become the Dark One herself, even at the expense of her own daughter.

This was an emotional episode for Rumple, both in the past and the present.  In the present, the ship they borrowed from Hook arrived in Storybrooke and the Charmings prepared for battle.  Gold lay dying in the back room of his shop while Emma, Bae, and Charming tried to fight off Cora and Regina.  Rumple felt the need to make one last phone call to Belle, even though she still doesn't remember him.  Belle still got pretty choked up when Rumple said he was dying.  Bae seemed horrified that his father even had a girlfriend, let along that he had to be in the same room while had made the very private call.  It did however let father and son bond for a moment and hold hands though Bae was still hurt and angry.

Snow has been struggling with her feelings.  In the last episode, she found out that Cora was responsible for killing her mother when Snow was a child.  Naturally, Snow wants to get some revenge.  Rumple reminds her that he still has the candle that can take life from one and give life to another.  HINT!  Kill Cora, save Gold.  Snow struggles with what to do, but ultimately she needs to protect her family and Cora wants them all dead.  The really tricky part of the candle trick is that Cora's heart, long since removed, needs to be put back in her body. That's where Regina comes in.  Playing with Regina's emotions, Snow gets her to do the dirty work.  Regina gets a moment of happiness with her mother, then mommy falls over dead.  Right before that happens though, Rumple and Cora have a heart to heart and we learn that Cora really did love Rumple, which is something that Rumple has been wondering about for years.  Why should he care anymore if Cora ever loved him?  Doesn't he supposedly love Belle now?  Isn't Belle his true love?  Well, Cora dies and Rumple lives and gets his dagger back.  Regina is out for blood now.  No more Miss Nice Queen.

Next week, we get to see the first week of the curse in Storybrooke and have a Regina-centric episode where we may learn why she wanted to adopt a child.  And I could not care less.  Bring on "Lacey"!

Who is Lacey?

Belle's amnesia has been a real downer.  Her not remembering her name and not believing people who say they are her friends is getting old.  Not to mention her spilling her guts to the stranger Greg Mendell (who is looking for proof of magic) or keeping a clue in her bag to the location of Rumple's dagger.  This storyline needs to be over, like yesterday.  If only she could have true-love's kiss, the spell would be broken.

Luckily, the creators of the show have said that Rumple will help Belle get her memory back this season.  Hooray!  But when?  The next few episodes have a lot of good stuff coming up - Snow's mom, Cora's backstory, a death or two, Pinocchio trying to redeem himself, and a flashback to the beginning of the curse. All signs point to episode 19 "Lacey" as the episode we have been waiting for.  I saw this on twitter last night - https://twitter.com/robertcarlyle_/status/306235771310968833/photo/1 .  A clue?  "19" is the episode number, "waiting to be kissed" probably means that Belle needs to be kissed by Rumple for the curse to break, and that picture!  Beauty and the Beast ballroom scene?  Can't wait!  April needs to get here, now!

So that brings us to the the question - who is Lacey?  I really have no idea, but my theory is that before Belle's curse is broken, Lacey is what she decides to call herself.  Other ideas are floating around on the internet - a city in New Jersey, something to do with the Sheriff of Nottingham, but I am sticking with my theory for now.  Can't wait!  Rumbelle forever!!!!!!!

Baelfire Finally Revealed!

"Manhattan" was a great episode that answered many of our questions.  How did Rumple hurt his leg?  Self-inflicted injury because of a seer's prediction.  Why did Milah stop loving Rumple?  While they loved each other at one time, Milah couldn't stand that her husband didn't die honorably in the Ogre War.  Was Rumple always a coward?  No, he used to be brave.  Will Henry ever find out the truth about his father?  Yep, though he was disappointed in Emma for lying to him.  Who is Baelfire?  Of course, it was Neal Cassidy, former thief and Emma's baby-daddy.

Lots of answers.  Some surprises.  I was really surprised that Rumple had no idea that Henry was his grandson.  I thought Rumple always knew everyone's business.  I wondered if Rumple was surprised that his son was a forty-year-old man.  Was he expecting Bae to still be a child?  Hey kid, we are only ten years apart now!  I really liked the reunion between Henry and Bae.  It was cute, though it was heartbreaking for Rumple that Bae wanted to spend time with Henry instead of with him.

Will Emma and Neal reconcile?  I really hope they do.  They obviously loved each other years ago.  There is a complication though - according to TVLine, Neal is engaged.  There is a character named Tamara who will be recurring this season and possibly next season.  Tamara will probably be accompanying Neal when he comes to Storybrooke.  Would Neal come to Storybrooke just to be with Henry or will he reconcile with his father as well?  Rumple really needs something good to happen to him because his life really sucks right now.  Not only was there a prophecy that probably Henry will get between him and Bae, but Bae doesn't really want anything to do with dear old dad.  And of course, there is the little matter of his girlfriend Belle being in the hospital with amnesia.  And if that isn't bad enough, the Villain Squad is looking for his dagger to take control of the Dark One.  Rumple could use some love about now.

Mama Drama

We have already met so many characters on "Once Upon a Time" and we are about to meet a few more.  It is hard to imagine some of these characters as anything other than their present selves or their Fairy Tale Land counterparts, but we are going to see some of our favorites as children and young adults.  Once upon a time, Rumple was a young boy and had a father.  Snow was a little princess with a beautiful mother.  Cora was once young and unmarried, perhaps with a family secret or two.

Episodes 15 and 16 are called "The Queen Is Dead" and "The Miller's Daughter", and I believe they are a continuation of the same story (a two-parter).  In "The Queen Is Dead", we will flashback to a time when Snow was a child, before her father married Regina, and she had a beautiful mother named Queen Eva.  There have been rumors that Queen Eva may be related to another queen we may know, a certain Queen of Hearts.  We know that Snow's mother died when she was a child, and it is a save bet that we will see how and why she dies in this episode.  Sisterly feud maybe?

The second half will focus on young Cora, played by the fab Rose McGowen.  The creators of the show have made it no secret that Cora was the miller's daughter who had to guess Rumpelstiltskin's name in order to keep her baby (probably Regina).  If you want to learn more about that fairy tale, here is the Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumpelstiltskin.  This may also be the episode we learn about Cora and Rumple's relationship and why he taught her magic.  We might want to prepare ourselves, because that relationship may have been romantic at one point (the horror!).  I hope we get a definite answer about who Regina's father is as well.

Both episodes should be really interesting and I can't wait!

A Little Wooden Puppet Returns

Besides the flashback in "Tallahassee", we have seen neither hide nor hair of August W. Booth this season.  In the season one finale, August turned back to wood and when his father Gepetto was told where his son was, August had somehow vanished.  Where in the wide world of Storybrooke could little Pinocchio be hiding?  Your guess is as good as mine, but I have a feeling that the big blue-eyed wooden puppet crossed the town line.  Remember, since he was in our world before the curse happened, he will not lose his memories.  The question is - is he walking around as a man or as a puppet?

Eion Bailey was a main cast member for the second half of season one and then suddenly disappeared.  Was this the writers choice or his choice?  We know that Eion filmed a pilot that did not get picked up.  So, couldn't he come back to Storybrooke?  Or is his story over?  It has been confirmed that August will appear again.  The very awesome Vancity Filming caught the actor in action filming scenes with Neal Cassidy in NYC (really filmed in Vancouver).  And, episode 18 is titled "Selfless, Brave, and True" which is a play on what the blue fairy told Pinocchio he should be.  Maybe this is an August/Pinocchio-centric episode.  Could this also be the character's final episode?  Because the actor is rarely on the show, I hope I am wrong but I really have a feeling that the character could be killed off in this episode.  The character may no longer be needed.  We know his character's history and how he wronged Emma.  He was even a possible love interest for Emma, but with Neal and Hook in the picture, he is no longer needed for that.  The only thing left is for him to reunite with his father Gepetto.  I bet that will happen in this episode.  When I find out anything more, I will let you know.  :)

Manhattan

I am really excited to see the new episode "Manhattan" this Sunday.  Really excited.  Will some of our questions actually be answered?

This will be a Rumple-centric episode, which are always good.  Emma, Henry, and Rumple will be in NYC trying to track down Rumple's son Baelfire.  SPOILER ALERT!!!!  In the preview for this episode, we saw Emma chasing down a man in the street and looks startled when she discovers who he is.  The man that she runs in to is Neal Cassidy, aka Henry's dad.  The real question is - is Neal also Baelfire?  We won't know for sure until Sunday, but I am 99.999% certain that they are one and the same.  If they are the same person, did Rumple know?  Did he ask Emma to accompany him because he knew they had and history?  Did he know that Henry was his grandson?  Is it Sunday yet????

The other really cool thing about this episode will be the flashbacks.  As far as I know, these will be the earliest flashbacks we have seen, focusing on Bae's birth.  Below, I have included part of the press release for this episode.  We see Neal of course, but we also see Milah.  There are some pictures of a time when Rumple and Milah appeared to *gasp* like each other!  From what I understand, Rumple is going off to fight in the Ogre Wars (presumably where he hurts his leg) and returns to find Milah either pregnant or with a new baby.  We may even see why Rumple and Milah's relationship started to sour.  Another guest star also caught my eye: David Quinlan as father.  I think this man is playing Rumple's father, when Rumple was a child.  Wouldn't that be cool?  I never really thought of Rumple ever being a child, but it could be really enlightening.

This episode won't be all fun and games.  Cora and the rest of Team Evil will be trying to track down Rumple's most treasured possession - the dagger that controls the Dark One.  Oh dear.  Can you imagine these three having Rumple for their personal slave?  I have a feeling that even if they do get the dagger, Rumple will outsmart them as he always does.


WHILE MR. GOLD GOES IN SEARCH OF SON BAE IN NEW YORK, CORA ATTEMPTS TO TRACK DOWN ONE OF RUMPLESTILTSKIN'S MOST TREASURED POSSESSIONS, ON ABC'S "ONCE UPON A TIME"
"Manhattan" - While Mr. Gold, Emma and Henry go in search of Gold's son Bae in New York, Cora, Regina and Hook attempt to track down one of Rumplestiltskin's most treasured possessions. Meanwhile, in the fairytale land that was, Rumplestiltskin realizes his destiny while fighting in the Ogres War, on "Once Upon a Time," SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
"Once Upon a Time" stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Meghan Ory as Red Riding Hood/Ruby, and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
Guest starring are Barbara Hershey as Cora, Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy, Rachel Shelley as Milah, Ethan Embry as Greg Mendell, Spencer Drever as boy, Brighid Fleming as little girl, Shannon Lucio as Seer, David Quinlan as father, Primo Allon as Gadling, Mackenzie Gray as Hob, Toby Levins as sergeant and Aaron Brooks as soldier.

If you want more hints about what happens in this episode, check out this link to an interview with the always awesome Jane Espenson:

http://portalsofperception.tumblr.com/post/42897408775/just-listened-to-barbara-barnetts-radio-show

Where in the World is Baelfire?

I remember reading an article where the producers said that Baelfire would be revealed this season.  Well, yay!  Is it too early though?  We are only halfway through season 2 and they have already broken the curse and now we will meet a person who was the reason that curse was created.  We know that Rumple has been looking for his son for hundreds of years.  Why would he think that his son is still alive?  We know that he is because he showed up on the magic globe from Cora, but really, how did Rumple know?  Do they share some sort of psychic connection?

When we do finally meet Baelfire, how does that change the show?  Obviously, Rumple will be very happy (or at least he will be once Belle remembers who the heck she is).  Will it be a happy reunion between father and son?  Does Bae know Rumple killed his mom?  I kindof have a feeling that Rumple and Bae are going to have some problems.  After all, Rumple did choose magic over his own kid, even if he did regret it immediately.  

A lot of people (me included!) speculate that Baelfire and Neal Cassidy (Emma's baby-daddy) are one and the same.  If that is the case, we may get our answer very soon.  In an upcoming episode "Manhattan", Gold, Emma, and Henry attempt to track down Bae in NYC.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are pictures on the internet of Emma and Neal Cassidy meeting in a restaurant during this episode.  We really won't know more until that episode airs, but I also found this:

http://vancityfilming.com/once-upon-a-time-michael-raymond-james-arriving-for-rehearsals/

and this:

http://vancityfilming.com/once-upon-a-times-michael-raymond-james-has-a-twitter-qa/

Yep, Neal will be in Storybrooke!  And, according to the actor, he will be there for most of the season!  Are we convinced yet?  I am really anxious to see the reunion between Rumple and Bae, as well as the reunion between Emma, Henry, and Neal!  Can't wait!

One Big Dysfunctional Family

When Cora kissed Rumple in "In the Name of the Brother", I started thinking that maybe all the characters are more connected to each other than we realized.  There are three important families on this show - Rumple's, Regina's, and the Charmings, though there is some overlap, such as Regina being Snow's stepmother.  I have created a graphic of the family tree of these families showing the relationships that we know and some that are just speculation.  Enjoy!

Well, there you have it.  It took me forever to make and I'm still not sure it is right.  As you may have noticed, I left off some of the parents who aren't essential for the diagram - Snow and Charming's moms and Belle's dad.  Some dating relationships were also left off, such as Regina and Daniel.

I don't know for certain, but I would probably bet money that Neal and Baelfire are the same person.  We aren't sure the nature of Cora's and Rumple's relationship back in Fairy Tale Land before she became all evil.  There is a small possibility that Rumple is really Regina's father.  Ew.  We probably won't know for sure until "The Miller's Daughter" or maybe even another season.

Some interesting info:  Henry Mills is the adopted son of Regina Mills, but Regina is also Henry's step-great-grandmother.  And she doesn't look a day over 30!  That would make Cora Henry's grandmother.  If Baelfire and Neal really are one and the same, that would make Rumple Henry's grandfather.  If Rumple and Belle get married, she will be Henry's step-grandmother!  Ha! And if Milah were still alive, Hook could have been Henry's step-grandpa.  See, every relationship on this show centers on Henry.  Potential Henry grandparents: Snow and Charming (maternal), Rumpelstiltskin (paternal), and Cora (maternal).  Yikes!

Another other interesting relationships you noticed?

Really, Rumple?

"In the Name of the Brother" was full-on crazy.  Dr. Whale and Ruby bonded (cute!) and a dangerous new stranger came to town.  We also got to see what happened after Hook shot Belle and she fell over the town line.

Sure enough, Belle lost her memory and now seems to be terrified of Rumple.  She spent most of the episode in the hospital, even after Rumple fixed her bullet wound.  Rumple seemed very sad during this episode, which is understandable considering Belle doesn't remember him and even seems scared of him.  Rumple doesn't give up though, and visits Belle twice in the hospital.  The first visit, Rumple tries to give a sleeping Belle true-love's kiss.  She smiles for second and then screams bloody murder.  Poor Rumple, he really does love her and he must have been so upset.

The second time, Belle was awake and Rumple brought her a present - the chipped cup and Rumple's most precious possession, which he says was charmed to help her remember.  Belle, being scared of this man she doesn't remember, does what probably made most of the viewing audience gasp - she threw the cup across the room and it shattered.  Rumple was heartbroken.  All he could do was walk away and apologize.  The only good this about this situation is that now Rumple can concentrate on finding his son.  But what will happen to Belle now that Rumple is on his way to find Bae?  Will she have to stay in the hospital until she regains her memory or will she stay with Ruby?

Just before Belle threw Chip, something horrifying happened.  Cora showed up at Gold's shop, looking for her daughter Regina.  As a peace offering, she gave Rumple a globe that would show the location of Baelfire.  Then, she called him "master" and suggested they have a truce and seal it the way they used to.  Uh oh.  That is when the old broad kissed Rumple.  He looked surprised, she looked pleased, I looked for a trash can to vomit in.  So, what was that all about?  We know that episode 16 is called "The Miller's Daughter" and is about Cora (played by Rose McGowen!) before she had Regina, so will probably learn about her association with Rumple.

We know that Rumple is the one who trained both Cora and Regina in dark magic, but it made me wonder if Cora and Rumple were in love at one time or if they even, heaven forbid, had Regina together.  Geez, I hope that is not the case.  Cora is evil - even more evil than Rumple.  While Rumple is able to love both Bae and Belle, Cora does not seem to have the capability.  But I will say right now, from now on, Cora better keep her mitts off Rumple!  Rumbelle forever!!!

Who is the Biggest Villain of Them All?

Who is Storybrooke's biggest villain?  Just when I think I have it figured out, a new episode completely changes my mind.  One of the cool things about "Once Upon a Time" is that even the bad guys have a little bit of good in them and the good guys sometimes do bad things.  So, who is bad and who is good?  The good guys are fairly obvious - Snow, Charming, Henry, Ruby, Belle, Emma, Gepetto, the dwarfs, Blue Fairy, and Archie.  Dr. Whale, Jefferson, and August are a little more complicated - neutral characters.  The bad guys would be Rumpelstiltskin, Hook, Regina, and Cora.  That brings me to the question - who is the biggest villain of them all?

Hook:  Has Hook always been bad?  We don't really know his back story yet, but judging by how he has behaved so far, I would have to say yes.  He is a pirate after all - he steals money, ships, and other men's wives.  Not cool.  His real troubles started when he fell for Milah, Rumple's wife.  While Rumple the spinner was a wimp, Rumple the Dark One would cut your hand off and kill his own wife, which is just what he did.  Now that Hook is in Storybrooke, he wants revenge on Rumple in the worst way.  Is it warranted?  He stole Milah and lost his hand.  Does Rumple deserve payback for that?  Another point against Hook - he broke in to Belle's prison and knocked her out when she wouldn't help him find Rumple.  Any man that would hit a woman (especially a teeny tiny one like Belle) is a Grade-A a-hole.  Then there is also the little matter of Hook trying to kill Belle in the library, holding a gun to her head, and later shooting her over the town line.  He got hit by a car and totally deserved it.

On the non-villain side, Hook did give Aurora back her heart before going to Storybrooke.  That was nice, but the captain is still firmly in the villain category.  Villain score: 2 1/2 out of 4 poison apples.

Regina:  Regina used to be a good girl.  She loved her father, riding horses, and the stable boy Daniel.  Her mom Cora, however, was rotten to the core.  After she killed Daniel, Cora taught her daughter how to be ambitious and arranged for her to the marry the king, Snow's father.  Regina was very frustrated with her mother but didn't start to become evil until she met Rumpelstiltskin.  He taught her dark magic and how to get rid of her mother, by pushing her through a looking glass into another land.  She became queen and tricked a man (Sydney Glass/Genie) in to killing her husband so she could become the supreme ruler of the land.  Regina tried to kill Snow, the girl she believed caused all her misery, but always failed.  It was her hatred of Snow that caused her to enact the curse that sent everyone to Storybrooke.  That was bad enough, but she had to kill her own beloved father to get the curse to work.  She kidnapped Belle and kept her prisoner in her castle and then in the Storybrooke Hospital, to use her later as a bargaining chip against Rumple.  There was also the little matter of keeping the Huntsman/Sheriff Graham as her sex-slave after she stole his heart.  Creepy.

However, Regina is not all bad.  She is capable of love - first with her father, then Daniel, and finally Henry, the boy she adopted and raised.  Regina struggles with getting her son to love her and trying to be a better person by not using magic.  Henry tries to run away from Regina several times and goes to his birth mother Emma, which pains her greatly.  Regina has no friends in town, no love interests, is openly feared, and seems very lonely.  Villain Score: 3 out of 4 poison apples.

Rumpelstiltskin:  Rumple is the most complicated character of all.  He is the very oldest character, being hundreds of years old.  He started as a poor spinner who was made a cuckold by his wife Milah and raised his son Baelfire alone.  He killed a man, becoming the Dark One.  Dark One Rumple was a whole different animal.  His appearance changed and he became obsessed with making deals.  Rumple always knows what his happening before anyone else and always has a plan.  Because of Rumple's ambition, his son Baelfire left him, a mistake Rumple has spent hundreds of years trying to fix.

So what did Rumple do that was so bad?  Well, for reasons unknown to us, he trained Cora and Regina in dark magic.  And, it was his curse that was used to destroy Fairy Tale Land and brought everyone to Maine, even if it was Regina who cast it.  He took Hook's hand and killed his wife for abandoning their son.  He bargained to get Belle as his indentured servant then kicked her out when she fell in love with him.  He beat up Hook, Smee, Belle's dad, etc.  The list could go on and on.  The point is, Rumple behind most of the bad things that happen on this show.

Like the others though, he is not all bad.  He is trying desperately to get back to his son, which is the reason he created the curse.  His love for Bae is very strong and he would do anything to get his son back.  He also reunited with Belle, his true love and is trying to deserve her affection.  For the most part, Rumple is very kind and loving toward Belle, except for the little matter of hiding his past from her and telling half-truths.  They make a pretty cute couple.  Though now that Belle has lost her memory, Rumple will be devastated   I'm pretty sure Rumple would kill anyone who stood in the way of getting back his son or who tried to hurt Belle (something we have seen many times). Villain Score: 3 1/2 out of 4 poison apples.

Cora:  This chick is a piece of work.  She has no redeeming qualities and cares only about her own agenda and power.  Her own daughter Regina was terrified of her and Cora ruled her with an iron fist and restraint by dark magic.  How she ever managed to find a husband, I'll never know.  Cora killed her daughter's boyfriend Daniel and arraigned for Snow to be taken by runaway horse to serve her own purposes - to have Regina be queen.  We don't know her reasoning yet, but she has an episode coming up - "The Miller's Daughter" and we will probably learn more.

Cora is the reason Regina became so dark.  In retaliation, Regina sent Mommy Dearest to Neverland, where she took over and become the Queen of Hearts.  Many people were beheaded during her reign.  Now, Cora has made her way to Storybrooke.  Will it be a happy reunion between mother and daughter?  Heck no!  Cora will be only too happy to toy with her daughter's affections, manipulate Henry, and take over the town.  You thought Regina was bad?  She's got nothing on the ultimate bad seed - Cora.  That is why she is "Once Upon A Time's" biggest villain.  4 out of 4 poison apples.

Amnesia

Oh my gosh, last night's episode of "Once Upon a Time" was so good!  It was intense, surprising, and it was full of delicious Rumbelle!  My favorite part?  It was all about Belle!

Belle's hair has gotten straighter, right?  I preferred the curls, but she looks more modern this way.  Either way, Belle and Rumple seem happier than ever.  They had a picnic in his store last week (rudely interrupted by the Charmings) and they spent a lot of time together this week.  Granted, a lot of their together time centered around violence, but the love was still there.

Hook is seriously my least favorite character right now (after the horrible Cora of course).  The Jack-Sparrow-wannabe broke in to the library with the intent of killing Belle.  Girlfriend is probably 5'2" 110 pounds and he is trying to fight her?  Seriously?  Hook had already knocked Belle out in her cell in Fairy Tale Land and now he is pointing guns at her and threatening to kill her?  Hate you, Guyliner!

Hook breaks in to the library and Belle knocks a shelf of books on his ugly mug.  She runs for the elevator and locks herself inside.  If I remember correctly, Regina used that elevator to reach Maleficent the dragon last season.  Miss Belle calls her beloved on their matchy-matchy cell phones but Storybrooke has pretty crappy cell reception.  The doors are finally pried open and Belle backs up in the corner, thinking this is probably the end.  But, no, it is her own Prince Charming - Rumpelstiltskin to the rescue!  Hugs all around!  This would probably be a romantic moment, but Rumbelle discovers Hook's attack was just a diversion to get Gold out of his store so Smee could rob it.  What was he after?  Baelfire's shawl, Gold's treasured item, and his only way of leaving town.

So, Gold gets all violent on his shop and smashes everything in sight before Belle stops him.  Gold yells at her.  I yell at the screen for him to stop yelling at her.  It's all very healthy!  Gold gives Belle, the most non-violent person on the planet, a gun to use on Hook.  Belle has a better idea, she is going after Hook herself.  She finds his invisible boat and boards.  Archie is on this boat!  Belle frees him and tells him to bring Gold, which is kindof funny because Archie is the one who told Hook about her.  Irony!  Gold gets on the boat, beats the heck out of Hook (again, funny because Gold is short and old and Hook is tall and young) before Belle stops him.  That Gold can be pretty scary sometimes.

Having the shawl back, Gold and Belle take a trip to the Storybrooke town line.  Gold will be going alone but Belle will be waiting when he gets back.  Gold leans in to kiss Belle, and bang!  Hook is there with a gun and Belle crumples to the ground, falling over the town line in the process.  All of her memories are gone.  Gasp!  Belle was the only one who believed in Rumple, that he was a good man, and now he has no one.  She has no idea who he is!  In a preview for next week's episode, Gold tries to give Belle true-love's kiss and she screams and backs away from him in fear.  Belle getting shot and losing her memory has really bummed me out.  I was sad when they broke up in "The Crocodile", but this is so much worse.  There is a glimmer of hope though.  Belle can get to know Gold/Rumple all over again.  They can fall in love again.  They can have their happily ever after.  And if Belle somehow does get her memory back, I hope she lets Gold kills Hook this time.  I really do.