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.

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!!!

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.

What Should Happen in 2013?

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I am so excited "Once Upon a Time" is finally coming back from hiatus!  Five weeks has been too long!  The good news is that there is a big batch of new episodes and some awesome stuff coming up!  Six episode titles have been released: "The Cricket Game" (Regina/Archie-centric), "The Outsider" (Belle-centric, introduces Ethan Embry's mysterious new character, Mulan is featured, Hook gets in Belle's face), "In the Name of the Brother" (Whale-centric, Gold tries to get back with Belle), "Tiny" (Giant-centric?), "Manhattan" (Emma-centric, Emma goes on a road trip and meets up with Neal - more proof that he is Bealfire), and "The Queen is Dead" (probably Snow or Charming-centric, maybe Regina).  They also just cast a young Cora (Rose McGowen), so she will also have an episode soon.  Lots of good stuff ahead!

During this break, I have come up with some ideas of what I would like to happen.  It doesn't mean they will, just wishing.  This is a very difficult show to predict:

• Gold is reunited with Baelfire, who of course will turn out to be Neal.  Bae will find out from Hook that Rumple killed his mom and he will be really angry.  Then, they will make up and hug it out.  Neal will move to town to get back in Emma's good graces.  Henry meets his dad.
• Hook will try to get back at Gold by flirting with Belle.  Belle won't fall for his tricks.  After all, he did knock her unconscious in Fairy Tale Land.  Gold will beat up Hook (with magic of course).  Belle and Gold will profess their love for each other and they get engaged.
• Belle will make new friends in town, particularly Henry, Archie, and Emma.  She will also finally get angry at Regina for locking her up for all those years.
• We find out about Jefferson's wife and Grace's mother.  She has to be Alice, right?  But is she dead?  I will guess yes.
• Snow and Charming, along with Henry and Emma move into a new house.  It is awkward at first because Snow and Charming start to act like Emma's parents even though they are all similar in age.  Emma starts to call them Mom and Dad.  Lots of love.
• Sheriff Charming will become Mayor Charming.
• Hook hooks up with Regina.  Whether there is real affection or just trying to get back at Cora is up for debate.
• Cora will survive the season, but will somehow be trapped in Fairy Tale Land again.  Killing her is really series finale material, right?
• Archie will find love with Mother Superior aka the Blue Fairy.  Or maybe Red?
• Red will find something to do other than be Snow's sidekick.  Maybe become a leader of a gang of werewolves?
• August will return to town to reunite with Gepetto.  He will also have some explaining to do about that twenty grand he stole from Emma.
• Someone will travel back to Fairy Tale Land.  Regina maybe?  Gold? Whoever it is should bring Mulan, Aurora, and Philip back to town. 
• Mulan meets Shang.

I think that is it!  Probably none of my wishes will actually happen, but will have to see!  :)

Who's Your Mommy?

Even though he is the youngest, Henry Mills is a very important character on "Once Upon A Time".  After all, he is the reason Emma came to Storybrooke and broke the curse.  Without him, no one would have regained their memories.  Little Henry is kindof awesome, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have problems.  He has two - his mothers.

Emma Swan got pregnant when she was eighteen.  The father was Neal Cassidy, a thief who got Emma arrested.  Emma had a baby in jail.  Being so young and so aimless, she gave the baby up for adoption.  Whether by coincidence or by design, the baby got a new home in Storybrooke, Maine and a new mother in former evil queen Regina Mills.  Regina named her son Henry after her own father and came to love the boy more than she had ever loved anyone.  There was a problem though - Henry didn't love her back.

By most standards, Regina was a good mother to Henry.  She loved him, fed him, clothed him, protected him.  But, Henry was a very intuitive boy.  When he got a book of fairy tales from his teacher (Grandma!) Mary Margaret Blanchard, he discovered the truth.  Storybrooke, Maine wasn't a normal little town - it was a place inhabited by amnesiac storybook characters!  His adopted mother fit the profile of the evil queen.

Henry learned something else in that book of his.  His birth mother was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and she was the key to breaking the curse on their town.  Henry stole a credit card from his teacher and headed to Boston to find now twenty-eight year old Emma Swan.  It took Emma a little convincing, but she took Henry back to Maine and to his mother Regina.  Emma meant to just drop Henry off, but her mothering instincts kicked in and she decided to stay to watch over Henry.  Henry immediately was drawn to Emma and loved her.  It took Emma a little longer, but she came to love Henry as well.  That love broke the curse.

The end?  No way.  If this were the real world, Emma might try to fight for custody of Henry and would lose.  Even though he dislikes her, Henry would stay with Regina until he turned eighteen.  The kid would rebel and do everything he could think of to make Regina's life miserable.  Loud parties, piercings, drugs, running away, you name it.  This isn't the real world though, and this problem won't be solved anytime soon.

Yes, Henry feels a connection with his birth mother Emma.  Regina also loves the kid with all her heart.  So, who should Henry live with?  The answer is simple really.  Both mothers live in the same town, so they should have joint custody.  If Regina wants Henry to love and respect her, she is going to prove that she wants what is best for him.  Even if it is a good solution, I really doubt it will happen.  Henry was living with Grandpa Charming in Emma and Snow's apartment, but now that Emma is back from Fairy Tale Land, I think Henry will being living with her, while Charming and Snow live together elsewhere.  Regina will probably give in to the evil magic she has been fighting so hard against and will get Henry back by force.  I think in the end, Henry will be with Emma and Regina will be alone.  It's sad but we will just have to wait and see!

The Cutest Date Ever!

Gold and Belle finally had their hamburger date!  I must confess, I squealed when I saw it.  Dorky, right?  But, it was too freaking cute!  Could this be he first time the two have seen each other since Belle moved out?

Belle was wearing a cute gold (ha!) dress and seemed really happy to be there.  Gold seemed a little bit nervous.  Why else would he talk about the joys of condiments when he was on a date with a beautiful girl?  It didn't help that everyone in the restaurant was staring at them - probably because everyone is scared of him.

Of course, their date got interrupted.  Regina stormed in and demanded Gold's help to stop her mother from entering Storybrooke.  An important task, sure, but couldn't it have waited until their date was over?  Grrrrr.  If Cora does make it to town, things could get tricky for our favorite couple.  Cora's companion Hook is gunning for Rumple, and Belle may just be the key to his undoing.  Kidnapping, ransom, trying to steal her away, you name it.  They wouldn't kill Belle, would they?  I'm pretty sure my heart would break.  I'll just keep telling myself that this is a Disney show and they will never kill a princess.  Would they?

Will Ruby Find True Love?

As I was watching the episode "Child of the Moon", I started wondering whether Ruby would find love.  In Fairy Tale Land, Red loved a boy named Peter.  Thinking he was the wolf terrorizing the town, Red tied him up outside.  It turned out, he wasn't the wolf - Red was.  He died.  Red was heartbroken.  She had killed her only love. 

In Storybrooke, Rudy was a wild young woman, dating many men in town, but never wanting to find a steady fella.  After the curse was broken, Ruby stops dating altogether.  Then, a handsome man named Billy (Gus the mouse!?) asks Ruby on a date.  Sensing Ruby is uneasy, Belle steps in to make excuses about having a girl's night.  Ruby is relieved. 

That seemed very weird to me.  Why wouldn't Ruby have gone on a date with a nice young man who seems to like her?  Is she still hung up on Peter?  It's possible, but she never mentions him.  Maybe she just isn't interested in dating anymore?  Some people online like the idea of Ruby and Belle together, as they seem to get along, but I do not.  Belle belongs with Rumple.  End of story.

So, will she find true love?  I hope so!  But, he needs to be the right guy and at the right time.  Fingers crossed!