While watching, I was very caught up in it and thought it was great, but now going back through it did have some huge flaws. I can only say that this episode is obviously gearing us up for February sweeps.
–While I think Rumple threatening everyone for Belle was EXTREME, I have to defend him a little. His heart is so broken right now. He thought he finally had it all: he and Belle are in love and in a good place, and he’s becoming a better man, and now he can leave to find Bae. And then it got ripped away and unlike times in the past, he couldn’t fix it. With that said, his threat to the Charmings was rather unexpected.
–When the chipped cup broke…ugh. That hurt. And from Jane Espenson who gave us Skin Deep and Rumbelle in the first place. That one surprised me. And I really wanted him to at least pick up the pieces. Show that he will fight for her, that he hasn’t given up hope on them. Because now how does he get her back? She’s so freaked out about him.
–The flashbacks didn’t do much for me. And it’s obvious we’ll be revisiting Frankenstein’s world again to see how Gerherdt dies the second time. The only good part of the flashbacks was Rumple. He was VERY Rumple-y in them.
–The scene between Cora and Regina, I need to rewatch that again and again cause I feel like I’m missing something b/c I was waiting for the kiss we all knew was coming. And I think the writers are trying to make us think Rumple is Regina’s father, but I really don’t think the writers are going to go there. It’s far too complicated, far too weird, especially after his slightly flirtatious nature in We Are Both. To make him her father just takes an already messed up family tree and makes it soap opera-y and I have more faith in the writers than that.
–The Outsider wasn’t given much to do, but I am interested in who this “HER” is and who he is. Still don’t think he is an ordinary guy. My money is on the Wizard of Oz
–I liked Regina holding her own, but knew it wouldn’t last. She is manipulated easily.
–Oh, and Whale being dressed like the 4th Doctor was fantastic. Tom Baker is my favorite classic, and it was very appropriate since yesterday was Baker’s birthday
Over all this episode speaks to the theme of the season so far which is what does it mean for someone or something to be broken. How does that shape your decisions? When Regina is “broken” her relies on someone stronger than herself to guide her, whether that be Rumple and being manipulated or now Cora and again allowing herself to be manipulated. With Rumple, when he is broken, he goes darker and more sinister to protect his very broken heart. In my opinion he only truly became the Dark One after he lost Bae. Now he’s lost Belle, again, and his default is to go extremely dark. RC played this episode perfectly. So on edge and angry, I loved his “it’s a good thing I don’t give a damn” line because he was spewing anger and resentement, just like he should have.