This was a strong episode–not a favorite of mine, but strong. 🙂
I honestly didn’t really care for the Cora flashbacks that much. They were obviosuly trying to put in some last minute sympathy for her in the episode and it wasn’t bad. I just didn’t care for it that much. Plus, redeeming every single villain on the show is starting to get old. Cora may not have technically been redeemed, but it just feels as though they suddenly tried to make her out to be so nice. With that said, Barbara Hershey was great in that moment when her heart was given to her–seriously, I actually felt Cora’s happiness. And Rose MsGowen as a young Cora was a great choice.
As for Regina, I didn’t feel that much sympathy for her. I do feel bad that she had to watch her mother die, but seeing as how she was about to kill everyone else in the room…well, I just don’t really care that much.
Ginnifer Goodwin was awesome in this episode. She was finally given some good material and she did wonderful with it. I felt for Snow White in every single moment, and (this might offend some) but I agree with her decision. It wasn’t the best one to do, but she was backed into a corner–Cora was a threat and they could have all been killed. I consider what she did to be self-defense.
We only got a small rumbelle moment, but it was touching and very beautiful. 😀 Along with Baelfire crying and hugging his father.
I actually cringed with the Cora and Rumpelstiltskin scenes. It was obviously not True Love–if it was, his curse would have started breaking. But it also seemed….weird. I don’t see why Cora fell in love with him. She seemed more in lust of him–he was powerful and attractive. But it wasn’t liek Belle and Rumpelstiltskin or Snow White and Prince Charming and the other couples on this show. They were all genuine. I think Rumpelstiltskin wanted desperatly to be in love and wanted someone to love him–his wife left him, hie let his son go, and he had no one else.
There’s not much else that I really liked. Emma was awesome, but I would’ve liked some more of her. The episode was great and powerful, but not a favorite, and I don’t think there was much of a shock to it. I knew Cora would die and I knew Snow White would have a hand in it. The part where she tricked Regina was a bit of a surprise, but not entirely unexpected, I think.