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Fruit of the Poisonous Tree
In trying to catch Regina embezzling city funds, Emma and Sidney run into Gold in the forest. He tells them he just sold land to Regina. He raises doubts about his own ethics when he says, “In business I’ve found it’s best not to ask too many questions.” He cautions them to drop their investigation because “emotional entanglements can lead down dangerous paths.”After Emma’s failed attempt to bring Regina down, Gold meets her and Sidney outside the council meeting. He commends Emma for her bravery but cautions, “You’re going to need a strong ally.” When Emma rejects his offer, he says, “One can wish”–a most interesting comment in an episode about the dangers of wishing. Is it possible he knows who Sidney is?
[adrotate group="5"]7:15AM
When Snow seeks a way to forget Charming, Red refers her to Rumple : “there are whispers of a man who can achieve even the most unholy of requests.” Snow takes her boat into a foggy marsh and Rumple suddenly appears in the boat (now we know where the boat hanging in Gold’s shop came from) . Rumple admires the craftsmanship of the boat and asks its price, correcting Snow when she says it’s not for sale. “No one comes to see me without a deal in mind.”Poor guy apparently has no friends or relatives. Knowing that Rumple is centuries old, the viewer can’t but wonder how lonely he must be, and how jaded, that his only relationships are business transactions–people who want to use him, get the better of him if they can, then leave him.
Rumple knows who Snow is and says he’s looked forward to meeting her. He admires her beauty. He speaks to her softly and sympathetically as she asks for a cure for her broken heart. We learn there’s no magic to force someone to love another. We also learn Rumple’s views on romance: “No two loves are exactly alike. . . Love is the most powerful magic. The cure must be extreme. . Love makes us sick, haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease.” His fee is a strand of Snow’s hair. It would seem he’s given her the best of the bargain.
because after all, he did lead her on, support her in her crimes. Gold has it in him to seek forgiveness; if he also has it in him to forgive, he’ll be redeemed.
True North
Emma comes to Gold’s shop to ask about a compass belonging to two children whose father she is trying to find. Gold greets her warmly and reports that the compass had been bought from him. When Emma asks the purchaser’s name, Gold says he doesn’t remember and goes to his card file to find out. He withholds the information until Emma asks his price. He answers, “Forgiveness.” Emma counters with “tolerance” and he accepts, reporting to her the purchaser’s name. He says something intriguing: “Just a name. I generally find that’s all one needs” (or at least all he needs to get power over a person?). The camera then shows us the file card is blank.This tiny scene reveals two additional bits of information about Gold, besides the power of names. One is that Gold is not above deceiving Emma. As to why he tricked her with the fake card, it could be because the purchase never actually happened: perhaps it’s a fake memory. If so, that makes Gold a co-conspirator with Regina in developing the false lives in SB. Or perhaps he tricked Emma just so she wouldn’t know how sharp his memory is.
The second important bit of information comes from his asking forgiveness. The word choice matters: he doesn’t say, “Accept my apology for manipulating you before.” An apology is a lesser admission of wrongdoing. “Forgiveness” implies a more serious, intentional wrongdoing. His request sets the stage for a future request he will make. Gold, unlike Regina, takes no pleasure in hurting innocent people; he seems to believe his wrongdoings are necessary, however.
Rumple: “John Wayne.”
Clock runs down.
Steve: “Let’s turn around and look–“
Rumple points a finger toward the board.
Steve: “We don’t need to bother with the board. I’m sure you have all the most popular answers. Let’s bring out Belle.”
Rumple goes back to the family and is greeted with high fives. Belle approaches Steve uncertainly.
Belle: “I just got out of a mental institution–“
Steve: “Twenty -five seconds on the clock.”
Belle: “I don’t really know–“
Steve : “First question. Name something you find in a library.”
Belle: “Jefferson rescued me–“
Answer appears on the board: JEFFERSON. 0 points.
Steve : “Name something people kiss.”
Belle: “Jefferson told me–“
Answer on the board : JEFFERSON 2 points.
Steve : “Something that comes in a bottle.”
Belle: “At least, he said his name was Jefferson.”
Answer on the board: JEFFERSON 0 points.
Steve: “A place you’d like to visit.”
Belle: “But who knows? I mean what kind of name is that? Jefferson.”
Answer on the board: JEFFERSON CITY MISSOURI 5 points.
Steve: “A president of the United States. “
Belle: “Oh, I know this! John Wayne.”Steve : “It’s time for Fast Money. Give me two players.”
(Rumple comes downstage, Belle goes into the isolation booth.)
Steve: “If you reach 200 points –“
Rumple: “Oh, we will.”
Steve : “Tell everyone what you ‘ll win.”
Rumple : “Two weeks in lovely Storybrooke, Maine.”
Steve : “Give me 20 seconds on the clock. First question : Name something you find in a library.”
Rumple : “Dragons.”
Steve : “Something that people kiss.”
Rumple : “My boot.”
Steve : Something that comes in a bottle.”
Rumple: “Twu wuv.”
Steve: “A place you’d like to visit.”
Rumple : “Cape Cod, Florida.”
Steve: “Cape Cod isn’t in Florida.”
Rumpld : “It is now.”
Steve : “A president of the United States.”Steve: “Moving right along. We asked 100 single men : What is the most romantic thing you ‘ve ever done for your lady?”
Charming : “Well, there was the time I gave her a Valen –” (glances at Snow) “Uh, and then there was the time I came to her jail cell and asked if she –no, forget that. And then I had dinner with the woman who had framed her for –you know what? Just skip over me.”
Rumple : “I turned her fiance into a rose. She cut his feet off.”
Emma : “It’s not your turn.”
Rumple : “No matter, Sheriff Swan. We’re winning.”
Belle : “Where’s Richard Dawson? I want a kiss.”
@Iceblade wrote:
Next question:
We asked a hundred single ladies in Storybrooke, who is the most attractive man in fairytale land?
Snow: “Charming!” (20 points)
Emma: “The huntsman!” (50 points)
Snow (glaring at the audience): “Did my stepmother put a curse on all of you? “
Rumple: “Leroy!” (snaps his fingers as the answer is revealed: 100 points.)
( On the other side, the dwarves mumble. Grumpy doesn’t know whether to be dismayed because his team ‘s losing or flattered by the answer.) Grumpy : “What’re you tryin’ to pull, Rumpy?”
Rumple : “I always honor my deals.”
(The other dwarves begin slapping Grumpy with their hats) Happy : “You made a deal with the Dark One just to get a little PR for yourself?” (Grumpy proclaims his innocence)
Steve: “Wait a minute. . .” (Rumple cocks an eyebrow and aims a finger at Steve. Steve gulps.) “The Charming-Rumples take the lead with 200–” (Rumple aims that finger again) “–with 500 points.”
The writer in me says yes, stylistically, it would make sense if Gold never finds Bae. The scene in thr forest between August and Gold can’t be repeated; you can take an audience into that well only once, because the emotions are so deep and intense. For the real Bae to show up and for the writers to try to recreate those emotions in the audience, it would only be an echo. So deep down, I can agree with the Bae is gone theory. Gold got to have the forgiveness he needed ; we got the chance to experience that with him, and maybe someday Gold will thank August for trying to con him.
But the fangirl in me can’t handle a Bae loss. Not after Charlie and Jin and Sayid and Sun and Locke and Jack and…
@Iceblade wrote:
All other characters are probably fair game for less than truly happy endings. Then again, Lost did end as we thought it would; the island being purgatory.
The island was real; the flash sideways was purgatory, so the writers caught us in a loophole.
