[Keb]

I think though that this weekend is a tricky one–people are at holiday parties, studying for finals, traveling home for the holidays–and so even a season finale may not be sufficient to get their attention away from real life.

Also I think that the fact they basically wrapped up Frozen in a nice shiny mirrored bow last week meant that viewers who were in it for that arc didn’t feel very compelled to watch this week. I mean, why would they care about that Belle who had like one episode?

[Keb]

I would love to see that. And I would love to see Henry and his family embrace her as FAMILY regardless of her status with Rumple at this point. That would be beautiful. Though I believe that she won’t take off her wedding ring unless/until she had to lay down the law for Rumple once more…even if she doesn’t wear it on her finger, she’ll keep it close. She still loves him.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

1) Favorite episode of 4A?
Family business. It was far from perfect but it was good, contributed to the overall arc in both backstory and present, and Emilie’s and Bobby’s performances in the mirror sequence were shatteringly beautiful. Oh and Belle costumes. Mmm.

Second fave was Shattered Sight, because of how well they played up the humor with those under the spell. Was very annoyed by what was left out though, and not so sure about DQ’s exit.

2) Least favorite episode of 4A?
Rocky Road. The flavor of the OQ stuff in this episode left a really bad taste in my mouth. Emma acting like Regina was a victim, given everything Regina’s done to her…I dunno, it just didn’t work for me. Oh, and not enough Belle.

3) Overall thoughts on the Frozen storyline?
I loved how they intersected it with the Once cast’s storylines–I think the fact that it didn’t involve Regina at all was a weakness because that left her pretty much on the sidelines for the whole arc with nothing to do but mope and make out with her cheating Robin. (Henry and Will also got left out a LOT…why is Will a regular?…and let’s not rehash Belle. I say it enough. And she SHOULD have been involved.) I loved every drop of the Frozen flashbacks and really enjoyed the Frozen cast but I did feel that major storylines–the Rumbelle arc that really needed fleshed out, the Charmings’ new family situation, and Regina’s position in the town–got sidelined a lot with only Hook’s and Emma’s story (of our regulars) getting the time they really needed.

I did not like that the resolution for DQ amounted to a happy self-sacrifice suicide move, or that finding Anna relied entirely on a wishing device whose power was only revealed THAT episode (I might have been okay with it if the power had been set up earlier). And I hated that the delicious intersection they set up with Anna and Belle, where they could have used actual character interaction to get Belle to exactly the same point and made Frozen’s impact on the series actually matter to the next arc, didn’t play out…in favor of yet another Plot Device Item whose power (and in this case, existence) only came about in THAT episode.

But I loved when they made the Frozen world work with the Once world far more smoothly than I had expected. DQ was amazing as a villain and the frozen cast were perfect.

4) Favorite moment or arc within 4A?
It was soul crushing but Belle’s face-off with the mirror wins for favorite moment. It so perfectly depicted insecurity and depression as I’ve experienced them, and it was such a character building moment for Belle. I’m hoping that moment comes back into play sometime–it was a chance for Rumple to really see what he was doing to Belle (though he pushed the blame onto DQ as per his usual), and maybe a chance for him to see that she’s got fears just like he does, but still makes the heroic choices even when it kills her. If I were writing for the show, I’d hold onto that moment and use in ten episodes or so when Rumple has to face everything he did to her.

5) Best Frozen Adapted Character?
Kristoff, Anna, and Elsa. They were all perfect, and their chemistry together was amazing. I can’t choose…though I will say that Kristoff’s bickering with David, Anna, and Hans was the highlight of 4A for me.

6) Final Grade for 4A?
Way, way better than 3A–I feel like the Guest Realm got its fair play (perhaps too much in this case) and contributed at least to Emma’s development as a character. And it didn’t leave me quite as crushed as 3A’s finale…but there wasn’t enough Belle. B-.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Where did I see someone listing places that Belle’s saved now? She saved her town, Mulan’s village (and heck, by freeing Phillip, helped save what was left of Aurora’s kingdom), saved Storybrooke from John & Michael, saves what she probably believes is Storybrooke from Rumple and in the process, based on what he told Hook, saves our world as well…that last one wasn’t on the list, but she’s one big dang hero. She’s saved as many people as the Savior now, and almost always by sacrificing everything in the process.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

And it really sucks because the chances that we’ll see the Frozen cast again on Once are pretty slim, I suspect…Disney’s gonna be careful with that property and may not allow the kinds of cameos other characters are getting. They set that up as a pretty final goodbye.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Regina was a big bad once upon a time. Unlike Rumple, she hasn’t even died once.

Rumbelle will return. I believe that they both still love each other, desperately, and that if Belle has proof that Rumple is choosing her over power she will take him back. She told him exactly that: She wanted to be chosen.

I’ve got some theories over how they could play out the new dynamic…but suffice it to say, I want Belle to be the hero who isn’t getting her happy ending and wants to help Regina & Henry & Emma bring EVERYONE the happy endings, and Rumple to be desperate to win back Belle whatever it takes to the point where he finally, once and for all, has to choose her. But I’m afraid that point won’t come until the very end of the series, because his power and complexity as a villain seriously drive the overall show.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

I am too because a, it puts Belle clearly in the ranks of heroes (and not just sidekick love interests where they seem to like to keep her), and b, the story that they keep toying with and not actually giving us that I really really want to see is Rumple actually working to win Belle back. We got a tiny tiny bit of that in Lacey and In the Name of the Brother (which was otherwise an awful episode, I’m sorry, it was), but not nearly enough for the setups they gave us.

A is interesting because Belle is proof that heroes don’t get their happy endings any more than villains do, if OQ and Rumbelle were respectively the happy endings for her and Regina. If she can be Emma & Henry’s friend/family enough to actually be involved in things, she’s a perfect candidate for Operation Mongoose…and I think that she would want a way for Rumple to really change, so that they could be together–since he’s what she really wants.

B is the story that Rumbelle most desperately needs. Rumple needs to earn her back, change, learn from his mistakes, and finally choose love over power completely. It has the potential to be beautiful (and we know Emilie & Bobby will sell it if they write it). And his going down dark paths to try to win her back without giving it up? That, too, will be fascinating (if painful) to watch.

So YAY Belle. Now will someone PLEASE hug her instead of comforting Regina? Jeez.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Liked:

Belle. She was amazing. What the heck were they doing cutting all her scenes this season? I think the whole thing would have been so much more powerful (not that it wasn’t absolutely devastating) if Belle had been present for more than three out of ten episodes preceding this.

The Rumbelle fanfic flashback was just full of all the things that Rumbellers collectively have headcanoned about this period in their lives…and it was perfect. I loved it. It worked for me that the three villainesses joined up to go against Rumple though the Plot Device Glove bothers me for reasons below.

Belle’s clothes. Mmm.

Belle Saving The Day, saving Hook and the rest of the town from what she feared was happening.

BELLE AND HENRY. Grandma Belle. (Am so hoping she’s the next recruit to Operation Mongoose…hey, she might get to write her own happy ending with Rumple then?)

Operation Mongoose hitting paydirt.

The return of the walking broom. I’m sorry, it’s zany but I LOVE that thing.

Robin (sort of) choosing Marian. And Regina letting him make the Right Choice.

And that scene with Belle & Rumple at the town line…so…so hard to watch. Such a good performance from both of them. All the awards. Now hurry up and find a way to win her back, you stupid imp.

Disliked:

I’m really happy to see Mal & Ursula return since they’re already part of the show’s canon and I want to see things like Hook’s backstory with Mal, BUT…it just feels a bit over the top to bring in three new villains to play like this…can’t we explore the book or spend some time comforting Belle after she SAVES THE DAY by saying goodbye FOREVER for the…umpteenth time…to her true love?

On that note, why is it that save for one moment with Archie in Dark Hollow, nobody EVER comforts Belle? I get that they don’t like Rumple but they’re all supposed to be her friends.

Did Belle tell Emma what she did with Gold? Sure sounded like Emma might know when she cheered Regina up with that…but we don’t get to know, do we, because it’s Belle…

The whole episode felt a little crammed to me, too…

and my biggest complaint: Belle never got to see Anna. She never even got close. Instead of using the OBVIOUS trail that they set up from the start of the episode, that would involve character interaction–rewarding character interaction given that Belle and Anna MET IN THE PAST–they use the stupid Brand New Shiny Gauntlet of Plot Devicing to have Belle work things out. Even if they were going to disappoint on the Anna & Belle meeting front (which is really harsh anyway, at least let Belle know Anna’s okay and going home after she has a BREAKDOWN over what she did to her)…they could have had Hook somehow signal Belle. That would have involved A&E’s favorite character AND allowed him and Belle to exhibit their traits–his survival instinct and wit and her intelligence and “ability” to see people’s hearts. Either of those would have been more satisfying to me than using the brand new shiny magical plot device object, and…they had all the pieces RIGHT THERE. I can only conclude they didn’t go that route because they seem allergic to giving Belle screentime. And that sucks, because yeah, I know I identify with her and so I’m always going to be more moved by her, but dang…Emilie’s acting this season in the few moments she got has just been TOTALLY able to keep up with Bobby’s and DANG they’re wasting so much talent. And story. And angst and drama that could have come from all that.

I therefore hate the gauntlet. We never even got to SEE it in use…it was just THERE.

But…once I pick up the shattered pieces of my heart…I shall probably think of this as a good episode, if only for the fluffy flashback.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Never intentionally. He already has hurt her emotionally, a great deal. But even back in the Dark Castle, when he thought the evil queen had turned her against him, he shakes her, shouts at her, and then locks her up to keep her safe–from himself. He then procedes to destroy STUFF–but he can’t even bring himself to destroy the cup that he associates with her.

To physically hurt Belle intentionally is, I think, something that Rumple would never do.

Unintentionally? Highly likely.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Keb]

Yeah, Emma needed a friend she wasn’t related to.

But I am disappointed that they set up a friendship between Belle & Anna and they relied on a silly magical device instead to have Belle discover the truth about Rumple.

Otherwise they played it out well but it was frustrating to have them set up the thing with Anna and not play it out.

Keeper of Belle's Gold magic, sand dollar, cloaks, purple FTL outfit, spell scroll, library key, copy of Romeo and Juliet, and cry-muffling pillow, Rumple's doll, overcoat, and strength, and The Timeline. My spreadsheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6r8CySCCWd9R0RUNm4xR3RhMEU/view?usp=sharing

[Author]

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