Street Rats – ONCE266

We are ready to discuss the episode “Street Rats” more in-depth with your feedback, sharing a whole new world with you and talking about diamond in the rough, bad mythology, cutting fates, saving the kiss for last, and more! Is the Oracle really dead? Are Saviors, like evil, not born, but made? All these plus more clues about the shears and the parallels between Emma and the street rat that is Aladdin.

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Capital of Agrabah (Many Years Ago)

Starting out the past in the Capital of Agrabah many years ago, Jafar has taken control of the kingdom and it was ironic when he said that thieves will not be tolerated in Agrabah, while Aladdin is out there stealing during his speech. However, it was actually more distracting the way he was doing it. Plus, they weren’t reacting when he was touching them.

Agrabah is supposed to be in the same realm as the EF, just…east of it. The way I used to think of it was that the entire world was called Fairy Tale Land but that most of our characters are from the Enchanted Forest (Europe, if you will) and Agrabah is simply on another continent (the equivalent of the Near/Middle East) but easily accessible via water or land. SO! This is how Jafar’s father in WL could be a Sultan in Agrabah and Jasmine’s father be another Sultan in a different part of Agrabah and Adam tell us (on Twitter) that Jafar’s father and Jasmine’s father are NOT the same and it’s different kingdoms.

— Jacquelyn

When Jasmine found Aladdin, she referred to the most powerful magic in all the realm, a weapon known as the Diamond in the Rough. In our Street Rats initial reactions, we thought that that diamond made Aladdin magical, but then re-watching this episode, it’s more obvious that Aladdin has been magical all along. Turns out, Aladdin is the diamond in the rough; the diamond that needs to be pulled out. Looking at the parallels between Aladdin and Emma’s story, when Henry went to Boston to get Emma, she already has magic. Aladdin, on the other hand, was put on the path by Jasmine. So what was the purpose of their trip to the Cave of Wonders, then? It’s also probably that he actually opened the doors with magic, he simply doesn’t know it yet.

When they were walking in the desert, Jasmine spoke in certain cryptic terms. She didn’t say explicitly that the weapon was inside the Cave of Wonders, but rather that it would be discovered in the Cave of Wonders. And what was discovered in the Cave of Wonders? That Aladdin truly has magic. His magic was instantly light magic, too, just like Emma and the one time that Regina used light magic to defeat the Wicked Witch.

Inside the cave of wonders, it looks a lot like the vault under the Apprentice’s hut where the Sorcerer’s Hat was protected. Coincidental prop re-use, or actual connection? It felt very familiar not only to the Apprentice’s hut, it was also a reminiscent of the giants’ lair where Emma and Hook retrieve the magical compass. Plus, it looks a lot like the Cave of Wonders in the Disney movie version of Aladdin, as well.

How did Jasmine know what would happen? How did she know she needed Aladdin? How does Jasmine even know about Saviors? Perhaps the Oracle bird was tasked to spy on Jasmine, that’s why Jafar knew to appear after Jasmine was sure that Aladdin is the diamond in the rough.

More evidence that the oracle in Storybrooke in Jafar? Jafar used this bird-oracle like the girl did in Storybrooke. Then again, the oracle had her own red bird in 6×01 “The Savior,” but maybe it was Jafar’s spy posing as Aladdin’s pet, and they have no idea that that was Jafar’s. After all, he did use the red bird as a spy in this episode.

Jafar said that the shears belong to all three fates, but according to our resident Greek Mythology expert, Jacquelyn, this was bad mythology.

The Shears would not have belonged to ALL THREE Fates; just Atropos, the fate who cuts the life thread at the end. Clotho spins the thread and Lachesis determines how long the thread is.

— Jacquelyn

Clearly, Jafar wanted Aladdin to give up and not be the Savior. Jafar knows that he could defeat him, yet he doesn’t want to kill him. Can he not kill Aladdin? Is there a rule of magic that the main villain could not kill the Savior? It also could be that Saviors can only be defeated if they allow it.

Back in the castle with the Sultan there, this battle scene is probably one of the corniest scenes in Once Upon a Time. It was pretty brutal when he threw Jasmine; it was quite a stunt, but it doesn’t quite match. Is Jafar’s staff fixable? After all, in The Savior episode, Jafar was seen holding the snake staff.

When Aladdin and Jasmine then go to the market, Jasmine said that Jafar was sighted in the Eastern Provinces. Is that when he was doing his Wonderland things? Nonetheless, Jafar really wants Aladdin to give up, because he knows Aladdin could defeat him as if he was listening to their conversation all those time. However, Aladdin’s vision doesn’t involve any battle, just splashes of grim events.

Storybrooke (Present Day)

Moving over to the present day in Storybrooke starting with Emma and Archie chasing a bird for therapy. Why did Emma drag Archie along into the woods instead of cancelling their session? Is the Oracle really dead? Does this mean that she isn’t posing as Jafar? The Evil Queen basically confirmed it later in Archie’s office, but where is the Oracle’s staff if it was really her?

The thing is that the fact that we have a corpse that looks like the oracle now does not mean that the oracle was not Jafar before. This body could easily be a distraction, after Jafar has decided that his disguise and relationship with Jasmine now has no value and he wants to return to his own agenda.

— @Amdillae

Any chance Jafar was using the Oracle girl to disguise himself and now he’s using Aladdin.  Maybe Aladdin in storybrooke is actually Jafar and that’s why he gave Emma the shears so she could do the same thing Aladdin did. Or maybe Aladdin is actually alive somewhere else and never used the shears!

— @thedarkonedearie

When they were interrogating Shirin/Jasmine, it was funny that there was a dreamcatcher in the interrogation room, as if that was their backup plan if Shirin didn’t tell the truth.

Archie assumed that she did it, and EQ was happy to be assigned credit for such an act. But she didn’t actually confirm or deny that she did so, she only confirmed that she would happily have done so. For all we know, Evil Queen got there too late, and that is why she couldn’t get the information! Maybe she saw who did it, and maybe she didn’t, but either way she is not telling!

— @SciFiGirl

How come Zelena needed the four-leaf clover to change her appearances but Regina could do it using magic without having the need for the necklace?

When the Evil-Queen-as-Archie finds Emma at the bug, violating all patient-therapist confidentiality, getting Emma to spill the beans was too full. She wanted not only to seed discord, but also to learn about Emma’s vision. So why does the Evil Queen want to know Emma’s vision so badly? Perhaps she wants Emma to use the shears so she could eliminate the Savior off the chessboard?

Upstairs, when Henry and Shirin were talking, she said that she put Aladdin on the path. Does this mean that Saviors, like evil, aren’t born, but are made? Emma is the Savior because of her parents True Love but also because Rumple put a drop of that true love on to the Dark Curse before Regina cast it. Aladdin seems to be a Savior because he’s a diamond in the rough. Are there commonalities between Saviors? What makes a Savior? Can anyone qualify or are there certain criteria?

It seems ironic how Snow White told Emma when she sat down her daughter that she and David don’t keep secrets to each other, when her husband is actually currently keeping a secret from his wife.

Inside the Three Bears Day Spa, aside from Zelena and Evil Queen, was Sneezy! It was also super awkward to have him hear that not only both Zelena and the Evil Queen hit on the  Dark One, but also their mother. While they were getting their nails, the Evil Queen said that Henry didn’t accept who she is only because she lied to her son, but Henry knew she was the Evil Queen. Even when she was honest about it in season 2, he still rejected it. Zelena, on the other hand, doesn’t seem interested in her daughter turning out as “wonderfully wicked” as herself. Isn’t it a bit obvious that Evil Queen just wants a powerful ally?

Meanwhile, Regina was in her vault making a jar of nightmares, a potion to link Emma and Aladdin’s magic together. And if Aladdin used the shears, how did the potion work at all? What was she being drawn to if he was dead? Maybe not Aladdin’s body per se, but the place where he could be found. Might this be where saviors are buried? Does the shear remove magic or do they remove Saviorness?

The dead corpse in the crypt (which also had the scarab) was dead “Savior Aladdin” and the Aladdin who is still walking around, is Dark/bad/some-type-of-evil Aladdin. Emma was led to the dead corpse by that locator spell, the Aladdin that appeared was in the back of the crypt, she was not led directly to him.

— Clues about the shears

Or, could it actually be Jafar pretending to be Aladdin, since he’s done pretending to be the Oracle?

One other thing it could be is that Aladdin’s magic is somehow absorbed into the shears? It’s not really something that I have thought about, but if you cut your destiny away from yourself what happens? Where does it go? Do the Savior powers just dissolve into thin air?

— @Matt

Can using the shears be undone?

How does Jasmine even know Agrabah is in danger since she was in the Land of Untold Stories? And why does she think that Agrabah still needs saved since Jafar left the city? How did Princess Jasmine even got to the Land of Untold Stories?

Meanwhile, back at Zelena’s farmhouse after spending the day at the spa, it was funny that Archie has spit up on his vest. Unfortunately, he is now back as a cricket. Still, this doesn’t confirm that Zelena has really allied with the Evil Queen. Then again, if the Evil Queen needs a powerful ally such as Zelena, does this mean that she can’t also kill someone? She claimed to killing the Oracle, but does she really have the power to actually kill? After all, she didn’t specifically said what become of the Dragon back in the episode, “The Savior.”

Why did Hook keep the shear to himself? He knows she wants to live happily ever after with him and her family. Plus, he said that all he wants is her heart’s desire.

If I were to make a guess as to who will use them, I’m going to assume Regina, and they will sever her from Evil Queen (making EQ killable in the process)

— @Nevermore

Emma’s visions are only the “possible” future. She is seeing the outcome of what will happen if she uses the shears and severs herself from her “Savior Emma side.”

This is a parallel to Regina/Evil Queen. What happens is that by severing themselves, they don’t get rid of any sides, they only bring their inner fights to the outside world.

What Emma sees in her visions are Dark Emma killing Savior Emma, It was said in the episode, that the Savior always dies… Hmmm so maybe that’s what always will happen if you use the shears. And the magic of these shears, is probably dark magic, so that seems fitting that the price of using it will be the death of the good part of yourself.

— Grimmsistr

Anything you think we missed about “Street Rats?” Do you have any spoilers and theories you want to discuss? Check out our forum and share them all there!

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Spoilers

• In 6×06 “Dark Waters,” Emma tries to convince Aladdin to work with Jasmine to help Agrabah
• Meanwhile, Regina teams up with Snow and David to free Archie from Zelena.
• In the past, Hook finds himself kidnapped by Captain Nemo
• “Dark Waters” was written by Andrew Chambliss & Brigitte Hales and directed by Robert Duncan
• Guest starring are Raphael Sbarge as Dr. Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket, Karen David as Princess Jasmine, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, David Avalon as Doc, Faran Tahir as Captain Nemo, Nick Eversman as First Mate and Corey Schmitt as Second Mate.
• Promo for 6×06 starts with a green flowing eyes in the water
• Also from the promo, Hook dives into the water with another person and into a sub
• Finally, Captain Nemo needs help with a mission
• A lot of promo photos for 6×06 are of Hook
• Another image was of Zelena and the Evil Queen outside her house
• There was also an image of Emma taking Aladdin out into the town line, having a nice conversation
• There were also tons of photos of the flashback with Hook and Captain Nemo
• Adam Horowitz shared a script tease of Henry and the Evil Queen via Twitter
• Episode title for 6×11 is “Tougher Than The Rest” written by Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
• Given that they wrote episode 10 and 11, it might be possible that OUAT will have a 3-month break
• Sean Maguire is back on set for 6×10
• One behind the scenes photo from what they are currently filming is of Lana Parrilla dressed as Mayor Regina with the dwarves and Stealthy
• Another set photo was Lana Parrilla dressed as Mayor Regina with Sean Maguire as Robin Hood and Robert Carlyle as the Enchanted Forest version of the Dark One