Continue Reading

Continue Reading

Spoilers Ahead

A whole new world, a new fantastic point of view. (You all saw that coming.)

Episode Summary: In flashbacks, Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz) accompanies Jasmine portrayed by Galavant’s Karen David on an adventure to find a weapon, and in doing so he learns that he’s actually the weapon — the savior. In present day Storybrooke, the Evil Queen pretends to be Archie in order to learn Emma’s secret then “he” ends up revealing the fact that she’s hiding something in front of her family prompting her to tell them about her visions.

Review | Analysis: “Street Rats” was yet another episode that beautifully brought to life one of Disney’s classics. It may be too soon to already adore Aladdin and Jasmine, but here we are wanting them to stay in our world forever. At its core Once Upon A Time has been a show about hope and “Street Rats” was the perfect example of the fact that no matter what a person’s fate holds, where there’s hope, there’s everything. And over the years our characters have needed to learn a lot about the power of hope, but most importantly they’ve needed to believe in the fact that they deserve to have hope.

Spoilers Ahead

It’s a strange case indeed.

Episode Summary: In flashbacks, we’re taken back to the origin of Mr. Hyde and during our journey we come to find that there was a bigger villain than him. In present day Storybrooke, Snow’s first day of teaching doesn’t go as planned, but Jasmine (Karen David) is there to help. Charming deals with Killian and Emma’s move. Rumple imprisons Belle on the Jolly Roger. And the demise of two souls reveals how the Evil Queen could be defeated.

Review | Analysis: “Strange Case” was yet another great example of how well Once Upon A Time writers are able to handle twists. And the truth behind the strangest case of them all is definitely something I was never expecting. Additionally, tonight’s episode once again served as a perfect reminder of the fact that while villains will always believe love is weakness, it is strength. And the belief that it’s a weakness will always lead to a tragic end. In this universe especially, the most important thing that matters is that nothing is cheated. Honesty and perseverance are the key to becoming who we’re meant to, and when we try to take matters into our own heads, we change the frequency in which we’re meant to be on. And as Mr. Hyde points out "you can change the outside, but what’s inside is still there.” To grow fully means to embrace all that we are and choose the paths we know are most honorable.

Spoilers Ahead

To quote the 80s classic The Princess Bride, “death cannot stop true love, it can only delay it for a while.”

Episode Summary: In Flashbacks, while Emma’s searching for her birth parents, a Bail Bonds woman, Cleo, manages to convince her to let go and after her death, Emma pursues the same career. In the underworld, True Love’s kiss restarts Hades’ heart and the quest Killian and Emma are sent on doesn’t go as planned forcing the heroes to once again say goodbye as they return home without the man they set out to rescue.

Review | Analysis: Once Upon A Time deals with incredibly real situations with fantastical elements, but despite the fact that magic and myths are a prodigious part of this series, the issues our heroes face can often be unbearably difficult at times. Nevertheless, we’ve come to learn that the hard path is always the right path and in the midst of the journey, it’s key to remember that the choices made today, pave the road for tomorrow. Emma Swan is the character that’s made her way into countless hearts for a number of reasons and the love story she’s a part of needed to be just as unique as her role in this fantasy world. “Firebird” tragically epitomized what it truly means to be brave revolutionizing the notion that where there’s bravery, there’s always love. It is apparently possible to have an episode even darker and more heartbreaking than “Swan Song”, but Once Upon A Time is a series about hope, and when it comes to Emma and Killian’s love, there’s never a single doubt that it will prevail.

“Firebird” explored a theme we don’t often see on Once Upon A Time, and it’s the importance of letting go. As human beings we have a tendency to hold on too tightly and while there’s strength in determination, sometimes, we must let go in order to let the universe take its course. Sometimes, we need armor in order to get through the things that burden us. And sometimes, armor isn’t about protecting ourselves, but rather protecting those we love. Ultimately, it all comes down to selflessness and the fact that while it’s okay to choose ourselves every once in a while, we must be able to tell which of our choices will lead us towards the good life we’re destined for.

Spoilers Ahead

It’s not enough to have others forgive you, you have to forgive yourself, too.

Episode Summary: Flashbacks reveal the terrible deal Liam took with Hades to insure his and Killian’s place in the King’s Navy. And when Liam doesn’t choose to see the best in Emma, she needs to put her heartache aside to fight and make sure Killian forgives himself. The heroes go on a quest to find the underworld’s version of the storybook, but in order to keep his secret hidden, Liam does Hades another favor by tearing his story from the book. However, when he’s caught red-handed, sacrificing himself after revealing the truth to Killian and the crew gives him the chance to finally move on.

Review | Analysis: Once again, the series beautifully magnified the significance of forgiveness and true heroism reminding its viewers that the honorable road is the honest one. As human beings, desperate times call for desperate measures, but the secrets that are kept and the inability to forgive ourselves can haunt in unbelievable ways. A hero isn’t someone who’s free of all sin, but rather the person who’s learned from their mistakes. “The Brothers Jones” reminded viewers of the fact that there’s a clear difference between selfishness and self-love, one dooms us, while the other frees us. And most importantly, a hero is someone who lends a hand. Once Upon A Time has continuously illuminated the idea that selflessness will lead to a far better future than constant greed.

Spoilers Ahead

100 episodes. 100 beautiful stories told.

Episode Summary: In flashbacks we learn about the time Cora took Snow White’s heart only to have Henry Mills Sr. return it, which then sends Regina into a fury, and she shrinks her father. In the underworld, we learn that the souls of the departed found each have unfinished business. Cora tells Regina to leave or she’ll send her father to the worst part, but when Henry Mills Sr. convinces Regina to do the right thing by helping her friends, he finds himself finally free to rest peacefully in the best place.

Review | Analysis: Once Upon A Time has always been a series about hope. It’s been there time and time again to remind us the fact that even in the darkest hours, hope is never lost. It’s reminded us that even the vilest of villains could find redemption when they finally choose to make honorable choices. It’s reminded us of the fact that forgiveness is possible. And most importantly, it’s shown us that where there is love, whether platonic or romantic, there’s always hope.

Spoilers Ahead

Adventures and fierce ladies always make for great episodes.

Episode Summary: In Camelot, Belle convinces Merida to courageously fight for her kingdom without the use of magic. In Storybrooke, while still under the Dark Swan’scontrol, Merida attempts to bring the courage out of Rumple by threatening Belle. Arthur lies to the group about making contact with Merlin and when they learn the truth, they get Henry to do it — only they reach his “voice mail”. Rumple manages to pull Excalibur from the stone. And unanswered questions leave us at the edge of our seats.

Review | Analysis: “The Bear and the Bow” featured some fantastic performances, but most importantly it showcased women at their best. It reminded viewers that although we all have our weaknesses, at the end of the day, there’s courage inside everyone. And when there’s someone to believe in you, it’s always easier to see the strength within you as well. What we’re forever grateful for is great moments of females supporting females and Once Upon A Time does that remarkably well. “The Bear and the Bow” not only gave us wonderful relationship developments but it once again illuminated the power of choices and the importance of nobility.

Spoilers Ahead

You can’t just end an episode there!

Episode Summary: In Camelot, Emma resorts to the drastic decision of taking Violet’s heart in order to use Henry’s heartbreak as a way to free Merlin. Killian, Robin, Belle, and Regina break into the Dark Swan’s house and find Excalibur there. In Storybrooke Emma also makes amends with Henry and Violet, but it’s too late when Henry’s learned the truth by listening in on Regina and Robin as they watch a flashback through a dream catcher.

Review | Analysis: Tonight’s episode wasn’t exactly our favorite, but then again, who wants to watch their favorite character do something so devastating like break a child’s heart (even with good intentions)? Generally episodes that focus too weightily on the plot don’t leave a lot of room for discussion and in this case, they’ve left us with more questions. We’re anticipating next week’s episode as opposed to wanting to elaborate further on this and that’s not exactly fun. It did however, once again reiterate the theme that all magic comes with a price and the fact that there’s always a choice.

“Dreamcatcher” may have featured Emma Swan doing the worst thing she’d probably ever do, but it gave Jennifer Morrison the opportunity to do some brilliant work.

Spoilers Ahead

Darkness is getting stronger and alliances are being tested.

Episode Summary: In flashbacks we watch Arthur’s obsession with becoming King overrule his rightful thinking while in present day Snow and Charming showcase what it truly means to be in a partnership with your spouse. Killian tries to take Emma’s mind away from the voices inside her head. Sands of Avalon is used for all the wrong reasons. And the Dark Swan’s got a new puppet.

Review | Analysis: Tonight’s episode did a wonderful job of contrasting real love andforced. It reminded viewers of the fact that selfishness ultimately leads to nowhere and once again, our choices dictate whether we are a true hero or not. Real happiness and strength isn’t a kingdom or an object — it’s choosing love above all things. “The Broken Kingdom” reveals that true completion is a status achieved when you’re surrounded by people with unwavering faith in you. The greatest measurement of strength comes from the ability to trust, love, and believe in someone when all else is lost. At the end of the day however, we’ve still got tons of mysteries ahead of us waiting to be solved.

Spoilers Ahead

Trees. There will apparently be lots of them this season.

Episode Summary: In Camelot, our heroes go to a ball where one of their lives is in severe danger due to Regina’s lie of being the savior. Although Emma succeeds in saving Robin, darkness creeps up in her. In Storybrooke, Emma tries to get Regina to take responsibility for her actions and in the end we learn that with the help of everyone, she could defeat the fury.

Review | Analysis: Tonight’s episode has left us with a lot of mixed feelings. There were some beautifully magical moments we’ll be gushing over for a very long time but there were also moments that made watching very difficult. Additionally you all may have noticed that our style has changed, but due to the fact that Camelot memories need to be discussed in depth, we’re temporarily going to be using the same method we use for our other reviews.

And most importantly as you all have heard by now, the Once Upon A Time fandom has lost a very beloved member because of an awful illness. Adriane was a kind and wonderful soul who’d always support our reviews and used her time on the internet to continuously spread love. We’re dedicating this review to her — just as this episode was for her. #WatchForAdri. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this devastating time of need. Her absence is deeply felt. She would’ve loved the moments between Captain Swan (Killian and Emma) and Swan Believer (Emma and Henry) so much. Bonus: let’s talk about Emma Swan’s hair.

Spoilers Ahead

Here we go again with glitches in our memories, new places, and the fight to make sure good always win. In other words: the recipe which makes Once Upon A Time extraordinary.

Due to the fact that the episode wasn’t shown in its usual flashback/present day form, we’ll just dive straight into covering matters we feel are most important. First things first, we’d be lying if we said we were excited for Emma Swan to turn dark, in fact, what we’re most excited for is Jennifer Morrison’s inimitable performances. We like savior/sheriff Emma a lot -- she’s our favorite. However, even though we aren’t exactly a fan of what’s going on, count on these impeccable groups of writers to make sure we’re intrigued from beginning to end. “The Dark Swan” was a solid, excellent premiere that’s left us on the edge of our seats for the rest of the season.