Once Upon a Time 4.12: Heroes and Villains

Despite being built on some shaky character development, ‘Heroes and Villains’ played with some interesting themes as it welcomed back non-canon mythology.

We said goodbye to Elsa and Anna, who had very little to do this week with Ingrid gone. I realise I’m in the minority when I say this, but season four’s opening arc was actually pretty enjoyable. Though some parts of the past 12 weeks have been a bit iffy, on the whole it mostly delivered, and that’s thanks to how well Anna, and especially Elsa, were incorporated into the series. I’m sad to see them go, but I can guess that they’ll be making a return at some point down the line.

Rumple’s meddling finally came to a head when Anna revealed her past with the dark one, and Belle’s reaction was one I was happy to see. She didn’t fall apart or run away; she sent Rumple past the town line and got him out of her life. I mentioned a few reviews back that I was unhappy with what her flashbacks with Anna revealed, but she made up for it this week.

As for Rumple himself, this episode put a few interesting cards on the table. Regina’s arc this season played around a lot with the idea that villains can’t have happy endings, but Rumple was somehow managing it. I was a little confused about his motives since the premiere, and I still am, but his thirst for power has always been there so it makes sense that it would be his biggest weakness and drive him to the actions he was taking all season.

Now that his method of “taking” his own happy ending regardless of the consequences failed him where does that leave the villains?
Bringing in the “queens of darkness” was a fun twist. I’m not sure how a lady who wants a fur coat fits in alongside a sea witch and an evil sorceress but I’m hoping for a bit of a twist to Cruella’s past to make it work.

Plus

Regina had to say goodbye to Robin, again. Someone is really testing her.

Anna’s wedding scene was really cute. Send the two sisters into the sunset in a really sweet way.

He Said, She Said

Rumplstiltskin: “Cruella! Thought I caught a whiff of desperation and gin.”

Belle: “You would never give up power for me Rumple, you never have and you never will.”

I’m excited to see where this new arc goes. The Heroes vs. Villains theme makes a lot of sense given where so many of the characters now stand 3 and a half years in, and there’s a wealth of story potential to draw from with the likes of Maleficent and Ursella around.

7/10