Once Upon a Time 2.08: Into the Deep

Once Upon a Time has prided itself on being a character driven show. If the past 6 weeks of flashbacks and dialogue heavy drama have taught us anything, it’s that. You’ve got to wonder if it’s only possible for the writers to bring something so character centric in those weeks where action and mythology take a backseat. But here we are, and already this season there’s been two examples that have shot those fears down. Broken, aside from being a scintillating breakneck premiere, was also filled with those lovely reunions, and personal revelations, and now we’ve got Into the Deep. It wasn’t an episode that was perfect in every sense, but there were moments of gold here and there.

Like the twisty- turny fun of who gets to travel back to the red room. OK, maybe there was a bit too much of that whole “I’ll do it”, “No, I’ll do it” stuff, but it really amped up the tension as we got nearer and nearer to our final piece of the puzzle to get back home. From Charming’s sacrifice to Mulan’s desperate attempts to live up to Prince Philip’s wishes we went from one personal distress after another.

I really enjoyed the sparky banter between Cora and Hook as well. I even bought into his betrayal half way through. Emma leaving him in Tallahassee felt like the right move at the time, but now I kind of wonder if maybe he should have been kept close by; keep your enemies closer and all that. It’s something Hook gets when it comes to Cora; sneaking his way into Aurora’s cell and worming his way back into her good books, all in the name of getting his own vengeance. There’s definitely going to be some blood spilled if they both arrive in Storybrooke, and you just know they’ll find a way back.

Snow and Charming will definitely find a way back home, too. Unlike the slightly trashy love triangle last year, I do kind of appreciate this separation that’s going on. You know they still love each other, so seeing them apart like this is even more painful than it was last time. Cheesy as it was, I smarted a little at that scene when Snow realised she was waking up, and leaving Charming all alone. If she stays strong she can get him back, though.

I wonder if everyone in Storybrooke has that faith in Charming that he was so gun-ho about? I think Henry might, and he might even have some faith in Regina, who seems to staying strong against her urge to use magic. Something tells me that urge will get even harder to fight when mother meets daughter in the next few weeks. But if that confrontation happens in an episode that skips the flashbacks but still places well written character moments ahead of cheap thrills, then colour me excited. 

7/10

Plus

There was something eerie about Regina teaching Henry about potion making.

It was great seeing Aurora standing up and doing something for someone else. She’s kind of been floating around for the past while.

LOL at Snow’s mini panic attack when she woke up.

He Said, She Said

Henry: “I’m done reading about heroes, I want to be one.”

Aurora: “Mulan I was cursed to spend eternity in that horrible sleep. The only reason I’m here is because you and Philip risked your lives to save me. Every day since my waking has been a gift, so let me do something with it.”

Also posted at Billie Doux