[instant reaction] Once Upon a Time 2x18 - Selfless, Brave and True

[grimorie]

Crossposting my OUAT instant reactions to LJ/DW from tumblr in an effort to make this blog more active!

I don't think I'll ever like an August-centric episode. I don't think I'll ever like August. I mean, I'm okay if the narrative was also on that side but I think this whole thing was clumsily executed. I know what they're trying to go for but honestly, this was just to anvilicious even for me!

August returning into his boyhood state was a copout and exactly what Rumple wanted to do to Neal and August forgetting what he did is just bound to repeat what he did again. This was Narnia level of Hell No.

Now we know how Regina gaslighted Henry... and it was chilling to see her casually attempt to do this to Owen. Again.

Also, I think when Snow was saying about redemption and second chances I don't think she was just saying it because of what's happening to her, she said it because she's believed on that for a long time now. She's believed it for Regina's sake and now she's desperate to believe it for her sake.

I love that she's still very cognizant that, while necessary, what she had Regina do was not okay.

Snow's been repressing her anger for a long time and for a while, she had a way to channel that anger, as she's told Aurora. But it's all bubbling back up again and, honestly this isn't a good thing. Someone should sit Snow down and tell her its okay to be angry at Geppetto. It's okay that she was angry against Regina for taking her father away and making her life a living hell, it's okay to feel angry at Cora for taking away people she loves.

She's been keeping that anger down for so long, its not going to be good when that finally explodes.

Also, Snow shooting arrows (and still using a long bow when she has more modern choices!) and listening to Bad Reputation makes me laugh with glee and just. I really love that they keep subverting all the things related to Snow White.

She was a thief and a bandit and she loves to target practice. She goes to the woods to think. I just really love that she still feel the most content being in the woods.

Bonus points for domestic!Charming and how he seemed to really stoked to be farming again even though its a chance to go back home, I think part of it is that he gets to farm again.

Troll!Regina strikes again and I keep thinking that Snow must be used to that, I bet when they lived together in the castle Regina would bust out an insult among the sweet words she keeps telling Snow.

D'OH. I can't believe to mention Tamara! I love Tamara, whoever she turns out to be (fingers crossed, she's Tiger Lily) I love that she has her own agenda... not so fond of Owen/Tamara though.

So definitely not a strong episode and I hate that we get a stupid hiatus after this but I'm taking the good out of all of this.

Edited

Comments

[masqthephlsphr]

I *loved* that Issues!Having Snow White listens to Joan Jett. That's awesome. But you're right, she has a right to be angry and can't start fearing it and apologizing to every one that does her wrong. Gepeto's sin was a Big Deal that effected Emma's life.

And it kinda takes away the edge that made FTL!Snow White so likeable in Season 1.

Personally, I enjoyed seeing August crumpled in pain and humiliation. I just wish Tamara hadn't been so unlikeable herself.

[grimorie]

My headcanon is that Snow's favorite songs are all 90s or 70s angry rock music. One day Emma's going to accidentally use Snow's ipod and either be very surprised or impressed.

Yes, honestly, I think now Snow's going to be so deathly afraid of getting angry she's going to be so paralyzed by it and I don't want that. The reason why I love OUAT!Snow so much (aside from being very aware of her failings) is that she still manages to be snarky and Get Things Done kind of person. I really don't like that she's bottling her anger up this way.

I enjoyed seeing August crumpled in pain and humiliation.

That was the best part. I really wished Emma was allowed to drop kick his ass.

[masqthephlsphr]

I really wished Emma was allowed to drop kick his ass.

You can't pick on someone who's already down. Too bad she didn't see him when he was still standing on his wooden feet.

Of course, he probably would have martyred himself to that punch. It works so much better when you slug their smug smile.

[grimorie]

It works so much better when you slug their smug smile.

Confession: I've always held a mild dislike for Eoin Bailey since Band of Brothers, it doesn't help he keep playing characters I don't like but it would be *fantastic* if Emma did find him on his feet and slug the smug, knowing smile from his face. Especially since he stole the money Neal set aside for Emma to go to Thailand.

[masqthephlsphr]

Did he steal it? We don't see the guard at the prison mentioning it with the car keys. But Neal was an idiot to hand *anyone* cash like that.

[grimorie]

I think it was heavily implied that he did, since the keys to the bug were sent from Phuket.

[masqthephlsphr]

Also, he told Neal that Emma "didn't need money" for what she had to do.

When does anyone *not* need money? Like, to pay for gas to get the bug from Phoenix to Storybrooke and then rent a room.

Sheesh.

[daybreak]

Your review made me laugh. :-)

Narnia level of Hell No! Heee! I mean that was strange. I watched that film (and heck I knew what would happen, who didn't?) but it was still jarring to see them be kids again. At least they remembered, though. I mean, goodness.

Snow's been repressing her anger for a long time and for a while, she had a way to channel that anger, as she's told Aurora.
Maybe . . . that's what fairytales are about sometimes. Some angry women with no where to channel that anger. (Snow White and the Huntsman is an excellent example of this.) It was okay for Regina to be angry with young!Snow too. But not forever, good grief.

It wasn't so okay for Cora to want to destroy Eva and her progeny just for tripping her once. That's a bit extreme. But I do think there was and is a definite class thing going on. And something about women. Poor people have no power. Women had little power. Cora's anger wasn't just about her, it was about that. And that's a hard anger to work out constructively.

I didn't understand that Snow went to the wood to cope and think. I thought she wanted to kill things! Hee. I'm so ready for Snow to just snap, I guess. But I don't think she will. I think she reached her low and maybe will come up from there?

Tiger Lily! That is a most excellent idea! I know a Peter Pan ep must be coming soon! If Tamara is Tiger Lily, does that make Owen Peter Pan? Or is Neil Peter? Hmmmmmmm.

[grimorie]

The first time I encountered Narnia and they turned into kids I had this visceral horror because then they had to repeat their childhood and growing up again! After all they've been through! And, you're right, at least they remembered. August didn't even have that, only vague recollection of his past mistakes, which, if you ask me is just going to make him repeat his pattern of behavior again.

Oh there was definitely some class issues with it and this was why I loved Cora's character (not her actions) but how she went about it. How she refused to submit to her own destiny and fought, and how really despite everything Cora did love Rumple but not enough to keep her heart (as is Rumple's problem).

I think she reached her low and maybe will come up from there?

Hmm. I don't know, I've got a different theory about it and that things will come up and Snow will be confronted again with her capacity to do everything in her power, including crossing moral boundaries to protect her family (ala Rumple) and she has to reconcile this part of her with who she is.

Also, my wish is for Emma to somehow end up in a possible Bad Future where Snow ends up becoming the Snow Queen. Terrible and loved in the manner of dark!Galadriel and far more terrifying in ways Regina could never achieve. Then have Emma come back to the present timeline.

I just realized, Emma was there for almost all of Snow's capacity for anger: almost killing/hurting Mulan and now slapping Geppeto. Although, if you ask me, I thought Snow was well in her rights to be angry because Geppetto put her new born baby in danger.

[daybreak]

Dark!Galadriel! That would be so cool! I always liked the idea of dark!Galadriel. :-)

I was surprised when she just slapped him like that. But I actually thought she was totally going to go all dark, but now I'm not so sure.

I think it's interesting that the children witness their parents' dark moments. Regina with Cora, Bae with Rumpel, Henry with Emma (though that was just a lie but for them that's a big deal), and Emma with Snow.

[grimorie]

I never noticed but you're right the children do see their parents at their darkest... even Regina with Henry.

I think the Dark!Snow storyline is still playing out, I'm patiently waiting how it would play out and hope for the best (this shows writing is rather inconsistent...)