First dates, inner fears and manipulation at its finest, as Hook and Anna learn to never make a deal with The Dark One

On this week’s episode of Once Upon a Time, Hook and Anna learn that all magic comes with a price. Hook seeks out (well, blackmails) Rumplestiltskin to restore his other hand in preparation for his first official date with Emma. But such desires come with a steep price and he gets more than he bargained for, with the hand being cursed and under the influence of his former, ruthless pirate self. Will he be able to resist dark temptations and stay true to who he is now? Love blossoms (and hearts swoon) as we see the Emma and Hook go out for a romantic evening, new clothes, candlelit dinner and a rude interruption by the troublemaking Will Scarlet in tow. And Operation Mongoose is in full swing, as Henry and Regina (also still searching for a way to save Marian) remain intent on finding the writer of the storybook.

Back in The Enchanted Forest, we see Anna tricked into making a deal with The Dark One – and learn a valuable lesson in the process: that is something that you never ever do. We’re finally getting some answers, with some light being shone upon the mysterious hat (belonging to the Sorcerer’s Apprentice) with unparalleled magical powers – but is it really something that Rumplestiltskin can be trusted with? So many exciting stories are explored on this week’s episode and we’ve got lots to think about – so let’s get started!

Will Rumplstiltskin ever stop seeking power?

Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) was up to no good, in both Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest, this week. His malicious, manipulative side definitely came out to play and it was both exhilarating and incredibly frustrating to watch. Means definitely justified the ends for him as he preys on both Anna (Elizabeth Lail) and Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) insecurities and love of those closest to them to get what he wants: unsurprisingly, power, in the form of the sorcerer’s hat. Carlyle is a notoriously skilled actor and this definitely showed, with him impeccably portraying two different versions of the same character. While his compelling acting cannot be faulted, the character he’s acting as most certainly can. It was unbearably difficult to see that, after all he’s been through, Rumplestiltskin hasn’t changed – with his character showing almost a complete backslide into the person that he used to be, undoing seasons worth of careful character development in the process. In fact, we’re getting a little tired of Rumplestiltskin and his seemingly endless quest for more power, and the story’s progression seems a little careless. Sure, it’s understandable that power is an addiction he’s yet to subside, but it’s still annoying that in the show’s fourth season a complete regression seems to be taking place. And his quest is sure to end in tears and heartbreak when his true love and new wife, Belle (Emilie de Ravin) finds out – but when that be? We’re guessing fairly soon since no one’s happiness lasts for too long on this show.

“I’ll do whatever it takes.” ⁓ Anna/Hook
“I do love it when they say that.” ⁓ Rumplestiltskin

However, if you can see past the frustrating character flaws, it’s easy to appreciate the tension-filled scenes and seemingly flawless dynamic between Carlyle and O’Donoghue. It’s been a long time since Hook’s had a real showdown with his nemesis, the crocodile, and rife with tension so thick you can almost see it, these scenes are among the most captivating of the season so far. And the same can be said about Carlyle’s scenes with Lail. Contrasting Anna’s endearingly optimistic demeanour with the dark, merciless character that is Rumplestiltskin, was a remarkable choice on behalf of writers Andrew Chambliss and Dana Horgan. And packed with stunning dialogue, resulted in an unexpected but thoroughly entertaining story line. Lail’s acting when Anna has possession of the ‘wavy knife’ is hilarious, especially how she even says ‘please’ when she’s ordering someone around (though why she didn’t just force him to give her the answers she needed is beyond us). And both of these timelines were meticulously intertwined with Hook and Anna being paralleled throughout the episode.

Manipulations of the Heart and Insecurities of the Mind

Love and loyalty have always been main themes of Once Upon A Time and it is this love that Rumplestiltskin uses to his advantage to manipulate others. With Hook motivated to get his hand back by his love for Emma and Anna motivated to find answers about their parents, by her love for Elsa it becomes easy for him to use this against them to force them to make a deal. Anna’s tempted by her inner darkness and wins out, when she refuses to kill Rumplestiltskin. Hook’s also troubled by his inner darkness with his cursed hand and we see some of his ruthlessness return, when he punches Will Scarlet, impales Rumplestiltskin with his hook and (though completely unwillingly) assists him in trapping the sorcerer inside his hat. In a twist of events it’s revealed that his hand isn’t actually cursed but simply allows him to be who (Rumplestiltskin believes) he truly is.

“You take the most precious thing in this word - love - and turn it into a weapon.” ⁓ Anna
“Love is a weapon, dearie, always has been. It’s just so few people know how to wield it.” ⁓ Rumplestiltskin

Now, we’re not sure if we believe this since he said it himself: The Dark One lies. It’s clear that Hook, as one of the most multi-faceted characters on the show, is an immensely self-depreciating character who covers up his insecurities with bravado and humour. And it’s also clear that Rumplestiltskin is skilled at reading people – so is he just, once again, using his own self-doubt against him? O’Donoghue’s distressed facial expressions while fighting against his ‘cursed’ hand throughout the episode were convincing and it seems unbelievable that some of the actions he carried out came solely from who he is now. This was a brave move for the producers to make and we’re sure we’re not the only ones who are completely captivated by this fascinating storytelling. The big question now: will Hook win out against his inner darkness? Our bets are on yes! And we can’t wait to find out.

“This hand is nothing but a lump of flesh. The only thing it did was give you permission - permission to be who you really are. Not some puppy dog chasing after the object of his affection, but a ruthless pirate who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.” ⁓ Rumplestiltskin

A first date with not a single snow monster in sight - success!

In a much lighter, carefree side of the episode we see Emma and Hook’s relationship progress to a new level as they go out on their first date (well, third if you count snow monsters and ice walls). We’ve got to fess up to emitting a high-pitched squealing noise of excitement at seeing Emma (Jennifer Morrison) in her gorgeous princess-like date dress – pink, to reflect the romantic, passionate air surrounding the event. Props go to the Eduardo Castro and the costume department for showing us that even the most badass of women can let loose a little and wear a pretty pink dress, without losing any of themselves in the process. We love seeing female characters encompass many versatile character traits and sides of themselves, and Emma Swan is a perfect example of this. But let’s not neglect to mention that Hook also finally ditched the 300-year old pirate gear in favor of a hot new (still leather, we doubt he’ll ever ditch that), modern look. It’s an understatement to say it’s been a long time coming and we weren’t the only ones whose jaws drop upon seeing it. Emma looked more than a little love-struck too, not even reacting to or noticing his restored hand, until it was pointed out to her. And how heart warming was it seeing just how overly enthusiastic and supportive Mary Margret (Ginnifer Goodwin) was the entire time. From excitedly snapping photos of Emma on her (seriously outdated) camera to waiting up for her daughter to return to get all the juicy details, Goodwin’s acting choices were outstanding. For the first time ever, she was present at an important moment in her daughter’s life and we’re not shy to admit that warms our hearts to core. Also, the writing of Charming’s (Josh Dallas) protective dad act provided some comedic relief and we’ve loved being able to see him act fatherly towards Emma over the past few episodes.

“You wanna come in and have coffee with my parents, a newborn, and a human ice maker?” ⁓ Emma Swan

Capturing the perfect balance of flirtiness, sexual tension and loving, romantic gazes – Morrison and O’Donoghue, once again, prove that their talent knows no bounds. It’s extremely satisfying seeing the two able to relax in a usually hectic environment. And Hook getting his wish of Emma wanting him to embrace her with both hands, and actually being able to, was beautiful. We would have liked to see some more of the actual date, rather than just the interruption by Will Scarlet but the small glimpse we did get made us giddy with happiness. Seeing both characters look truly happy for the first time, together and arguably because of one another, is something anyone can appreciate and we’re sure many do. Only highlighting this further is the subtle yet powerful lighting maneuvers and camera shots during the intimate goodbye scene. The immensely prominent choice to have Hook being plunged into darkness as Emma leaves, after the two of them being completely illuminated beforehand, is potent, delicately executed and deserves recognition as the fantastic directional choice that is. Succeeding in furthering the idea of Hook’s identity crisis and struggle against subduing his darker self, the shot is beautifully crafted. And we love how it illustrates that Emma is a source of light in his life, making him strive to be the best version of himself. The genuine dialogue and sincerity in the acting of Morrison and O’Donoghue’s scenes make this episode all the more enjoyable.

Too many characters to handle?

Though most of the episode is fun to watch, we’ve got to say the side stories are lacking in momentum. As a character that’s adored by many, it’s unfortunate to say that Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) story line has been considerably lackluster the entire season so far, and this episode is no exception. Other than potentially discovering the writer of the storybook, we’ve got little to no interest in any of the other goings on surrounding her and we haven’t exactly been given much to capture our interests. We were also disappointed to see Regina use and encourage her son Henry (Jared Gilmore) to enter into a potentially dangerous situation with Rumplestiltskin, for her own selfish needs. Playing on his pain from the loss of his son, Neal (Henry’s father), and their familial connections, to go undercover and trick him, is not like Henry. And we were surprised to see a character that’s usually so compassionate and maybe, innocent, act this way. Maybe there’s more of his father’s side of the family in him than we’ve seen yet? That’s not to say we’re not interested to see how the story plays out – there’s lots of potential there, but we’re yet to be impressed so far.

“I’m going to find out for you” ⁓ Henry Mills
“How?” ⁓ Regina Mills
“By going undercover.” ⁓ Henry Mills

Will Scarlet’s (Michael Socha) story is another that’s yet to be fully utilized to it’s full potential. We’re adoring the humor and sass that Socha brings to the show and the dynamics that he’s created with some of our favorites – but where exactly is his story leading? We got a small teaser with the Alice in Wonderland book he was found with, but unless you’re someone who has watched the show’s spin-off Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, you’re probably yet to be captured by him. Our hearts broke a little seeing the pained look on his face in the jail cell, saying that he knows nothing of the picture on the torn page - but only as we’ve seen his story play out on the other show and know the significance that image holds for him. For those who haven’t, Will Scarlet probably just seems like yet another character added to a line-up of regulars already bursting to the seams. And we haven’t even mentioned the Snow Queen yet. What was with her randomly creating a puddle by Emma’s car, making a quick appearance and vanishing into thin air? Scary? Not so much. We’re actually a little confused as to why she was even in this episode – likely just to remind us of her ominous presence in the town. But we can ignore that as one thing we’re still desperate to find out – how does the Snow Queen know Emma?

FINAL VERDICT

Overall, if you ignore the small amount of screen time taken up by some of the side stories, this episode is definitely on par with previous episodes this season. Rumplestiltskin’s total character regression was our main problem but Robert Carlyle’s superb acting redeemed this particular issue. And scenes between himself and Colin O’Donoghue are definitely some of our favorites on the show. The two of them are able to wonderfully play off of one another’s talent to create vibrant, heart-racing moments of tension that make us unable to look away from our screens. The same can be said about O’Donoghue’s scenes with Jennifer Morrison. Though the dynamic between Emma and Hook completely opposes that of the dynamic between him and Rumplestiltskin, the scenes are still just as riveting, if not more so, showing us the versatility of his acting and never failing to impress us. One thing we do have to wonder, though – where exactly is Belle? She’s only made brief appearances as of yet and we’re missing her on our screens.

Filled with charming moments, humor and hard-hitting questions about love, sacrifice, self-identity and worth, this episode is a shining example of what the show is all about. And with so many secrets yet to be revealed, next Sunday cannot come around fast enough!

Questions, Comments, Concerns…

• Nothing will ever be as funny as that sassy broomstick, strutting it’s stuff on the docks.
• Emma wearing Killian’s jacket is the most adorable thing ever - never getting over it.
• And yeah, Emma REALLY needs to get her own place!
• So Rumplestiltskin gets a hook shoved into his neck and doesn’t blink an eye but when he gets bitten by a mouse, acts like the world is ending?!
• Can we keep the Frozen characters forever pleaseeeee? Love them!
• May have shed a tear or two at the perfection of Killian’s new outfit.
• I’ve been waiting my entire life for the ‘bloody hell’ ‘that’s why I say’ exchange, I just never realised it before.
• Prayer circle that Killian just tells Emma about all of this instead of hiding it
• Anyone else get really bored by the Sorcerer’s Apprentice? I’m kinda glad Rumple put him in the hat so we don’t have to see him again.
• Kristoff and Anna’s reunion is ADORABLE
• Can we just please get more Emma backstory?