OUAT: Fight the Power

Last time on “Once:” We said goodbye to Emma Swan, who revealed she was pregnant. That, along with saving Wish!Hook, was the extent of her farewell.

In the Enchanted Forest, Henry was captured by Lady Tremaine and called for help from Emma, Regina and Hook. Only Regina and Hook responded, with the latter being very evasive about where Emma was while the former hinted that he was keeping a Big Secret from Henry. Hook said Emma didn’t want him to tell Henry about the Big Secret and they were going to respect that.

Hook went into town to try to get information about Cinderella and ran into the overweight and drunken version of him from the Wish Realm. Wish!Hook was obsessed with finding Emma in hopes of finding the love he was denied and went as far as knocking Hook out. He then went to Lady Tremaine, who he knew, and got her to use the fairy godmother’s wand to make him young again and dressed like Hook so he could fool Emma.

However, when Emma showed up and told Henry she was pregnant, Wish!Hook had second thoughts. He went back to get Hook and the two fight. In the process, Wish!Hook was stabbed. He told Hook that he couldn’t come between a father and his child since he was searching for a daughter taken from him by a powerful witch. He said he wanted to find love to break the curse she placed on him that prevented him from finding his daughter and asked Hook to find her. But he got Emma to heal Wish!Hook.

Regina admitted she missed Henry and he said he missed her too, so he invited her to stay to find the next part of her story. Emma suggested that Wish!Hook should also stay with Henry and so she said goodbye to her son before she and Hook went back to Storybrooke. So yes, that’s Wish!Hook in Hyperion Heights.

Now onto the Hyperion Heights plot…

Victoria decided to make it nearly impossible for Jacinda to see her daughter, including turning Lucy’s ballet recital in a charity function and making everyone pay $550 to see their kid. For some reason, this got absolutely no pushback except from Jacinda. Henry felt guilty and wanted to help but she wanted nothing to do with him. But he did make it up to her when he managed to get hired at the venue where the ballet was being performed and also hired Jacinda and Sabine so they could see the ballet.

Lucy was ecstatic. Victoria less so.

Victoria ordered Weaver and Rogers to get Henry away from Jacinda and Lucy, wanting them to get dirt on him. Rogers figured there was no ers was dirRogt but Weaver figured out that Henry had a daughter who was no longer around. But he decided to frame him by having Rogers drop Victoria’s bracelet in his pocket at the ballet, testing Rogers in the process. But Rogers didn’t and while Victoria was pissed, Weaver was impressed.

Rogers was obsessed with one of the characters in Henry’s book—Emma Swan. He told the detective that he made Emma up, that she was just his idea of the perfect mother. Rogers admitted that the drawing reminded him of a woman who saved his life when he was shot during an investigation—trying to find a missing girl. He never found her and he’s been obsessed with solving the case. He suspected that Victoria had something to do with it and he teamed up with Roni and Henry to take her down.

Will they succeed? Find out!

In the Enchanted Forest, Cinderella takes the motorcycle back to where she met Henry and calls out for him. But a guard finds her instead. He calls her a murderer and she tries to protest her innocence. He actually plays the “That’s what a murderer would say!” card and Cinderella kicks his ass. She manages to knock him out and tries to go for his sword but another guard catches her. Thankfully, someone knocks him out and helps Cinderella up. It’s Tiana!

(Hi, Tiana!)

OUAT: Exeunt Emma Swan

Last time on “Once:” A strange sense of deja vu.

Henry decided to leave home after graduating high school in order to find his own story since he was in any of the storybooks he found in the Sorcerer’s mansion. Regina had her concerns but let him go, watching as he used a magic bean to drive his motorcycle off into another realm. We next saw him all grown up and now played by Andrew J. West as he caused a carriage on the road to crash. He ran over to check on the rider, surprised to find it was a new version of Cinderella.

He roused her and she was rightly pissed off that he destroyed her carriage and made her horse run off. She said she was late for the ball and Henry offered to give her a ride on his motorcycle. She had some doubts but she got in, letting him show her how it worked. Henry then told her about her story at her request, about how she falls in love with the prince but has to leave him a sign to find her—her shoe. Cinderella laughed, saying that was ridiculous. And she didn’t believe in signs anyway. She did believe in punching Henry and stealing his motorcycle, though.

He was clearly in love with her before he even hit the ground.

Henry pursued Cinderella to the ball, dancing with her as he tried to get his knife back from her. She confessed that she was really there to kill the prince because he killed her father. Henry tried to convince her to come with him to his land, to get a second chance. But she chose to get her revenge, running off with the prince. Henry tried to stop her but he ended up tripping and meeting Alice, who said she was asked to watch over him by his grandfather. She warned him that bad things happen when someone interferes in a story that isn’t their own and told him to go home. Henry said he helps people and stormed back to the ballroom.

Cinderella was about to kill the prince but had a change of heart. Unfortunately for him, Lady Tremaine killed him because he rejected Drizella while his own brother seemed to favor her. She then framed Cinderella and Henry helped her escape, telling her to take his motorcycle and meet him where they first met so they could go to his realm together. An epic fight scene ensued as Cinderella made a break for it.

Henry returned to the spot where het met Cinderella but she wasn’t there. He figured she took the bike and went somewhere else just as his portal home opened. But when Henry spotted her shoe, he knew she wanted her to find her. So he allowed the portal to close up and announced that Operation Glass Slipper was a go.

All of this was intercut with scenes in our world, focused on a town in Seattle called Hyperion Heights. Unsuccessful but published author Henry was drawn there after a young girl name Lucy knocked on his door and told him that she was his daughter. She told him his family was trapped in a curse and they needed to break it. Henry told her curses weren’t real and he just made up everything in his book.

Lucy stole his laptop to force him to journey out to her neighborhood and it worked. There, he met Roni—Regina’s cursed identity who owns a bar—and Jacinda, Lucy’s mother and Cinderella’s cursed identity. She had a bad day, getting fired from her minimum wage job and then losing Lucy. Her stepmother, Victoria Belfrey—Lady Tremaine—then ordered that Lucy live with her full time and Jacinda ran off as Roni glared at Victoria.

Meanwhile, Henry’s presence was reported by Alice’s cursed self to Rumple’s cursed self, Weaver. He seemed to be a shady character in the neighborhood. Keep that in mind.

Henry discovered his car was stolen and he reported it missing, meeting Hook’s cursed self, Officer Rogers. Afterward, he had a tense confrontation with Lucy where he told her that she wasn’t his daughter because he lost his real wife and daughter in a fire. She couldn’t convince him that was just part of the curse and he left as Jacinda pulled up and told Lucy they needed to go.

Victoria enlisted Officer Rogers’ and Henry’s help to find Jacinda and Lucy. Henry told her of an island Jacinda confessed she wanted to live on and Officer Rogers picked up Lucy. Ivy—Drizella’s cursed counterpart—took the book away from her and gave it to Rogers. He spotted something inside it but pushed it aside. Afterwards, Jacinda gave it to Henry and walked away as he got his car back.

Officer Rogers got a promotion to detective and was partnered with Weaver—who was doing shady things earlier if you remember. Roni decided not to sell her bar to Victoria, deciding to stand up to the town bully. Jacinda got her job back and then went to toss a quarter into the well. As she did so, Rogers continued to stare at the page in the book that enticed him earlier—a picture of Emma—and Henry discovered that there is no cemetery where he thought his family was buried. He then went home and started writing as a flower bloomed in the garden.

We open in Storybrooke, years ago…according to the title card. Hook fights young Henry on the Jolly Roger, the two clashing swords all over its deck until Henry gets the upperhand. Emma praises him, saying he fights as well as his grandfather. Henry starts to reply and Hook is able to introduce him to floor. He gives Henry some advice but Henry just goes off to sulk, saying he’ll never be good enough.

(Teen angst ahoy!)

Emma asks what’s going on with him and Hook tells her that Henry is growing. She realizes he’s going to leave and Hook agrees, saying it’s time. Emma, though, is worried. She says she missed so much and doesn’t know if she’ll get a second chance. Hook assures her she will have the time. He then pulls out a little bottle from a chest and she asks if it’s rum. He says it’s something he picked up during his troubles, explaining you speak a message into it, say the name of whoever you want it to go to and then drop it in the water. It’s then taken to that person. Emma realizes he’s going to give to Henry so he can stay in touch and she thanks him. Hook assures her that Henry will be fine, that he was lucky to have a mother like her. And she says Henry is lucky to have a pirate like Hook. They hug as they watch a brooding Henry continue to brood.

(Ridiculously happy)

OUAT: A Brand New Beginning…

I’m not going to do a “Last time on Once” here. The season 6 finale wrapped up several storylines. That story is over. In many ways, Once Upon a Time is over and this is a brand new reiteration…that just so happens to be season 7. So we’re going to start fresh.

(Actually text from the start of the episode. Sounds familiar, no?)


We open in the familiar sight of Storybrooke before returning to 108 Mifflin Street (AKA the Mills’ household). Regina and Henry (still Jared Gilmore, in a guest starring role) leave. He has a backpack on as well as a leather jacket and appears to have finally caught up with Jared’s real age. Regina asks if he really has to go and says she always thought he’d go to college after graduating high school. Henry says that college is always going to be there but he needs to do this. He says that Operation Cobra is over—everyone has their happy endings—and Regina says that it’s all the more reason to stay. Henry replies that he’s the author and he’s written everyone’s stories, returning the book to the Sorcerer’s mansion. He says he discovered hundreds of other books (though that’s been discovered a few times since Season 4) and there are different versions of all the fairy tale characters, like a French Snow White. But he’s not in any of them. He wants to find his story and to do that, he needs to leave. Regina nods, hugging him.

(My Regal Believer heart!)

Henry pulls away and heads to a motorcycle, getting on it. I guess August gave him lessons? He puts on his helmet before pulling out a magic bean, tossing it ahead of him. A portal opens as Regina watches, concerned. She points out that it’s his only bean which means getting back…”Will be an adventure,” he finishes. He tells her he loves her and she echoes the sentiments. With one more smile, Henry takes off and drives his motorcycle into the portal.

(Bye, Henry!)

We then open in “Another Realm Some Years” later. The motorcycle roars down a road and we focus on Henry, now played by Andrew J. West and no longer wearing a helmet. As he continues down, he spots a small carriage coming toward him. The woman inside seems to be having trouble with her horse even before he gets spooked as Henry swerves to avoid hitting them. The carriage is overturned, throwing the woman to the ground amongst several flowers, and the horse runs off. Henry hops off his motorcycle to check on the woman. She is wearing a beautiful blue-purple ballgown but what draws Henry’s attention are her shoes. They are glass slippers and he gasps out: “Cinderella?”

(The shoes are pretty much a dead giveaway)

(I saw this episode at New York Comic Con and afterwards, the moderator asked Adam and Eddy what Henry’s motorcycle is running on. Their answer: Magic. Best guess is that Regina enchanted it). 

My Tale of Laptop Woes

I have had a stressful couple of weeks when it comes to technology. I swear, if my phone gets any funny ideas I'll either scream or cry.

Maybe both.

Our story starts a couple Sundays ago, when I went to see Hello, Dolly. I came home and booted up my laptop, doing some writing before I took my shower. When I returned, my computer had gone into sleep mode and because it was temperamental, I had to turn it back on. That's when I got to the problem.

My laptop asked to do a disk scan and I agreed. Everything seemed fine as it rebooted...but then the log in screen never appeared. Instead, all I saw was a black screen and my cursor. Clicking, alt ctrl delete and rebooting the computer didn't do anything. I couldn't log in at all. So I decided to switch to the laptop I had gotten for Christmas, a small one that also turned into a tablet so I could take it when I traveled, and let my other laptop rest for several hours.

When I got home Monday evening, I checked my laptop. Unfortunately, I got the same black screen and had to concede that my laptop had died on me. I asked my dad if there was a way to retrieve the items off my hard drive but he wasn't sure since I couldn't log into Windows. It seemed I lost a lot.

Yes, I was pretty close to tears and cursing myself out.

I sent the question about ways to retrieve items off my hard drive to the IT guy at work and he agreed to give a look. I brought it my laptop and he confirmed it was dead. He's still trying to retrieve something off my hard drive over a week later.

Anyway, so now the computer I got for travel is now my main laptop. It's fine. I just now need to get used to it. And since it's relatively new, I figured it wouldn't give me many problems.

Boy, was I wrong.

The following Sunday evening, I returned from dinner with my mother and aunt and booted up my laptop as I got ready to watch the Emmys. My computer flashed a blue screen that said "Recovery" and told me that there was an error in booting up. I needed to reinstall some files and drives. But I didn't have a disk to do that, so I had to contact Dell.

I was connected to a tech support guy, who guided me through some diagnostic tests. Once we confirmed it was not my hard drive (thank GOD!), he told me we would have to download Windows on an operable computer and then upload it to my laptop. Unfortunately, the USB drives I had were either too small (4 gig) or too big (64 gig), so I had to pick up either a 8 or 16 gig drive to continue. So I was still without a computer as Sunday went into Monday.

On Monday, I had training in Basking Ridge, NJ, so the route home took me right past my local Target. I made a stop there and was able to pick up a 16 gig USB drive. I got home and emailed the tech support guy, who said he would call me after 9 PM. He kept his word and we were soon downloading Windows.

It took five hours but everything was soon up and running again. I thanked him and he sent me to bed since it was almost 2 AM. So I was able to set everything back up the next day.

So I lost a few blog posts I was going to post and I now have to recreate. Hopefully, I'll get them up...soon.

Just wanted to give you all the head's up!

Albion: The Enchanted Stallion

So, remember a couple years ago when I looked into a few of Sean Maguire’s non-OUAT projects? I decided I was going to try to look into some other cast members’ other projects as well…and then I get distracted. But let’s jump start things with Jennifer Morrison and Albion: The Enchanted Stallion.

So saddle up and hang on for SPOILERS!

Once Upon a Time: Season 7 Spoilers/Speculation/Whatnot

Filming for Season 7 of "Once Upon a Time" has begun up in Canada and set watchers have started posting pictures. Adam Horowitz has started posting episode titles on his Twitter. The past two weekends have been filled with cons--first D23, Disney's big convention held every two years, and then San Diego Comic Con. All of this means that we're starting to get some ideas of what the new season will look like.

WARNING! SPOILERS WILL FOLLOW BELOW THE PICTURE AND THE CUT!

Disney Vacation Thoughts: Addendum

This is a continuation of my post here because I remembered I forgot about this on my commute home Thursday evening.

Disney needs to update their hotel rooms. And that surprises me. Usually Disney is on the forefront of the service industry so it’s weird to find them behind on this front. What are they behind on?

Technology.

Disney Vacation Thoughts Round Up

I went on a vacation to Walt Disney World last month and wanted to blog about a few things. There won’t be much rhyme or reason to how I put everything together, so please excuse it.

• It’s time to update the Carousel of Progress. I know people panic every time it’s closed, even just for standard refurbishment, but it’s time. Watching the final scene, it struck me how dated it is. Sarah’s laptop looks so old and clunky. Controlling household items with our voices is reality now and more advanced than the skit lets on. And daughter Trish mentions a car phone. No child is going to know what the heck a car phone is. And I’m pretty sure this was created at a time when car phones were giving way to cell phones, so I’m not sure why it was included in the first place. So, yes, it’s time for a change.
• (Also, it’s totally Sarah’s fault the turkey got burnt, not John’s. She’s the one who programmed the oven and didn’t know that it would respond to any numbers he said. That’s very inconvenient, isn’t it?)
• Can we get something that appeals to picky eaters on the menu? Something beyond rather spicy chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers and hamburgers? Maybe some good salads? Sans cheese or Caesar dressing? Just something that we can order without having to remove nearly everything else. Just…please think of the picky eaters. Please.
• Also a pastry wall in every hotel would be great. Like the one in Pop Century. I love that thing.
• Please work on the bus schedules. I mean, most wait times are pretty good. However, there were a few times where I was definitely waiting longer than 20 minutes for a bus. I waited close to 45 minutes for one to the Magic Kingdom because I had just missed an earlier one. My sister missed the park opening because there was such a long wait between Magic Kingdom buses from Riverside. So maybe see which parks take longer to get to from each hotel and add more buses as needed?
• Does the Frozen ride really deserve such a long wait? (The answer, in my opinion, is no).
• Disney Springs is a mall.
• More places to get milkshakes please. My old place no longer has the machine and I’m sad.
• Also, I think it's time to update the ending video of "The American Adventure." We need to take Lance Armstrong out. 

I think that’s it for now. Just a few suggestions from what was otherwise an enjoyable trip.

Anyone else have suggestions?

Pandora: A Whole New World

Confession time: I was not a big fan of the movie “Avatar,” James Cameron’s big spectacle several years ago. I found it overrated with it not really giving a fresh take on a plot I’ve seen before (one friend calls it “the live action Ferngully”). I believed it was more celebrated for the technology than anything else.

As a fangirl myself, I could understand why it had such a devoted following. It was a whole new world with a new mythology to explore. Pretty much a fan’s dream come true. I’m sure the fandom is still there, creating and expanding the universe. (Hi, Avatar fandom!)

Cameron himself plans two sequels, which keep getting pushed back. But he also partnered with Disney to bring his world, Pandora, to life in the Animal Kingdom. That debuted last month over Memorial Day weekend. Guests staying at a Walt Disney World hotel during the month of June were invited to spend time at Pandora during special hours (11 PM to 1 AM). I was such a guest and decided to go visit the new area my last night there.

And I’m glad I did.

More Time for Timeless

Last week was a crazy one. Jennifer Morrison announced she was leaving Once Upon a Time, it got renewed but most of the cast was joining Morrison in exiting. And amongst all of that, NBC cancelled Timeless.

So come Saturday, I desperately need Eurovision--even if I'm American. Four hours of Europe getting drunk off its ass while performing some weird pop songs? Sign me up!

As I got ready to tweet about the craziness, I saw some good news on my Twitter--Timeless had been uncancelled by NBC! This is an unorthodox move we don't often see from networks and usually not so soon after cancellation. (I'm thinking Jericho here). But Timeless' fanbase was pretty vocal. We kept the show trending on Twitter for almost twenty-four hours after cancellation. So NBC realized they made a big mistake.

Here's to more adventures with Lucy, Wyatt and Rufus. Hopefully we'll be able to find Amy, figure out what happened to Jessica and see if Wyatt and Lucy ever get together.

And I promise to try and finish my recaps of the first season.

Once Upon a Cast Shake Up

Once Upon a Time has officially been renewed for Season 7. As I said in this blog post, Season 7 will feature a "reboot" of the series. What that looks like will only start to be known after tonight's finale. But we do know it will be moving forward without a significant number of current cast members.

Actress Jennifer Morrison, who has played Emma Swan since the pilot, announced Monday morning that she will not be returning for Season 7. She made this in advance of the show's official renewal notice on Thursday, but it seemed that someone was going to announce her departure anyway. She said she wanted to spend more time with her friends and family as well as pursue other projects, all of which are perfectly valid. Morrison did confirm she'll return for one episode of Season 7, though she doesn't know if it will be the premiere or some other episode.

After it was announced that Once would come back for a seventh season, Rebecca Mader (Zelena) posted a message to her Instagram announcing that she was leaving after season six. In it, Mader stated that her departure was not her choice but rather a "creative" decision. The same was the true later when Emile de Ravin (Belle) confirmed that she was leaving as well.

Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis, the co-creators, also confirmed that Josh Dallas (Prince Charming), Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow White), and Jared Gilmore (Henry Mills) will also not be regulars anymore either. Nothing has been said about whether they chose to leave or if it was a creative decision on the show's part. Based on everything I've heard from within the fandom, I believe Dallas and Goodwin opted not to renew their contracts. And if the speculation that Andrew J. West is playing an older Henry is correct, then Gilmore was mostly not asked back.

So is anyone coming back? Yes, the show has confirmed that Lana Parrilla (Regina Mills), Colin O'Donoghue (Captain Hook) and Robert Carlyle (Rumpelstiltskin) will be returning for Season 7. What that means and how the show will now appear is yet to be seen. I know many fans are not happy over this development and I'm not sure how much the General Audience knows yet. I do believe ABC is taking a gamble on the reboot but it could pay out for all we know, bringing new life to the show and new fans. Or it could alienate an already dwindling audience while displeasing a very passionate fanbase.

As I said, everything waits to be seen.

In the meantime, vote for which character you will miss the most.

Beauty and the Beast: Evermore

I was five years old when Disney released “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991. I remember being in the movie theater with my dad and one of my best friends from school, watching the movie. It became my favorite movie right then and there, with Belle being my favorite Disney princess. My dad always credited her for the fact I’m a bookworm, but I always credit my parents for that since they read to me every night and took me to the library often. But Belle always reminded me that there wasn’t anything wrong about being a bookworm or being considered odd. It also reminded me to value a person for who they are, not how they looked. And to never shun someone for being odd.

At first, I was skeptical about them redoing Beauty and the Beast as a live action movie. Naturally, I was worried they would screw everything up. But soon I heard Alan Menken was once again composing, Tim Rice signed on to write lyrics and finally, the cast was announced. It was so top-notch, I got excited.

I decided to go see the movie for my birthday, which was two weeks after it opened. I put on my Belle t-shirt and my Beauty and the Beast watch necklace. (Which needs a new battery). Then we headed down to the theater and watched the movie.

SPOILERS as old as time…

OUAT: Wake Up Call

Last time on “Once:” Hook made it from Agrabah to a little village by the sea, finding Blackbeard there. He played him for a magic bean so Hook could get back to Emma, betting the Jolly Roger. He lost because Blackbeard cheated but Hook had an ace up his sleeve (not literally, though). Since he didn’t have the Roger, Blackbeard had to give him the bean so they could get it.


In Storybrooke, Regina worked to try to undo the sleeping curse but was having no luck. Henry offered to help her but they were sidetracked when he went into a trance, writing some strange things down. They had to go to Isaac to get help and he agreed to do it provided Regina freed him so he could get out of town. He said that Henry’s author powers were taking over and they were going to get worse.


Meanwhile, Emma agreed to help Gideon stop the Black Fairy if he brought back Hook. He took her to the Sorcerer’s mansion so that they could open a portal but instead of a pirate, a giant spider came through. It chased after them and they ran, trying to find a place to hide. However, the spider soon found them and Gideon betrayed Emma, leaving her to the spider so that he could drain her powers and open the portal so the Black Fairy could enter that dimension.


We got a glimpse of Gideon’s childhood with the Black Fairy. He stole back the book Belle left for him, reading from it to his friend Roger until the Black Fairy caught them. She decided to show Gideon he wasn’t a hero by giving him the option of saving Roger when she tortured him. But Gideon was a scared child and so he hid instead.


Gideon grew up and the Black Fairy tested him again. He was reunited with Roger, who told him of a Savior who could defeat the Black Fairy and her nefarious plans. The two of them tried to summon the Savior but the Black Fairy interrupted them, disappointed that Gideon failed. She turned Roger into a bug and then squashed him before taking Gideon’s heart, controlling him.


Emma almost died but Rumple saved her, helping her defeat the spider. Snow and Belle joined them as Emma told Rumple that his son was no good, that she couldn’t save him. He told her that she was making a mistake and Emma reminded him that she didn’t start this. Snow and Emma left as Belle wondered if Gideon was really a lost cause. Rumple believed he wasn’t especially as he was far away from the Black Fairy’s influence.


Except he wasn’t as even Emma’s brief brush with death was enough to open a bit enough hole for the Black Fairy to come through. She’s in Storybrooke and she has plans.


Hook and Blackbeard ended up in Neverland and the Lost Boys were not happy to see them. They chased the two pirates to a beach, where Blackbeard knocked out Hook and stole the only rowboat. Hook came to in time to see his frenemy row away without him. With the Lost Boys closing in, he ran off again.


Regina gave in to Isaac’s demands, though not completely. He was allowed to leave Storybrooke but in a minivan rather than a sports car and sans tickets to Hamilton. (Which apparently was a thing because the writers no doubt forgot their own timeline and the fact the show is still currently in 2015 at best). Before he left, Isaac told her and Henry that his powers were acting up because they were nearing the end of the book and the final battle was near. He warned them to leave the town too.


Can things get any worse?


Let’s find out!


Hook is still running from the Lost Boys as the episode opens. He takes a tumble down a hill that allows the Boys to surround him. Realizing he was cornered, he offered to tell them where he had hidden his treasures and rum but they just want him to suffer for what happened to Pan. Hook sighs and pulls his sword, ready to fight them. He tells them that he has someone waiting for him and so they need to make this quick.

(Hook is reunited with his first love, Floor)

OUAT: There's Always a Giant Spider

Last time on “Once:” Hook was desperate to find his way back to Storybrooke after Gideon sent the Nautilus into another realm. However, they needed kraken blood. Their quest for it brought Hook back to Jasmine and Aladdin, who were still searching for Agrabah. Jasmine finally confessed that Jafar took Agrabah so they hope finding him will help all of them.

When the Nautilus started to sink, Jasmine wished them to where Jafar was. They landed by a Tiki shack that turned out to be owned by Ariel, who had an adventure with Jasmine years ago!

The Sultan tried to marry off Jasmine in order to secure a neighboring kingdom’s army to help fight Jafar. Jafar, though, showed up and turned one prince into a fancy walking stick. He then revealed that Aladdin was a broken hero and that Jasmine’s only chance to save her people was to marry him. Jasmine refused but he gave her to sundown to either accept his offer or defeat him. Otherwise, Agrabah would be destroyed.

While wandering through Agrabah, Jasmine encountered a merchant who chased after a street rat. Hoping it was Aladdin, she gave chase and saved Ariel when the merchant roughed her up. Ariel revealed she was there to find Prince Eric and Jasmine wanted to make a deal with him to use his navy. In the middle of the desert. Just go with it.

Jasmine introduced Ariel to the flying carpet and Ariel discovered she had a fear of heights as they fly out to a caravan outside the city. They found Eric…but it was really Jafar in disguise. Time had run out so Jasmine had to choose—her city or marriage to him. Tick tock. Ariel tried to convince Jasmine to use some magic she took from Jafar against him but she decided to marry him instead. She gave him a ring containing the prized jewel of the kingdom. Jafar revealed he just wanted the ring because it contained magic that protected Agrabah. With it, he made the city disappear.

Ariel revealed she had a lamp and they realized that Jafar became a genie. They planned to use their wishes to make him do what they wanted but once Jasmine freed him, he broke the curse. He put Aladdin, Ariel and Hook under a sleeping spell and taunted Jasmine. She got him to reveal that Agrabah was in her ring, though, before she got the upper hand and turned him into a fancy walking stick. Jasmine and Aladdin released Agrabah using True Love’s Kiss and Ariel let Hook use her shellphone in order to contract Emma.

Emma, meanwhile, was doing her best to avoid feeling anything about Hook leaving. So Regina of all people had to plot to do so by tricking Emma to having a girls’ night out at Storybrooke’s newest bar. Drunk!Snow stole the show while Aesop got Emma to finally talk about her feelings. She had a good cry, had some alcohol and then went home to put Hook’s things in storage. She received his call and learned the truth.

Aesop showed up and revealed that he was really Gideon in disguise. He said that since he now had Emma’s tears, he could make sure Hook could never return home to Storybrooke. In order to save Hook, Emma needed to help him destroy the Black Fairy. Reluctantly, she agreed.

We open with a shot of the Black Fairy flying through some clouds. She carries a sleeping baby in a carrier and it’s pretty obvious that it’s baby Gideon. She soars through some mines as people look at her in fear and surprise. When she lands, a young woman asks if the baby is another child to work in the mines. The Black Fairy says the baby is different and calls him precious. The young woman, who kinda looks like Drew Barrymore in Ever After, says she’ll take care of him like he was her own. The Black Fairy isn’t pleased and tells her to take care of him like he was her (the Black Fairy’s) own. Drew Barrymore lookalike takes out a book and we see Belle’s message to Gideon. The Black Fairy takes it and tells the baby that he won’t need the book before calling him Gideon, in case we had any doubts by now.

(Aww. He's adorable)

OUAT: A Million Miles Away

Last time on “Once:” The Evil Queen and Regina had their final showdown. Queenie recruited Robin to help her with her plan, having him dig up the golden shearers and then using her as bait to lure Regina to her office. Regina went and Queenie used the shears to separate each other for good. They battled in the mayor’s office until Regina got the upper hand. Before she could crush Queenie’s heart, she was reminded of an episode from her past.

After failing once again to capture Snow White, Regina came face to face with Tinkerbell. The former fairy told Regina that she was scared to love and that’s why she hadn’t gone to find the Man with the Lion Tattoo. Regina laid into her and then spared her life as some sort act of mercy to impress the villagers, to turn them from supporting Snow White.

Her father, though, was paying attention. Wanting to find happiness for Regina, he told her that he knew of a way for her to get revenge on Snow White. He brought her to a grove enchanted by Cupid before admitting he really wanted to help her find the person she loved the most. Regina, though, created a potion that made the arrow find the person she hated the most instead. That person?

Herself.

So Regina decided to end the cycle of self-hatred and embraced Queenie’s darkness. Pressing their hearts together, she took on some of it while giving Queenie some of her light. She put the hearts back in their respective chests, giving Queenie a new lease on life. Queenie apologized and gave up on vengeance, realizing she needed a some place where she could start over. Regina recruited Henry, who sent her to the wish realm. Queenie reunited with Robin and the two shared a drink.

Outlaw Queen lives on.

Elsewhere, Emma showed off her engagement to everyone and gushed over being engaged. Snow wanted to plan the wedding but Emma said she and Hook were waiting until they defeated Gideon and the threat of Emma dying wasn’t hanging over them. Meanwhile, Hook was agonizing over not telling Emma about killing her grandfather and got some excellent advice from Captain Nemo.

He didn’t take it.

Instead, he put his memories into a dreamcatcher and tried to burn it. Emma caught him and was more upset that he didn’t talk to her about it than the fact he killed her grandfather. She told him she thought he was ready for marriage, ready to rely on her but she guessed he wasn’t. Emma gave him back the ring. Heartbroken, Hook asked to join Nemo on his next voyage so he could become the man Emma deserved. Nemo welcomed him aboard.

Before they could shove off, Snow told Hook about Regina redeeming Queenie and told him that sometimes even villains can be redeemed through love. It struck a chord with Hook, who told Nemo he was going to stay and try to repair things with Emma. Nemo wished him luck as the Nautilus began to dive. Gideon revealed he was sending the vessel—and Hook—far away because he needed Emma to be alone for his plan. He magicked himself out and watched from the shore as Hook disappeared beneath the water.

Meanwhile, Emma went home and realized that Hook had left her. She turned off her porch light and went to nurse her broken heart.

Emma watches her father pace the loft as he tries to process the fact that Hook killed his father. She apologizes for having to tell him this way and he asks why Hook didn’t have the guts to tell him himself. Emma tells David about her fight with Hook and says that Leroy spotted him boarding the Nautilus. She says he watched it go out to sea, taking Hook with it. David hugs her, comforting his brokenhearted daughter.

OUAT: Regina Embraces Herself

Last time on “Once:” Rumple captured Gideon and promised to help him, not wanting to see him turn to darkness. They discovered that the sword could only be reforged using the magic of the one who made it—the Blue Fairy. Gideon caught his fairy godmother but Rumple drained her magic, saving his son from the darkness. He kept the Blue Fairy in a catatonic state, hoping to restore her magic once he and Belle save Gideon.

In flashbacks, we met Beowulf, from one of the first Anglo-Saxon epics. He led an army against the ogres but were soundly defeated. Beowulf was about to be killed when Rumple showed up, using his powers as the Dark One to destroy all the ogres and end the First Ogres’ War. He was hailed as a hero by all—especially Bae—but Beowulf warned he was really a monster.

As villagers gave Bae a hard time due to his father, they came to ask Rumple for his help. They told of a monster called Grendel terrorizing nearby villages and that it killed all the warriors they sent to fight it. So they hoped Rumple would be able to do so. He and Bae set out to find him and Rumple admitted to feeling tempted to use his magic. He entrusted his dagger to Bae and promised to prove to everyone he wasn’t a monster.

Father and son discovered Grendel was really Beowulf. He was going to pin everything on Rumple, turning the villagers against him and letting Beowulf to be a hero again. Rumple tried to reason with him, tried to bring him to the village to prove he was the real Grendel, but Beowulf kept taunting him. Finally, Bae grew so angry, he ordered his father to kill the man and he did.

The darkness started to claim Bae so Rumple made him forget about what happened. Bae then believed his father had given in and ran away, repulsed by the monster he thought Rumple had become.

Meanwhile, Robin made an alliance with Zelena to break out of Storybrooke. They tried to use magic he stole from Regina to break the protection spell on the town line but it didn’t work. Regina caught them and she had it out with Robin. She then agreed to help him get out of dodge, as it were, and he thanked her. Later, she and Zelena had a conversation where she took responsibility for her actions as the Evil Queen. They then discovered Snake!Queen had escaped. The snake found Robin, bit him and turned back into Queenie. She immediately began flirting with him and he seemed intrigued.

Hook spent his day drinking at Granny’s, telling Archie that he was debating telling Emma he killed her grandfather or not. He said he wasn’t the man she deserved but Archie disagreed. Finally, Hook went home to discover Emma had found the ring. She told him yes but he still asked…without revealing his big secret.

Uh oh.

We open in the Enchanted Forest. Two children run into a cabin and then the black guards surround it. The Queen’s carriage pulls up and she asks where Snow White is. One guard tells her that Snow was spotted going into the cabin early that morning and there’s been no movement since. She orders him to gather the villagers so they can see what happens to their princess. Her father pleads with her, saying that killing Snow won’t endear the people to her. She doesn’t want that—she wants Snow’s heart.

Regina enters the cabin and approaches the bed where she thinks Snow is sleeping. She sticks her hand in…and comes out with a handful of straw. Regina storms out, killing a guard as she declares that Snow isn’t there. She tells the gathered villagers that they shouldn’t protect Snow because she doesn’t care for them or love them. But Regina does care and love them.

A familiar voice says that she’s lying. Everyone turns to find Tinkerbell emerging from the woods. Welcome back, Rose. Congrats on the success of iZombie! You rock as Liv! Anyway, she says that Regina doesn’t know anything about love and says she knows it because she was there when Regina threw away her chance at love. Regina asks if she should be living in a tulip somewhere. Tink ignores the dig and tells her that she’s there because it started with her. Because she showed her a future full of love with the Man with the Lion Tattoo. Tink tells Regina that he’s still out there and she should be with him. Regina replies that nobody and nothing dictates her future—especially pixie dust. Tink tells her that pixie dust only shows possibilities and it’s up to us to act on them.

So no, Regina wasn’t obligated to be with Robin. She chose to be.

Anyway, Tink’s not done. She says Regina doesn’t go after love because she feels she doesn’t deserve it. That hits a bit too close to home for Regina and she snaps at Tink. She then tells the villagers she’s going to spare Tink to prove that the pixie is wrong, that she is able to love and that she loves her people. She tells Tink to appreciate her gift.

(It's the Captain of our Ship! Hi, Tink!)

The Fate of Once Upon a Time

There’s a lot of talk about whether or not Once Upon a Time will get a seventh season and if it does, it would most certainly be different and probably not have the full cast.

Most of this started a month or so ago. Channing Dungey, the current head of ABC programming, spoke about ideas Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis were talking about for the upcoming season, including rebooting the show. She said they were still thinking about it but confirmed that the storyline that began on October 23, 2011 will be coming to a close this May. There was also talk that not everyone in the current cast would be returning, which was further fueled when Jennifer Morrison (Emma Swan) went on a podcast and confirmed that her contract was up at the end of the season. She was in the middle of negotiations, though, she noted. A few weeks later, Robert Carlyle (Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold) noted he was still not sure what his status for Season 7 was and that he too was in contract negotiations while he was doing press for T2 (the Trainspotting sequel).

As we are now in the back 11 episodes of season 6, speculation is now running rampant. It grows more likely that if we get a season 7, it will be revamped and not everyone currently in the cast will be returning. Most rumors seem to agree that there are negotiations with Colin O’Donohue (Captain Hook) and Lana Parrilla (Regina/the Evil Queen). Morrison and Carlyle are also rumored to be in consideration for season 7. Rumors also say that Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow White) and Josh Dallas (David Nolan/Prince Charming) aren’t going to return. There are also rumors that Jared Gilmore (Henry Mills) also won’t be asked back. Nothing has been said of Emilie de Ravin (Belle) or Rebecca Mader (Zelena/The Wicked Witch of the West).

There are two potential new cast members for season 7. First is Andrew J. West, who has been cast as a character who the casting call said is a cynical recluse who still has a spark of hope waiting for the right to person to rekindle it. Second is Alison Rodriguez, who has been cast as a young ten-year-old who is precocious and mischievous, who has had a tough life so far. Right now, they are confirmed for the season finale but if the show is picked up for another season, they are slotted to join the main cast. Naturally, there has been lots of speculation about them just like there was when Hank Harris (Dr. Jekyll) and Sam Witwer (Mr. Hyde) were cast for the season 5 finale. But this does seem to be setting up something similar to the pilot, when ten-years-old Henry found a cynical and jaded Emma.

What do I think? I think Season 7 is pretty certain and I’m growing more and more convinced the reboot is inevitable. However, I’m not thrilled with the prospect. I can understand why the writers are doing it—they probably want a fresh canvas to tell new stories, go in new directions, jumpstart their creative juices. The executives at ABC are probably hoping a new start will stop the hemorrhaging ratings and hopefully bring in new audiences (as well as bring some back).  However, I fear it might backfire on them. When I talk to people who love Once Upon a Time, most of them focus on the characters, not the storyline. So losing a good portion of the cast and rebooting the characters of the remaining ones can alienate the remaining audience.

My personal opinion is that Once Upon a Time should get a Season 7 but it should be a proper final season. There are quite a few stories that need a proper ending. More importantly, though, is that Emma was brought to Storybrooke to return the happy endings. So give us those happy endings. Give us closure. (Which is a bitter word for me right now, given that they spoke of “closure” for Outlaw Queen with the current Robin Hood arc and it’s anything but). (I still hope Regina’s happy ending features Robin Hood. I feel like I’m just asking for disappointment). Don’t introduce new people. Bring back old, familiar faces. Ruby. Archie. Granny. The Dwarves. Marco. Really wrap them up. Give them their happy endings.

So what do you think? I’m resurrecting my poll after like three years, so please vote. 

OUAT: Beowulf? Really?

Last time on “Once:” David was haunted by the ghost of his father, so he dragged Hook on a quest to discover what happened to the man. It involved a murder board, stealing ingredients from Emma, creating a potion and getting information from August that led to King George.

Meanwhile, Hook agreed to accompany David because he was worried for his friend and he wanted him to see him as more than a pirate. Especially since he bought a ring for Emma! Archie nearly lost it when he saw the ring and he encouraged Hook to ask David how he felt about Hook.

Anyway, in the Enchanted Forest, Robert and Ruth had no money for medicines for their ailing twin boys. So Rumple made them a deal—money for medicine for one while taking the other to live as a prince with King George. He made Robert flip a coin to choose which child to take—James being the winner.

Years later, the guilt over his decision drove Robert to drink. While he drowned his sorrows, King George entered the tavern to announced Prince James had been abducted. He offered a reward to anyone who brought the boy back. Robert, though, decided to go after James to bring him home to David and Ruth, so they could be a family again. Little David made his father promise to come home and stop drinking. He even gave him his lucky coin.

Rumple agreed to help Robert, directing him to Pleasure Island. There, Robert encountered Pinocchio, who helped him find James. The young prince said he ran away because he didn’t want to kill people. Robert said he would take him home instead and tried to leave with the boy. But King George found them and took James back. He then ordered Robert killed.

David felt more at peace after learning about his father’s fate. He thanked Hook, who then asked for his blessing to marry Emma. David gave it and all was well.

However, when August delivered the pages of his story he had taken back in Season 1, Hook got a nasty shock. It turned out that while King George had ordered Robert’s death, Hook had really killed Robert while robbing the king of his gold.

Uh oh.

We open in the middle of a battle. One young soldier gets overwhelmed by everything going on and tries to run for it. Another soldier stops him. The young one says that the ogres will kill them all and that they should just flee for their lives. The older one reminds him that they are the only things standing between the ogres and their homes. He pulls out a sword and says it’s been enchanted with light magic, guaranteeing its bearer victory in battle. He asks if the young soldier wants to stand and fight or be known as a coward. The young soldier agrees to fight and then calls the other soldier Beowulf.

Yep, that Beowulf.

OUAT: There's Something Rotten in Denmark

Well, Storybrooke, but if the writers are citing Hamlet, then so am I!

Last time on “Once:” Belle and Rumple reeled from the revelation that the hooded figure fated to kill Emma was their son, now all grown up after being kidnapped by the Black Fairy. He explained he needed to kill the Savior in order to free the realms from the Black Fairy and Rumple tried to help him while Belle pleaded with the heroes to give her a chance to get through to her son. David and Hook agreed, though they were determined to keep Emma safe.

Speaking of Emma, she was still trapped in the wish realm. Regina was shocked to see Robin Hood alive and well, though he robbed them. Prince Henry was also determined to capture her and make her pay for killing his grandparents. Emma believed she knew a way for them to go home.

That way? Pinocchio, all grown up and one of Princess Emma’s good friends. She asked him if he still had the wardrobe but he said his father destroyed it. But he believed he could make another one to send Emma and Regina home. Well, Emma at least as Regina decided to go off to see if Robin’s life was better without her.

She found him in the tavern and he told her that he had a great life. She believed he was happy without her and went to leave. They were then captured by the Sheriff of Nottingham and Regina learned that Robin was not an honorable thief but a common one stealing for himself. Marian died before they could marry, so he was all alone and without love. After Rumple freed them but then locked them up again, Robin admitted that he wasn’t happy. He asked her about the other Robin and she told him about his other self—including the fact he died. Still, Robin believed his other self had a good life.

He then broke them out so Regina could find Emma.

Speaking of Emma, she and Pinocchio found another enchanted tree to turn into the wardrobe. Captain Hook, though, showed up to “rescue” Princess Emma. Emma was shocked to find he was older and heavier as well as drunk. He was easily taken care of with a wave of her hand but in the process, Pinocchio’s chisel was broken. He believed he couldn’t make the wardrobe and stormed off, apologizing to Emma for letting her down.

Emma tried herself but when she found a wooden swan, she realized what she had to do. She showed it to Pinocchio, who tells her an alternate interpretation of the Ugly Ducking that she once heard as a child. Emma gave Pinocchio a pep talk and he managed to make the wardrobe. Regina showed up with Robin, who gave her a feather off his lucky arrow. She confessed she believed part of her Robin ended up living on in him and Emma convinced her to bring Robin with them. He agreed and they all headed back to Storybrooke.

In Storybrooke, Emma came face-to-face with Gideon. They fought and it seemed he got the upperhand when he got the sword from her. But despite her tremors, Emma was able to use her magic on him and shattered the sword. Rumple pleaded with her not to hurt his son, allowing Gideon to get away. Emma and Regina were reunited with their family and they prepared to save Emma while Gideon threw a teenage temper tantrum in the clock tower as his parents fretted at the well.

And thus started the second half of Season Six. Let’s continue!

It’s a dark and stormy night. A man enters a cabin and we hear two babies crying. His frantic wife asks him if he was able to get the medicine and he says he couldn’t, that he failed James and David. Yes, the woman is a younger Ruth and the man is David’s father, Robert. They don’t know what they will do.

(Babies!)

Enter Rumpelstiltskin, who throws down money to buy the medicine the boys need. However, there’s a catch. He tells them the story of King George, who has a lot of riches but no sons, and of Robert, who has no riches but two sons. Ruth pulls a knife and tells Rumple that he won’t take one of her sons, but Robert says it’s for the best. They can assure both their boys a good life that way, especially once Rumple tells them that neither would survive the winter otherwise. Rumple gives Robert a coin to flip—heads he takes David, tails he takes James. Robert tosses it and it ends up tails. Rumple takes James as his parents say their goodbyes, promising that they will always love him. Rumple warns them that they’ll never see him again and they can’t speak of this to anyone.

And then he’s gone with James, leaving David crying all alone in his crib.

When Calls the Heart

Or—why haven’t I discovered this sooner?

I mean, I remember seeing the commercials on Hallmark Channel and I remember there was a movie special that preceded it. And I knew it had something to do with history. Which usually meant I would be all over it (see: Timeless). Yet for some reason, I wasn’t. Maybe because it’s on Hallmark, so it’s easy to forget when it’s on. Just like with the Good Witch series. I’ve enjoyed all the movies and wanted to catch the TV show…I just never remembered it was on.

So what changed?

Netflix!

Yes, I’ve had Netflix for a while now. But it recommended “When Calls the Heart” for me, so I decided to give it a chance. (It also recommended “The Good Witch” series, so I’m sure I’ll finally be able to catch up on that as well).