Once Upon A Time - Again

[Avilan the Grey]

...Can't find the old thread, besides I am sure it is too old to use...

I finally caught up with this show this weekend and it is definitely getting interesting.

Now I must say I sometimes miss stuff, but other times I feel SO much smarter than anyone. At this instance it's because
When reading the TV-tropes entry on this show it seems nobody there caught that the hat worked. The Mad Hatter didn't fall to his death; it is very clear by the following shot that the hat he forced Emma to make WORKED. He fell INTO the hat, that's why he is gone and both women are staring into the hat afterwards.

As for the rest: So Regina
is the Miller's Daughter's daughter. Hence the name. And suddenly you felt a tad sorry for her, after all. Of course she must have latent psychological problems to go over the edge like that...

[Don Julio Anejo]

Not going to comment on the plot, but...

I've had a weird sense of deja-vu since something like episode two. Everything seemed so familiar, yet oddly different...

Reason? They film it in Steveston, a little fishing village in a suburb of Vancouver. With the exception of new (fake) storefronts used for the series. I used to go there for fish-and-chips with my parents every couple of weeks or so. Still do, just with friends or dates. Didn't realize the connection until a friend pointed it out on Facebook.

Mandatory Google Maps link (http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=moncton+st+%26+2+ave&hl=en&ll=49.125186,-123.184142&spn=0.001338,0.001894&sll=49.125188,-123.184193&sspn=0.002675,0.003787&hnear=Moncton+St+%26+2+Ave,+Richmond,+Greater+Vanc ouver+Regional+District,+British+Columbia&t=m&z=19&iwloc=A) so you can go around in Street View. Look familiar? :smallamused:

[Lord Seth]

I thought the reason for Regina's grudge against Snow White was pretty lame to be honest.

[Avilan the Grey]

I thought the reason for Regina's grudge against Snow White was pretty lame to be honest.

For someone with a specific range of mental problems, her reaction is quite plausible, actually. That is another thing that irks me about the TVtropes entry though; everyone seems to assume that Regina's mother is still alive,or at least that she didn't turn her lust for revenge on her mother.
However it is made pretty clear that her mother is not around. It would seem to me thatRegina took out her revenge on her mother at the earliest opportunity.

[Lord Seth]

For someone with a specific range of mental problems, her reaction is quite plausible, actually.The problem I have is that it should have been clearly directed straight at her mother. And while it is possible she could have dispensed with her first, the only real hatred we seem to see is towards Snow.

But I think it's lame from a storytelling perspective. Her hatred of her has been the driving force for so much of the show, they've constantly been teasing us with "gee, what did she do to her?" and we get something that feels as weak as this? I was expecting something more substantial.

[Avilan the Grey]

The problem I have is that it should have been clearly directed straight at her mother. And while it is possible she could have dispensed with her first, the only real hatred we seem to see is towards Snow.

But I think it's lame from a storytelling perspective. Her hatred of her has been the driving force for so much of the show, they've constantly been teasing us with "gee, what did she do to her?" and we get something that feels as weak as this? I was expecting something more substantial.

Well thinking of it in storybook terms: The stable boy was her happy ending. Her true love. Unlike in the real world, she will never find love again.

Speaking of IRL: I find the viewers that complain that the Storybrook version of the people are more "boring" and "sleazy" than their fairytale selves are completely missing the point!
In the real world, cheating on your wife with a woman you just met IS sleazy and will give you ill repute. Just like Regina isn't an over the top evil queen with black clothes and huge cleavage but instead a very realistic "don" that controls the entire town through corruption, mundane fear and abuse of power, and Rumpelstiltskin no longer is a giggling dancing goblin but a normal human being.

[Wayac]

Well thinking of it in storybook terms: The stable boy was her happy ending. Her true love. Unlike in the real world, she will never find love again.

It's just odd that she immediately goes into "I wish Snow was dead" mode when she clearly knows her mother is to blame. I could understand it if the rage against Snow built up slowly during her inevitable retribution campaign, but having it instantly happen when Snow pretty much told her she was manipulated by Regina's mother was a bit off to me.

and Rumpelstiltskin no longer is a giggling dancing goblin but a normal human being.
I'm still amazed at the range Robert Carlyle has. It's always a treat to watch him play both sides of his character.

[Avilan the Grey]

It's just odd that she immediately goes into "I wish Snow was dead" mode when she clearly knows her mother is to blame. I could understand it if the rage against Snow built up slowly during her inevitable retribution campaign, but having it instantly happen when Snow pretty much told her she was manipulated by Regina's mother was a bit off to me.

The point is that she went over the deep end. Oh and I am 100% sure she killed her mother, first, since this episode is the only one where her mother is present.

[Helanna]

It's just odd that she immediately goes into "I wish Snow was dead" mode when she clearly knows her mother is to blame. I could understand it if the rage against Snow built up slowly during her inevitable retribution campaign, but having it instantly happen when Snow pretty much told her she was manipulated by Regina's mother was a bit off to me.


Yeah, it struck me as a bit weird. But I figured, she was probably pretty traumatized, and this might be the first time her mother ever truly showed just how much she was willing to do to get her way, so she was probably pretty terrified of her mother. So maybe she was too scared/traumatized to immediately get revenge on her mother, but when Snow revealed her part in all of it, well, she's a safe target. Then after a while it was just a complete obsession that she couldn't get over. Maybe her mother died a while later of something unrelated, depriving Regina of the real target of her hate, leaving her with only Snow to blame.

I felt like that might be the point when Mary Margaret was about to be convicted and she was muttering about how "We finally got her". We didn't see much of her love interest what's-his-name, but he seemed like he wouldn't really have approved of absolutely destroying a ten-year-old girl's life just because she was manipulated by the evil witch that *actually* killed him.

[Derthric]

The point is that she went over the deep end. Oh and I am 100% sure she killed her mother, first, since this episode is the only one where her mother is present.

Some people theorize that her Mother is the Queen of Hearts. The proof? Well there isn't any really except that she had Regina's father in a box and Regina seemed to have some knowledge of how the Queen of Hearts worked. But hey you never know, I won 20 bucks on a bet of who the Sheriff turned out to be.

I want to know who August Booth is, he knows about the book and even how to fix it. I assume it requires a sense of magic, like what Emma has. So he isn't just some person.

I think this show is really well done, I am usually one to poke holes in plots as they go along. For example in a town as small as storybrook you would see the State Police being used for something like a Missing Person/Homicide investigation. Not just the local, 1 person, Sheriff. That stuff usually bothers me, but not here, that's a testament to the writers.

[ThreadKiller]

Yeah, it struck me as a bit weird. But I figured, she was probably pretty traumatized, and this might be the first time her mother ever truly showed just how much she was willing to do to get her way, so she was probably pretty terrified of her mother. So maybe she was too scared/traumatized to immediately get revenge on her mother, but when Snow revealed her part in all of it, well, she's a safe target. Then after a while it was just a complete obsession that she couldn't get over. Maybe her mother died a while later of something unrelated, depriving Regina of the real target of her hate, leaving her with only Snow to blame.

I felt like that might be the point when Mary Margaret was about to be convicted and she was muttering about how "We finally got her". We didn't see much of her love interest what's-his-name, but he seemed like he wouldn't really have approved of absolutely destroying a ten-year-old girl's life just because she was manipulated by the evil witch that *actually* killed him.

I agree that it is a bit odd that this was the big secret that made the Queen hate Snow White, but her true love did get killed because of it. The Queen blames Snow White because if she hadn't said anything, then it's possible her true love might have lived.

Again, agreed about the Queen's true love. He definitely does not seem like the vengeful type, and I bet he would be saddened to see what she has become. I'm sure there are more factors at play that caused her bitterness and jealousy to grow. The thing is...the Queen suspected that her mother set up the whole incident that led her to save Snow White. I like your idea that she decided to target Snow White because she was an easier target, but perhaps she was too grief-stricken to realize that her mother may have tricked Snow White into telling.

[Avilan the Grey]

I want to know who August Booth is, he knows about the book and even how to fix it. I assume it requires a sense of magic, like what Emma has. So he isn't just some person.

My personal idea is that he is exactly who he says he is: A (THE) Writer. Now, when Emma is changing the stories, the book has to be rewritten.

Apparently in the next episode Mr Gold becomes suspicious of August and tries to figure out which fairytale persona he is, btw.

Anyway speaking of the Miller's Daughter... I wonder when Regina learned her mother's magical secrets. It is pretty clear from this episode that she had no magic of her own at that point.

Edit: Another thing I do not agree with a lot of people is that Mr Gold wouldn't know who Emma really is. It is pretty obvious to me that he has manipulated events to get Emma there. Her, specifically.
Regina doesn't know, of course, but she never knew about that part of the curse and the loophole. Gold only told that to Snow White and her prince.

Now Gold did pick Henry; he was asked by Regina to find a son she could adopt and he picked him. He is very much aware who Emma is.

[Wayac]

Episode 19
So it appears the whole curse was orchestrated by Gold to get to the world without magic. At first I was wondering why he didn't just use it himself, but then I remembered the curse requires the sacrifice of something you love and he made sure he didn't have anything like that left. So at what point did he start manipulating Regina into needing the curse?

More questions about August. If he really is from the other world, which character from there relies on magic to live?

Also, what are the requisites for retaining memories of the other world? So far we know Regina, Gold, the Hatter and August are aware, but this episode suggests that the Blue Fairy's magic level was pretty high, so is it possible that Mother Superior also knows but hasn't let on yet?