30 Days of OUAT - Day 30: Favorite Season Finale

 Day 30 - Favorite Season Finale

I'm going to miss gushing about OUAT every day on here. Though there are other Once themed Memes I could do (I assume there are since I've seen one for Swanfire... maybe there's one that's JUST Neal? That'd be fun ha ha). Still, like all good things, there must be an end - or at least a hiatus (which is a very very very bad word in the world of OUAT).

My favorite Season Finale is still season 1's. Season 1 just had a lot of heart and a good beginning, middle, and end. Season 2 was all over the map and the finale felt more like an epilogue to me. Season 3 had two finales, the mid season, and the 2 hour movie (which was a whole lot of CaptainSwan messing up while SwanFire kept Emma going... which was a nice picture and all... but all it did was make me sad all over again once MRJ's final scene - and most likely final episode - came up. It's all about the tumblers).

Season 1's finale has Emma rushing her son to the hospital after he collapses from taking a bite of the apple turnover that his adoptive mother gave to Emma for her trip home. Emma is willing to leave Storybrooke to once again give Henry his best chance as she believes she's fueling his crazy ideas of everyone being fairytale characters. Henry takes the turnover to prove to her that he's not crazy. It's what finally gets Emma to realize it's all true. She beats the snot out of Regina and then the two of them go to get the thing that will save Henry.

Only Gold steals it from them, and they get a call from the hospital saying they need to come right away. By the time they reach the hospital Henry has died. Emma goes in to say goodbye and gives her son a tearful kiss on his forehead. The "twu love" rainbow airburst breaks forth and Henry awakens... as does the town. Now they know who they are.

And it cliffhangs right at the best part. They've found each other, and Gold has poured his "twu luv" potion into the well that restores all. A purple cloud falls over the town and... then we had to wait for Season 2 (which would open with a mystery man walking through NYC till he gets home and a dove delivers a postcard that says "Storybrooke, Maine" on the front and "Broken" written on the back... it's Neal, and August has kept his promise to let him know when Emma's done her job).



And, that's a wrap. I'm sure I'll be revisiting OUAT on the blog soon... but I think next up is Disneyland related... and hopefully MRJ will finally play nice and break radio silence with his new project. I WANNA KNOW! ha ha...

Only 120ish days till Season 4? I think?

30 Days of OUAT - Day 29: Favorite Season Premiere

Day 29 - Favorite Season Premiere

I gotta go with the Pilot episode. It opens SO well, I mean from the intro to Prince Charming racing down the road towards finding his true love to awaken her with true love's kiss. Everything seems so much like what we know of the story... and then all hell breaks loose.

Season 2's premiere was nice, but at the same time the whole "Mystery Man" portion (aka Michael Raymond-James walking through NYC before coming home, losing his ipod, and getting a postcard with the word "broken") was just really annoying. Don't get me wrong, as an MRJ fangirl (now) I love seeing him, but it made NO SENSE! Especially since we don't see him again for several episodes and it just didn't seem to fit within the rest of the story (and I'm STILL not sure it does)!

Season 3's was somewhat of a let down (actually all of 3a feels that way), even though - once again - an MRJ fangirl gets some quality stuff out of the character of Neal (much more so than in Season 2's opener). There was just too much going on with Neal in the EF, Henry with Greg and Tamara finding out who they were taking orders from, and then the rescue party on the Jolly Roger (and all of the secondary characters back in Storybrooke). It was all just too convoluted.

But the Pilot episode had a beginning, middle, end... and a purpose. A real one, not just a "let's get back into this and introduce the new characters" kinda thing. Only thing that'd make it better is having MRJ in it, but we couldn't know who Neal was until Season 2... it wouldn't have fit the storyline... wouldn't have given us enough angst. We needed to work up to finding Baelfire... and besides we wouldn't have August trying to fool Rumple without us not knowing who Bae really was.

I had to get a few fangirl gush moments in, so sue me. Ha ha.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 17: Favorite Cliffhanger

Day 17 - Favorite Cliffhanger

Once Upon A Time is King of the Cliffhanger. I have a love hate relationship with it because of the cliffhangers. This show gets my creative brain going in overdrive (probably part of the reason why I can't "let go" of Neal's death. There are SO MANY plot/loopholes that could bring him back. So many quotes that suggest that it's a possibility or the thought... and then so many that suggest that nope, he's gone for good. But I can't shut off that creative side of me!)

With Season 3 we got two mini seasons in one. And the mid-season finale (episode 11, "Going Home") was by far the best. It actually felt like a series finale. It was so sad and yet hopeful at the same time. I haven't rewatched season 3 much - just the clips on youtube over and over and over again... (stinkin' Neal... I was not this obsessed with OUAT until he up and died. Thanks a lot MRJ!) I mean, they wrapped up the Neverland arc, saved Henry, Rumple finally releases his cowardess and reconciles with his son professing his love for Belle... it was a great "happy ending moment"... until Peter Pan enacts a reboot of the dark curse and Regina is forced to stop it. But to stop it, she has to let go of the thing she loves most - her son, Henry.

The reset will send all of Storybrooke back to the Enchanted Forest - all fairytale characters must go. Yep, even the two that were not part of the original curse (Emma & Neal)... knowing that that would leave Henry alone, Regina can save Emma from that fate... but there's a catch - they will not remember their family and friends from Storybrooke. They won't remember Neal coming back with them (FOR them). They will have good memories of Henry always being with Emma, but none of the Charmings... or Regina... or... well... Hook. They'll have never known that the odd little town ever existed or that they were once part of it. That it was once home.

After Emma accepts the inevitable, and a round of quickly said goodbyes (with Emma clearly being more upset about saying goodbye to the pirate than to her first love) Emma and Henry get into the yellow bug and drive across the town line with their family and friends watching. As they cross the town and everyone disappears as do the memories, Regina counteracts the curse. A purple haze falls over the town destroying everything in its path - including Henry's book.

The last seconds of the episode the EF is filled with its (formerly) missing characters, and then we see Emma and Henry in their NYC apartment. Happy, healthy, and a whole year has passed. A knock at the door and some weirdo in leather is at the door saying he knows Emma, that he knows she doesn't remember him, but her family is in trouble... and he goes in for a kiss, and she knees him in his misters. And then we had to wait through an insanely long hiatus for the creators to rip our hearts out slowly and crush them throughout the second half of the third season.

The obvious was that there was a way to get back to the land without magic from the EF... but how? And why was it Hook that left the EF to come get Emma?! We got most of our questions answered by the time Season 3b ended last night (great two hour season finale... though there were some major timeline issues... and a lot of plot/loopholes left open for people to get their hopes up for a future resurrection).

30 Days of OUAT - Day 16: Saddest Moment

Day 16: Saddest Moment

I can't think of a sadder one. Neal Cassidy's death is without doubt the saddest moment in the show's run. For me it probably always will be. It's far more emotional than when Emma is arrested for stealing watches (because Neal left her, and August called in a tip. jerks.), it's more emotional than Snow and Charming letting their daughter go through the wardrobe... the list goes on and on. None of those affected me like the episode Quiet Minds. Ironically, until Quiet Minds, I was pretty indifferent to Neal's story. I liked him as a father, and he had a great set of lines, but as far as feeling sorry for him or anything, nope. He was "the jerk that abandoned" (his words!) Emma (and Henry).

It wasn't the surprise that it should've been - the creators spoiled it weeks in advance "warning" fans that someone was going to die when the show returned from the mid-season hiatus. They gave those of us who are rabid "over-analyzers" tons of time to work it out and figure out who was most likely to go (they gave us a very short list of possibilities). It really came down to either Neal or Belle, and of the two Belle is more popular. She's never betrayed the one she loves. So even before Quiet Minds airred I was 85% sure that it would be Neal. I was just hoping they weren't going to go for the obvious. As much as I was indifferent to the character, there was still ton of potential storyline - and there's the whole father element that I totally buy into no matter who the character is. Be it Nealfire and Rumple or Henry and Nealfire.

If you weren't convinced it was going to be him, the promo for the episode should've definitely tipped you off. It was clearly Neal Cassidy falling to the ground in pain. I played the denial card as I just couldn't believe they would be THAT blatant. And even if you were still holding out hope - by the time the scene with Neal and Hook came around you should have had NO confusion. I'm still not sure that Hook didn't know that it was Neal who warned him about the danger coming and that Emma was needed. It would at least explain why Hook looked SO SAD when he talked with Neal in the hospital. I'm of the belief that Hook knew the entire time what Neal's fate was/would be. If not, then we're seeing Colin in that scene being super bummed that his buddy on the show was leaving (most likely a combination of both scenarios ha ha).

When Hook gave Neal the hug in the hospital I knew without a doubt that Neal was toast. I may have even said some words I shouldn't have. I hate when a show makes it obvious. They should've just been up front about it. "Hey, MRJ fans, he's leaving the show. We're killing him off. Thanks for watching!" Because, really, judging by the blogs and social media posts from that night - Michael has a ton of fans that did not see it coming even with all of the signs. And that's sad. It's also sad that he's not on our TV every Sunday night, he's a fantastic actor and while he's definitely been noticed by the business they never keep him around long (he's chosen for this type of role way too much).

But, I digress.

The Saddest Moment is the scene where Neal dies. He asks Emma to split him from his father to keep the town, and especially Emma & Henry, safe. Neal is able to say goodbye to his father, with the final reconciliation taking place with Neal's last breath. Emma, too, gets a sense of closure with Neal telling her to go and be happy and "find Tallahassee" even if it's without him. Earlier in the episode he tells her he wants her to be happy no matter who she's with, and that he would always love her. Emma begs Neal to hold on, that he needs to see Henry (doing a 180 from when she talked to him in the hospital saying that with Henry not having his memories it would be better if Neal didn't see him). And that is what is most tragic about Neal's death. It was pretty clear that Neal and Emma would not get back together. That there was a love there, but the trust was most likely forever broken... (and I'm not a big swanfire shipper... it's a nice idea, but it wasn't playing out that way.)

The saddest, most tragic thing (aside from no more Mikey Ray on Sunday Nights ha ha) was that Neal couldn't make good on his promise to his son of seeing him again. That Henry is forever without his father - oh, he has father figures in his life, but that's not the same. Yes, Neal was in Henry's life for the equivalent of only a couple of weeks, but they WERE bonding and they did have a connection. And that will most likely play some sort of role into Henry's psyche. There's only so much that Hook and Emma can tell him of who Nealfire was... and who's to say Grandfather Rumple is going to be all that willing to have a relationship with the only thing he has left of Baelfire? Especially since Henry is also supposed to be his undoing. Season 4, I hope, will not erase Neal's memory - and hopefully we get answers.

And, yes, I'm one of those holding out hope that there is a way to bring Neal back. I don't believe that the creators have that option out on the table, but I know there are enough loopholes that it'd be possible if they suddenly wanted/needed to bring it about. At the very least I want flashbacks. Grief can't be so easily overcome, though Emma already grieved for Neal when he "died" at the end of Season 2. Probably the biggest travesty of the writing of Neal's death (the only one from a writer standpoint IMO) is that it happened so soon after the last time he died. This is also why I don't believe Nealfire fans will get their wish of Neal coming back. The man's been dead in one way or another 3 times so far. He comes back and it'll be seen as a poor writing choice. And it won't hold to MRJ's wanting to "tell bold stories".

I've been watching this scene on youtube for the last few days knowing that this prompt was coming up, and I love catching more and more with each viewing. As sad as it makes me (seriously my heart still drops each time, MRJ was flawless. Jen's voice cracking when it did... ugh!) there's just so much that is said through visual cues and nuance. We do truly see both Neal and Baelfire in his final moments, and we do see the love that's shared between "Swanfire". When Emma pleads with Neal, to argue with him about it being too late, he once again goes into the protector mode from all those years ago telling her it is going to be okay. That he'll be watching her and Henry "from somewhere". And you can see that he's not totally okay with it himself, he has his own tears. He's not afraid to die, he's made his peace with that, but he's watching the woman he loves in pain... and he's lost his son without seeing him again to say goodbye.

But, I think Rumple says what all of us Nealfire fans truly feel (then and still)...

"No. I don't want to let you go."

And we won't fully let go. We can't. As much as Neal's plea of "I need you to," is what he wants (and what we need), We can't let go. Because it's too soon. Because it's too raw... because the trio of actors played that scene out far too well (DARN THEM!). So, obviously, I have a ways to go until I'm "over it." I accept it - I don't disagree that it was a bold choice, or even ultimately the "right" way to end the character arc. I may disagree as to when it needed to happen (middle of season 4 would've been much better), but I don't think that it's the death nell of the show.


I am not one of those fans that believes that Neal died just to make it easier for creators to push the "CaptainSwan" shipping. That had been hinted as far back as Season 2, well before they had decided Neal was going to die. I think the deciding factor was their getting the rights to the Wizard or Oz, and Rebecca coming on board to play the Wicked Witch. This question of "why did they kill Neal" was answered in last weeks episode. Rumple needed a reason to betray Belle's trust, and the only person who trumps the love of his life is his son. They needed a catalyst to "kill off" Zelena (I'm not convinced she's dead) and Neal was the only viable option. It sucks, but from a storytelling/writing perspective I see why and where they were going.

As I said earlier, however, the timing was wrong. They just "killed him off" at the end of season two and brought him back in Season 3, only to have him die once again. It was "too soon a killing" (again from a storytelling/writing perspective). That's really the only major fault I can find within their timeline. This episode was one of the best (if not the best) written in the show's history, the pacing was the best they've had in a long time. I know I've said before that Neal's final arc should've been two episodes - and I still believe that - but as quick as it was, the pacing worked. I'm not sure I could handle a two part farewell anyway. Ha ha.

I know people are saying that Neal was very out of character in this episode, but I really don't see it. This is not the first time Neal's willing to get back to Emma and Henry by any means necessary. In the Season 3 opener he's willing to go into his father's castle to find a way to get back - using "blood magic". No, it wasn't dark magic, but he was pretty determined and wasn't completely against the idea. I mean, he ends up using Robin Hood's son as bait to get Pan's shadow to appear!

Secondly, Neal does make rash decisions where family is concerned. Not always, but this IS the guy who sent Emma to prison because Pinocchio told him to (actually Neal didn't know about that until AFTER it happened, but still). This is the guy who watched his father give up his cowardly ways to save his family and sacrifice himself. Neal may not like what the dark magic did to his family, to his father, but at the same time he needed a loophole (much like his fans are now clinging to the hope of a loophole).

Third, the argument that he wouldn't give up on Emma and his relationship so easily - he already was starting to the "year prior" when crap hit the fan with Pan in Storybrooke. Neal even acknowledged in the hospital that he knew he couldn't come barging back into Emma's life. In season 2 it wasn't Neal who sought Emma out or even pursued her. The only time he "fought for" Emma was when it was Hook who was flirting. (Hook, btw, did think that Neal should have the first shot... when Emma blew off Neal that made it fair game.) Ultimately he wants Emma safe and happy - if that means all he is, is the guy who shares custody of their son, that's what he'll be. He's willing to put Emma before himself - which is a 180 in some ways (or at least in Emma's eyes) from what he was 11 years ago when he left her.

Was it an "easy" choice for the creators? Only they truly know. Did they mistreat Michael Raymond-James in some way? I would argue no, but again we will never know. Fans should take the actor at his word - even if what [little] he's said on the subject seems like a lot of "toeing the line". Both sides acknowledge that they discussed and agreed to this ending for Neal. I'm not saying it was the way MRJ wanted it to end, but ultimately he's made his peace with it - and was on board with it. To suggest anything else - at this point - is to suggest he's a liar... and I know his fans don't mean to come off that way (or at least I hope they don't).

Maybe once this season is over and his contract with OUAT is up he can "break radio silence" and answer those questions that folks have. Maybe. But to vilify the shows creators over it seems a little extreme. Remember, without Adam Horowitz and Eddie Kitsis, we would not have Neal Cassidy. Most of us wouldn't have a clue as to who Michael Raymond-James is (okay, unless you were into True Blood... or Terriers - which I am addicted to, and wish it'd made it). I'm not saying they did him favors (he's a bloody gifted actor who deserves a series that won't kill him off after 20 or so episodes), I'm just saying we wouldn't have had this awesome character without them. They've done things right and ultimately Once Upon A Time is still a great show. It's never been perfect, it's never been on par with the "best shows of all time", but it's a great fantasy show. Great twists. So I'm sticking with it - even with the "lovesick pirate".

And, who knows, maybe the "rumors" that MRJ denied are really true and we'll see him finally get his big break. I have hope and can keep dreaming. :)

30 Days of OUAT - Day 12: Favorite Storybrooke Male Character

Day 12: Favorite Storybrooke Male Character

Dr. Archie Hopper. You almost don't need to go any further than that. I think he is such an under utilized character - though for good reason, the actor is in several projects these days it seems - especially since he was so important to the story in Season 1. He is more than just a cricket, or a shrink. He genuinely cares for Henry, and is probably the closest thing to a father figure the kid has consistently had. In any case, he's the best friend a boy could have - just ask Geppetto (or Marco).

When I first saw the Pilot episode Archie was the character I was most excited about, and it was because I actually recognized him. Ha ha. I've loved watching Raphael Sbarge on TV since his turn on The Guardian (CBS). To be able to see him as a classic fairytale character (with a great twist) has been so much fun. Though I did have trouble figuring out who he was until Henry told us - his dog Pongo threw me! Ha ha.

Archie is soft spoken and something of a pushover when we first meet him. He allows Regina to manipulate him into entrapping Emma by giving her his confidential files on Henry's therapy - then calls the Sheriff (RIP Graham) to report an assault and theft. He feels guilty and apologizes to Emma, but is still afraid to cross the Mayor - who also employs him to treat Henry. His bond with the boy in wanting to take care of him and help him clouds his judgement and he does whatever Regina wants so that he can stay in Henry's life. He thinks he's helping, and it takes Henry running away and getting caught in an abandoned mining tunnel for Archie to realize he owes the boy so much more.

With Sbarge on three shows, we've seen less of Archie this season. While the show as in Neverland it made sense as Archie didn't go with the heroes to that realm. However in the battle of Wicked vs Evil one wants more of Archie. He was seen briefly in the 3b opener, and then he was not used by Emma to keep Henry out of the crossfire (which to me seems silly as he'd probably be the best one to "lie" to the boy who has no memory of these people). Archie did finally reunite with Henry in this week's episode, which was sweet, but it remains to be seen just how much we'll see of the good doctor in the future... or even if he's just the cricket (at this point I will take what I can get).




As I said in my post yesterday, I did not choose Neal Cassidy for the reason that I don't count him (or Emma) as a "Storybrooke Character". There's a separate category for Neal and Emma, I'm not sure what they should be considered, but they aren't part of the Dark Curse (which was created so Rumple could get to Nealfire, and Emma was put in the magic wardrobe to escape it). I'm still confused as to why Neal had to go back to the EF since he was not part of the original curse, but whatever. What's done is done. They at least answered the question this past week as to why they decided this season that Neal needed to die to "advance the story". Some fans argue that it was so that Hook would have an easy way to Emma's heart - but let's face it, that was written long before Neal's death was decided on. Neal needed to die in order to revert Rumple back into the creepy bad guy we all know and love. I actually have a whole rant on his final few scenes in this week's episode... but that's for another blog for another day I suppose.

30 Days of OUAT - Day 11: Favorite Storybrooke Female

Day 11: Favorite Storybrooke Female

Ashley Boyd, who we find out is Cinderella back in the Enchanted Forest, is one of the most adorable characters on the show. I don't know why we don't see more of Ashley and Sean in the later seasons as their story was interesting and I think they could be important to the show as the story moves on even if they are just "extra" characters and not the major plot. But I digress.

Ashley was brought in to appeal to the back story of Emma and Henry. How Emma was pregnant and gave up a child at a very early age. Ashley is also a "teen in trouble" and has promised her baby to Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin). Why Gold needs a baby really has to do with the fact that Cinderella promised her firstborn to Rumpelstiltskin way back when she was just an abused shut in dreaming of a better life. Rumple kills her fairy godmother in order to manipulate the situation (in classic Rumple fashion of course). Magic always comes with a price, and she agrees. Because she's young and naive.

We first meet her as an extremely pregnant girl who is overwhelmed by the burden of being a single mom who has agreed to give up her baby for adoption. The plan was cooked up by the baby daddy's father who has split the couple up because he has big plans for his son and being a young father is not in that plan. Ashley has a job as a housekeeper at Granny's and we meet her when Emma goes into the laundry room to clean her shirt that she's spilled coffee on. Ashley is there and has managed to ruin a load of laundry, turning the sheets pink. She confides in Emma that she's afraid and that she knows what people are saying. Emma tells her to forget what they're saying and prove them wrong. Emma gives up a little bit of her story (not much, we really won't learn all of what went on with Emma leading up to Henry's birth until Season 2 when we meet Henry's biological father - oh, look what I did there! ha ha!) and it inspires the young mom.

She ends up taking off to keep the baby, after ransacking Gold's shop to try and get the contract away from him. Gold hires Emma to "recover his property" that was stolen, but does not tell Emma what that is. She figures it out and decides that she'll have Ashley's back if she wants to keep the baby because no one should tell the girl what to do in this situation. Ashley wants the baby and Emma ends up owing Gold a favor (which he collects on in Manhattan when he sends her off to chase down his son - NEAL). Emma also goes and tells Sean about Ashley and the baby and how he needs to man up and not let Daddy be the deciding factor (oh the irony. if she only knew the real reason for her taking the fall and being abandoned by her first love, right?). Sean (Prince Thomas in the EF) steps up and comes to his princess and the family is reunited.

Later on after the baby is born and home and Ashley and Sean are together we see Ashley struggling to make it all work, and lament to Ruby, Emma, and Mary Margaret that she gets no time with Sean and that they want to get married but she doesn't see when they'll have the time or if Sean is even thinking that way for real. It's Valentine's Day and they decide to have a girls night. While out Ashley mentions that she thought Love was supposed to be different than what she has (aka she didn't think you had to work for it). Sean surprises her on his break from work and asks her to marry him. He sweeps her off her feet and... we only see her in a split second scene at the beginning of the spin off series "Once Upon A Time In Wonderland". Adam & Eddie, Cindy and Thomas aren't dead... bring them back! Let's see what they're up to now!




As to why Emma wasn't considered, I have 2 reasons. First I don't count her as a "storybrooke character" she transcends the EF and SB curses. She has never been cursed as she escaped it as a newborn. For this same reason I won't count Neal Cassidy as a Storybrooke character (he'd win with no problem ha ha). The second reason is, and I don't think this should shock anyone, is I'm not a big fan of Emma. I liked her in Season 1, but she's becoming incredibly frustrating in later seasons. The only time she's any good is when she's bantering with either Hook or Neal. I don't know if that's just how JMo works, or if it's the writing, or what it is. But something about her bugs me. I want to like her, and I love her storyline... it's just... unexplainable. Ha ha!