OUAT....Selfless, Brave and True..

[shadowkat]

Well, we finally know what happened to Pinnochio. Plot-twisty episode, albeit frustrating one.



As an aside, I really wish they wouldn't give me previews at the end. But I can share this - no new episodes until April 21. And in three weeks we get a special on the making of the series.

Interesting episode, albeit frustrating. The non-Rumple episodes are always incredibly frustrating and uneven for some reason. I don't know why this is?

I have three quibbles: 1) Emma didn't get to punch Pinnochio (dang-it) 2) Still no explanation regarding how Baelfire knows Hook nor for that matter any reaction whatsoever from Regina regarding the sudden and unexpected appearance of Henry's dad, who just happens to be Rumplestilskin's long lost son in Storybrook (seriously, you'd think this mattered on some level??? Mileage varies on these points, I know, but it annoys me to no end when writers skip over these sorts of details - while focusing a lot of time on things like poor Snow getting over her misdeeds (yes, we know she's upset and why, we do not need yet another conversation between Charming and Snow about this - we got it). 3) Chinese Dragon was kind of lame. Oh and possibly a 4th - what happened to Pinnochio - found that to be an incredibly frustrating albeit surprising and understandable writing choice. I can't fault the writers for their plotting or metaphors.

Starts with Pinnochio discovering that he is turning into wood...in the Far East. I'm not sure where. Guessing either Thailand or Indonesia. At least they had him speak a different language. It also oddly fits with the Pinnochio story...he's off having fun and pleasuring himself after destroying Emma's life again. But, hey, at least he pays for it - in classic storybook fashion - he turns into wood. Nice metaphor - instead of his nose growing, he turns into wood for selfish behavior. In short, Emma doesn't need to punch him, the universe is doing it for her.

Meanwhile Snow White is feeling sorry herself hiding under the covers, while Charming caters to her ever need. Emma tells her Dad that it is time he stop catering to her and that she find a way of dealing with the fact that she killed Cora. Snow to be fair, does explain to Charming - that it's not that she killed Cora that is bugging her, it's that she used Regina to kill Regina's mother. Yes, they both deserved it, but that doesn't make it right - also as is demonstrated with Pinnochio...sometimes it is best to let karma handle these sort of things.

Speaking of karma...along comes Owen, who Regina does actually recognize, surprise surprise. Kudos to Regina for recognizing him. I wouldn't have. She offers him pie on the house and then follows him to his room at Granny's. (Is Granny's the only hotel in Storybrook? I'm guessing so, everyone appears to stay there that isn't either already residing in Storybrook or has found someone willing to put them up. The loft space by the way is Snow White's home originally, Henry and Emma just joined her, along with Charming. They need a bigger house. It's sort of unfair - Rumple and Regina have these huge houses to themselves, while there are four people living in a relatively small loft apartment.)

Regina (everyone's second favorite sociopath, the first being Rumple) seems to think Owen would be happy to see her again and doesn't hold a grudge. She's actually hurt and surprised that he is upset with her. Oh well, at least she's consistent in this regard. Sociopathic, unremorseful, and a wee bit unself-aware, but definitely consistent. Owen confronts her about his Dad, Flynn. Regina tells him that Flynn left shortly after he did. He accuses her of lying and that people don't disappear. She gives Owen the same spiel she gave Emma, about how she can make his life a living hell and make him disappear - and it would be better for him if he just left Storybrook now. (Yeah, and that worked so well with Emma. Honestly you'd think she'd learn by now? Like I said, consistent.)

Meanwhile...we are finally getting Pinnochio's back story and where he disappeared to. I was confused for a bit there, because I was not entirely certain when the flashbacks were taking place, up until the final flashback - I thought they were taking place in the time period after August/Pinnochio disappeared and when Snow finds him in the trailer. But no, they took place between the time period when August broke Emma and Neal up and he followed Emma to Storybrook. So we told several things with the flashbacks regarding Pinnochio - 1)what August did after he broke up Emma/Neal, 2)why he returned to storybrook to get her to break the curse, 3) when he told Baelfire he'd send him a post-card and how Baelfire reacted to it, 4) where he went and why after the curse got broken.

Turns out he went off to have fun. He started to turn into wood. Hunted down a Chinese Dragon to fix him. Didn't have any money, so stole it from Tamara (who also happens to be Neal's girlfriend - small world, isn't it and a somewhat ironic one?) who claims to be dying of cancer (not), to get the potion to fix him - only to have Tamara steal it back from him (because after all he stole from her first). The Chinese Dragon tells Pinnochio that the potion will only fix a symptom - turning back to wood, it will not cure him - he must do that himself. (ie. Stop being a sociopath.)

At the same time - we get a bit of insight into who Tamara is. Turns out Tamara is a bit of a bad-ass. But not a storybook character or a litigator, instead she's a warrior woman with a bad-ass shocker device that seems capable of killing bad-ass immortal storybook characters.
Also, in the plot-twist to end all plot-twists, is Owen's girlfriend or the "HER" that he keeps contacting by cell phone and sending photos to. (Although I sort of figured out that plot-twist when I saw the previews from last week - those previews are deadly. I did not however figure out Pinnochio...he looked like John Henry the lumberjack in the previews.)

Turns out Owen and Tamara are in cohoots and have been for some time. Tamara followed August/Pinnochio to Baelfire/Neal and orchestrated their meeting. And Tamara has been hunting down magic. August believes she wants to take the magic out of Storybrook. I'm not so sure - she seems to lust after it in much the same way Rumple does. At any rate, her relationship with Baelfire/Neal has suddenly become quite ironic. Plus the woman has a lot of money. How'd she come by it? Not that it matters. But Regina may have met her match.

Tamara gives August (ironically) the same spiel that Regina gives Owen. August unlike Owen does take her up on it, until he finds the photo she allegedly gave the Dragon, and realizes she killed the Dragon. And doesn't have cancer and lied. He rushes back to Storybrook to warn Emma. Runs into Tamara - who he stupidly attempts to confront. Tamara shocks him. He dies trying to tell Emma the truth. The Blue Fairy per Henry's guidance, brings him back to life - except as the little boy, Pinnochio, not the grown man, August. And he's younger than Henry. So unfortunately for Emma can't remember anything. Dang-it. Yet clever, very clever on the writers behalf.

Snow White is happy, as is Charming, if Pinnochio can find redemption so can she. Well, it was at a great cost...there is that. Which is admittedly troubling. Also Snow, unlike Emma, got the cathartic moment of hitting Geppetto for tricking her, and depriving her of 28 years with her daughter. Then she ruins it, by stating no, no, this wasn't me, I didn't do that.
Of course you were right in what you did, he was your child and you've paid for it. (Okay she's right about that and so was Emma, because he was apologizing/confessing when she slapped him.)

Emma convinces Baelfire/Neal to tell Tamara the truth about where he came from and who he is - thinking he's the liar in this picture. Eh. No. Turns out Tamara already knew - thanks to Pinnochio. (Seriously Pinnochio is like a plague on Emma and Neal/Baelfire's lives, with friends like Pinnochio - who needs enemies? They are much safer with him as a kid again - well as long as he doesn't befriend Henry. Stay away from Henry, Pinnochio.) Also talk about double-standard - she whines to Baelfire/Neal about his interest in Emma, when she's sticking her tongue down Owen's throat. Not only is his beloved fiancee, a liar, she's also manipulative and in love with someone else. Apparently Neal/Baelfire's luck with women is a bit similar to his father's?

At any rate, Tamara's connection to Owen redeems her a little in my eyes. Clearly they have been planning this for a while. What they are planning outside of taking down Regina and Storybrook and finding Flynn, I'm not certain.

Oh...and guess who is missing from lockup in Manhattan? Hook. Emma doesn't see a problem, after all she's beaten and locked Hook up three times now. Baelfire isn't so sure - dude, you have bigger problems on the horizon.

The writers are definitely having fun, I'll give them that. Also we appear to be past the Snow White Angsting Over Her Immortal Soul bit for at least a while. Regina also appears to be finally paying attention to Greg Mendel/aka Owen.

I did find it ironically amusing that Emma tells Bae - you invited Tamara here? What are you going to tell her when she sees a giant walking by or a werewolf? Or who you are? Isn't it bad enough we have Greg Mendel to deal with? Bae - oh it won't be so hard. Emma - tell her the truth. Turns out? Didn't have to. Both Greg and Tamara know about Storybrook and have been hunting it for quite some time. Yep this is a major plot arc for the season finale - I was right about that, just didn't see how it would come about - like this approach better than what I predicted. It's twistier and more ironic.

Comments

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

The caption said Phuket, Thailand, but we know that already from August's story to Emma in season 1. All the August flashbacks also had date titles on them indicating they were in 2011.

Why would Storybrooke need another hotel since no one has ever visited until lately (except Owen+Dad).

I totally called Tamara="Her". It's like Neal=Baelfire. There were no other suspects.

Gepeto gets what Rumplestiltskin wanted. A son-reset with him returning to his pre-curse age with memory loss. If Rumple is not bent out of shape by this, then it's because it's the same memory block as the writers not having Regina reacting to Henry's father is here is Rumple's son. Grrr. Agree on WTF.

I think Tamara followed August to the US and decided to pick on Neal after seeing them talk. Although she'd have to have overheard the conversation to know Neal was worth manipulating. That seems to be a bit of a plot stretch.

Yes, this time even I was annoyed by Gepeto getting his due slug and then Snow apologizing. But she is going to see any non-angelic act as *black heart disease* now, which she was fully capable of before without apology.

I think the Henry/Emma truce was temporary and a set-up for her to lie again and have Henry react to it. Of course, I am trying to cling to my end-of-season theory. The writers keep throwing all the theories into chaos with plot twists. In a good way, but damn.

And at the same, time bringing closure to long-overdue plot questions like Gepeto's confession and where the hell has Pinnochio been--hiding out in Storybrooke the whole time living in isolated shame.

He sort of deserved every twinge of pain he got in his flashbacks, AND him feeling bad about breaking up Neal and Emma brings some closure to my issues.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Bloody biofocal contacts make it really difficult to read subtitles. I had to rewind three times, and each time I did - the rewind indicator blocked out the subtitle on date and place. Thanks for the info.

Why would Storybrooke need another hotel since no one has ever visited until lately (except Owen+Dad).

Well there's Emma, and Bae, and now Tamara who all either stayed there or are staying there. But otherwise good point, particularly since Regina keeps kicking people out of the hotel and telling them to leave town. The only people she hasn't tried to kick out of the hotel yet are Neal/Bae and Tamara (who she admittedly may not even know about).

Hmmm...if that taser can kill a Chinese Dragon and Pinnochio, can it take out Regina?

I totally called Tamara="Her". It's like Neal=Baelfire. There were no other suspects.

It was sort of obvious once we figured out that she was coming to storybrook and not a walk-on role (ie. he kept bringing her up).

Gepeto gets what Rumplestiltskin wanted. A son-reset with him returning to his pre-curse age with memory loss.

I thought that was actually sort of brilliant. Gepeto without asking for it gets exactly what Rumplestilskin tried to talk Baelfire into. (I wonder if that thought drifted through Baelfire's head when he saw what happened to Pinnochio?)

If Rumple is not bent out of shape by this, then it's because it's the same memory block as the writers not having Regina reacting to Henry's father is here is Rumple's son. Grrr. Agree on WTF.

Exactly. I hate it when tv writers skim over these details. It's highly frustrating for viewers. I remember David Fury stating in commentary that he didn't think fans wanted to hear Giles confess to Buffy about killing Ben, so she wouldn't have to in LMTPM, and fans everywhere went - uh, yes, we do, you idiot! (Drew Goddard, bless him, did seem to realize this - he kept sneaking stuff in.)

TV writers are weird - they hammer you over the head with one thing, but skim over another..thinking that's obvious and the viewer doesn't need to see it. *Head*desk*

Although she'd have to have overheard the conversation to know Neal was worth manipulating. That seems to be a bit of a plot stretch.

I got the feeling that she was eavesdropping on it, and taking photos with her phone? Maybe I miswatched? Would have to re-watch it. OUAT is one of those series that it pays to re-watch. But otherwise agree - it is a bit of a plot stretch - she really is badass, isn't she?

Yes, this time even I was annoyed by Gepeto getting his due slug and then Snow apologizing. But she is going to see any non-angelic act as *black heart disease* now, which she was fully capable of before without apology.

Sigh, yes. Although...shipperx has an interesting theory about the corrosive properties of black magic on the heart. That said, why would it be evil to slap Gepeto? Even Gepeto admits she was right to slap him, and she certainly would have done it prior...it's not like she was perfect, right?

Also, she was plotting Cora and Regina's demise prior to using the magic.

I think the Henry/Emma truce was temporary and a set-up for her to lie again and have Henry react to it.

Oh, I'd agree. I remember thinking when Emma promised - not a good idea, Emma. Really bad idea to promise to Henry that you will NEVER lie to him again. Would have been a lot smarter to explain that sometimes people lie to protect themselves and to protect others...it's what people do, it's neither good or evil, it just is. I will try my best not to in the future, if you in turn will agree not to lie to us or run away? But no...the writers had her set herself up for a big fall.

Is she lying to Henry about what Snow did with Cora? I can't remember. I don't think she was...but they were whispering about it when Henry was within earshot.

Agree - at least we got closure on the whole Pinnochio/Gepetto sub-plot. Also, no more Emma/Pinnochio ship - thank heavens...because again, eww.
That's one ship that got sunk before it could take off.

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

You can promise never to lie to children, but you don't have to tell them everything.

But I agree, I think it was a bad move for her, because she's inevitably going to lie about something. Henry, however, needs to get over this idea that lying = always evil. Or the whole black and white morality thing in general. He's young and it's understandable that his view is very simplistic, but... life is complicated. People are complicated. Things are rarely all good or all evil.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I think Henry has Major Mommy!Lies issues that color his reaction to Emma. To the point of neurosis.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

He's going to figure out to get past that...right quick. Everybody lies, mainly to themselves. Actually Henry's been doing a great job of it for a while now...but I cut him some slack, he's only 11.

That said, Emma and her secret power being the ability to see through liars is actually a nice tie-in to Henry's neurosis, and possibly why he counted on her never to lie to him.

Yet...he does catch her in a lie in S1 and goes all nuts over it, until she covers and convinces him that she just was fooling Regina.

If I was Regina - I would find a way to catch Emma in another lie - in front of Henry.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I just hope Emma setting herself up to Lie Again doesn't permanently sink a hole in my 'ship.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

It won't, she's his mother...at the end of the day? There's no getting past that. Also, hello, Disney! Not Fox.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Just my anxiety disorder talkin'.

Post-traumatic stress from other parent-child ships that sailed.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Also, according to IMDB, there is one more new ep in March before the April hiatus.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

The new episode according to the previews is the special on how OUAT is made.
They like to do these things. Watch out - those specials tend to include potential spoilers and also explain what happened before. It's similar to the special episodes they did with LOST before hiatus.

There's a couple of episodes at the end of April. The next one is April 22.
Again according to the previews. Granted they are misleading, but not about that.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I'd go off what the previews said over IMDB. Sometimes these decisions are last-minute.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Yep, scheduling issues. Networks are wonky on that score.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering whether there's something about a black heart that makes them increasingly unable to reflect on their actions because when Pinnochio's dad confessed, Snow first retaliated and then forgave saying that she didn't know what had come over her. (I think it sort of fits the metaphor of how someone goes evil in that they are less and less able to empathize and less capable of objectively judging their own actions). Snow, who only has a stained heart, quickly realized what she had done and that she probably would have dones much the same thing. I wonder whether using black magic has such a corrosive effect on someone that they eventually INEVITABLY become sociopaths...?

And I was fine with the way that the Pinnochio plot ended because while it's a bit much for Pinnochio, I had always felt sorry for Gepetto and now he gets to raise his son.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I wonder whether using black magic has such a corrosive effect on someone that they eventually INEVITABLY become sociopaths...?

That's not a bad theory...and it actually does track back to something the Dark One stated to Rumplestilskin...about how it doesn't matter what his intentions are regarding the magic, the magic will twist them and eventually him. And Rumple sort of says the same thing to anyone who wants to use his magic, including Snow White. And the candle was created by Rumplestilskin not the Blue Fairy.

That said? I think Cora was a sociopath prior to her use of black magic.
Regina, however, has clearly been corrupted by it, as has Rumplestilskin.

Also Snow's reaction to Gepetto was interesting, she slaps him, then suddenly retracts it with a look of horror on her face - stating this isn't me. And later, or earlier, can't remember which, she tells Charming that she thinks the magic tainted her heart (soul).

Agree on Gepetto - he deserved a happy ending, and August/Pinnochio does sort of pay for his misdeeds by becoming a little boy again for Gepetto to raise. Also having to live through the pain of becoming wood.

Poor Rumple - this is exactly what he wanted with Bae, which makes it all the more fitting that Gepetto gets it instead.

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

I thought the candle was created by Cora? She was the one who gave it to child!Snow. Though it's possible it was made by Rumple or with the spellbook Rumple gave Cora.

Actually, it's kind of poetic that the item she tried to use to corrupt Snow was later used to kill her.

I thought Snow's reaction to Gepetto was entirely justified. He deliberately lied to her and misled her into abandoning Emma, which hurt Snow and really scarred Emma. His actions may be understandable, but a slap is hardly out of place. I mean, for all they knew the wardrobe might have counted Snow+baby in womb as two people. What would have happened if Snow had gone in while still pregnant (as intended) and the wardrobe wouldn't work because they were sending Pinocchio through too?

I actually thought that Pinocchio turning back into a kid was really creepy and weird. My guess is that the actor for August had or wanted to leave the show and so they kept the kid, but otherwise, very strange. At least he didn't remember his past experience or it would have been even more upsetting.

Neal/Bae in my opinion had it right-- you can't just turn back the clock and take away someone's experiences. Even if those experiences were bad, they shaped who the person is. Getting rid of them effectively kills that person. It's similar to the issues I have with Donna's fate in S4 of Doctor Who-- it would have been better for her to die saving the universe than to have her memories stolen and personality erased.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Agree with all of this.

Don't think Snow's initial reaction to Gepetto's confession was out of line at all. But I think Snow is afraid of her own anger right now, even justified anger. Her anger at Gepetto was natural and justified. Does he not deserve forgiveness? Perhaps he does, but he should understand that takes time, and everyone was acting like an apology was enough to immediately take back her natural feeling.

Snow needs to find an in between place where she's neither afraid every bit of anger is "impending darkness" nor giving into her worst traits.

I for her to lose that "gumption" that made her so awesome to begin with.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Creepy perhaps...but in a way it was what August/Pinnochio deserved and what he asked for. He wanted a rewind, that was his wish. And he got it. It's also the Pinnochio story with a modern day twist. Fairy tales can be somewhat creepy.

I got the feeling that Cora got the spell for the candle from Rumple. But Rumple is the one who gives Snow the candle or tells her where to find it. He also reminds her what to do with it. So yes and no...Cora's trick got her killed (ironic) but it was Cora's lover/love Rumple (who Cora was attempting to kill) that gave it to Snow (also ironic - considering all the poisons and spells used to hurt Snow and her family were equally acquired from Rumple.)

And yes, I think Snow was right to slap Gepetto upside the head -- I disagreed with Emma on that score. Emma's been a tad too forgiving of late.

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

You know... I wonder if the black heart is not driven by your own perceptions. As noted, Cora was a psychopath and her heart was squeaky clean. Yet Snow did one bad thing and she has a spot? Maybe it's her guilt that's making her feel like she's corrupted. If Snow keeps overreacting and thinking that anything not pure Lawful Good will corrupt her, maybe it will. Likewise, maybe since Cora thought the things she did were all justified/right, her heart remained 'pure.' (Or it was because it was outside her body, but I'm not sure if I buy that.)

Reminds me of a webcomic I read, which featured a shadow-creature (later shown to be a young demon) that ate the shadows on people's hearts, killing them. The shadows were at first implied to be strictly moral corruption-- criminals had lots of shadows, for example-- but later on explained to be as subtle as guilt or regrets. Towards the end of the story, the demon comments that even the hero has a small shadow on her heart after a friend dies and the hero feels responsible, even though there was nothing she could have done.

Granted, that's probably a little more subtlety than we usually see in this show, but I like that as a concept much more than 'doing one bad thing dooms you forever.'

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

well they certainly have a lot of threads out there, I'm beginning to feel the need for a chart (to keep track of who is related to who, and who is dating, was dating, or pretending to date, who? It is getting very complicated).

Tamara is an interesting character, she says she is completely human.... but I still wonder if she was hunting for magic before she hooked up with Owen and his hunt for his Dad, Flynn (and where DID Flynn go?)?

I was surprised that a Dragon could be so easily killed by a super charged taser, and even more surprised that someone who was all wood could be tasered to death.... But clearly that is one effective devise. Magic?

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Not sure of the timeline and if Tamara was working with Owen before she met August and Neal. She seems to have run into August in Hong Kong and then followed him or run into him again only a little while later (weeks? A month?) when he was talking to Neal.

If Flynn is not dead, I assume he's in the mental ward where Belle was being kept. Poor guy. :/ Belle only lived the same day over and over, but Flynn would have experienced 28 years of solitary. That's just awful.

My friend's theory was that Tamara and Owen met in a "OMG Magic Exists!" chat room. It wouldn't surprise me.

Yeah, what IS up with that taser? You'd think the Dragon would be more magically defended, and I'm not sure why it worked on Pinocchio at all. Could be magic. Maybe something she stole? Clearly Tamara has connections and/or influence or power of some kind. I mean, where did she get those piles of money in multiple currencies?

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

My friend's theory was that Tamara and Owen met in a "OMG Magic Exists!" chat room.

*DietCoke!Keyboard*

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

If Flynn is not dead, I assume he's in the mental ward where Belle was being kept. Poor guy. :/ Belle only lived the same day over and over, but Flynn would have experienced 28 years of solitary. That's just awful.

Agreed. It's the one thing that I'm not sure Regina can be redeemed for, without a really great sacrifice - sort of in line with Pinnochio's.
Because what she did to Owen and Flynn was...


My friend's theory was that Tamara and Owen met in a "OMG Magic Exists!" chat room. It wouldn't surprise me.

LOL! I luckily was not drinking anything when I read that. Poor masq.
Wouldn't surprise me either. I can totally see the writers doing that.

Yeah, what IS up with that taser? You'd think the Dragon would be more magically defended,

My first reaction was gee, that's a lame Chinese Dragon - I thought Chinese Spirit Dragons had more juice than that. Granted he was old, but don't you get more powerful with age?

and I'm not sure why it worked on Pinocchio at all. Could be magic. Maybe something she stole? Clearly Tamara has connections and/or influence or power of some kind. I mean, where did she get those piles of money in multiple currencies?

Wondering much the same things. Where did she get those piles of money - either someone or something is financing this lady, she's independently wealthy (which is possible) or a better thief than Baelfire. Also, that's one badass taser - normally they just render you unconscious - this one took out a Chinese Dragon and Pinnochio. I'm guessing magic too.

Personally I can't wait until she meets Mr. Gold/Rumple. If Rumple doesn't see through her game - Rumple is way off his. He has sort of been off his game of late, understandably so...considering.

Interesting that Rumple wasn't anywhere in this episode, isn't it?

Not sure of the timeline and if Tamara was working with Owen before she met August and Neal. She seems to have run into August in Hong Kong and then followed him or run into him again only a little while later (weeks? A month?) when he was talking to Neal.

I'm not either. Been trying to figure that one out. I'm guessing she may have known Owen before...because that works better and is less complicated.
And Btw...if the writers don't have a Tamara/Rumple confrontation or tete-a-tete, I'm going to be even more annoyed than I am about Regina not reacting to Baelfire being Henry's Dad. (Seriously, if I were Regina - I'd think Rumple manipulated that one, because what are the odds???)

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

I got the impression that she had that much cash from some kind of criminal dealings. You don't need large amounts of different currencies unless you're moving around a lot and trying not to be found. Or running cons. The whole affair seemed very shady. And she certainly seems very comfortable manipulating people.

I almost wonder if she hadn't been following Pinocchio for awhile, or if she just recognized something about him when she saw him at the Dragon's. I mean, the whole bit at the bar was clearly a set-up; I find it hard to believe anyone would leave their bag with all that money to be guarded by a stranger. She had to know he'd take it.

It seems like Tamara is set to be the 'big bad' for the finale, though I'm not sure how that will play out. Though Hook still has to be dealt with too. Looking at the remaining episode titles, it seems clear that the Peter Pan mythos will be important, but given how many twists this show has, I don't think I can assume anything.

She does seem intent on getting the magic in Storybrooke. What she wants it for, I'm not sure. Rumplestiltskin would seem to be the obvious target-- he has more magic than anyone. I'm sure they'll face off. But I don't blame Rumple for maybe trying to absent himself from the Charming family's problems-- I think he sees that as involving himself in situations where he will be expected to help for no benefit to him, and he hates that.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Rumple not reacting when someone breaks his Bae's heart (or at least plays him big-time?) That would be OOC.

I see some heart-ripping-out in her future.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

well they certainly have a lot of threads out there, I'm beginning to feel the need for a chart (to keep track of who is related to who, and who is dating, was dating, or pretending to date, who? It is getting very complicated).

In other words, crack for pop culture/fairy tale geeks, and people who like to over-analyze things.

Why do you think several of us have gotten obsessed enough to buy DVD's and re-watch? LOL!

The more complicated the plotting, the more details, the more fun! Uncomplicated tv series aren't that much fun to analyze...seriously what is there to analyze? You just sit back and veg.

Tamara is an interesting character, she says she is completely human.... but I still wonder if she was hunting for magic before she hooked up with Owen and his hunt for his Dad, Flynn (and where DID Flynn go?)?


For a while I thought Tamara was a Chinese Dragon, was sort of disappointed that she wasn't. That would have been cool. Although I guess badass taser assassin isn't a bad alternative.

And I think she may have been hunting magic before Owen. Just not sure of the timeline here. Figure they will clear it up eventually, with another flashback explaining how Tamara and Owen met. That I have no worries about happening.

The whole Flyn/Regina plot line is super-creepy. I can't think of a good result on that one. Maybe she has him locked up somewhere as her sex slave - a sort of substitute for Graheam? No, this is ABC, probably not. If this was Showtime...maybe. Flameraven is probably right - I'm guessing the same place she put Sydney (Magic Mirror/Genie) and Belle - the asylum, which was apparently designed to put everyone that Regina can't quite kill but has no other idea what to do with.

I was surprised that a Dragon could be so easily killed by a super charged taser, and even more surprised that someone who was all wood could be tasered to death.... But clearly that is one effective devise. Magic?

I think so... frankly nothing else makes sense.