OUAT: "Ariel" - Musings on the Episode
Nov. 3rd, 2013 10:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatOUAT surprised me again. No not the bit about Rumplestilskin, everything else. Those previews are really misleading, just saying. And, I was surprised in a good way. Really loved this episode, enough that I'm not deleting it quite yet.
1) First, to get the griping out of the way. Ariel...okay, they literally went for an actress who looked exactly like the animated version, much like Belle does, and sounded like the animated version as well. I sort of wish they hadn't, but what can you do? It's a popular animated flick - the audience would grumble. But how many innocent and slightly dim princesses do we need? (Aerial, Belle, Aurora, Cinderella) They couldn't make Aerial a little brighter? Eric...sigh, not hot. Really dull. And looked like he'd been photo-shopped or CGI'd too death. Also I'm not sure he can act - granted he was only on screen for five minutes. But hey, supporting characters, so not a big deal.
2) The Aerial back-story on the other hand had a nice twist. Regina poses as the mythical goddess Ursula. So Ursula isn't a villain or a sea witch, but a goddess in this version - whom everyone believes is not real and just a myth. Including Regina. Turns out they were wrong - she's not happy with Regina posing as her. But she doesn't undo what Regina did either.
Also the price to get Eric and have legs forever - was to switch places with Snow - Snow gets the tail, Aerial gets the legs. But Aerial refuses to betray Snow, and gives up her legs. As a result Regina removes Aerial's voice. Well that is until Regina needs Aerial's help in crossing over to Storybrook to retrieve a magical device that Rumple has in his shop that would defeat but not kill Pan.
3)We do learn something interesting about Pan and Rumple - apparently if Pan dies, Rumple dies too. He can't kill Pan without dying himself. Wonder why that is? Is Pan - Rumple's inner child?
I agree with Regina though (and this is doesn't happen often), Rumple's plan was lame. He basically planned on redeeming himself by killing Pan and dying as well - a true sacrifice. Which probably had a better ring to it, when he still thought Neal was dead.
Regina: "I've known you for years and apparently better than you know yourself - you're far too invested in your own survival to go through with that plan."
I was loving Regina in this episode. Which is a nice change of pace. She got fed up with the Charmings' diddy-daddling and decided to become pro-active and find an ally who could help her without worrying too much about the means. So she discovers Rumple being duped by a illusion of Belle. (I wondered about the Belle dreams...she kept appearing whenever Pan left Rumple. Also she looked a bit too much like the Belle in Enchanted Forest, years ago. Or in the animated film. Very happy to see it was a Pan devised illusion.)
After discussing it online - I was not surprised Rumple was still free. And a wee bit relieved.
Regina also inspires Rumple to take action. Stating - "look if anyone is going to kill you, it's going to me, so stop worrying about it. There's got to be another way to defeat Pan or render him ineffective, we don't have to necessarily kill him."
Rumple thinks about it..."well, we could give him a fate worse than death, but I left it in my shop."
Regina is understandably annoyed. "Why would you do that? Didn't you think you'd need it?"
And he explains that he planned on killing Pan and dying. Which she scoffs at. Go Regina.
Some movement on that front, finally. I was starting to agree with Regina, come on, do something. Which she does - she sends an emissary who can cross boundaries (apparently mermaids can?) to retrieve it and help them.
4) Now this is the plotline that surprised me. Instead of keeping Neal's reappearance to himself, Hook reveals it to the Charmings. (Normally they don't do this in tv shows, normally it takes five to six episodes for this to happen.) And Charming agrees with Hook that it might be better to keep it from Emma, because he's not sure it is true and doesn't want to rise her hopes. Snow's tracking skills kick in and she figures out that someone was at their camp site and had been drug off, most likely Neal. And when they attempt to lie to Emma about it, Snow says screw it and blurts out the truth. (YAY! Normally that wouldn't happen until five episodes in.) Then Emma confides in Snow that she kissed Hook but it didn't really mean anything... and she's not sure why she did it.
Pan realizing they've discovered Neal's on the island, decides to up the game and moves Neal to Echo Cave.
Here's where things get interesting - this is a cool storyline and quite creative. Apparently the only way you can get through Echo Cave or save anyone in it - is to reveal your deepest darkest secret - a secret that you wouldn't tell a soul and could destroy you or cost you something. So in order to rescue Neal - who is in a cage on top of a rock in the center of a bottomless pit (great CGI by the way), they have to tell their deepest darkest secrets. Also, Emma is the rescuer. (Reverse damsel - which is what I love about the OUAT universe.)
- Hook goes first and reveals that he kissed Emma, which isn't the secret. The secret is what it exposed. He realized after he kissed her - that he'd finally found someone who could replace his beloved Millah in his heart. That he cares for Emma the way he cared for Millah.
(I did not expect him to admit to this so soon or be pushed to it. This show moves fast. Also, wonderfully ironic. Considering Millah was Baelfire/Neal's mother and Emma is the love of Baelfire/Neal's life. Personally, I do not see how it can end with Emma/Hook - because it doesn't fit the metaphorical story thread or character arcs. See, Hook took Millah away from Bae and Rumple, now he gets to be on the other side of the triangle, with Emma and Bae, or rather...a better way of articulating this - is what if, Rumple had not been a coward and fought Hook for Millah? And had not given up? Here's the thing in stories..if a character starts out on top, like Hook is, because he got Millah, he doesn't get to win the second round. Now, if he'd lost out in the Millah/Rumple story, it would be different. But one true love per character. Doesn't mean we won't have the sexy times, angst and the pursuing. It wouldn't be fun otherwise.)
- Snow reveals she wants another child because she was cheated out of being a Mom to Emma.
- Charming reveals that while that's wonderful and everything, it can't be with him, since he's basically stuck in Neverland for the rest of his days, or he'll die because that's the price of the cure for Dreamshade. (Although I have a feeling they'll find a way out of that particular problem, but it may make him impotent or something. Because kids are expensive and they have one too many as it is.)
The bridge comes down and Emma believes she's off the hook (no pun intended) and rushes across to save Neal. Who tells her that she knows this isn't how it works. She has to tell him a dark secret to save him.
This was unexpected and rather cleverly written. She does not do the obvious - and say that she kissed Hook, because she doesn't really consider that a big deal nor does she think Neal gets to complain about it (hello, Tamara, anyone?). No, instead, she states - and understandably so, that a huge part of her was hoping he was dead, because she didn't want to go through all that pain again. She could just move on. And she doesn't really see them together because she can't quite trust him and can't quite deal with the pain, even though she will always love him and he will always be in her heart. He understands her feelings perfectly - after all he did to her - she has just cause. (He abandoned her, let her take the rap for his crimes, never re-contacted her, and when they reunited - brought an evil fiancee into the mix who almost killed him, separated them, and kidnapped their son. I'd think twice before reuniting with the guy too.) But he states and this is how he differs from Rumplestilskin, "I will never stop fighting for you." With Hook brooding in the bushes. (Oh, Hook, don't you know its rude to eavesdrop?)
I rather like this storyline. It's not a traditional love triangle. We don't spend a lot of time with Neal acting like a jealous 12 year old. Emma's not struggling between Hook and Baelfire, and Neal knows it. Emma doesn't want either (she reminds me a bit of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, actually). Emma is not looking for romance. She has trust issues. Plus abandonment issues. And from her point of view - both guys are bad news. (ie. Been there done that already, thank you very much. Emma's not a wet-behind the ears lovestruck 18 year old, she's a hardened bounty hunter.)
So both guys want her, and Emma is like, yes, that's nice, I'll always love you Neal, and I admit you are hot Hook, but I'm going to find my son and take care of myself thank you very much. Much better, than the average run of the mill love triangle. This is more adult and more complicated. They aren't acting like 12 year olds fighting over a puppy (which is my problem with love triangles on tv shows and books). Baelfire doesn't see Hook as a problem, he knows he has to redeem himself in Emma's eyes and prove to her that he loves her and won't hurt her or abandon her again (he's done so twice so far or three times, but I'm not sure the falling through the porthole counts). Emma doesn't see it as a choice between two men. And Hook has a dilemma, because he believes what is standing in his way is Baelfire, but he has a certain fondness for the boy he knew and well, a debt to Millah.
Also, Neal states that he can get them off Neverland, they just need to find their son.
4) Snow is annoyed at Charming for being a dolt and not telling her about his injry.
Yay, Snow.
The women rocked in this episode. The men...well...Neal, Pan and Hook rocked.
5) Robbie Kay who plays Pan is impressing the heck out of me. He's so good. And possibly amongst my favorite villains of all time.
Also, I'm intrigued regarding his back story with Rumplestilskin. Not to mention his past with Baelfire, and Hook. This is a fascinating character. Very happy they can't just kill him off.
Plus - he manages to hoodwink Rumplestilskin. He clearly understands Rumple's flaws as well as Regina does. Having his shadow pretend to be Belle in order to hoodwink Rumple to give up is a stroke of genius.
Except for our wild cards. Regina is a wild card that Pan doesn't totally know what to do with. As is Snow White. Both are unknown to him. Hook also is doing the opposite of what Pan tempts him to do. Go Hook! You are two for one now. You'd think Pan would get the message that he can't manipulate Hook in that manner any longer and give up. Also how great is it that Hook decided to tell Emma's parents what Pan said - and ask their advice, before telling Emma? LOL! This way if they agree to keep the secret, she can't just hate him.
Except Snow wisely realizes this is a really bad idea. As she states, secrets just keep people apart or create distance. That woman is smart, clearly the one with the brains in that marriage, Charming is a bit of a dolt.
1) First, to get the griping out of the way. Ariel...okay, they literally went for an actress who looked exactly like the animated version, much like Belle does, and sounded like the animated version as well. I sort of wish they hadn't, but what can you do? It's a popular animated flick - the audience would grumble. But how many innocent and slightly dim princesses do we need? (Aerial, Belle, Aurora, Cinderella) They couldn't make Aerial a little brighter? Eric...sigh, not hot. Really dull. And looked like he'd been photo-shopped or CGI'd too death. Also I'm not sure he can act - granted he was only on screen for five minutes. But hey, supporting characters, so not a big deal.
2) The Aerial back-story on the other hand had a nice twist. Regina poses as the mythical goddess Ursula. So Ursula isn't a villain or a sea witch, but a goddess in this version - whom everyone believes is not real and just a myth. Including Regina. Turns out they were wrong - she's not happy with Regina posing as her. But she doesn't undo what Regina did either.
Also the price to get Eric and have legs forever - was to switch places with Snow - Snow gets the tail, Aerial gets the legs. But Aerial refuses to betray Snow, and gives up her legs. As a result Regina removes Aerial's voice. Well that is until Regina needs Aerial's help in crossing over to Storybrook to retrieve a magical device that Rumple has in his shop that would defeat but not kill Pan.
3)We do learn something interesting about Pan and Rumple - apparently if Pan dies, Rumple dies too. He can't kill Pan without dying himself. Wonder why that is? Is Pan - Rumple's inner child?
I agree with Regina though (and this is doesn't happen often), Rumple's plan was lame. He basically planned on redeeming himself by killing Pan and dying as well - a true sacrifice. Which probably had a better ring to it, when he still thought Neal was dead.
Regina: "I've known you for years and apparently better than you know yourself - you're far too invested in your own survival to go through with that plan."
I was loving Regina in this episode. Which is a nice change of pace. She got fed up with the Charmings' diddy-daddling and decided to become pro-active and find an ally who could help her without worrying too much about the means. So she discovers Rumple being duped by a illusion of Belle. (I wondered about the Belle dreams...she kept appearing whenever Pan left Rumple. Also she looked a bit too much like the Belle in Enchanted Forest, years ago. Or in the animated film. Very happy to see it was a Pan devised illusion.)
After discussing it online - I was not surprised Rumple was still free. And a wee bit relieved.
Regina also inspires Rumple to take action. Stating - "look if anyone is going to kill you, it's going to me, so stop worrying about it. There's got to be another way to defeat Pan or render him ineffective, we don't have to necessarily kill him."
Rumple thinks about it..."well, we could give him a fate worse than death, but I left it in my shop."
Regina is understandably annoyed. "Why would you do that? Didn't you think you'd need it?"
And he explains that he planned on killing Pan and dying. Which she scoffs at. Go Regina.
Some movement on that front, finally. I was starting to agree with Regina, come on, do something. Which she does - she sends an emissary who can cross boundaries (apparently mermaids can?) to retrieve it and help them.
4) Now this is the plotline that surprised me. Instead of keeping Neal's reappearance to himself, Hook reveals it to the Charmings. (Normally they don't do this in tv shows, normally it takes five to six episodes for this to happen.) And Charming agrees with Hook that it might be better to keep it from Emma, because he's not sure it is true and doesn't want to rise her hopes. Snow's tracking skills kick in and she figures out that someone was at their camp site and had been drug off, most likely Neal. And when they attempt to lie to Emma about it, Snow says screw it and blurts out the truth. (YAY! Normally that wouldn't happen until five episodes in.) Then Emma confides in Snow that she kissed Hook but it didn't really mean anything... and she's not sure why she did it.
Pan realizing they've discovered Neal's on the island, decides to up the game and moves Neal to Echo Cave.
Here's where things get interesting - this is a cool storyline and quite creative. Apparently the only way you can get through Echo Cave or save anyone in it - is to reveal your deepest darkest secret - a secret that you wouldn't tell a soul and could destroy you or cost you something. So in order to rescue Neal - who is in a cage on top of a rock in the center of a bottomless pit (great CGI by the way), they have to tell their deepest darkest secrets. Also, Emma is the rescuer. (Reverse damsel - which is what I love about the OUAT universe.)
- Hook goes first and reveals that he kissed Emma, which isn't the secret. The secret is what it exposed. He realized after he kissed her - that he'd finally found someone who could replace his beloved Millah in his heart. That he cares for Emma the way he cared for Millah.
(I did not expect him to admit to this so soon or be pushed to it. This show moves fast. Also, wonderfully ironic. Considering Millah was Baelfire/Neal's mother and Emma is the love of Baelfire/Neal's life. Personally, I do not see how it can end with Emma/Hook - because it doesn't fit the metaphorical story thread or character arcs. See, Hook took Millah away from Bae and Rumple, now he gets to be on the other side of the triangle, with Emma and Bae, or rather...a better way of articulating this - is what if, Rumple had not been a coward and fought Hook for Millah? And had not given up? Here's the thing in stories..if a character starts out on top, like Hook is, because he got Millah, he doesn't get to win the second round. Now, if he'd lost out in the Millah/Rumple story, it would be different. But one true love per character. Doesn't mean we won't have the sexy times, angst and the pursuing. It wouldn't be fun otherwise.)
- Snow reveals she wants another child because she was cheated out of being a Mom to Emma.
- Charming reveals that while that's wonderful and everything, it can't be with him, since he's basically stuck in Neverland for the rest of his days, or he'll die because that's the price of the cure for Dreamshade. (Although I have a feeling they'll find a way out of that particular problem, but it may make him impotent or something. Because kids are expensive and they have one too many as it is.)
The bridge comes down and Emma believes she's off the hook (no pun intended) and rushes across to save Neal. Who tells her that she knows this isn't how it works. She has to tell him a dark secret to save him.
This was unexpected and rather cleverly written. She does not do the obvious - and say that she kissed Hook, because she doesn't really consider that a big deal nor does she think Neal gets to complain about it (hello, Tamara, anyone?). No, instead, she states - and understandably so, that a huge part of her was hoping he was dead, because she didn't want to go through all that pain again. She could just move on. And she doesn't really see them together because she can't quite trust him and can't quite deal with the pain, even though she will always love him and he will always be in her heart. He understands her feelings perfectly - after all he did to her - she has just cause. (He abandoned her, let her take the rap for his crimes, never re-contacted her, and when they reunited - brought an evil fiancee into the mix who almost killed him, separated them, and kidnapped their son. I'd think twice before reuniting with the guy too.) But he states and this is how he differs from Rumplestilskin, "I will never stop fighting for you." With Hook brooding in the bushes. (Oh, Hook, don't you know its rude to eavesdrop?)
I rather like this storyline. It's not a traditional love triangle. We don't spend a lot of time with Neal acting like a jealous 12 year old. Emma's not struggling between Hook and Baelfire, and Neal knows it. Emma doesn't want either (she reminds me a bit of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, actually). Emma is not looking for romance. She has trust issues. Plus abandonment issues. And from her point of view - both guys are bad news. (ie. Been there done that already, thank you very much. Emma's not a wet-behind the ears lovestruck 18 year old, she's a hardened bounty hunter.)
So both guys want her, and Emma is like, yes, that's nice, I'll always love you Neal, and I admit you are hot Hook, but I'm going to find my son and take care of myself thank you very much. Much better, than the average run of the mill love triangle. This is more adult and more complicated. They aren't acting like 12 year olds fighting over a puppy (which is my problem with love triangles on tv shows and books). Baelfire doesn't see Hook as a problem, he knows he has to redeem himself in Emma's eyes and prove to her that he loves her and won't hurt her or abandon her again (he's done so twice so far or three times, but I'm not sure the falling through the porthole counts). Emma doesn't see it as a choice between two men. And Hook has a dilemma, because he believes what is standing in his way is Baelfire, but he has a certain fondness for the boy he knew and well, a debt to Millah.
Also, Neal states that he can get them off Neverland, they just need to find their son.
4) Snow is annoyed at Charming for being a dolt and not telling her about his injry.
Yay, Snow.
The women rocked in this episode. The men...well...Neal, Pan and Hook rocked.
5) Robbie Kay who plays Pan is impressing the heck out of me. He's so good. And possibly amongst my favorite villains of all time.
Also, I'm intrigued regarding his back story with Rumplestilskin. Not to mention his past with Baelfire, and Hook. This is a fascinating character. Very happy they can't just kill him off.
Plus - he manages to hoodwink Rumplestilskin. He clearly understands Rumple's flaws as well as Regina does. Having his shadow pretend to be Belle in order to hoodwink Rumple to give up is a stroke of genius.
Except for our wild cards. Regina is a wild card that Pan doesn't totally know what to do with. As is Snow White. Both are unknown to him. Hook also is doing the opposite of what Pan tempts him to do. Go Hook! You are two for one now. You'd think Pan would get the message that he can't manipulate Hook in that manner any longer and give up. Also how great is it that Hook decided to tell Emma's parents what Pan said - and ask their advice, before telling Emma? LOL! This way if they agree to keep the secret, she can't just hate him.
Except Snow wisely realizes this is a really bad idea. As she states, secrets just keep people apart or create distance. That woman is smart, clearly the one with the brains in that marriage, Charming is a bit of a dolt.
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Date: 2013-11-04 06:41 am (UTC)I remember in a discussion I had with a friend a few years back, I noted that the problem with marriage or a monogamous relationship in our current age is the simple fact that people live much longer than they did hundreds of years ago, when our social customs were largely cemented into place.
Objective evidence suggests that for a relationship to last more than a decade or two is a very rare thing. And even in such cases, there is always the chance for death to intervene at a much earlier age than usual. So if there is only "one true love", for someone, then what?
Perhaps there could be a number of loves, all true. If you wanted to be really radical, even simultaneously instead of serially. Now I'm pretty certain Disney would never go so far as "simultaneous", but the other seems do-able.
Anyway, a couple other things this ep caused me to ponder:
1. I've noticed that at least every half-dozen eps or so, the writers takes pains to point out just how cruel Regina could be when in Evil Queen mode-- like casually snapping that fellow's neck, or taking Ariel's voice. On the one hand, they clearly seem to suggest that like Rumple, she could be redeemed, but then keep giving examples of why being she could be given a death sentence would be perfectly reasonable. In fact, she may have killed more people than Rumple has.
2. Charming could impregnate Snow while still in Neverland. She could still have her new child, but would have to raise the the child without him if she'd return to Storybrooke. Doubt they'd ever go there, but it would make for a great twist.
3. Mermaids can travel between worlds? Didn't see that coming. And Ariel's demeanor certainly wasn't sweet and naive there at the end, when she was meeting Regina again. Another theme in this series over the long run is one that we've commented on before-- that innocence is overrated, and as one grows older and hopefully wiser, it behooves one to become more skeptical and practical-- like say, Emma.
4. Regina gives Ariel a magical bracelet that allows her to have legs when on land. Does it allow her to revert to a tail when in water? The previews seem to imply as such. So Ariel can now morph either way, at will? That's rather a major gift, if there isn't a price of some kind to obtain it.
no subject
Date: 2013-11-04 03:55 pm (UTC)Yes and no. I don't think you can generalize on this. Some people are polygamous - they fall in love with many people over a life time, and there isn't one love for them. Others are monogamous - it's just one person and that's it. I've met both, so I know they both exist. My immediate family is "monogamous" - one love that's it. My grandparents, parents, and brother are that way. My brother met his wife at the age of 17, they were both 17. They didn't get married until 20 years later, but they lived together from the age of 22. And have one of the strongest marriages - I've ever seen. My parents same deal. And I am going to a 50th Anniversary of two friends who have that type of marriage. I've also met people who have been married multiple times or had serial loves.
It's sort of like fans in a way. Some fans are serial fans or polygamous, they write fic and essays for multiple fandoms and are into a lot of them, others only loved one and never another. I'm monogamous - I've only been deeply in love with one series and only wrote fanfic for it. I've liked others, but not to that degree.
OUAT demonstrates that difference. Snow, Aurora, Phillip and Charming are monogamous. Hook, Mulan, Neal and Rumple are not. It remains to be seen whether Regina and Emma are monogamous or polygamous.
1)How Rumple and Regina became EVIL and why is important, I think. As well as their motivation.
Rumple is in a way, partially responsible for Regina, he tempted her, and provided her the choice. Note Regina attempts to do the same thing with Emma, but fails at first. And Cora attempted it with Snow White and failed at first. Rumple actually succeeds with Snow - but Snow's actions are her own. He never "makes" people do it, he just lets them choose. So they aren't his tool and their choices are on them. He also warned Regina that magic had a price, and killing a whole village had dire consequences, she couldn't just become nice again like that, with a snap.
Rumple became the Dark One because he chose to take the Dark One's power to save his son and to prove he had courage, he kept it out of cowardice and fear. Then he chose the power over his son - and used the power to regain his son.
Regina became the Evil Queen to wreck vengeance on everyone that she held responsible for Daniel's death. Note - she is given the chance to find new love with Robin, via Tinkerbell - but she turns it down and flees. Afraid of revisiting the pain of loss and unwilling to move on. (Nice parallel to Emma).
One did it with the best intentions in mind, the other for vengeance.
2)Charming could impregnate Snow while still in Neverland.
I thought of that but then dismissed it - because remember what Pan states to Rumple - "time is frozen here". No one grows up. Everything runs on magic.
So, I don't believe it can.
3) And Ariel's demeanor certainly wasn't sweet and naive there at the end, when she was meeting Regina again. Another theme in this series over the long run is one that we've commented on before-- that innocence is overrated, and as one grows older and hopefully wiser, it behooves one to become more skeptical and practical-- like say, Emma.
That's possibly the intent. The way I read it was - Aerial had reached the point that she would do anything to get her voice back and be reunited with Eric. Regardless of the cost. Not exactly pragmatic, more desperate. Also pragmatic and practical isn't always helpful. (See Rumple and Emma.)
4) The original bracelet didn't permit that - it was one or the other. But the new bracelet may have? Did she give her a new bracelet? I may have missed that.