“Unforgiven”
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave
When we practice to deceive!” – Walter Scott
Indeed, secrets breed lies. And in some cases the darker the secret the worse the chaos. For the Charming family in particular, they’re deep dark secret is beginning to feel like the root of all evil. Despite the noblest of intentions, Charming and Snow have failed. The more they struggle to contain their past mistake the harder it becomes to face the truth.
The fact that Emma hasn’t caught on to her parents lies is quite the mystery. With her nifty superpower she can always tell when someone is lying. Supposedly. And yet it seems she is about as accurate as a modern day polygraph, hit and miss. Her lie detecting skills need some honing. Sure she caught Hook in a lie but I’d venture to guess that was more about female intuition than a superpower. Most women know when their boyfriends are lying. Especially when it comes to a woman from his past. Which brings up an interesting point, exactly what happened between Ursula and Hook? Must be juicy if Hook doesn’t want to share.
Most parents want nothing more than to see their children happy and healthy, no matter how old their children are that feeling never goes away. Emma’s parents are no different. The Charmings fear losing the trust they’ve built with Emma. So concerned with ruining her newly adapted rosy outlook on life, they resolve to continue keeping secrets from her. Like that’s going to help. These two are behaving more like cowards than the brave heroes they purport to be, ruled simultaneously by love and fear.
Though Emma Swan has never shown an inkling for the dark side, Once Upon a Time keeps dropping hints. Our beloved savior, the product of true love, has a propensity for greatness — she can be the greatest good or the greatest evil. As an adult, I imagine she’s already chosen which side to be on. And from where I stand she seems to be on the side of good. Nothing her parents have done in the past could possibly change Emma’s disposition, right? Even if they did do something awful to Maleficent.
Whereas in last week’s episode Cruella De Vil and Ursula lacked any real motivation, their roles have finally become relevant – but only in the most trivial way. Cruella and Ursula lured the Charmings to Maleficent’s ashes where they knocked them out and revived Maleficent with the blood of her killers. I’m thrilled to have Kristin Bauer van Straten back! Her version of Maleficent is enchanting. I sense some of the edgy vamp Pam from True Blood in this character, that no nonsense take-what’s-mine attitude. She steals the scene every time. Thank you Maleficent! No more boring villains for us; sorry Ursula and Cruella but you two pale in comparison.
Emerging as one of the most promising villains yet, Maleficent renews my faith in the OUAT arc. Blunt, vengeful and motivated she’s sure to entertain. She has the Charmings right where she wants them, tangled in their web of lies, caught on the wrong side. What they’ve done to her baby might change the way we see them. All will be revealed this season. And the secrets they’ve been keeping might make us rethink their characters, we’re about to learn who the Charmings really are.
It’s not just our actions that define us but also the secrets we keep. The truth always comes out! Emma is still in the dark, but it’s not too late for the Charmings to take responsibility. Avoiding your past doesn’t make it go away, as they’ll soon learn.
Fantastic episode of Once Upon a Time. A vast improvement from last week’s mid-season debut. The show is finally gaining momentum, thanks in part to the addition of Maleficent. Can’t wait to tune in next week!
Aurora Snow Says
Episode Rating:
[Rating:4/5]
