“The Apprentice”
Remember your first date? And the bundle of nerves that turned you into a sweaty, more awkward version of yourself. Remember getting dressed up for your date, wanting to show off, and be seen in a new light? Well that’s exactly what Emma did. She shed her jean/jacket “sheriff” ensemble and donned something a little more feminine. A dress. And it looked like it was straight out of a 1950s catalogue! That sleeveless pale pink dress paired with a ponytail was about the closest David and Mary Margaret will ever come to seeing their daughter as a sixteen year old. I find these recreated family moments so endearing. In a mushy, sentimental way.
Emma’s “first date” with Hook was adorable. Or should we call him Killian? Feeling insecure about his hook apparatus, Killian finagles a way to get his hand back. Having two hands is better than one, especially if you get to second (or third?) base. Smitten with Emma, the pirate is desperate to make it work with her, even if that means wheeling, dealing and blackmailing the Dark One. Sigh. He just doesn’t get it does he? Honesty is far more valuable.
Dealing with the Dark One is a big step back. And yet it’s these types of character deviations that make OUAT so much fun to watch. First he’s bad, then he’s good, and now he’s wrestling with himself over which side he really belongs to. Anyone can change, even the old crocodile as Killian called Rumpel and yet so few do. Loved this cleverly written nod to the classic story of Peter Pan (Hook’s hand was swallowed by the crocodile).
As you might have imagined, Killian’s plan to blackmail the Dark One backfires. And now the Dark One possesses compromising video surveillance of Killian. So who’s blackmailing whom here? I found it a bit disconcerting that the surveillance footage was presented on a VHS tape. What gives?! Storybrooke is a modern day environment, complete with wifi and Internet. Shouldn’t we have seen a little USB flash drive? Even a disc would have been more believable than a tape, after all this isn’t the ’90s.
Elsa and the Snow Queen had little to do with this episode, though Anna was a big part of the flashback sequences. Anna unwittingly helped Rumpel obtain the Sorcerer’s hat while discovering the true nature of her parents’ journey. Meanwhile Rumpel turns the apprentice guarding the hat into a mouse. Is this an obvious Mickey Mouse allusion or just a coincidence? I’m leaning towards the Mickey reference since the Once Upon a Time writers have made a habit of inserting Disney references wherever it’s appropriate.
We’re no closer to understanding Anna’s mysterious disappearance, if anything I have more questions than answers now. Though it does seem that the Dark One may have been responsible. He’s the ultimate keeper of secrets. When the truth comes out, will Belle forgive her husband?
In an effort to help his mom (Regina) find her happy ending, Henry offers to go undercover. Under the guise of wanting to be closer to his grandpa, Henry asks Mr. Gold for a job. IF this villain can marry his love, then he must know the secret to living happily ever after. Or so Henry reasons. And that is how he becomes Mr. Gold’s apprentice… just like the sorcerer’s apprentice. Wow! So that’s who Henry is? Perhaps he does have a fairy tale alter ego after all. Can’t wait to see where this leads.
Aurora Snow Says
Episode Rating:
[Rating:4/5]
