“Good Form”
**SPOILER ALERT**
Captain Hook finally takes a turn for the better. I always suspected the Horowitz and Kitsis’ re-imagined version of Captain Hook was far kinder than the Hook from our childhood Disney movies. In this imaginative episode of Once Upon A Time, we not only get a peek at Hook’s past, but we also glean a bit about the man he wants to be. His villain status is slowly slipping away.
Before he became Captain Hook, he was known as Killian Jones, second in command to his older brother, Captain Jones (is this perhaps a reference to Davy Jones?). Through cleverly done flashbacks Killian is portrayed as an honorable and moral man when he first set sail with his brother to a new land no one had ever heard of before (Neverland). They were on a quest for the king to recover a valuable plant, one that could supposedly cure anything.
Peter Pan met the brothers on the island and shared the true nature of the plant, it was no miracle cure, but sure death to anyone nicked by it. Killian questioned the true nature of the plant, too bad his brother refused to do the same. In an idiotic show of faith in the king, Captain Jones essentially signed his own death warrant by slicing his arm with the deadly plant. Killian was never the same after his brother’s death, it was then he chose the pirate’s life, as he put it “at least there is honor among thieves.”
In present day Neverland, Hook’s softer side is in full bloom, in part thanks to Emma Swan. Hook saves her father, David, from dying of Dreamshade poisoning though the magical cure does come at a cost. A cost that only David and Hook know (for now). Everyone in the group has a new appreciation for Hook since he saved David’s life. Of course they don’t know the details, since Prince Charming refuses to share. He makes so many dumb decisions it’s hard to find him likeable. I wish Hook would ignore Charming’s wishes, however it’s refreshing to see them getting along. It’s the classic concept of a boy in love trying to win approval from the girl’s father.
Emma finally gives into the chemistry that’s been building between her and the pirate. She is more than appreciative and shows it by planting a long lusty kiss on Hook. She says it’s a onetime thing, but I think they’d both like it to be more. I’d certainly like to see that story play out. But with Neal back in the picture all I see for Emma is a future of romantic complications, which will make for entertaining story threads.
Henry is on his way to becoming a lost boy, we got our first peek at his transformation. I’m not sure his family will reach him in time, they may have to come to terms with a new Henry. If nothing else the quest to save Henry has forced Emma, Regina and Snow to work together as a family. Henry would be proud of them if only he knew.
All in all, a descriptive Hook-centric episode that really fleshed out his character. Hook has so much more depth and humanity now. Knowing where he comes from and how he’s developed into his present day self makes him a very likeable character. Definitely worth watching.
Aurora Snow Says:
Episode Rating:
[Rating:4/5]