Once Upon a Time REACTION - S03E02 - Lost Girl

Thank you so much for another fantastic reaction! I really enjoy this episode a lot, and I love the parallels between the main storyline for Emma as she struggles with figuring out who she feels she is and who she truly is, and the backstory for Snow, as she also struggles to find her strength in who she is as well. First... my favorite moments in this episode, like in most episodes too, are those between Hook and Emma, as well as the moments with Hook and David. I love Hook's banter with them, like when Hook asks Emma how it was the stories portrayed his character and assumed the world saw him as ruggedly handsome, until Emma smugly states, "if you think wax mustaches and perms are your thing." And I love how Hook also mocks David about them getting along, more than once throughout this episode. And then... Hook is also very gentle with Emma and encourages her not to give up hope. I love this about him and I love how it's clear that Hook is drawn to Emma. That he's growing to truly care about her. He may be smug and still a pirate and villain, but he's not the same villain he first was when he was introduced into the show back in season two's episode, The Crocodile. And his character has most certainly grown a lot since then. As for the rest of the storylines... First, I really enjoy the backstory with Snow and Charming, as Snow struggles with trying to defeat Regina upon losing faith in her strength to lead and protect her people. And I really like how David helps her to find herself again by using the story of Excalibur being trapped within the stone and that only a true leader can lead this kingdom's people, in order to show her she's stronger than she believes herself to be. Yes... David may have lied to her about Rumplestiltskin helping him again and about finding Excalibur, but I appreciate that he did so to help Snow and I appreciate that Snow quickly came to see it this way as well, instead of remaining angry with him for lying to her. Next... I really enjoy the moment Pan first introduces himself to Emma and how he offers her a chance to save Henry with a map that would only appear to her, so long as she followed his rules to get the map's magic to work for her. Unfortunately, Emma struggles with discovering the secret that would unlock the map, as she tries admitting everything she's ever denied about herself, including that she's the Savior, which she has denied more than anything else. And to make things worse, Regina grows impatient with Emma and snatches the map so she can enchant it to lead them to Pan himself despite Pan's rules. This leads to the team into a trap, as Pan and the Lost Boys attack them as punishment for breaking his rules. A big battle breaks out and David is wounded upon being grazed by one of the Lost Boys' arrows we learn the arrows are tipped with dreamshade, which we learn from Hook earlier on that it's the very poison from Neverland he used in a concentrated dose to poison Gold back in season two's episode, The Queen Is Dead. That in its true form, the dreamshade kills a person more slowly and painfully. The battle ends abruptly when Pan sees the way Emma is looking down at the boy pinned beneath her, and she immediately let's him go as the boys all begin to retreat. Pan then warns Emma to got back to following his rules by admitting who she truly is. Later... Mary Margaret comes over to speak with Emma upon seeing her frustration and despair deepen. I really love this conversation between mother and daughter. It's so sad, but it's also beautiful. Beautifully acted by Jennifer Morrison, as she comes to finally realize who she really believes herself to be upon feeling very alone and lost... a Lost Girl just as Pan later calls her to taunt her. I really felt the pain and emotion Emma let off as she continued speaking with Mary Margaret, and I also felt really bad for Mary Margaret too. And I love her line as Mary Margaret says to Emma... "It's okay. It's my job to change that.", assuring Emma she hopes they can mend their relationship so that one day Emma will come to truly see them as her mother and father, and that she will come to see herself for who she truly is. Not just the Savior, but as their daughter and that she is no longer alone. Beautiful! :) I really do love Pan as a villain and for the most part, I love the direction this Neverland arc takes us. My only real disappointments... I wish the overall storyline wasn't so focused on Pan and Henry, and I really wish there was more interaction between Hook and Pan throughout the arc, given that Hook and Pan are one of the most famous and beloved rivalries within all fairytales. I also love his scene with Emma in the end with Pan, as he not only taunts her about being a Lost Girl and not having forgiven her parents for abandoning her, but I love his threat about how Henry won't want to ever leave Neverland the longer it takes for them to find and save him, as well as his threat towards David and Mary Margaret, which leads to the moment David studies the wound from the arrow and realizes he's in trouble. And lastly... I like all of the moments between Rumple and Belle, who reveals herself to be a ghost brought on by his mind. And I love seeing Rumple cut out his own shadow so that it can take his dagger someplace safe, where no one can ever find it including himself. Overall... this was a really good episode. Emma most definitely shined throughout this episode as she was meant to. And I just love her continued struggle with finding out who she is, as well as how encouraging Hook is for her. And while she denies a lot of who she is, she appears to be more grateful for his encouragement, than she is for the encouragement given to her from her own parents. It's sad, but I do love it. Thank you so much again! Like always, I truly enjoyed your reaction for this episode as well, and I can't wait for more to come!!! :) Until next time...

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum