Once Upon a Time S04E22: Operation Mongoose Part 1 (Full Reaction)
Added 2025-05-31 13:00:09 +0000 UTCThe Author proves to be a formidable wild card and forges an alliance with Gold. Emma, her parents, Hook, and Regina scramble to stop them. Henry discovers he has big shoes to fill as he steps up to save his family before the story's final page is turned.
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Comments
I guess technically Henry isn't from a magical world. I'm thinking back cause I haven't watched this show in a hot minute. But Emma was born before being put in that tree if I remember correctly. But then on the other hand Henry had two parents from that magical world. I guess technicalities. LOL
Daphne O'Reilly
2025-06-01 19:10:47 +0000 UTCOperation Mongoose Part One- I absolutely love this first episode of the two part finale!!!! So, thank you very much for your continued reactions, and for this part one finale for Once Upon a Time, Reds!! I am so happy that you seemed to have really enjoyed this Queens of Darkness arc, even more so than you enjoyed the Frozen arc. For me... I certainly have missed Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. But I absolutely love Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula too, and seeing them unite with Rumplestiltskin as villains to try to take back their happy endings, and steal them away from the heroes... It's absolutely brilliant!! First, in regards to Isaac's meaning about heroes not getting their happy endings... When Isaac is talking to Rumplestiltskin inside the pawnshop while writing his storybook, Isaac says a line to Rumple, meaning that the heroes from this land... meaning Storybrooke, will not get their happy endings. And when Isaac says this same line to his fans at his book signing in the new happy ending he's written for himself, he means the same thing... That the heroes he's known do not get their happy endings. I believe that out in the real world, after Isaac creates his own happy ending for himself, the stories we've all grown up with about Snow White, Prince Charming, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and all the rest of the fairy tale heroes we love, still exist as well. And in all of them, the heroes get their happy endings. So, the outside world in Once Upon a Time still knows these heroes, to be heroes who all have gotten their happy endings as well. However, Isaac has now written this new novel and storybook where the heroes everyone knows... Snow White, Prince Charming, Regina, and Hook... after they become the heroes they truly are, Robin Hood, etc... all don't get their happy endings, and some of them actually are twisted into becoming villains. While the known villains are all rewarded with Gold's and the Author's own versions of their happy endings, as they all become the heroes revered and loved by everyone who reads their stories. I hope this makes sense, my friend. In one example, regarding Zelena... First, we know that Zelena has always wanted to find someone who could truly love her, and with Robin being written as her True Love in Isaac's book... Zelena finds someone who does love her. But more than this... If she was aware of her true self, Zelena would be very pleased and happy to know that she has ripped away Regina's happy ending by being written as Robin's soon to be wife whom Robin loves instead of her. And we can see that Regina quickly feels something for Robin and is a bit jealous and more so... sad, that Zelena is with him. This is what makes this the perfect happy ending for Zelena, even though the true Zelena doesn't have feelings for Robin Hood in any way shape, or form. All throughout this second half of the season, Gold has been fighting towards getting back his happy ending in spite of being a villain by getting the Author to write him a new story. And thanks to Isaac, he and the rest of the villains all get their perfect happy endings, in a way that hurts the true heroes, which of course would make the true villains all very satisfied and happy. I really hope that this explanation helps. Since my theories about this aren't ever really explained in much detail within these episodes, I'm not really sure if I'm right. But my thoughts about this story arc for these episodes make sense to me. Now... I love how this episode begins with showing us how Isaac comes to be the Author, and who he was beforehand. It's interesting that he was a television salesman in the 60s, who saw more in the world than most people. Who believed in the possibility of magic without ever seeing proof it could exist, until he meets the Apprentice. I like that the Apprentice calls him into an interview upon supposedly wanting to publish one of his books, then asks Isaac to choose one of the few quills he lays out in front of him. Much like when Indiana Jones must choose which cup is the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones: And the Last Crusade. Isaac choosing wisely shows that Isaac was once worthy of being the Author. Unfortunately, Cruella led him astray and Isaac eventually came to be a villain no better than she was. Meeting Cruella, and him beginning to change things to make her happy, is the beginning of Isaac's descent into becoming a villain. And clearly, he only grows worse and worse over the years. Nonetheless... I like that in him choosing the right quill meant for him, the Apprentice is able to show Isaac that he was right about there being more. As Isaac is able to see the new realms through the magical door. Fun fact... During this interview between Isaac and the Apprentice that takes place in 1966, the Apprentice tells Isaac that the former Author has recently died, which is why he needs to recruit a new Author to take his place. And back in the episode, titled... Best Laid Plans, August tells Emma, David, and Mary Margaret that Walt Disney had been one of the former Authors. Walt Disney sadly died in 1966, which means that the Apprentice implies that Walt Disney had been the Author just before Isaac. I love it! :) Next... I love seeing all of the heroes seek out answers on how they can stop Gold and the Author from enacting their plan inside the mansion. And I love that August returns briefly for this episode as well, and continues to share with his friends all that he knows about the Author, as well as the Apprentice. Which brings him to show his friends a drawing of the old man, allowing Killian to recognize him as the old man he unwillingly helped Gold to trap inside the Sorcerer's hat back in episode four, titled... The Apprentice. Killian never knew who he was because Rumple never told him, and apparently no one else probably knew who he was either. Therefore, there was no way they could have known how to help free him from the hat. Thankfully, the Blue Fairy is able to help them to free the Apprentice from the hat at last upon them finally discovering this old man's true identity, much to Killian's relief. It's clear that he feels deep regret for allowing Gold to manipulate him into doing so, especially when we see the Apprentice glance over at him in surprise and with contempt upon recognizing him to be the man with Gold that day, as Killian looks away from him and Emma out of shame. I really love these scenes with everyone together and seeing them succeed in helping the Apprentice, who in turn warns them all they must find the Author and return him inside the book in order to stop him. Unfortunately, the heroes fail to stop Isaac and Gold from their plans, as the Author finishes his new storybook. But not before Isaac asks Gold about Baelfire, whom he cannot write alive again even through his magic, and how Gold would like him to be a part of his new life and happy ending. I really like this moment for Gold, as he talks about wanting to remember his son, with a new ending where Baelfire had seen him as a hero before he died, rather than as the man who abandoned him and as a villain. Rumple doesn't deserve to be revered as a hero by his son or anyone by any means, but this is still a sweet moment, nonetheless. And then... Just as Emma, Regina, and the Apprentice are about to confront them as they're about to reach the pawnshop, the Author's power suddenly pulls everyone into his storybook, except for Henry and himself. Isaac uses the quill's and ink's power to rewrite his own happy ending, making himself the most famous and beloved book author of our world's versions of his storybook, Heroes and Villains. But as for Henry... He is the only one within Storybrooke who was born within the real world and not in the Enchanted Forest or in Storybrooke, and therefore Isaac has no power over him to be able to write him into his storybook too. Which I love!! I really love that Henry is left behind alone in Storybrooke, until he soon catches up to Isaac and uses the key to transport himself as well as Isaac into the book, just like the Apprentice had done in order to lock the Author into the page. I suspect Isaac was pulled into the book as well, simply because Isaac was close behind Henry when Henry transports himself into the book that he too becomes swept up in the key's and door's magic. And I believe that Henry knew this would happen and made it so. So that Isaac can't do anything in the outside world to hinder his plans to save his family and friends. And now... Henry is able to search for his family and loved ones. And little does he really know what awaits him, in spite of having a copy of Isaac's book to guide him. Unfortunately, Isaac is willing to do anything to keep Henry from succeeding and reminding everyone of who they really are. Absolutely brilliant! :) I really love, love, love the twisted roles given to most of our beloved characters within Isaac's alternate reality. Although, with this being said... Some of them such as Robin and Zelena aren't much different than their true selves, which I feel is a little disappointing. The only differences in their realities is that Robin and Zelena are engaged because Robin loves Zelena and not Regina, and that Zelena appears to be a hero as well. I really wish this show's creators and writers had been a little more creative with their new realities too. However, in spite of this, it makes sense to me why they are together and are supposedly happy. Also... I absolutely love that Snow White takes on the role of the Evil Queen and Charming becomes an Evil version of the Huntsman!!! I love the twist in their love story, as Evil Snow actually once loved David's twin, James, until he was killed, and that in grief, she rips out Charming's heart and forces him to unwillingly make himself look and act like James, even though neither one of them are actually in love with one another. This is brilliant, and I even love their new looks!! Snow with her short hair fashioned in a mohawk like style, while Charming is dressed all in black and wears black eyeliner around his eyes just like Hook has always done. And both are miserable, because Snow lost her true love and is forced to live with a man she despises because he's not James, while Charming is being forced to be Snow's slave in every way because she has possession of his heart. Don't get me wrong... I love Snow and Charming as their true selves so much better!! But I really love the uniqueness and changes in their character for this alternate reality, and I really appreciate the changes just so we can see them differently from how they are for real in every other season. It's really amazing to see something so different, and to see this newly created alternate reality in an alternate Enchanted Forest. And Ginnifer Goodwin in the role of the Evil Queen is absolutely marvelous!! :) I also like that the dwarfs are still loyal to Snow, and that they are evil versions of themselves too. As is Granny, and surely Red would be too if they would have been able to get Meghan Ory back for these two episodes. So far... Robin and Zelena are the least changed from their true selves and I really think this is a bit weak, aside from Zelena actually appearing to be a hero who is in love with Robin. So, if there is really anything I didn't like about this episode, it's that they really did nothing for their characters. As for Regina... I also really love that we see Regina in the role of bandit Snow, seeking freedom from the Evil Queen's wrath by stealing from the rich just like Robin Hood, who is her greatest competition and is making it difficult for her to steal enough money for passage out of the Enchanted Forest. And I really enjoy Henry's interactions with her throughout this episode too, as Henry does everything he can to remind Regina of her being his mother and of the hero she really is. And in doing so, Henry learns just where Emma is within this alternate world, and that Isaac has lied to him about bringing the Savior into his storybook too. I really love that she's been imprisoned within a far off tower for many years and that she first appears to have been driven mad. Brilliant! And I love how Henry is so central throughout this season's two part finale. And yes... The tower Emma is trapped in is the same set as Rapunzel's tower shown in season three's episode, titled... The Tower. However, the placement of the tower is definitely different from that episode, since the tower was once in the woods, whereas it is now out on a lone island. Same set, just designed differently. And as for Rumplestiltskin... In all honesty, I really don't like the changes made for him as he's made into a hero and a beloved knight of the people. To me... Robert Carlyle's acting in this role actually seems really off and even cringey. Which is very rare, given how brilliant Robert Carlyle normally is as Rumplestiltskin/Gold. It just feels wrong to me, even when he saves Henry from being killed by the ogre after Isaac ties him up to leave him to die. I understand why he was written this way, since Gold wants to be a hero for Belle and for his son. I just wish he had been written a little differently. Overall... I really love this episode. I love seeing Regina's interactions with Evil Snow and Charming, and seeing Robin save her from being killed. My only complaints, aside from not liking the changes made with Gold, but also, are mostly that a few characters aren't given enough of a change for me to really care about their storylines throughout these finale episodes. However, I love all of the parallels to a number of the previous episodes throughout the show so far. It's fantastic! Thank you very much once more, my dear friend! Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2025-06-01 03:16:15 +0000 UTC
