Once Upon a Time S04E21: Mother (Full Reaction)

Mother- Thank you for another great reaction for this phenomenal show, Reds! Once again... This episode is really good, and I really enjoy it for the most part! My favorite moments once again come within the minor storylines throughout this episode. Mainly between Killian and Emma of course, as well as those between Maleficent and Lily. First... I just absolutely love the moment between Killian and Emma down in the harbor as they're looking out over the ocean, while Killian lovingly encourages her to forgive her parents once more. This moment between them is absolutely beautiful And I just love how loving Killian is towards Emma, as he fights to remind Emma just how much she needs her parents, and how much she needs to forgive them. Not only for their sake, but for her own sake too. I love Killian's lines... "They were trying to protect you, Swan. Twice. Before you were born, they wanted to make you happy. And when they found you again, they wanted to make you proud. Do you want both those to be failures?", after Emma lovingly says to him... "I'd like them more if... I'd known they turned themselves around. I like when people find their good hearts along the way.", talking about how Killian has found his own good heart. Just so beautiful. Killian and Emma are so good for one another, and I just absolutely love them! And finally!!! Emma finally comes to forgive her parents thanks to Killian's words, and upon seeing her mother hurt after trying to help Maleficent and Lily. I love this moment between Emma and Mary Margaret as Emma shares with her parents why she is doing so. And I love, love, love seeing David look up at Killian with a smile on his face, and as he nods at him to show Killian that he knows Killian had everything to do with Emma being able to forgive them at last, and to express his gratitude. Perfect! I absolutely love how it's Killian who helps Emma to come around to forgiving her parents. And given his past, this says a lot about his character and the true good that really is inside of him. Next... I really love the scene towards the beginning between Killian, Gold, and the Author inside Granny's Diner, when Killian sits down in the booth beside the Author in order to taunt Gold about how he's failed to darken Emma's heart like he wanted. It really isn't so smart for Killian to taunt the Dark One, but I still really enjoy this scene nonetheless. And I love just how hopeful Killian is that he will at last have his happy ending without the fear of losing Emma like he's had ever since he's begun to fall in love with her. Fantastic!!! :) As for Cora's reappearance within her overall storyline upon her coming to Regina on the anniversary of Daniel's death and then using the Sheriff of Nottingham to try to trick her daughter about him being the man with the lion tattoo... I really couldn't care less for this whole storyline. As I've said a number of times... I really don't like Cora at all outside of her being a great villainess, and I don't like the Sheriff of Nottingham at all either. And this storyline is just weak in comparison to the rest of the episode. I understand it, given that this episode is about the relationship between daughters and their mothers. And because this memory for Regina after Zelena's taunt about her being just like their mother is what finally makes Regina stand down and realize she doesn't want to hurt her sister like Zelena has done to her. And it's important to see just how much pain Regina really has caused for herself because of her mother, and why she's unable to have a child before she finally adopts Henry. I just really don't care about this backstory. However, the best part of this storyline is when Regina curses herself so she won't ever have any children of her own, just to spite her mother. Again... It's twisted and so sad too. But It does help to explain why Regina adopts Henry, and it's quite a powerful moment for Regina's character. Lana Parrilla is so amazing! Next... I enjoy the scene between Regina and Lily, as Regina encourages Lily to get angry so she can use her blood for the ink for the Author's quill. It's not good and I'm mad with Regina for using Lily in such a way because it comes from the evil side in her, but the scene itself is really good, and I also love that from such action, it brings about Lily transforming into a dragon just like her mother when her anger and hatred takes control over her. Brilliant! And no... I don't believe Regina intended to have Lily turn herself into a dragon. She simply wanted to get her angry so she could steal Lily's blood upon her being the anti-Savior. I just think it was wrong how Regina taunts Lily in order to get it. And both David and Mary Margaret very easily could have died because of her actions had it not been for Maleficent being there to calm her daughter down. Regarding how the ink and quill works... I admit that it is very confusing for me too, given that we do know from August the from the Apprentice, that the title of the Author is handed down and that they are only meant to record history throughout time, not rewrite it like this current Author has chosen to do. Like I mentioned in my comments for the previous episode, titled... Sympathy For the De Vil, I believe that the power the Author has is a test of their character. Who they are as a person. And seeing as Isaac has chosen to become a villain by rewriting history and twisting everyone's stories, it shows the true nature, or rather the weakness of his character. My confusion comes upon trying to understand why the Author needs the blood of a dark Savior in order to empower the ink for the quill so he can rewrite everyone's stories. I believe that maybe it is because Isaac's intentions with the ink come from evil, given that he has plans to rewrite everyone's stories and destroy all of the heroes' happy endings. Their happiness. So, maybe it's because he has dark plans, this is why he needs the blood tainted by the greatest potential for darkness? Possibly? Because I suspect the before Isaac became evil, that the ink he received from the Apprentice upon becoming the Author, was magical on its own. These are just my theories. I don't really know any definitive answers. But I hope this helps to answer any of your own questions you have regarding the ink's power. And now... I absolutely love the moment when Maleficent comes to David and Mary Margaret, seeking their help to convince Lily to stay in town. I love that Maleficent doesn't go back to being evil to try to force her daughter to stay, like Cora had done many times to Regina. It shows that Maleficent has really grown since she's been resurrected. And her longing to be reunited with her daughter and to be the mother for her she never could be before, is so beautiful. Because her love for her daughter is worth far more to her than her hatred towards Snow and Charming. I love Maleficent for this. She's great as a villain, and she's great as just a mother too. And while the moment Mary Margaret runs towards Lily in her dragon form just before Lily strikes her and renders her unconscious is a bit silly, I do believe that Mary Margaret was attempting to protect Maleficent from Lily nearly killing her mother out of her pure rage she couldn't control in this moment. And I really appreciate that about Mary Margaret, because it shows that she is sincerely sorry for hers and Charming's choices that caused mother and daughter to be split apart for so long, and that Mary Margaret is willing to do whatever it takes to show them as such. It's beautiful really. Next... I absolutely love, love, love the mother/daughter moments between Maleficent and Lily too. They're really quite beautiful, and their relationship is definitely one I would love to see more of as they continue to grow now that they're together at last. Their storyline shows the hope and possibility that they too can find redemption and their happy endings too. Despite Maleficent being a villain. Or having been a villain until now. I absolutely love Maleficent throughout this entire episode. She's amazing! And yes... she is so beautiful too. And lastly... I really love the scenes between Regina, Zelena, Isaac, and Robin, as they're all talking to Zelena within her cell while Regina considers using the Author to erase Zelena from existence. Not good, but I really enjoy the banter back and forth between the sisters, while the Author remains quiet in the corner in wait. Thankfully, Regina comes to do the right thing upon realizing that her plan to erase Zelena from existence would make her just like her mother. And I absolutely love how Regina tells Robin and Zelena that Robin is a part of her happy ending, which is truly finding the peace and happiness she longs for within the world where she lives, with people she loves and who loves her in return. Beautiful!! Unfortunately... The Author has other plans, and he uses his power to escape from the heroes and to return to Gold, who is dying back in his shop. And now... Isaac is about to begin his own storybook titled, Heroes and Villains, within a new storybook that Gold conjures for him. Not good, but what's to come is so, so exciting!! And I love it!!! Oh... And I absolutely love the moment between Regina and Gold, when Gold at last reveals to her and to us as viewers what he truly means in regards to his heart dying. That it isn't the Dark One who is dying, but himself. That Rumplestiltskin himself is dying, and that without the little good remaining within him, the Dark One inside of him will come to be in complete control over Rumple's body. Which could make the Dark One the most powerful being and biggest threat everyone in Storybrooke has ever faced. Yikes!! But amazing! :) Thank you so much again for another great reaction, Reds!! And now, we're on to the phenomenal two part season four finale!! I love these next episodes and I can't wait for your reactions for them both!! Thank you very much, Reds! Sincerely, Heidi

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum