Once Upon a Time S04E20: Lily (Full Reaction

Lily- Thank you once again for another fun Once Upon a Time reaction, Reds! I really enjoy this episode overall for the most part, and I especially enjoy the overall storyline between Emma and Lily, and with Emma struggling so much to keep the darkness within her at bay since she first felt it creep up within her upon finding out the truth about what her parents have done to Maleficent and her daughter, and back when she killed Cruella. Just like the darkness Killian warns her against. But to backtrack a little... I really like that we finally see confirmation of the Sorcerer at long last in the beginning of this episode, when the Apprentice calls on him through the blue flame to talk to him about Isaac's corruption and how he might be able to help Maleficent's child upon being forced by the Author to corrupt her with all of Emma's potential darkness. We knew the Sorcerer always existed, given that this old man is only the Apprentice, but I really like seeing a moment where these two characters actually communicate with one another. One thing I will say regarding the power of the quill and ink in which the Authors are all tasked with... I feel that perhaps with their magic, you can't have the power to simply record the histories of all the realms, without the power to also be able to make changes to them. It's possible that this power to change things is a test on the Authors... To help keep them on the righteous path and to show the Sorcerer and Apprentice that they continue to remain worthy of the power bestowed upon them. And as far as we know... Isaac is the only one of the Authors who have come to abuse their power. I love that the Authors have such power through their quills and the special ink! Now... We see Emma from a distance as she's coldly watching Isaac and Gold at Cruella's grave, while the villains continue to talk about Isaac writing all of the villains their happy endings. And from the look on Emma's face, it's clear Emma is really struggling with her decision that caused Cruella's death, while her darkness is only continuing to feed on her will to overcome it. Emma blames herself for killing Cruella and she later reveals to Regina and Lily that she now sees herself as a murderer for killing Cruella. And it's most certainly perfectly understandable. It shows that Emma has true remorse of her actions, as any hero feels. However, I don't see Emma as a murderer. She defended her son against a villain whom she believed was about to kill him. Emma kills Cruella out of self defense to protect Henry. And she didn't know that Cruella couldn't actually kill him in the moment she killed her. I really wish that this would have been spoken by someone in order to help Emma come to understand that what happened to Cruella isn't really her fault. I wish that Killian had been written to try to help Emma come to terms with this more, given that Emma isn't currently listening to anything her parents have to say. And Killian of all people would do everything in his power to help Emma. If there is anything I wish this episode included, it would be a moment like this between Emma and Killian. As for this episode's main storyline... I love that Maleficent comes to Emma seeking her help to find her daughter, rather than Maleficent continuing to go about finding Lily in the wrong way. I also love that Emma finally learns about how her childhood friend, Lily, is Maleficent's daughter, and the girl whom her parents corrupted. It's fascinating just how much of Emma's life, and now as well as Lily's life, has been destined by fate. And then... Emma and Regina prepare to leave, not just to find Lily, but also so they can save Robin from Zelena too. I love that they go on this journey together, and how Regina is there to help Emma the same way Emma has always been there for Regina. One of my favorite moments in this episode is when Killian says farewell to Emma before she and Regina leave Storybrooke, as he pleads with her to not allow the darkness to corrupt her heart further like Gold wants her to do. I love how he talks to her about how he started on the side of good and lost himself to the darkness, how he never had anyone to help keep him on a good path since Liam died until Emma came into his life, then how Killian asks her to remember all those she loves in order to help keep her on her own path. Sadly, Killian doesn't include himself among Emma's loved ones, because he's still so unsure of Emma's true feelings for him. Of course he knows that Emma cares for him, but she's never once told him she loves him and a part of him is still struggling so deeply with his fear that his dark past will one day become too much for Emma to accept. However, I love that Emma quickly corrects him as she adds him among Henry and her parents as those she cares about too. I love this moment! So beautiful! Regarding whether or not Killian could remain on his good path if he and Emma were to break up, or if he was to lose her... I definitely believe he could. Killian is in love with Emma, and she helps him to remain strong and on the side of good for sure. However, Killian has also grown for the better. And while Emma has helped him, he's the one who has made the efforts to change. He is stronger now than he ever was with Milah, especially since Milah never set him on the path to becoming a better man. She never encouraged him to be anything more than the pirate he was. The pirate she loved. Killian has changed. Not just for Emma, but also for himself now. Because the hero he is, is the man he truly longs to be. Plus... He also has other people who now care about him too, when he had no one else other than Milah before. He now also has Henry, Snow and Charming, and the rest of the people in Storybrooke. Including Regina too, whether either one of them would admit they're friends or not. So yes... I do believe Killian is strong enough to remain a good man and hero if he were to lose Emma for any reasons. Next... I really enjoy the overall storyline with adult Lily once Emma finds her working under a false name... Starla, which makes sense because Lily had gotten her name from her star shaped birthmark. I really like seeing Emma and Lily reunite after so many years. This episode, as well as the next one, aren't among my favorites within this arc, but they're still really enjoyable. I especially love that it's revealed Lily knows the truth about magic, her mother, Storybrooke, and about what Snow and Charming did to her because of the Apprentice, who came to her in hope of helping her after his role in the Author's cruelty. Unfortunately, Lily seeks revenge against Emma's parents, and in hope of finding Storybrooke so she can make them pay, she steals Emma's yellow bug with the Snow Queen's scroll to enter their town inside. I love the moment between Emma, Lily, and Regina, as Emma struggles to resist her urge to kill Lily in order to keep her from seeking her revenge against her parents, in spite of Emma still being incredibly angry with them. I also love that Regina reminds Emma of who she is and that by hurting Lily, it will destroy her. A very powerful moment. Of course... Emma makes the right decision and puts away her gun, then allows herself to talk with Lily to help her as the Savior and not as the woman who had been wronged by Lily in their past. And I love that Emma finally invites Lily to come with them so Lily can meet her mother. Also... I really like how the show has written Lily's darkness. Because I don't believe that this show, or more specifically... this episode, is trying to say that Lily isn't responsible for her actions. Because she absolutely is. The Apprentice says it best... Everything that happens to Lily, and every decision she makes, will make harder for her because of what the Charmings have done to her. I believe it's more that she is prone to making bad decisions over good ones. They never said she couldn't make a good decision. For example... Her curse is just like someone who is really clumsy. A clumsy person can be careful if they work really hard at it. Just as Lily can be better if she just works harder at it. And unfortunately, there are also unfortunate consequences, or side effects that come from whatever decision she makes, causing her life to always come out wrong. Lily is absolutely responsible for her actions. She didn't have to steal Emma's foster family's money. She didn't have to lie to Emma over and over, and she could have chosen to stay with her own adopted family. She only has done all of this because she is so insecure and afraid. Her fate is that she's prone, or tempted to always make the wrong decisions, and she's always chosen to listen to fate because she's too afraid to go against it. Because making bad decisions tend to always be easier than making the decisions that are often times more difficult. Just like bad decisions can be easier for anyone in real life. I hope all of this makes sense. Regarding Will... Gold sees that Will truly cares about Belle. He believes that Will loves Belle. And Will does care for Belle, without question. And Gold knows that Will would do as he asks of him, because he knows Will cares for Belle. And his words to Belle pretty much clarifies this is so. And I believe that Will steals back Belle's heart for Belle, not just because Rumple asks him to. And unfortunately for Will, from the look in Belle's eyes in the end upon her hearing Gold's confession and his willingness to let her go so she can truly be happy with Will, we can see that her heart still truly lies with Rumple. And Will can see this too. Which is unfortunate for Will, but understandable. Belle and Rumple do after all, have quite the history together. And from the hurt in Will's eyes, you can also tell that Will sees this too. I may hate it, because I am still so angry with Gold and Belle absolutely deserves so much better than Rumple, but Will is a very weak character in comparison to Rumple, and his role in this show just doesn't make much sense. Then, regarding Belle not knowing that Regina has stolen her heart... Back in a previous episode, titled... Sympathy For the De Vil, Regina confronts Belle and tells her she needs her help. And in the next scene, we see Regina has tricked Gold by using Belle's heart to control Belle, showing Gold she now has her own leverage against him, in order to protect Robin from his alliance with Zelena. Regina also tells Belle to forget any knowledge she has of Regina using her heart and to return home, which you did remember. So from this point on... Belle no longer remembers that Regina has stolen her heart. However, I do believe that Regina had asked Belle for permission to take her heart in the first place in order to help her protect Robin from Rumple and Zelena. Belle after all had asked Regina what she needed from her. It doesn't necessarily make what Regina's done right, and she is certainly wrong to threaten Belle by threatening to crush her heart. But... c'est la vie. And lastly... I enjoy the end scene when Emma, Regina, and Lily finally arrive in New York to save Robin, only to discover that Zelena is pregnant with Robin's child. Honestly... I don't really like that Zelena is pregnant at all. While it's understandable that of course Robin has struggled to move on and be the loving husband to the woman he believed to be Marian just as he has promised the woman he believed was Marian, I just don't like that he's moved on so completely. Especially since he's still in love with Regina and has sensed for awhile that something with Marian isn't right. And to me... It's just so twisted that Zelena raped him while in her disguise. It's sad and twisted. This storyline makes sense for all that's to come, and I understand the creators' and writers' decision to write in Zelena becoming pregnant for what's ahead. It's just not a storyline I am overly excited about or like much. And if you remember from season one... Regina had also raped Graham, given that she forced him to be her servant by holding his heart captive as well. So, yes... This is twisted of Zelena to do to poor Robin, but it's also something I can't be totally sad for Regina about either, given all she did to poor Graham in her past. Overall... This episode is really good. So, thank you very much for your reaction, Reds! We have one more episode, and then the upcoming two part finale... which is absolutely phenomenal, and I can't wait!!! Thank you! Sincerely, Heidi

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum