Once Upon a Time S04E14: Unforgiven (Full Reaction)

Unforgiven- Thank you so much for another fantastic reaction for Once Upon a Time, Reds!! I really love this episode so much! And this show is really building up to what's to come, and what's to come within the last half of this arc is fabulous! :) First... My absolutely favorite moment throughout this episode is the moment in the end between Killian and Emma!! I can understand why Emma is upset with Killian for attempting to lie to her about not remembering his past with Ursula, even though it pains me that she was briefly upset with him. It is wrong of him to try to lie to Emma, but I understand why he does so. However, Killian is so afraid that there are some things he's done in his past that will eventually be too much for Emma, and that she will one day come to see he isn't worth her love. He's afraid of losing her because of his sins, and that much is very evident in these scenes between them. Killian is ashamed of all he's done since becoming a villain and a pirate, and now particularly of what he's done to Ursula. So, this end moment between Killian and Emma is just so powerful and moving to me, because we finally see that Emma is willing and able to accept that all the things Killian did while still a villain, was in his past and that he's clearly no longer that man any longer. I love how Emma assures Killian that nothing bad he's done in his past will ever push her away, and that she is able to see only the good in him. I also love how she assures Killian that he can tell her the truth about what he's done to Ursula, in his own time. Whenever he's ready to. Absolutely beautiful. And this moment between them is absolutely necessary for their relationship to be able to move forward. It's so important for Killian to know without a doubt that Emma will be able to forgive him for anything villainous he's ever done so long as he continues to be honest with her, given that problems from his past will no doubt continue to come back to haunt him again. He is after all... well over two hundred years old. And then they begin to kiss and of course Emma's parents accidentally disrupt them after overhearing Emma's and Killian's whole conversation, which unfortunately, changes Mary Margaret's and David's minds once again, making them feel they still can't tell Emma the truth about what they did in their own pasts. I can understand their hesitation to tell Emma the truth upon hearing Mary Margaret's fear of Emma spiraling down a very dark path should she find out. Are they wrong to keep lying to Emma? Absolutely yes. And their constant lies are frustrating for sure. But I can certainly understand their fear as well. Which brings me to the backstory between Snow, Charming, Maleficent, Ursula, and Cruella... Yikes! It's so not good and it's really sad seeing both Snow and Charming lose a little of that innocence we've known of them for so long now. Obviously... Everyone makes mistakes, but in this case... We've learned that Snow's and Charming's mistakes have caused Maleficent to lose her child in some way, as is revealed in the very end within the final scene between Mary Margaret and Regina. Which I will get back to in a moment... I really enjoy the overall storyline as the heroes and villains team up together to seek out the Tree of Life in search of an answer on how they can stop the Evil Queen from casting her dark curse. I love seeing how both heroes and villains understand how bad the curse would be for everyone... Hero and villain, and that they understand the need to team up together. However, Snow and Charming sneak off on their own after witnessing Maleficent kill innocent men in order to get past the guards guarding the gates that lead to this tree. Snow and Charming fear that the tree won't give them the answer they seek should they arrive with the villains in tow. However, the tree still doesn't give them an answer, as it senses a potential for great evil within Snow, and Maleficent reveals why, as we learn that Snow is pregnant with Emma, who has potential to be a great hero, or to be a great villain as well. Which is also why we learn that the Chernabog from the previous episode, titled... Darkness on the Edge of Town, was going after Emma, and not Regina. Very interesting. And also very sad too. And there's so much more to come within this storyline, that includes just how Snow and Charming are responsible for Maleficent losing her child. Now... I really love the two scenes when Mary Margaret and Snow White both awaken to find Maleficent standing before her in the dark in both the present day and in the past too. To Mary Margaret it's in a dream, given that Maleficent is still dead at this point, and to Snow within the past she appears to her for real. Very scary indeed. I would be terrified. And I love both of their conversations too, as Maleficent seeks Snow's help once more, asking her to do so as a mother because she too is about to be a mother as well. And how in the dream, Maleficent's appearance to Mary Margaret is a warning of what's to come. Maleficent is alive once again!! I really love how Cruella, Ursula, and Gold all team up together in order to resurrect Maleficent, by luring David and Mary Margaret into a trap that they easily fall for because they're so afraid of their secret being revealed, especially to Emma. And I find it interesting that what they needed to resurrect Maleficent was some of their blood because they are the ones who wronged her most, and Maleficent's ashes left behind in the mines after Emma had killed her in her dragon form. It's interesting, and yet I absolutely love it too! Brilliant! :) However, as much as I love this idea... In some ways, it also may seem a bit inconsistent and possibly a little too easy, especially when Gold/Rumplestiltskin has said on multiple occasions in the past that the dead cannot be raised and brought back to life. However, I do believe that Maleficent's resurrection is possible because Maleficent's soul has been cursed to remain trapped in whichever form she happens to currently be in as was said by Regina to Emma and Gold to Ursula and Cruella too. First... A dragon upon being brought over in the curse within her dragon form until she's killed by Emma, and then she becomes a mummified beast as is seen by Hook when he is forced to fight and defeat her back in season two's episode, titled... The Evil Queen. Regina tells this to Emma back in season one's episode, titled... A Land Without Magic. Nevertheless... It's so exciting and I love that Maleficent is back again, and that the Queens of Darkness have been reunited again. :) And Maleficent is a fantastic villainess, played by actress... Kristen Bauer Van Straten!! I absolutely love her, especially throughout this episode! Her face in the ending when she puts together her child's baby rattle is heartbreaking, and beautifully acted. As for the storyline with Regina seeking answers about the Author with Henry's and Emma's help... I really, really love that we finally get to see Geppetto and Pinocchio again, as they try to jog Pinocchio's memory from when he had been August, upon Regina getting the idea from the storybook when she discovers that the pages from Pinocchio's story are different from the rest. This whole storyline is really good. And I especially love the scene between Regina and Geppetto, when Regina comes to him in his garage to apologize for lashing out at them. It's really quite a beautiful moment, and I love that Geppetto gives Regina August's things in hope that she and Henry can use them to finds some answers... which Henry does. In the end, it shows Henry finding a page out of the storybook showing a simple picture of a door, with a sticky note scribed by August that talks about the Author. Very interesting. The question is... What does it mean? :) And lastly... I really love the little montage in the end showing Henry finding this page, as well as showing Emma and Killian walking arm in arm down the street looking as adorable as always, and finally Gold as he's watching Belle through the window of his shop, only for him to see her talking with Will Scarlet and then kiss, appearing as though Belle has already moved on. Not good. I will say this... I don't care much for this moment in seeing Belle and Will kiss, because I just don't like the idea of Belle and Will being together. Because it feels so out of nowhere. And while Will is technically listed as a main cast character for some reason, I don't feel like he's been in this show enough to be included as such. And I don't care all that much for his character aside from a few great humorous scenes within the Frozen arc between him and Killian, him and Robin, and between him and Mary Margaret too. He's more of a major character in Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, and even then... I am not too invested in his character. If Will was developed as more of a character in this show, I think this possible romance blooming between him and Belle would be a bit more believable, or at least more impactful. At least to me. This is just how I feel. I may be in the minority once again, and I definitely don't want to see Belle get back together with Rumple either because he certainly doesn't deserve her. But I would much prefer to see more of a build up between Belle and any new man she could grow to love, and have this character be more of a significant character. Thank you so much once more, my dear friend! Like always... I love your reaction for this episode!! And I cannot wait for all the rest to come!!! Sincerely, Heidi

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum