Once Upon a Time | 7x22
Added 2025-02-03 19:00:07 +0000 UTCThanks for sponsoring, Heidi!
** previous season access will be available on the archive if your tier allows.
Some episodes are currently available in the COLLECTION on Patreon.
**will go to archive 2/17
Comments
Fantastic ending to a fantastic show! I read once that Moana would have played a big role for a season 8 had it been renewed. Not sure how I'd have felt about that, but they definitely planted the seeds by Hook referencing Maui's hook. I do have questions about that though, like how Hook knows it was Maui's when Blackbeard never said where the relic came from. And how did Zelena even get it? Perhaps Heidi might be able to shed light on it? Plothole or season 8 preplanning? And just a small thought but there was some comments made about the random sergeant not noticeably connected to any story or realm only to play a big role in one episode and I am convinced he's the sergeant from Zootopia. Their personality is the same! And my other small critique is the lack of Drizella in this episode. I get that other actors might have been busy so they couldn't make cameos, like Dr. Whale or Ruby, but Drizella was this season and surely didn't have other shows on the schedule at the time. Oh well, thanks for the sponsorship and it was great reliving memories again. There has been rumors of a potential revival and I'm not sure if I'd want one. For one, Rumple is dead and he made the show. He really was the soul and, given what happened in the finale, he was also ironically and perhaps poetically the heart of the show too.
GAThrawn
2025-02-06 05:45:33 +0000 UTCYou are very welcome, Alicia. :) Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2025-02-05 03:36:09 +0000 UTCGreat ending, though i wish Red Riding Hood & Mulan could've been in the final scene too. i really did love both Once Upon a Time and the spin-off Once Upon A Time in Wonderland, flaws and all.
Joshua Shields
2025-02-04 15:31:03 +0000 UTCUgh i cry every time when i watch these last two episodes!!😭😭 such beautiful character development for the two best characters on the show, our dear Rumple and Regina🥹 like oh my god so so well done, like that’s why i hate it when people tell first time watchers to just skip this season entirely; because i honestly feel like this finale makes it all worth seeing. I absolutely cried when Rumple truly and finally sacrificed himself for, now we know to be the closest thing he ever had to a friend like shut the fuck up😖🫠 that’s so beautiful i love it so much. And then to have Regina, who’s just like at the core of her character has struggled with her own integrity and morals and her own sense of good and bad from the very beginning; to have gone along this whole journey with her, from the absolute vilest and cruelest parts of her, to the truly beautiful and kindhearted and empathetic parts of her, all the losses she’s endured, her horrible yet gorgeous mother, losing Robin like our girl has been through so much shit and for her to be crowned by Snow and Charming as the Good Queen like😮💨😭 my godddd!!! it’s just so so damn good. a damn near perfect ending for those characters, and honestly everyone. not like thinking too hard about the wish realm people just basically meaning there’s double of everyone, forgotten characters and the logistics of having literally every storybook realm in our world like..?😂🤷🏾♀️ ntm on that lmao And yeah i would say i think seasons 1-4 are absolutely prime time OUAT and i love parts of 5,6,7 so yeah i definitely agree this show has been an amazing journey and had come to an end at good time! Thanks Travis and Heidi for this incredible journey, man what a ride it has been y’all!😭🥹
Alicia Cue
2025-02-04 10:41:51 +0000 UTCYou are most welcome, Hannah! Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2025-02-04 06:29:18 +0000 UTCYou are most welcome, Grhazi. :) Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2025-02-04 06:28:45 +0000 UTCHeidi and Travis - This show was my childhood. It was probably the first drama "adult" kind of show I watched. I remember in 7th grade I started tuning in. Getting to watch this show start to finish again through fresh eyes was so nostalgic. I'd get so excited to see a new post for this show every single time. This show can be so corny but it has so much heart and it feels like a safe space to watch it here lol. Thank you both for making this experience possible!
Gehazi Whitehurst
2025-02-04 01:22:36 +0000 UTCThank you so much and thank you Heidi! Can’t believe it’s over… I’ve rewatched this show before but this time watching it with you, the ending felt like it did the first time I watched the series finale. Extremely bittersweet. Because I’m hoping to milk this, is there any chance we could sponsor your reaction to the “Cast’s Goodbyes” and/or the bloopers from all of the seasons? Now that you’ve finished with the characters, I think it would be nice to see you meet the actors behind them! This is def different from what your channel is so 1000% get it if not :) thank you again
Hannah
2025-02-03 23:42:56 +0000 UTCYou are most welcome, Ingrid! :) Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2025-02-03 20:39:57 +0000 UTCLeaving Storybrooke- Thank you so very much for your beautiful and emotional reaction to this absolutely beautiful and powerful series finale for Once Upon a Time, Travis! And thank you very much for all of your incredible reactions to every episode of Once Upon a Time overall! You're wonderful! And I appreciate you so very much for reacting to my favorite show for me, and for all you do for us!! :) Now... I have to say that coming into this series finale, I was very excited and happy to watch it! However, I was also so very sad, because this is the final episode of Once Upon a Time. I remember that I was already crying before the episode even began the first time I ever watched this finale, just as I started crying before watching your reaction tonight. Because this is the end. And I knew we would be seeing our favorite characters from the past seasons for one final time, along with those we've come to love this season too. To me... This episode is absolutely so beautiful! And I am so happy and proud to say... I have absolutely no complaints. First, regarding the opening scene of this episode... It is hilarious, and I absolutely love it!!! I love seeing Grumpy again, along with a couple of the other dwarfs as well. Doc and Sleepy. Then, we also see Granny, and Archie with Pongo too. And this makes me all the happier. :) Along with Zelena and a younger Robin, as Alice and Robin come back to the time before Robin grew up and Zelena's magic was restored. Alice and Robin arrive in town and try to convince them all that their family is in trouble, and they just think these two are crazy and are intruders, so they attack them. It is so brilliant! Granny with her crossbow and Grumpy with his ax. Ha! Ha! Ha! I also like that Robin is able to convince her mother to help them to save their family, which brings them back to the Wish Realm, to Rumple's castle. In the next scene... We return to seeing how Wish Hook, Rumple, Henry, Ella, and Lucy are doing trapped within the snow globe, and we learn that Wish Rumple did more to our Rumple than we thought, as he has used Wish Henry's powers to remove Rumple's powers and immortality, making him powerless to stop him. And Rumple is prepared to give up, but Wish Hook pushes back and refuses to, which I absolutely love about him!!! :) Then we have a stand between Wish Henry and Regina within Snow's and Charming's castle where this show all began, with Snow's and Charming's wedding just after David wakes Snow from the sleeping curse. It is quite perfect that this episode would begin and end here in this castle's great hall. But back to Wish Henry and Regina... Henry's angry still, and he has certainly grown very cold and dark just as Wish Rumple states later on. A real twist on his character for sure. For a moment, we think that Regina has managed to convince him she's changed and that she can give him his happy ending, but then we quickly see that Wish Henry is only playing her as he slices her hand with a dagger to draw her blood, which Wish Rumple needs for a new curse. Which I will talk about in a moment... In the next scene... I begin to cry again, and certainly not for the last time within this episode. It is absolutely beautiful when Robin appears to Regina in a dream, that isn't so much a dream, but some kind of magic which allows him to come back to her for a brief moment in order to offer Regina the hope and strength she needs to find the will to keep fighting. My favorite lines between them here, are when Regina states that it isn't fair how their love story was so short, to which Robin replies, "It doesn't make it any less epic." How true! And then he gives her his feather from one of his arrows once again and when Regina awakens, she still has the feather in her hands. So beautiful! I love, love, love this final moment between Regina and Robin!! :) I love how when we go back to those trapped in the snow globe again, Wish Hook and Rumple are fighting to break free as Wish Hook uses his hook and Rumple his dagger, to try to break through the glass. Rumple is still doubting they can break free, while Wish Hook still refuses to give up. And I love how when Wish Hook says they should keep trying to find a week spot, Rumple then tells him he admires Wish Hook's unbreakable determination, and that it and his good heart are why Rumple chose him to be his partner while they were Weaver and Rogers. But my favorite line in this scene comes when Wish Hook then asks Rumple why he never used all of his power to destroy him, before they had become friends. And honestly, I don't believe he was simply referring to himself either, but to Killian too. Because Rumple could have used his power anytime to kill them both. And to this question Rumple answers, "Because you were the closest thing I ever had to a friend." So perfect and wonderful!! And it's true. While he was somewhat friends with Regina and others off and on, Wish Hook has truly been his friend even when he was learning to trust Rumple as Detective Rogers. Wish Hook fought alongside him and worked alongside him, and they've grown to truly respect each other despite both of their pasts. Absolutely incredible!!! And then... Maui's fishhook suddenly appears within the globe to free them and everyone from their prison thanks to Alice, who somehow found it in Wish Rumple's castle... or maybe conjures it using her magic. And they get there with help from Zelena and the rest of the heroes of course who we haven't seen at this point yet. Alice quickly attempts to go to her father to hug him, but the poison in his heart flares again, which begins it to spread beyond what any of the heroes can do for him. But I will touch on that later too... They then learn where Regina is being held and while Henry and the others will go to free her, Rumple stays behind at the castle to search for a way to defeat Wish Rumple. Next... We learn about Wish Rumple's new curse using the Author and his storybooks to trap each of them within their own realm of loneliness and misery. And we learn that because Wish Henry's heart had been darkened just as Gold had tried to do with Emma back in season four, as well as with Regina's blood. And we see Wish Rumple and Wish Henry open Wish Blue's dark story as a portal opens up and pulls her inside. Of course, this leads me to wonder if Wish Blue is also saved in the end, but again a very minor detail. I suspect that she is saved. Or so I hope. This is never actually confirmed. We do see Blue in the crowd at Regina's coronation in the very end. However, I suspect that this is the original version of Blue who has been in Storybrooke all along. Whereas it is the Wish Realm version of Blue that Wish Rumple cast inside of the dark realm inside her own dark storybook. I have to believe that upon Wish Rumple's defeat, Wish Blue was freed and brought back. Because everyone gains their happy endings in the end. But... It's never spoken or revealed for certain. Afterwards... We see Rumple still looking and feeling defeated, as he finds a dreamcatcher and remembers his wedding to Belle, then states to her that he believes he's failed to keep his promise to return to her. Very sad. But quite beautiful too. I absolutely love, love, love the moment between Wish Hook and Robin too. It's sad how the poison in Hook's heart has come to be so bad, and that he's slowly dying. And I really started to become afraid that Wish Hook was going to die by the end too. But then, Robin asks Wish Hook for his permission to marry his daughter, which I have to admit is sweet that she keeps to the tradition that both Wish Hook and Killian hold by asking the father for their daughters' hands in marriage. And Robin tells him that he isn't going to die, because he needs to be there to walk Alice down the aisle. So sweet, despite my qualms with Alice's and Robin's love story. Now... All of this leads up to Wish Hook and Robin being there outside of the castle to distract the Evil Queen's black knights, while Henry saves Regina down in the dungeon. Henry's about to be killed, until we believe two of the knights save him. However, it's actually revealed to be Snow and Charming who arrive to save Regina too!!! And it's so wonderful to see them again!! In the next scene... A group of the heroes have gathered together as Snow and Charming give a final hope speech as they talk about uniting together to stand against Wish Rumple. And I love, love, love how David looks to Wish Hook and states that he's a new friend, who feels like an old friend who has found his way to them. So perfect. :) Then, they have found the new storybooks that Wish Rumple has created for everyone and while they're scared, they still have hope that they will find each other again. So perfect!! At last... The epic final battle for all our heroes begins as Rumple announces he has found a way to defeat Wish Rumple, and pours magic over his hand similar to what Cora and Regina had poured over Hook's hook in past seasons, so that Rumple can remove his evil self's heart. Meanwhile... Wish Henry is searching for Regina, who appears to face her younger son in one last effort to help him to find his change of heart. Rumple attempts to fight against Wish Rumple, who quickly forces him back, then conjures all of the heroes' storybooks whom he's facing off against and everyone suddenly is facing the portals that are trying to pull them into their new prisons, which will separate them all forever. Henry saves Robin when she nearly gets pulled in. And when Alice is about to be pulled into her own storybook as well, Wish Hook fights to pull himself closer to his daughter to save her using his hook to hold onto the table with while he suddenly reaches out to grab her hand just as she loses her grip on the table. Sadly, and fearfully, their touch causes the poison in Hook's heart to flare again. Alice begs him to let go, but Wish Hook refuses to let her go. Regina is willing to sacrifice herself if Wish Henry won't let go of his hate towards her, but finally she convinces him to stop, and Henry's heart is softened. Wish Henry and Regina overcome his pain, which then allows for the portals all to close and Wish Rumple's plan is thwarted. And this is when I began to cry again, as Hook falls to ground as he dies, just as I feared he would by the end of this season. And Alice, Henry, and Robin all rush over to be with him. And this brings me to one of the most beautiful moments, and one of my absolute favorite moments of the entire episode, up until the very ending!! Which I will get to again shortly... But I absolutely love, love, love how Rumple turns to Wish Rumple and states to him that Wish Hook's death is his fault, then makes the ultimate sacrifice to save his closest friend and former enemy. Which brings Wish Hook's and Rumplestiltskin's storyline full circle, and makes for the biggest redemption arc throughout the entire show for both men. Rumple rips out his own heart and in doing so, because of the magic that is a bit more advance and improved than the spell over Killian's hook, all of the evil and darkness within his heart is vanquished and Rumple suddenly thrusts the once again glowing red and pure heart into Hook's chest to revive him. In doing this, Rumple then dies in place of Wish Hook and Wish Rumple disintegrates into ash. This moment always makes me cry so hard, because this moment is absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way!! Wish Hook immediately sits up and exclaims that the poison in his heart is gone as he hugs his daughter for the first time since his heart was poisoned by Gothel, not quite realizing at first what had happened. Alice tells him that Rumple has given his life to bring him back to life. Wish Hook quickly turns and sees the sacrifice his friend and partner has made for him, he thanks him, and then bids his old friend farewell. And I always continue to cry as Rumple finally... After seven seasons of selfishly seeking his own happy ending, and years of him righteously trying to get back to Belle after her death... finds himself within the Realm of the Dead in front of a wishing well like the one found in the woods surrounding Storybrooke. And then Belle appears before him as she says his name and welcomes him home, then says that she always knew he would find his way back to her. So, so beautiful!! Meanwhile... Regina and Wish Henry arrive back at the castle and Regina walks in to find that Rumple has given his life to save Wish Hook. She kneels over his body and cries while she says goodbye to him, then wishes that he finds the happiness he's been seeking. Afterwards... Both adult Henry and Wish Henry come to find Regina, and she's standing before them with another scroll in her hand as she tells them it's time for everyone to return home. However, she tells them she plans to cast one final curse. Adult Henry rolls his eyes and states, "You've got to be kidding me?" I felt the same way when she first states this when I first watched this episode. But then... Regina says that it's time for everyone to finally be brought together under the protection and cover of magic within Storybrooke, Maine by casting a new dark curse using good magic to do so and taking a tiny piece of everyone's hearts to cast it. A small, forgotten corner in Maine... Absolutely genius!! Sometime later, as the words that appear on the screen say... We see the clock tower in Storybrooke again, as Tinker Bell is flying around through town and we see familiar places within Storybrooke such as the library, Gold's pawnshop, and Granny's. Sadly, we only see a computer generated version of Tink like we did in the season six finale and not Rose McIver herself. But again... A minor detail I can easily overlook. And then, the camera continues, and we see that Storybrooke has expanded to join all other kingdoms together as we see the Charmings' castle, the Land of Untold Stories, the Enchanted Forest, the Wish Realm, Oz, Camelot, Neverland, Arendelle, etc... I couldn't see all of the kingdoms that were brought in because this moment scrolls by very quickly. But there are so many! It's incredible!! :) But Regina's curse works, and everyone has come together at last and are shown all together at the very end. But first... Just before this there's a few seconds we have of Henry and Zelena driving Regina towards the castle, though we don't see them, we hear Henry explain how Maleficent had at last helped Lily to find her father, which is a hole in the storyline that many people have wondered about. He also mentions the name I think, but I didn't catch it at first. I had to re-watch this episode later so that I could catch all of the details I might have missed. Those who have always complained that it was never said what happened to Maleficent and Lily after season four, can't complain anymore. The name of Lily's father has turned out to be Zorro. Amazing!! I didn't see that reveal coming! :) Regarding the curse bringing all our beloved characters together again, and there being the time travel issue... It's never specified how this all works. However, I have to believe that the curse cast by Regina sorts everything out so that the past and present day characters are brought together as one, with all present day memories intact. After all... We do see only one version of Zelena in the present day again at Regina's coronation, and she has her magic. So, I suspect that she's the one and only Zelena who has found her own happy ending with her daughter, as well as her finance, Chad, whom we only meet once back in the previous episode... Chosen. Sadly, we don't see him again, but I have to believe he's in Storybrooke with Zelena, that he knows the whole truth about Zelena and all fairytales being real, and that they are happy together. And last, but not least... We come to my other favorite moment within this beautiful and amazing episode!! We finally see all of our beloved characters come together again, as Regina becomes their Queen after being elected to become so by everyone. This is somewhat of a nod to back in season one when Emma goes against Regina who nominates Sydney to stand against her in the election for town sheriff, as well as is a way of remembering how the dwarfs bowed to her as their Queen in the season six finale too. Wish Hook and Wish Henry are there, along with all the new characters throughout season seven. We see everyone, except for Emma, Killian, and their child, and as Snow starts to crown her, Regina leans in close as she whispers, "Is everyone here?" Snow states that the baby was fussing, meaning that Emma and Killian might not make it. Snow then is about to lay the crown on her head... And suddenly the doors crash open to reveal Emma standing there with Killian, who is holding their baby!!! Yay!!!!! Emma is wearing her red leather jacket over her gown, while Killian has once again come to wear his pirate apparel including his long black leather duster. But what's really hilarious here is that Killian's hook is baby proofed, as he's shown wearing some sort of stopper over the point of his hook to avoid hurting his child. So funny. Ha! Ha! Ha! Then, Emma quickly apologizes for being late, as she and Killian make their way up to the front. Regina is crowned the Good Queen, and she then gives a hope speech of her own. While she's speaking about how much has come between them as heroes and villains came together, how villains became heroes, old friends and new friends are brought together, and how there will be more friends and family to come, as well as more losses in the battles ahead... We see flashbacks of past episodes. Absolutely amazing! And then... This episode ends by showing us the sign that states Leaving Storybrooke. Absolutely incredible! :) Thank you, thank you so very much once more for all your many wonderful and fun reactions to my absolute favorite show ever created, Travis!!! I miss Once Upon a Time so deeply and am so sad it's finished. But this happy ending for everyone shown in Leaving Storybrooke is beautiful and epic!! And lastly... I want to send you a list to let you know which episodes I have loved over all the seasons, and I do have many! As well as which episodes I consider to be among the weakest episodes within every season too. I really love them all, but there are a few weaker episodes within every season, in my opinion. Season One Favorites- Pilot, Snow Falls, That Still Small Voice, The Shepherd, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Red-Handed, Heart of Darkness, Hat Trick, The Return, The Stranger, An Apple Red As Blood, and A Land Without Magic Season One Least Favorites- True North and Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Season Two Favorites- We Are Both, Lady of the Lake, The Crocodile, The Doctor, Tallahassee, Queen of Hearts, and And Straight on 'Til Morning Season Two Least Favorites- Child of the Moon, In the Name of the Brother, Welcome to Storybrooke, Selfless Brave and True, Lacey, and Second Star to the Right Season Three Favorites- Lost Girl, Good Form, Ariel, Going Home, New York City Serenade, The Jolly Roger, A Curious Thing, Kansas, Snow Drifts, and There's No Place Like Home Season Three Least Favorites- Nasty Habits, Save Henry, Quiet Minds, and Bleeding Through Season Four Favorites- Rocky Road, The Apprentice, Smash the Mirror Part One and Smash the Mirror Part Two, Fall, Shattered Sight, Heroes and Villains, Poor Unfortunate Soul, Sympathy For the De Vil, and Operation Mongoose Part One and Operation Mongoose Part Two Season Four Least Favorites- Breaking Glass, Family Business, Heart of Gold, and Lily Season Five Favorites- Siege Perilous, Birth, Broken Heart, Swan Song, Souls of the Departed, The Brothers Jones, Firebird, and Last Rites Season Five Least Favorites- Dreamcatcher, The Bear and the Bow, The Bear King, Our Decay, and Ruby Slippers Season Six Favorites- Dark Waters, Heartless, Murder Most Foul, Page 23, A Wondrous Place, Awake, The Song in Your Heart, and The Final Battle Part One and The Final Battle Part Two Season Six Least Favorites- A Bitter Draught, Street Rats, Changelings, Ill-Boding Patterns Season Seven Favorites- A Pirate's Life, Eloise Gardener, The Eighth Witch, Knightfall, Breadcrumbs, Chosen, The Guardian, Flower Child, Is This Henry Mills?, Homecoming, and Leaving Storybrooke Season Seven Least Favorites- The Garden of Forking Paths, Greenbacks, Pretty in Blue, One Little Tear, A Taste of the Heights, and Sisterhood There are also so many favorite scenes from other episodes that didn't make this list. And just because I didn't include certain episodes here, it doesn't mean I don't like every episode. Because as a whole, I love every single one of them!! Those listed here among my favorites, are just among the ones which stand out most to me the most! Whether it's because of my favorite characters, or because they're simply just so well acted for me, or the storylines and dialogue stand out more to me than in the rest. Once Upon a Time overall is phenomenal and beautiful!!!! :) Please let me know what your favorites and possibly even your least favorites from each season are too, if you'd like, Travis. And anyone else who may wish to share their favorites and least favorites with me too, of course! I'm curious if your lists match mine, or if you've loved, or maybe even disliked others completely different compared to my lists. Thank you, Travis! Thank you truly, my dear friend! :) Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2025-02-03 20:18:15 +0000 UTCThank you Heidi and thank you Travis for this journey. It's been crazy and so fun❤️
ingrid vedeld
2025-02-03 19:03:00 +0000 UTC
