Once Upon a Time (It's very own thread)

[drawkcabi]

I just noticed Regina didn't get her magic back until Emma touched her shoulder. Is Emma some sort of wellspring? As to Baelfire, if time passes at the same rate in the real world and the Fairy world then shouldn't Bael be much older?

I thought that was a given that Emma was a wellspring, when she first comes to Storybrook the clock starts, when she kisses the sheriff his memories of his former life return, plus other instances. Even though the curse is broken the idea that "magic works different" and they are still (more or less) in our world would mean Emma still has special abilties in Storybrooke.

My guess was that the guy at the beginning was Bael.

[Chelly]

As to my general impression of this episode, about half way through, I literally felt a warm and comfortable feeling hit me. I felt like someone was telling me a bed time story. There is a logical understanding the show is so far outside the realm of plausibility that in order for me to truly enjoy it, I had to look on it with a child like naivety. The beautiful thing about this, is that the makers of this show are successful in doing this. I am now looking at my Sunday night's as a gift.

:agree: This is exactly why I like this show so much.

The premiere was pretty good. I'm very interested in why the (clock corner?) of fairy tale land was unaffected by the curse I am assuming that fairy tale land and Storybrooke exist in the same space in the universe but belong to separate worlds..or errr something like that... :dunno: If that might be the case, the clock still has yet a much bigger role in the future I think.

At first, I thought "Rene from True Blood" in the beginning was Baelfire, but how long ago in fairy tale land did Baelfire leave before the curse? He was already like 12 when he left, so he should be older than the guy in the beginning(if that was Baelfire). Oh well, my second guess is Henry's father(if Baelfire is not Henry's dad).

What was up with Regina not remembering Jefferson? Did I hear that right?

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

I think she was lieing about Jefferson.

[Queen Regent]

I think she was lying about Jefferson too. And where was August?!

[Warg Arry]

True, Bae would probably be much older. Though I won't rule it out completely. Time is such a strange character to this show.

(seriously Henry was the only one moving forward in age? poor Cinderella. Pregnant for more than 28 years. *shudder*)

Who else would be outside of Storybrooke but be interested in it and (I assume) it's curse... But then again Bae left before it all. How would he know about Storybrooke. Unless he was watching out for his father some how....

eta; Yes August. I know there was a lot going on. But Emma saw him turn into wood. Begging her to hurry.. Nobody even checks on him?

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

WA,

He's a carving what's he got to worry about?

[Lady Octarina]

That was an excellent episode. The main group of characters meeting again after getting their memories back was touching; Rumple and Regina were the best thing about the episode, as usual. And, well, Henry seemed to show some concern for Regina's well-being for a change, let's see where this goes. Mulan was okay, the wraith was an interesting touch but too "dementor" to my taste, and Aurora and her prince were absolutely unbearable. But that whole plot left me wondering: would it work if he cut off his hand? Would the creature stop going after him? Because that could be an interesting explanation for a certain handless character we'll see in one of the next episodes...

As to Whale's identity, well, his name would lead us to guess he has something to do with Moby Dick, but I think that might be a red herring. It would be fun if he was a bitter grown-up version of Peter Pan, for example. A friend of mine is certain he is Victor Frankenstein, though.

And "René", well... My guess is still that he is Bae - and Henry's father (at least one of them anyway). Mainly because I don't see why they should make such a mystery about it if he was anyone else, but also because, well, his apartment has things from different periods of history, like he's a collector or something. And who else has a similar collection at home? Rumple, of course. There is something else that has bothered me for a while: August knew about the knife as a way of defeating Rumple, and the only person that might have known about that was Bae. So, August met Bae at some point and might have kept in touch, which might have explained how the mysterious man/Bae knew about the curse and who sent him the message after all (unless we discover next episode that August is still made of wood, of course). As to how Bae would be around 40 if he left FTL so long ago, it's just that I really don't see anything that might suggest time in our world and in FTL work the same way. He could have fallen in our world 30 years ago, for example. Or maybe the man himself doesn't grow up at the same rate other people do (Peter Pan anyone?). I mean, we don't know if Bae was only Rumple's son in FTL - the same way his father was Rumplestiltskin and the Beast, Bae could have a second identity. What leads me to this idea is that the variety of objects at the mysterious man's flat might not be a collection of items he acquired over two decades just because; maybe he lived through what might have been the eight decades those objects belong to. Anyway, it is said his identity will be revealed in the mid-season finale, we'll just have to wait.

But I've seen some reasonable suggestions indicating he might be the White Rabbit from Wonderland: because the WR travels between both worlds, so he could be in ours when the curse was cast; because of the monocles and pocket-watches in his apartment; because when he loses his music-player it's like the thing was falling through a rabbit-hole; and because of that "Cleaners & Hatters" sign. In that case, Jefferson would be the one to inform him through the dove. I think both possibilities are equally strong, but I'd prefer if it was revealed he was Bae/Henry's father.

For anyone who's interested, I'd recommend this article listing everything that was in his apartment.

I'm 90% sure I know what Gold's favor from Emma will be.

What's your guess? ^.^

[Howdyphillip]

This is just a quick correction about Michael Raymond-James, the mystery character featured on the intro of this seasons premiere.

He is NOT Rene, the cold blooded murderer from True Blood season 1. Before you say anything, yes... He did play this role, but he is no more Rene than he is Dave, the character from The Walking Dead who was in a couple of episodes.

The simple truth of the matter is that Michael Raymond James will always be Britt Pollack from Terriers. If you haven't seen that show, do yourself a favor and check it out.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

LO,

Find Baelfire. She is a balebondsperson after all. That is what they do, find people who are hiding.

[Lady Octarina]

He is NOT Rene, the cold blooded murderer from True Blood season 1. Before you say anything, yes... He did play this role, but he is no more Rene than he is Dave, the character from The Walking Dead who was in a couple of episodes.

lol

I was too lazy to search for the actor's name and René was the only character he played whose name I could actually remember.

That's probably the case with everyone else here as well :P

LO,

Find Baelfire. She is a balebondsperson after all. That is what they do, find people who are hiding.

Which should prove interesting if Bae = Henry's father after all. But Rumple never acts as expected; I'm guessing he'll use this mysterious magical potential of hers for something, seeing as magical sources seem to be scarce in our world.

[the maid of woodlynne]

True, Bae would probably be much older. Though I won't rule it out completely. Time is such a strange character to this show.

(seriously Henry was the only one moving forward in age? poor Cinderella. Pregnant for more than 28 years. *shudder*)

Henry wasn't born in Storybrooke, so the time freeze should have a different effect (or no effect at all) on him. Right? Plus, I would think since Emma is "special" he should have some residual "special" in him as well.

[Warg Arry]

WA,

He's a carving what's he got to worry about?

:lol: I liked the way you phrased that.

You have a point. Oh but what if he is still conscious. Wouldn't that be like being buried alive....or dreaming.

I wasn't so much concerned about him. (Thinking about it. I'm not really sure why I care about him. Or Geppetto. when it comes down to it.)

I just thought that he implied to Emma that breaking the curse would have an affect on his change. Emma seemed to have some kind of emotional response/connection to August and what was happening.

Obviously that reaction would be multi layered. But it made an impression on me that August's absence was felt by me. And felt off. In particular now that Emma isn't in a position to interact with August. At least for a while.

OTOH the episode was a little too squishy that searching for August might have felt like an awkward third wheel storyline.

Henry wasn't born in Storybrooke, so the time freeze should have a different effect (or no effect at all) on him. Right? Plus, I would think since Emma is "special" he should have some residual "special" in him as well.

It's curious isn't it? That a person who is subject to aging and change in accordance with this worlds rules. Was brought to storybrooke at all.

Henry was aware that time had stopped and was described as lonely and friendless. How does that enchantment work? Where the mayor has a 3 week old one day and a 10 year old another. Yet Cinderella is still pregnant for the entire time. (I'm just using Cinders as an example in that her situation should have progressed before Henry even reached his 1st birthday. And for the stagnant existence of everyone in Storybrooke)

Seems sort of like an unexplainable risk for the Mayor to take..Still it didn't seem to ruffle any feathers.

It just make time an unreliable tell in this show.

[Angalin]

WA,

He's a carving what's he got to worry about?

Being used for firewood for a Halloween bonfire?

Scot, I want to know what you think Gold will demand from Emma as a favour (spoilery spoiler tags), please.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Angalin,

I think Gold was waiting for the curse to be broken. I think he wants Emma for her skills as an investigator. He wants her to find Bael.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Okay,

The fact that Gold was planning to leave and didn't anticipate the lingering effects of the curse is really interesting. It also put a bit of a hole in my spoilerized theory.

[Howdyphillip]

Okay,

The fact that Gold was planning to leave and didn't anticipate the lingering effects of the curse is really interesting. It also put a bit of a hole in my spoilerized theory.

An idea that hit me when Gold was having his fit after being told that people lose their original selves upon leaving Storybrooke is...

That he had already sent Bella out to do something... possibly to find Bael. She was notoriously absent from the episode.

The other thing that I wanted to comment on is that my TV crush on Regina is getting larger and larger every week. I love the fact that the writers make you sympathetic to the Evil Queen.

[Tempest of Tantrums]

possibly descending in to spoilery-crackpottery here, but:

is Cora Bael's mother? Henry Snr said it was Rumples that turned her cold..

[drawkcabi]

An idea that hit me when Gold was having his fit after being told that people lose their original selves upon leaving Storybrooke is...

That he had already sent Bella out to do something... possibly to find Bael. She was notoriously absent from the episode.

The other thing that I wanted to comment on is that my TV crush on Regina is getting larger and larger every week. I love the fact that the writers make you sympathetic to the Evil Queen.

We are so simpatico on this show!

I've got a huge crush on Regina. Also I love how the flashbacks show Regina as a "good" person that was "seduced by the dark side" - with the final tuen being what she did to her father - she was completely evil - then the show doesn't overstate but just implies the storyline that Regina originally adopted Henry as a failsafe option against Emma, but as she grew into the role of being his mother she learned to love again. It fits so well into the whole fairy-tale Once Upon a Time theme, I think the writers are doing such a fine job with her character.

Also I thought the same thing about why Gold had his fit.

And we get one glimpse of poor August-Pinocchio, all wood but his eyes were alive, then when Henry tells Gepetto where to find him and he's not there. That's another mystery to dwell on.

[Lady Octarina]

Well, I guess that it wasn't August who sent the note to the mystery guy in episode one after all.

I loved this episode, especially the parts in our world - except for Charming's outbursts of foolish bravery, of course, but that's to be expected. It was interesting to see that they're still stuck in that town, particularly where Gold is concerned. Btw, my own pet theory on his reaction is that

it really is because of Bae that he was so frustrated. From his conversation with Regina it seems that he knew her since she was a baby and was just waiting for her to grow up and do something for him - my impression is that all along, maybe since giving Cora her powers, he planned on using her daughter as a way to apply that curse that wold, in the end, be the only way for him to get to our world and go find Bae. I know it's tortuous and Occam probably wouldn't like this idea that much, but Rumples seem to always choose the most complicated, but perfect, course of action, and maybe the kind of magic that would be necessary to achieve his goal demanded it.

Btw, if he first met Cora when she was young, possibly in her twenties, and he was already like that, that would mean that he was that corrupted by magic at least 50 years before the curse was cast. Adding the 28 years it lasted to that count, well... if time in our world and theirs worked side by side or whatever, Bae would be at least 90 now, considering he was probably 12 the last time Rumples saw him. So I guess that completely discredits the notion that mystery man from episode one can't be Bae because he's too young.

Unless, of course, Rumples is a time-traveler, which could be a possibility considering what he told Regina in FTL - though I was more under the impression he might have a Dr. Manhattan understanding of time, though less clear.

I loved to learn the story of how those two met, that's an interesting addition. I'm also curious about who Emma and Snow meet in the cave/dungeon/whatever that was - Snow will recognize her, right?

Mulan is starting to get annoying - though not as bad as Aurora or young Snow White, of course.

[Gertrude]

I am of the opinion that the portal Bae went through opened in a different time as well as place. There is no reason it has to be linear, right? I would think the writers would have more interesting things to do with a younger Bae than a 90 year old and that's what I am basing my opinion on.

I thought Cora would turn up in Storybrooke somehow. I am interested in why she is in Fairy Tale land instead of ... somewhere else? Is their haven a pocket world attached to the main world? I trust in them to explain it, but I have no good theories for this one. I got the impression that Snow's attempted escape was triggered when she saw where they were brought or who the people were. Otherwise, how stupid was it of her to try it at just that moment? Mary Margaret might have tried that, but Snow is a bit more savvy.

And yay dwarves! Fairy dust will help them at an unspecified time in the future. i am kind of torn on how soon I want this to happen. It seems like too big a game changer to happen soon, but I suppose it will have some limiting factor. Fairy Dust has to be a bitch to mine, right? Then again, I'm not sure how long they can go on in Storybrooke as things are. Also glad to see Granny back with her crossbow :)

Why are people annoyed with Aurora?