Once Upon a Time: Season Four, Episode Thirteen

First Aired March 1st, 2015.

Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin (played by Robert Carlyle) is holed up in a dingy New York City apartment with Ursula (played by Merrin Dungey). She is dubious about his plan to find the Author but he convinces her to join him.

They travel to Long Island and find Cruella (played by Victoria Smurfit) being evicted from her mansion. Gold also gets Cruella to join the quest and the three of them head out for Storybrooke. Flashbacks detail how Rumple first used Ursula, Cruella and Maleficent (played by Kristen Bauer) to help him get the original curse. He predictably betrayed the women and left them to be killed by a demon called the Chernabog that eats people with dark hearts but they worked together and escape. Back in the present, Cruella and Ursula turn on Rumple outside the town line because they don’t want to be led into another trap. Rumple tells the women that his plan depends on him trusting them not the other way around. He wants Cruella and Ursula to manipulate the residents of Storybrooke into inviting them into the town. Once inside, the women would then secretly smuggle Rumple, assuming they don’t betray him.

While I’m still getting used to the idea of Cruella de Vil being a powerful witch, I am enjoying this new format of having several antagonists.

So the all-powerful Rumple didn’t create the curse, he just stole it. I’m thinking their knowledge of it beforehand was how Ursula and Cruella managed to retain their memories in the real world. It was just last episode that it was made clear there’s no way back to Storybrooke after you leave but I knew that wouldn’t last. These kind of rules are always retracted eventually.

Cruella and Ursula would be smart to leave Rumple outside of town and do their own thing. He’s already screwed them over once and he’s never been honest with anyone. Rumple lies like it’s a bodily function.

Meanwhile, in town, Regina/The Evil Queen (played by Lana Parilla) is discouraged that they haven’t found the Author, but Emma (played by Jennifer Morrison) remains hopeful. Regina does manage to release the captured fairies from the Sorcerer’s Hat but it also releases the Chernabog. As it rampages through town, Cruella and Ursula call Regina claiming to be “reformed” and explain what the demon wants in return for being allowed to stay in Storybrooke.

Regina is used as bait to lure the demon over the town line where there’s no magic and it evaporates. When they prepare to let Ursula and Cruella enter, Snow White/Mary Margaret (played by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming/David (played by Josh Dallas) try to convince them not to. But Regina thinks they should be allowed a chance to prove they have reformed and they are allowed into Storybrooke. Later, Mary Margaret and David meet with Cruella and Ursula and threaten them if they reveal a dark secret from their past.

Snow White and Prince Charming have a sordid past with some villainesses? That’s like learning Captain Planet secretly doesn’t recycle. It must involve something really dark, like maybe someone died, considering how fired up they were about keeping it secret.

Whoever this Author is, he/she hasn’t been seen for decades. I’m holding out hope that it’s someone like Stephen King or something.

I get that this demon only eats the hearts of bad people, but I can’t believe it didn’t even try to attack anyone else. It was a dull opening for the show. I’m also really surprised that Regina and Emma actually let Cruella and Ursula into town considering they just got rid of one villain. They know nothing about what these two have been up to out in the world and have decided to allow them to regain their powers. There is no logical reason for their decision. I guess sometimes heroes need villains around in case they get bored.

Later that night, Cruella and Ursula sneak Rumple into Storybrooke. His next step is reviving Maleficent, who has been thought dead since season one. Rumple orchestrated the release of the fairies and the Chernabog so Ursula and Cruella would have leverage to gain entry into Storybrooke. He also reveals that it wasn’t after Regina but someone else with a heart full of darkness; Emma. I know Emma has a checkered past but I wouldn’t have thought she could qualify as being evil. Rumple said she has a heart full of potential darkness, which I assume is foreshadowing that Emma might somehow turn evil, maybe become the series’ next villain.

As usual Rumple is two steps ahead of everyone with his plans. I wonder if he has a book of schemes for any possible scenario.

Quotes & Thoughts

“How are you?” “Mostly wondering how a plate of undercooked calamari ended up with the Dark One’s cell phone.”

Cruella controls animals with her breath. Amazing power or amazing mouth wash?

“I’m sure the Savior and the Evil Queen can come up with a way to defeat this beast.” “Drop the ‘E’ word already!”

I don’t see Emma rocking the over-the-top Evil Queen look.

If you enjoyed Manny’s return to Storybrooke, you can find the rest of his work right HERE on Sci-Fi Bloggers. You can also follow him on Twitter @KN_Manny.

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