PREVIOUSLY ON: Once Upon a Time – Set Sail for Betrayal

First aired March 27th, 2016.

Cruella (played by Victoria Smurfit) and Henry (played by Jared Gilmore) are searching for the magical quill. Henry meets the Apprentice (played by Timothy Webber) who warns Henry not to resurrect Cruella, but tells him where to find it in hopes he makes the right decision.

Hook (played by Colin O’Donghue) shocks Emma (played by Jennifer Morrison) by saying he doesn’t deserve saving because he gave in to evil as the Dark One. His brother, Liam (played by Bernard Curry), shows up and reveals there are rumors of a book that can tell them how to defeat Hades (played by Greg Germann). Emma and Hook believe it’s the storybook Henry used to have but they are unable to find it and privately Liam berates Emma for damning Hook and tells her to let him go. Henry reveals the book is in the Sorcerer’s Mansion but Sheriff James (played by Josh Dallas), the evil twin of Prince Charming/David, has the key. Hades finds Liam and threatens to tell Hook the reason he hasn’t moved on if he doesn’t destroy the pages about Hades. David and Mary Margaret/Snow White (played by Ginnifer Goodwin) search James’ house and find the key, nearly being discovered by Cruella (his lover) until David passes himself off as James. Cruella reveals she knew it was David and that James’s unfinished business is his resentment for their mother choosing David over himself. At the mansion, Liam tears out the pages about Hades before anyone notices.

Henry really needed someone to point out that resurrecting a sociopath was a bad idea, real smart kid. Also he’s read that storybook how many times and yet the one time they need information from it he’s got nothing. Emma might have given Hook dark powers but he chose to go crazy with revenge nobody put a gun to his head. His inferiority complex with Liam also brought out this martyr attitude about staying in the Underworld; not measuring up to your older brother is no reason to literally damn yourself. One of the basic tenants of OUaT is that people can redeem themselves so why can’t the guyliner pirate do it? And after Liam’s dark secret comes out (and it’s sure to be a doozy), Hook should feel better about himself, and worse about his brother. Speaking of brothers, David’s evil twin was a major part of the episode but didn’t make one appearance what’s that about? Watching Cruella throw herself at David was hilarious. He and Mary Margaret are getting very chummy with the bad guys lately. “People with mother issues” is another tenant of this show so James has plenty of people to talk with to work out his issues.

Flashbacks show Killian and Liam working on a ship and dreaming of buying their freedom to join the Royal Navy. While sailing through a hurricane the ship captain sails directly into the storm in search for a rare diamond endangering everyone. Hook and Liam stage a mutiny and take over the ship. Hades visits Liam on the ship and makes a deal: to let the ship sink so Hades can claim the souls of the crew in exchange for the diamond so Liam and Hook can join the Navy. Emma tells Hook that she thinks Hades is hiding something but he rejects the idea. Emma confronts Liam but Hook continues to defend him and decides he doesn’t want to be resurrected. Moments later, Hook realizes that Liam was lying and the two of them are confronted by the sailors Liam allowed Hades to kill. They drag the brothers to the fiery pit but Hades arrives intending to spare Liam for holding up his end of the deal. Liam refuses so Hades throws him over and when Liam refuses to drag Hook with him his soul is saved along with the rest of the crew. Furious, Hades leaves.

Liam was always highly praised by his brother that it was inevitable he would have a shady past that would shatter that illusion. It was like when children learn the world isn’t as innocent as they once thought; it was harder for Hook given that he idolized and aspired to be like Liam. It’s also weird that the mighty god, Hades, is nearly powerless on Earth but then again if he’s so all powerful in the Underworld why hasn’t he come at the heroes full force by now? Seeing how painfully obvious it was I’m surprised Emma backed down so fast. Hook had the excuse of being blinded by love. These parts of the episode felt slow because the obvious reveal of Liam’s betrayal was dragged on much longer than it should have been. With over a dozen souls gone the group doesn’t have to worry about Hades choosing now he’ll be after all of them. Whether they burn in hell forever or go back home (the more likely scenario) it’ll be as a family.

Hook reconciles with Emma and promises to return with her, while Henry finds the quill. David talks with Henry to see if he remembers anything from the book about Hades and he tells everyone about the quill. Henry resolves not to use the quill for selfish reasons but to help everyone, first by rewriting Hades’ story. Elsewhere Hades finds the pages and it’s revealed he has history with none other than Zelena/The Wicked Witch of the West (played by Rebecca Mader). Henry was going to use his Author powers to write Cruella back to life so couldn’t he just write Hook being alive and everyone back out of the Underworld? Yet somehow he can rewrite Hades story because the quill knows all stories by heart. That’s what’s so frustrating about this whole storyline in a nutshell: it tries to do too much and is never entirely clear. Hades and Zelena are sure to have a rich (and likely romantic) past that I can’t wait to see explored.

Quotes & Thoughts

“Is that really what he needs, or what you need?” “Were you this self-righteous when you were alive?”

So far everyone has moved on to their own personally made “heaven,” what would your ideal heaven look like?

“I already know you’re not good enough.”

Zelena and her campy personality have been missed these last few episodes. I’m glad she’s back.

If you enjoyed Manny’s review, 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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