Once Upon a Time: Greenbacks

First Aired November 3rd, 2017

Lady Tremaine/Victoria (played by Gabrielle Anwar) visits the Witch (played by Emma Booth) for advice how to destroy Lucy’s (played by Allison Fernandez) belief to revive her daughter Anastasia. She starts by raising the rent for Tiana/Sabine (played by Mekia Cox), and in the past Tiana and her mother (played by Robin Givens) are forced to sell their belongings to keep their castle.

Sabine decides to spend her and Cinderella/Jacinda’s (played by Dania Ramirez) rent money to buy supplies and cook and sell beignets, in hopes of starting a new business. Wish Hook, Rogers (played by Colin O’Donoghue) subdues a drunk at the police station and notices a tattoo matching one in a book he has hoping to find his ‘mystery woman’ Eloise Gardener. In flashbacks Tiana visits Dr. Facilier (played by Daniel Francis) to help her search for a prince to save herself and kingdom from financial ruin at the hands of the evil king. Dr. Facilier tells Tiana to follow a red crow to find her prince, and meets Prince Robert (played by Kevin Ryan) after he saves her from a mugger.

After being disrespected by Victoria, Drizella/Ivy (played by Adelaide Kane) decides to tell Henry (played by Andrew J. West) about Victoria’s secret room where the witch is held. He goes to Regina/Roni (played by Lana Parrilla) with the information but she doesn’t trust Ivy, and worried Henry is falling for Ivy encourages him to pursue Jacinda. Sabine’s beignets start to sell quickly so Victoria hires someone to burn the place down.

There are several interesting storylines in this episode that take a backseat while we focus on the cutthroat world of baked goods. I would have rather seen an episode of Rogers trying to track down this Eloise Gardener, even if he doesn’t get his memories back the investigation is bound to be more exciting to watch. Though at least Sabine’s beignet venture ties into the theme of a woman trying to empower herself, and it being burned down is clearly part of Victoria’s plans to break down Lucy.

Speaking of Lucy it’s nice to see her being used in the narrative effectively compared to a young Henry who was usually thrown into episodes just to be there. And while the present storyline was not the most interesting it did tie into Tiana’s flashbacks, and seeing a stronger version in the present made it easier to stomach the girl who needed a prince (aka a man) to solve her problems.

In flashbacks Robert attempts to steal a jewel that belonged Tiana’s father, Robert says Dr. Facilier forced him to steal the jewel to rescue his true love who was turned into a frog. Tiana confronts Dr. Facilier to give him the jewel and he attacks, she fights him off and he escapes with the jewel. Tiana reunites Robert with his true love and discovers he is actually a frog who was turned human. In the present Jacinda is furious that she is now out of a job and blames Sabine who gives her the money they made and decides to move out. Roni tricks Ivy into meeting her instead of Henry but when Ivy takes her to the room where the witch was held it’s empty. Jacinda apologizes to Sabine and shows her a truck she bought with the rent money so they can keep selling beignets.

The big twist to Tiana’s story is instead of becoming a frog and finding love, Tiana helps two actual frogs reunite. Granted it’s something you couldn’t see coming but the story doesn’t feel as impactful as it would if they were humans, not that animals don’t deserve love too. Roni still has some of the spunk that made Regina a fan favorite character but it’s in no way a suitable replacement, at the very least we need to see more of Regina in the flashbacks. Also if we are really getting a Henry/Jacinda/Ivy love triangle it’s clear the writers are running low on ideas because that sounds as implausible as it does boring.

Rogers gets nowhere in his interrogations with the man with the tattoo, but from outside the man calls someone to warn that Rogers is looking for Eloise Gardener. Roni shows Henry a picture she found in a drawer in the secret room; a photo of her and a young Henry which leaves them both shocked. Ivy visits the witch (who she made hide from Roni) and it’s revealed she’s working against her mother and everyone else, and is not under the curse. Rogers might finally have a hot lead and he has no idea, but how could that photo not trigger Henry and Roni’s memories? At the very least it should have started the process because they can’t believe Roni just ages well. Also Ivy is emerging as a new villain but she still comes off as a spoiled rich girl so I don’t see any diabolical plot in her future.

Quotes/Thoughts

“Belief is a weed, it grows wild and deep. If you want to destroy it for good, you have to uproot it.”

There are so many clues being dropped it gets more frustrating that people aren’t waking up from the curse, but that’s also because I’m cursed out after seven seasons.

“You want to push us out, well we will push right back.”

Other than being a bratty teenager, what do you think Ivy could be up to?

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