Once Upon a Time: Murder Most Foul

First Aired March 12th, 2017.

A flashback shows Prince Charming/David’s (played by Josh Dallas) parents forced into giving away his twin James as a baby to Rumpelstiltskin (played by Robert Carlyle) in exchange for medicine to keep them both alive. In the present, David agonizes over his separation from Snow White/Mary Margaret (played by Ginnifer Goodwin).

Regina/The Evil Queen (played by Lana Parrilla) tries to help Robin Hood (played by Sean Maguire) adjust to the modern world. Mary Margaret chastises Regina for bringing him from the alternate world, reasoning that he is a different person than the Robin they knew. Hook (played by Colin O’Donoghue) is planning to propose to Emma (played by Jennifer Morrison) and is worried about asking David for his blessing. David sees a vision of his father Robert (played by David Cubitt), who encourages him to “find the truth” regarding his death. Flashbacks show his father set out to rescue a six-year-old James after learning from King George (played by Alan Dale) that he was abducted. David becomes obsessed and enlists Hook to help, first by distracting Emma so he could steal ingredients for a potion. Zelena/The Wicked Witch (played by Rebecca Mader) threatens to harm Robin if he attempts to take their daughter. Before Regina can tell Robin he has a child, she finds he has left to kill the Sheriff of Nottingham (played by Wil Travel) and arrives just in time to stop him and make him promise not to try again.

The mystery of who killed David’s father was a storyline that seemed like an afterthought, but is back in full force. It has all the usual components of a father/son relationship on Once: selfish and cowardly father and a child ripped from his parents. It’s down to a science, almost. But, it is one of the more interesting storylines David has had in a while and it’s got enough material to be interesting how it plays out. Hook is basically along for the ride so he can later get permission to marry Emma, which makes him the perfect partner: because he would be willing to do anything. There was always going to be issues at first with Regina and Robin, but nobody would have guessed one would be keeping him from killing someone. This Robin has a dark side to him that ironically the old evil Regina would have loved. Regina went into this expecting the Robin she grew to love, which was an overreach for sure, but there is still hope. It would be cruel for Regina to be given another glimmer of hope for happiness only to have that ripped away too.

Robert enlists Rumple for help (which he does out of regret for losing his own son) and learns James ran away to Pleasure Island. Robert finds James and hearing how unhappy he was, reveals he is James’ father and offers to bring him home. George captures them before they can escape the island and orders his guards to kill Robert when he refuses to give up James. In the present, David realizes King George had his father killed and sets off to find him, handcuffing Hook to a fence when he tries to talk him out of it. David goes to the cell where George is held and nearly kills him in a knife fight until Hook intervenes. Hook convinces David that knowing his father fought for his family should bring him peace and that killing George would only ruin that. David thanks Hook for his help and Hook asks for David’s blessing to Marry Emma. After a playful pause, David happily agrees.

Rumple made Pleasure Island sound horrible, but if you’re going to be stranded somewhere you might as well go on a few rides. After years of thinking his father was a drunk David learns he died fighting for his family. The fact that George was responsible, the man who made a career of bringing David misery, definitely exacerbated things. George is one of the few villains on the show who doesn’t have any humanizing qualities about him; he’s evil, and that’s all there is to him. Hook made the argument killing him wouldn’t give David any peace, but did anybody notice he shoved George out of the cell? He saved George’s life, but, if he’s now running free, he can come at David again and then the forgiving route won’t seem so great.

Meanwhile, Regina tells Robin about his daughter and after opening up to him, they share their first kiss. She talks with Mary Margaret and says she felt nothing when they kissed and worries what the future holds with this Robin, who is shown stealing a powerful object from her vault. A final flashback shows that Hook killed George’s guards, but killed Robert anyway to make sure Robert didn’t turn him in for the murders or theft of the King’s gold. Things are not looking good for Regina and Robin; there’s no spark and he might be an evil villain, but let’s hold out hope for now. Hook, on the other hand, may not live to see his wedding day when his murder of Robert inevitably is revealed. Not only will he revoke his blessing, but Hook will probably find himself dead again and this time it would stick.

Quotes/Thoughts

“Someday may we all be reunited with our sons.”

Apparently when David or Mary Margaret trade sleeping curse shifts the other never has to sleep, which would be an ideal time to squeeze in Netflix.

“I need you to promise that you’ll stop running away and trying to kill people.”

Regina has pretty low standards for a boyfriend.

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