Once Upon a Time - The Thing You Love Most - Review by Karen

This week's tale for all ages gives us a bit more insight into Regina-the Evil Queen. The story actually tells us to pay attention to signs and read between the lines. There are deep and important lessons in this fairy tale. I am really enjoying the depth and realism of these characters. I also love seeing the Enchanted Forest environment represented in Storybrooke with things like wallpaper motifs of trees and flowers, connecting both realms.

First off, it's important to note that Storybrooke seems to find ways to keep Emma there until she accomplishes something. This neat little game is heating up with Regina, the con-woman, refusing to lose.

Regina has the apple tree that she claims she's tended to since she was a little girl. Hmm...A little girl in Storybrooke or The Enchanted Forest? Regardless of which realm this tree is really in {or at all}, the stone cold person herself is need of some thawing out. Although The Evil Queen and Regina seem in control and all powerful, they also seem tortured by negative emotions they continue to feed.

The Evil Queen is EVIL! Hell- it's literally in her damn name! She is heartless. Her angry selfish power for revenge and jealousy and her fears was stronger and more consuming than the "love" for her father and the unconditional love he felt for her. But don't be fooled! We can't ignore the fact that the only thing The Queen-Regina truly loves is herself and the power she believes she possess. Should it have been her own heart that she cut out?
Even Maleficent seems to have some understanding of love and what deep emotional pain is; and what price one pays crossing the line and feeding into the emptiness of the darkness. She actually warns the Queen to halt with her new quest to destroy everyone with the dark curse.

We see that Rumpelstiltskin and Mr. Gold have a sense of knowing. Crafty Rumpelstiltskin was sure he worked in a loophole for himself when he gave Regina further instructions to enact the curse. Is Mr. Gold-Rumpelstiltskin the bridge between the two realms?
Mr. Gold is the person who "brought" Henry to Regina, so, Mr. Gold must be aware of Emma and that she plays a role in their rescue. Keep in mind Henry "brought" Emma there.

On to Henry- Is Henry a pawn in this crazy game, being brought in to aid Mr. Gold alone or is it for the greater good? Henry is a lost little boy too. You can see he gets excited when talking about the fairy tale world and his quest to break the curse and lead his friends back to their happy place. There is something I can't ignore, his words to Emma..."I knew you were here to help me."

All of the characters are indeed lost. They are stuck in redundancy as well as being kept under the thumb of Regina. They all have been walking around in haze, not aging, with screwed up memories and stuck in a cursed town that has kept them oblivious for decades. That is not the existence they want and they are confused. Even Archie seemed to not let his conscious be his guide when it came to Regina's plan to set up Emma. They don't realize they all have the power to start over.

Regina/Evil Queen is incapable of letting go of her darkness; with her many deep emotional scars and her insensible need to have power over people. She needs to learn how to love and feel love again. But at this point she may have a long road to travel to get there, although it seems that things may be in play to help her.

People are making deals and conning to gain advantage with things. I think it's awesome that Henry's own code phrase for his plan is Operation Cobra.

Although we are watching residents of the Enchanted Forest living life in 'our world', there are moments that bring me back to The Wizard of Oz, where it's Dorothy's friends and family of her real life that are presented as new versions/characters of themselves in her dream world. Of course in Dorothy's story her dream manifestations are there to help guide her back home.

✔ Golden LOST Thread
Do I still see a golden LOST thread woven into the tapestry of this tale?...oh yes, indeed I do.
Wheel
8:15
4
Stuck people
"Cobra"
Loophole

Continue Reading Review Here: Karen's Adventure in Storybrooke