Season 3: 5 Best Episodes
1. "Think Lovely Thoughts" This episode was the best of the season in my opinion. It took my breath away, and I was glued to it for the entire hour. It was action-packed combined with surprises and emotional scenes - all the best ingredients for an amazing OUAT episode. We are given a first-ever glimpse into Rumple's childhood to a fascinating and heartbreaking story. It makes us understand Rumple so much more as we see him from a whole different angle: a frightened little boy forever scarred by abandonment. This is most definitely another reason that the Dark One was afraid to go into the portal with Bae - his memories and fears were probably all rushing back. The reveal of Pan as Rumple's father was a shocking and amazing reveal that I never saw coming. We are also given a fantastic confrontation between Pan and Rumple, as well as seeing Emma and Regina combining their magic for Henry. The ending was intense as well, with Gold being put inside his own weapon and Henry collapsing at Pan's hand. Every scene was beautifully portrayed, with every actor at the top of his game. 2. "The Heart of the Trust Believer" I adored the season premiere. The beginning scene with Emma was a delightful surprise, with a heartbreaking scene of her giving baby Henry up. It gave us just the right beginning to an amazing Neverland arc, with all the main characters working together for the first time. We got to see Henry run from Lost Boys and even fly, ending with a fantastic reveal of his new-found companion to be none other than the menacing Peter Pan. The scene with Gold was amazing, seeing him going back to being the Dark One, but crumbling at the sight of the doll, weeping at the memory. The best scene? The crew fist-fighting and finally saying all those things they've been pushing aside for years. This was the beginning of the best thing about Neverland: having no choice but to face yourself and deal with your past. It was a strong start to a strong season, with so much promise. 3. "Nasty Habits" Rumple, Peter Pan, and Neal all had amazing chemistry in this episode, with every scene sizzling with heartfelt emotion. We are given a Rumple/Bae flashback to where the Dark One sees his father apparently for the first time since he was abandoned, and we see Peter Pan taunt his son with what he is: a lost boy who still is wounded from Pan's betrayal. One of my favorite parts was the neat twist with Peter also being the Pied Piper. The reunions between father and son were amazing (Rumple/Pan and Rumple/Neal.) We get to see Rumple and Neal working together, something we'd been hoping for for some time, and the heartbreaking scene where Neal doesn't trust Rumple and uses squid ink on him was beautifully acted. 4. "Save Henry" Lana Parrilla knocked it out of the park in this episode, portraying a lonely Regina as a single mother, trying to get her son to love her and fumbling with emotions that she never had much experience with. We finally got to the see the history behind adopting Henry, and the backstory was one of my favorites - completely precious. We also got to see Neal finally and fully forgive his father, while telling him that he was a much better man than Peter Pan; he came back for his son. The icing on the cake was seeing Henry portraying Peter Pan. It was a fun switch and well-played. 5. "Quiet Minds" Although heartbreaking, this episode was beautifully acted. The emotions were perfectly carried out, and Rumple and Neal both got a chance to show their best inner strength in this story. Rumple had learned from his mistake and this time was willing to give up his dagger and his sanity to protect his son. Similarly, we see Neal break the family trend of self-preservation, and he is willing to die to protect his family. The sacrifice and ending scenes were so beautiful. |