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Episode Review:
"A Tale of Two Sisters"
After months of tapping our feet in anticipation, Once Upon A Time is back! Season 4 premiered on Sunday night on its usual 8:00 timeslot, and we couldn't have been more excited. So did "A Tale of Two Sisters" meet everyone's expectations?
From the end of last year's finale, when Elsa appeared, I've been a bit wary. (Though I have to admit, her appearance was completely amazing in how it was portrayed, with the ice sculpture appearing and being followed by an ice trail.) While I love Frozen as much as the next person, I was a bit skeptical about using something so new. After all, the movie had just been released a few months prior. And although the story is taken from an old tale called "The Snow Queen," it's been relatively unknown to the world until the Disney smash hit was released. However, despite my doubts, I am comforted that it is an old story, not just a recent creation. And the story really is fantastic. So I vowed to give it every chance.
I liked the opening of the episode very much, beginning in a completely unexpected place: Anna and Elsa's parents about to perish in a storm at sea. It goes back to a place in the movie that was completely unexplored, which is when Once shines. And I liked the story being approached from a different angle. We're not concentrating on Elsa's power as much as why did her parents leave? What happened to them aboard that ship, and what "truth" did the queen place in her bottle? I was very pleased that the story is focusing on the Enchanted Forest instead of spending a lot of time in Arendelle. I'd rather spend as much time there as possible; after all, the best characters live there! No doubt Anna's trip to the EF will explain how Elsa ended up in Rumple's vault, a backstory I'm very much looking forward to.
Back in Storybrooke, Regina is upset about losing her happy ending, while Marion is a bit miffed that her husband is hanging out with the Evil Queen. But the one you really have to feel bad for in this situation is Robin Hood himself. Imagine introducing your resurrected late wife to your new girlfriend who just happened to be the woman who put her to death in the past? That could get a little messy. But Robin actually was very strong in this episode, being very gentle with Regina in a hurtful situation.
My favorite scene in the episode was the when Gold visits Neal's grave (sniff.) Hearing him tell about comforting Bae as a young child was very sweet, with a spot-on emotional delivery by Robert Carlyle. The scene was touching, and gave us a little bit of insight into Gold's most recent lie. Although I still need more explanation as to why he felt the need to give Belle the dagger at all when she was more than willing that he should keep it. Perhaps he knew it was the best way to cover his tracks, or perhaps he knows that he's less likely to be evil when Belle possesses the dagger. I hope we are given some insight. And the dancing scene was a very nice touch.
The best reveal came in the scene with Regina and...her mirror. Welcome back, Sidney!!! The shift back to some crucial themes and questions from the past came to the surface, such as the author of Henry's storybook, the fact that Emma is supposed to bring back the happy endings, and perhaps some characters we've not seen in a while. It was also nice to see Sidney back as Magic Mirror form; kind of feels like a modern flashback.
The episode was exciting enough, with potentially some very meaty themes to emerge. The Regina/Robin/Marion triangle has the potential to be a fascinating arc, as well as some character growth. What I don't want is for Regina to be victimized, blaming Emma for doing something kind. Regina needs to accept that most of this unhappiness is her own fault. And although Frozen is a great story, I'd like to see OUAT put its own twist on the story, not just continue the story from where it left off. I don't want to become too Disney-ified - after all, the costumes (including Elsa's classic side-braid) and characters were very much like the movie, even including Pabbie, Sven, and the snow monster (characters I probably would have left to the cartoon), ending with Rumple uncovering the wizard's hat from Fantasia. I don't mind introducing the Frozen family, but I hope only in flashback; bringing them all to Storybrooke could be overwhelming, and we never want it to take screen time away rather than add it to our favorite main characters.
So all in all, I will keep an open mind. If the characters can be OUAT creations woven smoothly into the story and moving the plot forward, then great. I just don't want the darker elements and character moments to be glossed over in favor of showy plots or a host of new characters. This show is ultimately about our main characters, introducing new ones to flesh out our characters more and more. Also props to some very good special effects, particularly Elsa's ice trail and the frozen dwarf van. And I particularly enjoyed Kristoff's and Grumpy's lines in this episode!
Ultimately, I love this show and believe in its writers, so I will trust that it will be something great. Next week's episode "White Out" is no doubt the town turning to ice, with Emma apparently getting trapped and nearly freezing to death. Penned by the fantastic Jane Espenson, the hour holds much anticipation and promise. Bring it on, OUAT!