Hello Dearies, yet another week of Once Upon A Time has gone by and yet again, I’m still as unsure about it as I was before. Did I like it? Yes. Could it have been better? Yes.
However, it is still the beginning of the season and there is time to make up for the little misgivings happening now. I personally look forward to the Little Mermaid episode quickly approaching. Will Ariel aid our six legends or will she work for Pan as well?

     Speaking of Pan, I have to say that when the season first started and I heard he was after “the heart of the truest believer” I was a bit let down. After this second episode, I think I rather enjoy the storyline. Not only is Pan more feared than the Dark One at this point in time but he is also the most cunning. I was reading comments from viewers about the show and it came to my attention that I am not the only person who looks for a deeper meaning behind the show. There was talk that Pan is actually trying to get our heroes Snow, Charming, Emma, Hook, Regina, and Rumpel to embrace their true selves. It also seems a lot of their issues are centered on their parents or parenting. I finally understand the whole issue with Rumpel’s doll but the only question I have now is why does it keep appearing? For the same reason Pan gave Emma the map? Do the characters have to embrace their true selves in order to save Henry? I think it’s an interesting concept and, in a way, makes Pan seem less evil.

   Rumbelle made a reappearance this season and I could not be more excited. I know people, like my own mother, who think Rumpel’s a bit old for Belle but hey, people can’t help whom they fall in love with. I also love the subtle message Belle’s appearance in Neverland sent: no distance is too great to stop true love. I will admit I was afraid Belle was a vision sent by Pan and I was terrified when they started to approach the cliff. I thought for sure Belle would push him off into the rocks below, not that he couldn’t save himself somehow.

   I am a huge fan of the Arthurian legend and Merlin, so you’d expect me to excited they brought more of the legend into the show after Lancelot’s demise last season, right? Wrong. I was disappointed when I thought they twisted Snow’s storyline to include the “sword from the stone.” I cannot express how relieved I am that they didn’t mess up her storyline with Excalibur. There’s only so much I can take with distorting fairytales, as odd as that may sound. However, it does leave me with hope that Camelot will somehow come into play sometime in the future.

  I have to ask this question because it seems like I’m the only one who has noticed this: when will Emma use her magical abilities? I know she’s still denying her heritage but you’d think by now, in her desperation to save Henry, magic would be something she would at least consider. It frustrates me to no end seeing situations where her magic could save people or help win a fight and she continues to act like a mortal. One scene that affected me the most last night was when Emma and Snow had a heart to heart. It was tough to watch Emma tell her own mother she felt like an orphan and the pain was obvious on Snow’s face. I didn’t know who to feel sorry for, Emma or Snow? Both want what the other can provide but aren’t sure how to go about giving each other what they need.

  Speaking of which, Charming did take an arrow to the side! I saw that at the end and went, “Nooooooo!!!” The wound looked similar to Rumpel’s when Hook poisoned him last season. I wonder if the arrows Pan’s Lost Boys uses are tipped with the same poison? If so, at least it’s not a concentrated blend like Hook used and Charming has more time to save himself.  Surely there’s a cure for the poison somewhere on Neverland. Perhaps that’s where Tinkerbelle can help?

   Get your Kleenex and popcorn ready, Dearies. We’re in for a grand adventure this year. The season has just started but it can only get better from here. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Once Upon A Time comes on Sunday’s at 8pm EST on ABC. Once Upon A Time in Wonderland premieres this Thursday at 8pm EST on ABC. Join the discussion in all things Once Upon A Time through the Joker’s Once Upon a Time forums.