Review: OUAT "Heart of Darkness"

ONCE UPON A TIME “Heart of Darkness”
Episode aired 3/18/12

(MAJOR SPOILERS):

In a TV series that delights in twists, last night's OUAT really skewered convention! Answering a very few questions and raising even more... this series' convolutions serve to interweave all of the individual Tales in unexpected and delightful ways. This week’s theme: Evil isn’t born, it’s MADE, and boy, do they make that case in this episode!

In Fairy Tale, Red fully accepts her Wolf, and uses it to give Charming time to escape - pretty awesome, although they left that there, without the usual flash to Storybrooke and some sort of parallel with Ruby's life.

Snow was verrrrry interesting; Rumple didn't just take her memories, he took her LOVE, so what was left was vengeful, angry and just plain mean. “Once you start down the dark path…” (a nod to Yoda here!)

Charming continues to be... charming (if a little moon-y) and heroic in Fairy Tale, and David just gets less and less Charming in Storybrooke. Watching Mary Margaret’s face in her cell as David tells her he believes the worst just made me mad. What a wimp; I would think that anyone in his position would think, "Hey, something's not right, there has to be another explanation!" How many times is he going to do this to her?? MM deserves so much better.

As ever, the scenes with Rumple continue to be the most interesting to watch (Aladdin's lamp!), and his involvement in the MM's case should prove to be fascinating as he never does anything without a purpose.

Intervention Jiminy, Prophetic August (just who IS this guy and what is his facination with water...??), Loyal Grumpy, keys to the city, who truly holds the real power… So many little bits of so many of the stories in this jam-packed ep. And so much teasing teasing teasing, "invested in your future"... what the heck can that mean?? And the hair, bottling True Love, how is that possible, especially if Charming's doppelganger is not so True?

Ah Rumple, what are you REALLY after? THAT, I believe, is the true heart of this series.

Episode Rating: 9/10

Just Musing,
Susan