Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | 283 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Happy Birthday
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 15 | Aired on 2013.03.03
Regina's Office. Oh hello, gorgeous wallpaper, which might make me dizzy in real life, but is a delight to behold on the small screen. When the Evil Regals enter the office, Cora lays the dagger on Regina's desk and takes her daughter's seat. That's telling, yes? When Cora asks Regina what's troubling her, Regina says, "You never told me your history with Snow's mother." Cora blathers something about sparing Regina, but Regina's not buying. She figures she deserves to know what it took for her to become Queen. "That day at the stables when I rescued [Snow] -- that wasn't an accident, was it?" We flash back to the time of "The Stable Boy."
Mills Manse. Cora tells young Regina that she's arranged for her to have an extra riding lesson on Rocinante, which is great, because what is Regina, if not one who tilts at windmills? While current day Regina provides narrative via voice-over, we see Cora lurking behind the trees. Young Snow's horse rears and takes off. Regina is snogging with Daniel when Snow races past. Back in...
Storybrooke. Present. Regina's Office. Regina realizes that Cora even engineered her rescue of Snow. But does Regina do the reasonable thing, and let her realization spark the realization that Snow has never been her enemy and bears no responsibility for Daniel's death? Of course not. At least not as far as we can tell, but I have to allow that Regina might be faking out her mother, here. I keep returning to her line in her earlier (Storybrooke) conversation with Snow, in which she asks what if she is good. That's probably wishful thinking though, so I'm trying not to get hung up on it. Anyhow, Cora asks if this knowledge changes anything for Regina. Regina says, "You won, mother. I am the Queen. If that's what you wanted so badly, why do you need Rumpelstiltskin's dagger, now?"