Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | 2 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Man of Science. Man of Faith.
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 5 | Aired on 10.28.2012
Currently on Once Upon A Time, Emma, Snow, Aurora, and Mulan return to the Haven that is Neverland, and make me realize I need a good name for this foursome, because I'm already powerfully tired of typing out their names. Does Team Princess work for you? Does it work, even though Mulan isn't technically a princess? Excellent. Thank you for being so accommodating. Why do I always needs spellcheck's help when spelling out accommodating? I think it's that second M that always trips me up. Thank you, spellcheck.
As Team Princess makes its way back to Neverland, Snow lectures Aurora on the fine art of political spin. So as not to unnecessarily panic the masses, Snow insists that they just concentrate on the parts of their story that are true: Lance did die honorably, and Cora did escape. Aurora isn't sure that any panic which might arise from revealing the whole story is all that unnecessary. I'm not sure she's wrong.
When Mulan spies the now-empty watch tower, and smoke in the air, she hushes the bickering royals. She draws her sword and cautions Team Princess to stay close as they rush to the scene. All the refugees are dead. Mulan assumes the ogres found the hidden haven, but when Snow surveys the carnage, she realizes the dead have had their hearts ripped out. Clearly, this is Cora's work. While Mulan and Snow argue, Emma spots movement in the pile of corpses. They dig out the survivor. It's the handsome Hook. Title card.
Storybrooke. Day. When Whale approaches Charming and says they need to talk, Charming punches him right in the kisser. Whale wants to know what that was for. Charming: "For sleeping with my wife." Whale: "Kathryn?" Since you were so confused as David, you should forgive his confusion, my handsome Prince. I'm just saying. Maybe he listens, because Charming sets the record straight, when he says, "Snow." Whale: "Look, I didn't know, all right? I was cursed." Charming: "Yeah. I got it." He smiles as he sits down. "What do you want?" I sort of love that Charming understands Snow's adultery was incidental, but still indulges his desire to clock her one night stand.
What does Whale want? Well, some intel, for one thing. He knows Charming wants to build a portal back to his land, but Whale is confused because he thought the land was destroyed by the curse. Even though these two hardly know each other, Charming only feels the need to reply, "Apparently not," because he understands that it should be a given that Regina is a lying liar who lies. Whale asks if all the lands still exist. Charming deems it possible. Whale: "So the Queen lied to us. Again. Are you sure?" Charming: "Remember who we're talking about." That's what I was just saying.