Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: B+ | 116 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT PANdora's Box
By Cindy McLennan | Season 3 | Episode 10 | Aired on 12.08.2013
Storybrooke. Snow has arrived at the convent in time to see Emma and David cover Blue's body with a blanket. When Regina and Panry arrive, the Charmings tell them the Shadow killed Blue. By the way, I agree with those fans who believe Panry targeted Blue because she was magical, and his whole aim is to manipulate his way into Regina's vault. Do you think Blue is permanently dead? Do you care?
Regina is confused, since she trapped the Shadow on Hook's sail herself. Emma states the obvious: it got free. Neal is there too, he suggests going to the ship and getting the coconut candleholder not a star-map Shadow trap. Tink and Hook follow him. Regina is still trying to make sense of the magical logistics, which I really appreciate, because, like Gold, that's her expertise. Emma figures the hows don't matter. Panry makes sure to play the Pan can still hurt me card. Charming says Henry isn't safe out in the open. Panry turns to Regina. "You'll protect me, right?" Regina hugs him. "Of course." Emma tells them to go. "We'll take care of the Shadow."
Once Panry starts down the steps, Emma calls Regina back. "Keep a close eye on him. [...] He just doesn't seem quite himself." Regina: "You mean because he asked for me?" Emma stammers that's not what she meant, but Regina is too blinded by Panry's pretense of love, to listen. She figures Emma's just jealous. She points out that she has ten years experience of soothing his fears. Emma insists this isn't about Regina. She just has a gut feeling. Regina suggests she employ that feeling to find the Shadow, "...Instead of obsessing over who's going to comfort our son." I'll still give her a point for remembering to use "our." Regina catches up with Henry and we cut to the...
Cemetery. As they near mausoleum, Regina exposits that this is where she keeps her magic. She leads Panry down the hidden staircase and asks him to promise not to touch anything. Panry's smile is smug. "I promise." Well, so much for him not lying, directly. I mean, he's been lying all along, but with the truth and twists there of. This promise will prove to be a flat out lie. Commercial.
In the Enchanted Past, Snow is horrified that her new groom has turned to stone, but she won't leave him or let Medusa scare her away. Regina appears in the shiny center of a fallen shield and taunts her about how her prince is now a statue. "I can barely tell the difference." Okay, Charming has been awesome this episode, but that was damned funny. Regina is enjoying this immensely, but when Snow says it's all Regina's fault, Regina points out that Snow has destroyed her own happiness. Once Regina's image disappears, Snow catches sight of her reflection in the shield's center and admits she defeated herself. I so know the feeling. That admission then inspires Snow to come up with a solution. She peels the leatherwork off the shield until the entire surface is shiny, lures Medusa to her, and hides behind the shield. When Medusa looks at her own reflection, she turns to stone, and Charming is restored. The lovers kiss and Charming says, "Now I know what Frederick felt like." Nice callback. Snow apologizes for being so focused on Regina that she nearly lost the one thing she could never live without -- Charming. New groom that he is, Charming has a few ideas on how she can make up for that. We flash forward to...