Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A- | 5 USERS: B- YOU GRADE IT Happy Birthday
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 15 | Aired on 03.03.2013
Enchanted Past. Palace. It's Snow's birthday, but the little girl is dressed in black. Johanna takes out the tiara and tells her it's time -- the kingdom needs her more than ever. The people will find strength in her goodness, and Snow can find strength where she always has, from her mother. When Snow places the crown on her head, she looks in the mirror and sighs. "She was right. It is heavy." We cut to...
Um. Another room in the Palace. A hall (the grand kind, not the corridor kind) of some sort or perhaps a chapel. Young Snow walks up the aisle and climbs the steps to where Eva's body is laid out. Bending over her mother's corpse, she whispers, "I miss you so much," then places a Snow Drop in the Queen's left hand, then turns to face her people. No news on where Leopold is, but I'm starting to think he's a deadbeat.
After a time cut. the hall is empty. Johanna encourages Snow to let her mother go and leads the girl off. Once they've left the room, the Clue Fairy (oh, if only) appears and flies into the room, then morphs into Cora, who gives a little fan service by complaining about Blue's Fairy costume. Addressing Eva's body, she says, "As for you, poison looks good on you, and death is most certainly your color." She picks up the Snow Drop and takes a whiff. "Hmm. You raised her well. My daughter doesn't love me the way yours loves you." That's probably because you're evil, Cora. Ignoring me, she continues her monologue, because she's just that evil that she wants to make me transcribe the damned thing. "Snow would have been a great ruler someday, but that will never happen, because my daughter will be Queen. And all yours will be left is knowing how I've felt. How it feels to be the miller's daughter." She leans in close to Dead Eva's face and adds, "I'll turn Snow White's heart black as coal. That candle won't be her final test. And once I've darkened her soul, it won't be just you I've destroyed. It'll be your legacy." As a final insult, Cora kisses her black gloved fingers and places them on Dead Eva's lips.
Well, that's an interesting turn. I can't wait to learn Cora and Eva's backstory. I've seen criticism of Sofer's performance as Eva, but so far, there isn't much to the role. I've enjoyed Sofer since her General Hospital days (I stopped watching Heroes somewhere in the second season I think, but I don't remember disliking her on that show). I wonder what her connection to Cora is. Cora sounds like a jealous sister in her monologue, but age-wise, Sofer is closer to Parrilla than to Hershey. I guess I'll just have to be patient, which is not my strong suit.