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
Noticing Snow Drops blooming in a raised bed, Snow mentions she hasn't seen them in a long time. Johanna says, "They remind me of you because they can survive the harshest winter and you were born in the harshest one of all." As a tear rolls down her cheek, the Fairest says, "That's why she named me Snow." Johanna nods. She keeps the garden to honor Eva. Snow approves. As the women clasp hands, Johanna admits that she misses Eva, too. Their reunion is interrupted when they hear a noise in the adjacent forest. Excusing herself, Snow heads off to investigate.
A little way into the woods, Snow spies Cora and Regina discussing the map, their excavation site and the Dark One's Kris dagger. And although until this point Cora and Regina (once she huffed the grimoire) have shown no difficulty adapting to the ways in which magic differs in Storybrooke, these two ladies are manually digging up the site. Well, Cora is supervising. Regina is doing the dirty work, which is why she's wearing those digging shorts. Yes, digging shorts. Based on her admittedly kicky boots, I think we're to assume she's wearing a mini under her coat, but unless I'm seeing things, Regina is wearing digging shorts. If she was still even in the neighborhood of the Redemption Road, I'd assume this is some well-deserved penance but since Evil is looking for the dagger so that she and the Mother of All... can control the Dark One and make him kill off the Charmings, that can't be it. Regina, I hate to go all Fug Girls (I love them, but when I go to their well, I feel derivative, even for me) but LOOK INTO PANTS! If I ever again see you in digging shorts, I'm going to start calling you Reggie.
When the Evil Regals have no luck finding the dagger, they wonder if Hook lied to them about the dagger's location. I'm surprised they don't suspect that Gold planted that decoy map. I certainly hope he did because it would excuse him for that whole map Dewey-Decimal hiding spot nonsense. Because she's a fictional villain, Cora can't help but restate their entire evil plan. She insists she'll find the dagger, and once she does, they can use the dagger to force Gold to kill anyone Regina wants dead. Contrivance Fairy: "Did you see me flitting above Snow's head, waiting for my thank you that never came? I really thought Eva raised her better than that." Hey, I hear ya, CF, but you shouldn't be surprised. She opens gifts before cards. "Well, I never!" Oh you so would, if the script called for it. "It's my gift."