Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A | 4 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Mother Knows Best
By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 9 | Aired on 12.02.2012
Enchanted Present. As Snow stares at the scroll, she declares they are going to get out of there. Emma doubts staring at the scroll will do it, but that's exactly what will do it, which -- yay! I mean, I knew as soon as I saw the scroll that it was magical writing, written with magical squid ink. I just thought it was going to enchant Emma if she looked at it too long, or read it aloud.
Snow explains that, when she was little, she used to sneak in and watch Cora practice magic. The spells were embedded in her grimoire. When Emma still doesn't get it, Snow decides showing is more efficient than telling. She holds the scroll before the cell bars and blows on it. The words rise up off the scroll and float toward the bars. Emma gets it and states the obvious for us, but hey, were I to be transported to fairy tale land, I'm pretty sure I'd have to keep stating the obvious, just to make sure I was still awake.
With the cell bars no longer trapping them, Team Princess sets off to hunt down Cora. Well, 3/4s of the team does. Aurora knows that with her heart under Cora's control, she's too big of a risk to the team. She tells Mulan to tie her up. Mulan swears she'll get Aurora's heart back for her and then ties her up. Aurora wishes Snow good luck. Snow thanks her and returns the sentiment. Ginny Goodwin just is Snow White, now. Isn't she? Even with her cute little pixie cut and modern clothes, I cannot picture anyone else in the role. I keep thinking about watching Snow White and the Huntsman, but I don't know if I'll even be able to give KStew's performance the benefit of the doubt. On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth is in it, so maybe I'll tough it out. Oh, the things I do for my craft.
Lake Nostos. Cora hands Hook the bottle of enchanted ash and asks him to do the honors. With his trademark flourish, Hook sprinkles the ash into the water, then tosses in the bottle for good measure. The portal begins to form. Cora crows that they'll be in Storybrooke soon enough. "I really look forward to seeing my daughter." We flash sideways to...
Storybrooke Wishing Well. Looking down into the well, Rumpy tells Regina it is time to cast the spell. They step back a few paces and Rumpy holds the wand aloft. Regina really does nothing, so I'm not sure if Rumpy needed her involved in any of this, at least not for any reason that didn't involve covering his arse. The wand glows. Thunder rumbles. The sky darkens. Green lightning cracks down into the well. Regina and Rumpy watch as it crackles with green energy. Buffy fans will feel me, when I say I can't help but wonder if that's Dawn Summers. Rumpy: "Doesn't matter who comes through now. No one can survive this." The wind whips through Regina's hair and takes us to commercial.