Winter Finale

Last Sunday's Winter Finale was something else. The Frozen story was wrapped up, but many more stories are just beginning. I'm really going to miss the show until March, but for now, lets just recap what happened last week and look fondly upon the past. The episode focused on three main stories. Hook's situation, Rumpel's power trip. and Robin and Regina's love story.

Oh Regina...The poor woman has such terrible fortune. Once Marian was unfrozen, she and Robin had to put her heart back in and save her (Why couldn't she just die?!). Things started to look up when Marian said that she just wanted to be happy and could tell he wasn't happy unless he was with Regina. She said she would let Robin decide who to go with and step out of the way. Yay Marian! You finally did something right! Of course they could not just let Regina be happy. About 30 seconds after Robin kissed Regina and told her how much he loved her, Marian had a sudden relapse and fell down half-frozen. Apparently, the only way to save Marian was to send her outside the town and she could never return. However, Regina was too nice and couldn't let Marian go out in the world on her own. For some reason, Robin and Roland were the only two who seemed fit to go with her. Once they left, they would never be able to return. Ugh! All I can say is if they don't bring Robin back, I'm not going to be okay. I don't care if Sean Maguire is filming a movie! Robin can't just leave like that!

At the very beginning of the episode, Rumpel threatened Hook saying that he was living his last day. Well, that was a bunch of bologne. Since season 2, Rumpel has been threatening to kill Hook, and he never has. Honestly, I really believe the writers are smart enough to know that they might lose a very large portion of (mainly teenage girl) viewers if they kill off Hook. I will admit though, I was more than a little nervous. After they killed Neal last season, I don't even know anymore. However, my initial prediction was correct. Rumpel surely tried his hardest to kill Hook, but he couldn't. As Colin O'Donoghue put it on Twitter, Hook was "Saved by the Belle". Belle had found some special secret gauntlet (confusing, I know, I didn't get it either) and it lead her to Rumpel's dagger which somehow meant that Rumpel's true love was his power. In my opinion, that was all a little vague, but anyways Hook is alive and well. In the end of the episode, he and Emma shared a kiss and melted my heart.

Belle finally caught on. It took her way too long, but last episode, she finally realized that Rumpel was all about that power and was using her. She saved Hook  (I am eternally grateful) and in the process, she found out what Rumpel was doing. In a tearful ending, Belle used Rumpel's dagger to send him over the town line. Supposedly, that means he will never be able to return. I know I should be happy that Rumpel was finally seen for what he really is, but I couldn't help but feel bad for him. Robert Carlyle is amazing, and I really believed he was scared when faced with never seeing Storybrooke again. In his final few moments, I think he finally saw his fault, but it was too late. I hate to admit it, but I was crying like a baby through the whole thing.

Rumpel was seen wandering through the streets of New York at the very end of the episode. He seemed to be recruting Ursula, Cruella, and Maleficent to help him most likely attack Storybrooke. We also got a glimpse of Regina, Emma, and Henry in the house of who we think is the author of the story. Maybe she will finally get her happy ending.

The way this season is shaping up, it looks like this is going to be the end, but one never knows. So far, however, nothing has been confirmed. Tune in to ABC in March when OUaT restarts to find out more. Until then, I'll be watching Downton Abbey starting on January 4th. I can't wait! Merry Christmas and I'll blog again after the holidays!

To the Winter Finale and Beyond!

This Sunday is Once Upon a Time's fourth Winter Finale. There are several things that are foreshadowed and hinted at in the previews for this week. If everything they are showing really happens, this episode should be one crazy emotional roller coaster.

In the preview, they show Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff going through a door and disappearing. Presumably, this door is a portal back to Arendelle, their home. This could wrap up the Frozen story and make way for a new adventure for the people of Storybrooke. However, I hope that the characters get at least one episode of rest before starting to battle another evil villain trying to curse them all!

Another thing from the preview is the introduction of three more villains, Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, and Ursula. They seem to be pretty awesome from the short clips we have gotten so far. I've yet to see Maleficent, so I don't know what to expect from her. However, I was hoping they would do more with Ursula than just a modified version of Regina in one of the episodes, and I've finally gotten my wish. As far as Cruella de Vil goes, I'm curious what they will do with a villain who traditionally has no magic. Also, I'm slightly terrified of the fate of Archie's dalmatian.

One of the scariest sneak peeks for me was when Hook and Rumpel were conversing. It seems that Rumpel needs Hook one last time. After that, however, he promises to end the pirate's life. Rumpel

has promised to kill Hook since season two, and it is starting to get extremely annoying. Even though I will be heart broken if Hook dies, I just want to know the truth. Whether or not Rumpel kills Hook, I've already developed a hatred for him that I don't believe can be reversed. He literally has Hook's life in his hands, and I despise him for it.

As a whole, the Winter Finale seems that it will wrap up the Frozen storyline and introduce the new villains for the second half of the season. I do have a list of necessities for this episode. If they are not addressed, I might have to write a very angry letter to Eddy and Adam (the writers).

1. Is Hook going to live or die?! Seriously, just tell me already. I cannot live with this suspense!
2. What's the deal with Marian? Is she still a popsicle, ooor...
3. Robin and Regina ('nuf said)
4. At least one more Captain Swan moment! I mean come on...just because he doesn't have a heart doesn't mean he can't love her, right?
5. Some interaction between Belle and Rumpel. Recently, it seems like that woman fell off the face of the Earth.  

There are several things we can forecast for the future of the show. First of all, there has been no official announcement whether or not Once has been picked up for a season five. Usually by this point in a season, we would at least know something, but everyone is keeping very tight-lipped about the situation. However, it seems improbable that they would introduce new villains and characters into the show if it was just going to end in half a season.

We can expect to see less of certain characters next season due to scheduling conflicts. Ginny and Josh Dallas are trying to raise a baby at the moment and have their hands pretty full. Therefore, we can expect less of Snow and Charming for the rest of the season. The biggest disappointment, however, is that Sean Maguire is currently working on another project that will limit his role on OUaT. This means that there will be a lot less of Robin during a time that is really important for his relationship with Regina. It will be interesting to see how the show will handle that.

The only way to really know the future of Once Upon a Time is to watch the show every week! Tune in to ABC this Sunday at 8:00 PM to catch the Winter Finale.

I'm Hooked on Hook

 

"Killian Jones, but most people have taken to calling me by my more colorful moniker – Hook" 

 

With those few words, Colin O'Donoghue (better known to Oncers as Killian Jones or Hook) captured my heart. Since then, I have watched every week anticipating the moment when his amazing Irish accent would fill my living room. Last year, I even wrote a poem about him (okay so maybe I am a little obsessed...) Not only is Hook super gorgeous and attractive, but he has also gone through one of the most dramatic changes of any Once character (besides Rumpel).


When Hook was introduced to the show in season two he was helping Cora get to Storybrooke. All he cared about was getting revenge on Rumpelstiltskin, the man who killed his love, Milah. At that point in time, Hook was so bent on revenge that he did not care who he was hurting and what means he used to get it. In truth, the thought of revenge on Rumpel was the only thing that kept him going.
Even after he met Emma for the first time, his mission was all-consuming. He pushed down his feelings for her because they got in the way of his hatred of Rumpel and trea
ted her like he had been treating all women since the death of Milah. That would not last long however.

From the very first moment Hook met Emma, the chemistry was apparent. They flirted back and forth (often Emma was not even aware of it), but they did not really take each other seriously. Hook believed he could never love again after Milah, and Emma believed she could not after Neal. Also, Hook did not know what to do with himself after his visions of revenge were blotted out. Emma invited him to join them on a trip to Neverland to save Henry. The first big step Hook took was giving them the magic bean - his last portal out of any world - so they could save Henry.

In Neverland, things got rather complicated between Hook and Emma. Neal had come back, and Emma felt like she needed to give him a second chance. Hook was not willing to give up without a fight, but he respected her decisions and wanted to work honestly to gain her affection. The way he reacted to Emma after she found Neal again showed how far he came. Instead of reacting with anger, he did the logical thing and realized he was just going to have to show her respect and love in order to receive the same from her.

After Neverland, Hook became a part of Storybrooke. This was the first time he felt like he belonged since being with Milah. When Emma and Henry were separated from everyone by a curse, Hook worked tirelessly to get back to her and eventually saved her. Towards the end of season three, Neal died. That was the perfect opportunity for Hook, but he did not take it. Instead, he gave Emma her space. It wasn't until the final few minutes of season three that we found out just how far Hook had come. He gave up his most prized possession, the Jolly Roger, to save her.

So far in season four, Hook has displayed many great qualities, and his relationship with Emma has blossomed. However, he has a very hard time trusting people and sometimes makes bad decisions because of it. All of the problems he is currently involved in could have been avoided if he just told Emma about Rumpel in the first place. When he left Emma a voice-mail explaining everything, he took another giant step in the right direction. Sadly, she never got that message, and now he is in even more trouble than before.

With a squeeze of his hand, Rumpel could kill Killian at any second. I watch the show in constant fear for the death of my favorite character. If Rumpel ever kills Killian, I might actually stop watching the show. That is how much I care. Hopefully, the writers are smart enough to keep him alive, but if they aren't BEWARE!

The Winter Finale is this Sunday @ 8:00 EST. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that nothing happens to my Killybear!