Once Upon a Time REACTION - S02E09 - Queen of Hearts

Like I said... this episode is easily one of the very best episodes of season two. :) I loved, loved, loved this episode so much! It is so exciting and beautiful from beginning to end. I absolutely love the battle between everyone in the end. Emma's swordfight against Hook was so much fun. He was so snarky and smooth. I also love how in the middle of it, Hook reaches out with his hook to snatch Aurora's heart before it falls through the portal. And how he showed that he isn't completely evil, as he stated he couldn't let a woman lose her heart, unless of course it were to him, which he said to Emma jokingly. I adore Hook's cheekiness. :) I also feel that Hook threw the fight with Emma on purpose, even though he was struck over the head by the compass. Yes... it could have knocked him out, but even if it did, it wasn't for very long. He was toying with her and a part of him was still impressed by her drive to make it back home to her son, and that he wanted to see her succeed even more so than Cora. He might have been angry with Emma for leaving him in the giants' castle locked up, but if he really wanted to, he could have killed Emma at any time during their fight. Hook is a two hundred year old pirate with lots and lots of experience in swordfighting and battle. Whereas Emma's new to battling against villains and magic. And it was quite clear by how easily he was able to knock her off her feet that she was inexperienced. Besides, Hook also had the magic bean and knew he could use it if they failed through Cora's way. So Hook stayed down. That's just my opinion. You can absolutely judge it for yourself. :) Now, as for Cora... she also could have easily killed Mary Margaret too, as well as Mulan despite them using Mulan's sword enchanted to deflect dark magic. And while Hook also toyed with Emma a little because it's the smug kind of guy he is, Cora did so with Mary Margaret to be cruel. I liked the fight between Cora, Mary Margaret, and Mulan too. As for the end of the battle when Cora attempts to finally rip out Snow's heart... I love how Emma stepped between her and her mother to protect her mother, not knowing Cora wouldn't be able to rip out her heart. How Emma was willing to sacrifice her life to save Mary Margaret. So powerful and such an amazing scene. And what a reveal to show that Emma has magic inside of her, that is powerful enough to blast Cora back long enough for Emma and Mary Margaret to finally jump into the portal with the compass in hand. Yay!!!! They're finally home!!! Emma and Mary Margaret are reunited with Henry, and Mary Margaret is happily able to give David True Love's Kiss to wake him from his sleeping curse!! Such a beautiful moment between the Charming family. Also... there's a parallel between what David tells her here in this moment, as he states that the burning room gave him pause after saying he never doubted her... to when Snow awakens in the beginning of the Pilot episode and tells him she never doubted he'd find her either, although her glass coffin gave her pause. So sweet. Next... I love Emma's talk with Gold in the end. I love how Gold explains to her that he was exactly where he wanted to be at the time of the Dark Curse being casted by Regina. But mostly, I love how Gold tells Emma that she has light magic within her that is separate from her parents' True Love and what he helped her to become in all of his years in planning. It shows just how powerful Emma as the Savior truly is. Now... I also absolutely love all of the parallels throughout this episode, beginning with Hook's first meeting first with Regina who asked him to kill her mother, then with Hook and Cora who asked him to kill her daughter. Absolutely brilliant! And all of their scenes together were so good too! And then... I also love the parallel between Cora casting the spell over the part of the land where she and Hook were to protect themselves from Regina's curse, and Regina and Gold casting their curse over the portal in Storybrooke to try to prevent Cora from coming over from the Enchanted Forest. But what's even more amazing was seeing Regina break it in order to save Emma and Mary Margaret for Henry despite Gold's warning, believing in Henry like he begged her to do. It shows just how much she loves her son. So beautiful. I love the interactions between Regina and Gold throughout this episode. I also love the brief scene in the very beginning with Hook killing Regina's black knights outside of Belle's prison and him coming to Belle for information about the Dark One's dagger by pretending to want to help her. And clearly Hook doesn't take too kindly to being called a slave. And lastly... I love seeing the end shot of the Jolly Roger suddenly appearing through the fog out on the ocean, with Hook and Cora above after Hook regenerates the magic bean through the waters of Lake Nostos. Amazing shot. Captain Hook and Cora have arrived in Storybrooke and Hook is ready to confront his Crocodile at last!!! Fabulous!! I love this episode so much!! And I can't wait for more!! Thank you again for another wonderful reaction for Once Upon a Time!! Until next time...

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum