Once Upon A Time - 5x02 "The Price" FULL REACTION

The Price- I really enjoy this episode. And like always, I have my favorite moments... which I will get back to in a bit. However, this episode starts off once again with the dwarfs as they're standing together at the town line to bravely, or perhaps foolishly, discover what would happen to everyone should they cross the town line in order to try to escape from Emma now that she's the new Dark One. I can most certainly understand their fear, given that Emma has been on their side of good fighting against all evil until now. And given that she was once a hero, she would know the heroes' every move. David and Mary Margaret arrive just before Dopey steps over the line, but in spite of their leaders' protests, Grumpy tells Dopey to step over anyways and unfortunately, Dopey is suddenly transformed into a tree. I just love the frustrated look on David's face in this moment. So funny. And I really like how there's once again a protection spell over the town line preventing anyone from leaving, and that it's different from when the dwarfs had Sneezy cross in season two's episode... We Are Both. Next... Arthur introduces the heroes to Merlin, who is unfortunately trapped inside a giant tree within the castle's courtyard, and then goes on to explain that the Sorcerer has been giving him prophecies while still trapped, as he has been trapped for many, many years. I really love the mystery surrounding Merlin. Then, Arthur tells everyone he plans to have a ball that night to honor the newcomers to Camelot, which Killian at first is frustrated by, because more than anything else he wishes to help free Emma from the darkness and thinks a ball to be a waste of time. However, Emma assures him that the darkness won't corrupt her in one night. I'm not sure how reassuring that would be for him, but he comes to understand and accepts that they're gonna have to try to enjoy the ball since it's happening whether he likes it or not. Also... I like the idea of Regina claiming to be the Savior for Emma, in order to protect her since the heroes all know they can't tempt her to use her magic that is now taken over by the darkness. Regina recently came to be known as a Savior within the alternate realty written in the former Author's storybook, Heroes and Villains. So, I really like that Regina takes this idea, as it comes over into this season too. Also... I love that Regina takes away Zelena's voice in order to keep her from telling Arthur and his people the truth about Emma being the Dark One, and how she mocks her by calling her sister her deaf handmaid. I also love seeing Zelena's frustration too. Their sisterly banter is great. Now... I really enjoy the next scene between Regina and Emma, as Emma gets upset with Regina for pushing her into the background by proclaiming herself the Savior, especially when Regina accidentally commands Emma to stay quiet because she's holding onto the dagger. It's very funny. As for the whole Percival storyline with him giving Regina the necklace that allows him to spy on her, and then him nearly killing Robin upon trying to kill her... I don't really care much for this whole storyline, given that Percival is a Knight of the Roundtable and is supposed to be a man of good virtue. However, I really like the story he tells Regina while they're dancing about how he remembers her as the Evil Queen, who slaughtered everyone in his village. And I get why he wants to kill Regina. It's just that I feel like this overall storyline is the weakest part of the entire episode. I just really don't like that Percival turns out to be a man seeking revenge, and that he nearly kills Robin in trying to kill Regina. I like how this storyline brings about the Fury. And I like the look of the Fury, as well as the present day storyline with the Fury appearing in Storybrooke to finish its task when Regina stopped it from taking Robin's soul upon her asking Emma to heal him in Camelot. In regards to the price to be paid and Robin having to pay it unless Regina gives her own life... If you remember back to season three's episode... Quiet Minds, it's revealed that the price of saving someone from death, is for a life to be taken in return. Neal died upon saving Rumple from the Underworld. However, in this episode, Regina pleads with Emma to save Robin from certain death, but she doesn't give her life in return. Instead, she asks Emma to heal him using the darkest of magic and Emma does, but the price is left unpaid. It's because the price is unpaid, that this fury arrives from the Underworld to come after Robin because his life was restored without someone's else's lie being given in return. This is why Regina must be willing to give her life in return in the end. And at last, she is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, but because Mary Margaret, David, Grumpy, and Arthur come forward to also take the sacrifice upon themselves as well, their life forces combined is far too much for the fury to take and therefore it takes a little of each of their life forces as it had already done to Robin before it becomes too much, then returns to the Underworld. I hope this long explanation helps you to understand this price of magic. Also... I really love that this storyline brings about more love between Regina and Robin too. They really are quite amazing together. You can tell how much they love one another, and it's easy to understand why there are so many fans of their ship... Outlaw Queen. :) As for one of my favorite moments within this main storyline... I love when Emma uses her dark magic in order to heal Robin, then immediately turns to Killian as she kisses him in hope of being able to quell the rise of power within her. However, we quickly see that it doesn't really work as well as Emma would have hoped, as she leaves the room and starts down the stairs until Rumplestiltskin reappears to her again to taunt her, and reveals the glow in her skin that's suddenly begun to change upon Emma using the dark magic within her. Unfortunately, Emma's slowly begun to love the feel of her rising power coming from the darkness. And I love these moments within the show. Next... I love the scene before the ball where David, Mary Margaret, and Doc help Regina to dance, after they encourage her to attend the ball. I love how when they tell her to change into a ball gown, Regina magics herself into one of her black gowns she would have worn as the Evil Queen until David and Mary Margaret points out that she looks too dark, and then how she magics herself into a purple/pink ball gown instead. So cute. It's rare to see Regina feel so uneasy, so I really love this moment for her. The moment between Mary Margaret and Emma as they are getting ready for the ball is so sweet. I really love seeing a mother/daughter moment between them, which we haven't really gotten in the show since the Neverland arc. And then... I love the scenes at the ball when Emma, Killian, Robin, and Regina are shown dancing, and especially when Emma makes her way down the stairs to Killian after the herald announces her and her mother, as Killian lovingly begins to tell Emma how beautiful she looks, until she quickly states, "I know" and smiles at him so happily. I love the dancing we see no matter how brief, until Percival attacks Regina. As for the Storybrooke storyline... as cheesy as it might appear, I really like how David, Mary Margaret, Grumpy, and even King Arthur are able to save Regina from losing her life to the Fury when she is willing to sacrifice herself to save Robin. It is a very Guardians of the Galaxy moment, but I like that each of them are willing to give some of their life force for Regina. It shows just how far Regina's grown, and much the people's come to see how far she's come too. I love it! As for my favorite scenes within this episode overall... I love the moments between Dark Swan and Killian, when she whisks him away to show him her new home that we are led to believe she has found for herself. I love how Killian tries to bring Emma back to him with loving words and finally a kiss, after he had spoken with Belle about True Love's Kiss possibly breaking even the curse of the Dark One, and how much more difficult it is to love a Dark One than it is to hate one. Unfortunately, True Love's Kiss doesn't work, because Emma isn't willing to give up her power just yet. And you can really see the heartbreak in Killian's eyes and on his face, especially in the ending scene when he and Belle share a drink as Rumplestiltskin's voice in Emma's head is monologuing to Emma about how their loves don't understand what they are going through and that she must snuff out the light. I also really love the moment Killian refuses Emma as she tempts him to be with her and accept her, then walks away from her. It's sad, but it shows how much Killian has grown too. Amazing!! Also... I absolutely love the small moments between Killian and Belle, as we see a new friendship developing between them. And I love how they both now have more in common, as they both love someone who is and was a Dark One. We've gotten a little between Killian and Belle in pasts seasons, but they've never really bonded like they've begun to do in this episode, and I really love it. I love how Belle is there for Killian, now that he's struggling with loving Emma so long as she remains the Dark One, just as she did. And I love, love, love how Killian declares how he can spend centuries more trying to save Emma from the Dark One, like he had spent centuries trying to kill the Dark One in the form of Rumplestiltskin. Next... Henry finds interest in a girl from Camelot named Violet, in both the past storyline and in the present storyline. And they look cute together. I really love the song choice played during their scenes together, and that it's a nice touch that it's a song from the modern world that Violet takes a liking to. Only You, by Yazoo. I like Regina is able to free Sneezy from the stone Emma cast over him in the previous episode. And she appears to be happy, after everything she went through in trying to save Robin. And because she feels in this moment that she has a chance to stop Dark Swan, in spite of Emma's earlier words about there being no Savior in town any longer. And lastly... I love the very end between Dark Swan and Rumplestiltskin from inside her head, as he talks about how Emma must purge herself from those in her life who love her, if she is to succeed in her plans that we're told is to snuff out the light, and that she must pay the price in order to pull the sword from the stone once more. I love this montage with Rumple speaking over it, then seeing the dark look in Emma's eyes upon seeing her determination in what's to come. :) Overall... I enjoy this episode a lot. It's not one of my favorites, but I still really like it. The moments between Emma and Killian are strong, as are the moments for Regina too. Thank you so much for your reaction! Enjoy reading my thoughts! And onto the next episode... Sincerely, Heidi

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum