5. Belle continues the idea that initial assumptions can be incorrect when she chides Gold for letting Gideon do something to the Blue Fairy.

That plot point isn’t going away anytime soon.

6.  “For once you put our son first. You darkened your soul so he wouldn’t have to.”

The small strangled sob Gold lets out as he sinks into Belle’s embrace makes it clear how deeply her words affected him. The first time he made the decision to protect his son no one was there to see. Hence no one truly understood his reasoning. This time Belle sees.

BOING!!!!

So on to the proposal

7. The exterior establishing shot of Granny’s, showing that it was nighttime, then the shot of Killian sitting alone in a booth brooding, were very important.

They made it crystal clear this was not an issue he took lightly. He knew the stakes. This is not a knee jerk reaction. This is Killian, after much careful thought, doing the right thing.

Very nice.

8. For as many times as we’ve seen Killian look at the ring, and open the ring box etc... it was clear as he went up the stairs that proposing was not what he was here to do.

Obviously we’re about to find out he didn’t have the ring on him, but that doesn’t play into the visual as he approaches the front door. 

He is there to tell Emma the truth about Robert.

Full stop.

9. In this case my beloved stairs cast an ominous metaphor. He was going up, she was coming down. His steps were heavy, she was gliding on air. And perhaps most telling of all was the fact that she came out of almost full shadow indicating she didn’t have all the info she needed.

10. “I’m afraid it wouldn’t give me the courage I need.”

Despite the somewhat grave look on Killian’s face Emma hears this as nervousness at the thought of proposing. And in terms of the scene going forward this is crucial.

She doesn’t get ahead of him and give her answer before he pops the question because she’s selfish and only thinking about what she wants out of this moment. Just the opposite.

She does it because she thinks he’s unsure and she doesn’t want him to feel that way. She never wants him to doubt her feelings for him or her intense desire to share their futures together.

She jumps ahead because the question itself is less important than what it signifies. 

Right now versus forever.

Beautiful. And beautifully played by JMo. 

11. “What I have to say isn’t easy” “I’m not entirely sure how you’re gonna react.”

These words take Emma further down the rabbit hole. She sees insecurity and she wants to erase it. She sees uncertainty and she wants to make it go away. At this point the proposal isn’t about her--at least not in her mind--it’s about him.

12. And on the other side of the equation Killian knows he has to tell Emma about Robert’s death before he proposes because he loves and respects her enough to want her to know the truth. No secrets. Regardless of what it means for him. His being honest with her isn’t about relieving his conscience--it’s about the depth of his feelings for her.

13. THAT is what true love is all about. Anyone who still thinks this is heading for some sort of trite breakup can stop worrying.

BAM!!!!

14. “Maybe I can make it easier” “How can I ever be mad at you?”

This scene paints a crystal clear picture. Each of them is thinking first of the other. The way her voice drops to a whisper, the way he gets swept up in her happiness and anticipation.

GORGEOUS!!!

15. Two pillar candles standing tall on matching holders framed in the background. Right now they’re unlit. Look for them to reappear at a later date (cough*second proposal*cough) except this time lit.

16. Really fascinating use of shadow and light in this scene. Once Killian pops the question there are cuts that actually create almost a strobe of darkness and light. But as the scene ends both faces are bathed in light.

BOING!!!!

17. It’s hard to choose whether I prefer David’s high school chem lab spell-casting set up or Regina’s bubbling cauldron.

It’s magic. We get it.

18. “Your fault? Okay, let’s go with that then.”

Yes, Zelena, let’s. Just don’t expect it to stick.

19. “It was a test. To see if I could move forward and I failed.”

A test you say???To see if you could leave the past in the past??

BOING!!!!

20. “I guess I’ll always being paying the price for what you did. What I did.”

I’m glad to see Regina acknowledging AGAIN, at least on an intellectual level, that the evil deeds of her past are part of her and can’t be swept under the rug.

Let’s see if it actually leads to a change in behavior this time.

21. Nice work with the establishing shot from the snake’s point of view. Heh.