#sieben talks

Before we get to that disaster, though, I just wanted a quick look at the Hyperion Heights plot. First, because seeing that very-nearly-fight between Henry and Jacinda was really interesting. Maybe because it shows where their personal “lines” are, and that’s always a good way to define a character.

speaking of defining character moments…

I also really like how this shows compatibility between the two. After all, the best friends/romantic partners aren’t the ones who never have a fight. It’s those who can fight and get angry at each other and still be together afterwards. It’s also nice to be reminded that no curse will get the amicable dorkiness out of Henry.

And all that parallels nicely with the budding relationship in the flashback. Well, I say “budding”, even though it’s pretty clear that Henry is already head-over-heels in love with Ella. Still, he’s being remarkably cool about it.

bonus running!Regina not intended but highly appreciated

Another bit I liked, because 1) it showed off how much Henry has grown in the past years (and that he’s learned to cope on his own) and 2) that Ella can also, in fact, take care of herself in a physical confrontation. I mean, she was going to assassinate a prince; maybe she practiced.

Regina’s dejection at “not being needed anymore” also set up the other flashback story quite nicely. Though I will say: Regina, I love you dearly, but if you think the reason Henry wanted you around was so could light bad guys on fire you are an idiot.

See?

And while the Regal Believer stuff was excellent (as it nearly always is, because I am a sucker for that relationship), I think the real heart of the episode lay elsewhere.

::sigh:: You know that Star Trek quote (if you don't, just pretend) about how you can do everything right to the best of your abilities and still not succeed? Because I really think Regina did the best she could here. She saw someone in pain, someone with different yet familiar problems to hers, and she did everything she could to help Drizella not to repeat her mistakes.

As an aside, I loved the similarities to her first “magic lessons” with Emma; only she didn’t throw Drizella off a bridge, she pulled a tower down on herself to make her pupil react. That… takes some confidence in her ability to judge people, I’d say. (I mean, she could probably have poof-ed away at the last moment, but still. Risky and extremely awesome)

And thennnn it all went to hell.

I love this expression a lot and I’m not 100% on why

OK, one thing: I know Drizella (and, to an extent, the narrative of the episode) presents Regina’s role in this as “if she hadn’t mentioned the curse, none of this would have happened”, but I really, really doubt it. Not only that, I also believe that “let me relate to you to help you understand that you don’t have to wreck your life to be happy” should never be a bad thing to say. Regina did everything she could, and Drizella… did the same, in her own way. Because tragic as this moment is, can we just appreciate the dark brilliance of her move for a second?

Because not only is Drizella freeing herself from the threat of her mother killing her to resurrect her sister (which is some dark shit, I just want to say), she’s also ruining her mother’s attempts at social advancement (no status and riches from being this prince’s mother-in-law…) and getting back at Regina. Nevermind that Regina only wanted to help her, it’s pretty clear that Drizella saw her not giving up details of the curse as a betrayal through inaction.

And she did it all with one single murder. That’s some frightening efficiency right there.

While I’m on the subject: her actress is just doing a fantastic job in this scene. You really get the sense that Drizella did not expect this to affect her as much as it did. And you can see her go past that and straight into “look at that—I win” territory. She’s communicating a lot about her character with expressions only, and I’m enjoying it immensely.

Actually, now that I think about it, that whole plot contrasts with Roni bonding with Lucy in the Hyperion Heights storyline. Yes, that one didn’t go quite as expected, either, but the two obviously like each other a lot. Personal highlights: Roni’s expression of “well… shit” when she found out about Henry’s adoption and the fact that they went to “Weaver” for help.

Rumple is having a very bizarre couple of days, I suspect.

By the way, I loved the little interlude between him and Regina in the flashback.

It’s so nice when they’re not trying to outmanoeuvre each other and can just be improbably old friends together. It’s still one of my low-key favourite relationships on the show, and I don’t see that changing in the near future. Assuming they spill the proverbial beans sometime soon.

Because as I see it, there’s two ways this can go. Well, three. Either a) one of them (my money is on Regina, because Rumple is still the most closed-off little shit there ever was) just goes right ahead and says “OK, I’m awake, how about you?” or b) they spend the next three episode in an increasingly hilarious dance of dropping increasingly large hints to each other and being generally unsure if the other is actually awake or just weird. Third option would be c) one of them (still voting Regina) goes right for it and the other goes “whomst?” Which would also be oddly hilarious, because of the potential “I know that you know that I know that you know that I know… but I will rather drop dead than admit that.”

…look, I am easily entertained, alright?

Anyway… the end-of-episode reveal. They do like to punch me in the face with these, don’t they? Just putting it out there: whatever Drizella is alluding to in that last scene, it’s 100% about Henry. Because… I mean just look at Regina.

Even if she’d kept her pokerface, Drizella’s absolute certainty that Regina is going to help her, despite them clearly not being allies anymore, should tell you everything.

By the way, I just want to say, Drizella, if you want help keeping this curse going, maybe Regina is maybe not the one you should talk to. She has a 0% success rate at keeping Dark Curses going. Hell, she even broke one herself!

Oh, and speaking of Henry…

…this is going to hurt a lot, isn’t it?

And there’s a theme! (At least they both don’t remember…?)

Still dazed, Belle looked up at the speaker. He didn't look human. He didn't look like anything Belle had ever seen, with large, amber eyes framed by sharp, almost hawkish features that were covered in a myriad glittering golden scales. He extended a hand to her—long, elegant fingers ending in sharp, black talons—and Belle took it without thinking. It seemed like the right thing to do.

"Have you lost your way, mortal girl?"

Belle shook her head, then nodded, afraid that a word from her might break the strange spell lying over this place.

"Well and truly lost, then." The man—the creature?—shook his head and a giggle burst out of him, sharp and almost entirely unlike a real laugh. "Do you know what happens to lost mortal children on nights like this?" When she didn't answer, he lifted one finger. "Can you hear them?"

And right as he said it, in the very distance, Belle thought she could hear the sound of thunder rumbling across the sky. The storm was still approaching somewhere; it just wasn't here.

"They are coming for you, mortal girl, and you don't want to be here when they arrive." His voice fell into a singsong tone when he said the last words, before he focused wholly on her again. "Can you run?"

The thunder sounded closer now. Belle nodded, a first trickle of panic going down her spine. Everything in her body wanted to bolt, to run and hide, but she stood still, transfixed by the man with the golden scales, who took her hand and wrapped a length of what felt like leather cord around it.

"Don't look back," he said. "Don't ask for help. And don't stop running until you're home, mortal girl." A strange expression crossed his face. "Your parents will be wondering where you went."

Finally, Belle managed to break through the haze that had trapped her thoughts from the moment she had fallen. "Who are 'they'?" she asked, voice oddly thin and strained.

And the creature grinned at her, sharp and bright, and like nothing human. "Things like me." He leaned closer, amber eyes boring into hers. "Run!"

He pushed her backwards, and Belle fell.

When she hit the ground, the sun had vanished behind clouds once more, and rain hammered down on her. She scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could and started running. Minutes later, she broke through the treeline behind her family's garden, heart pounding and head still too light. She slipped and stumbled through the mud, and only when she'd already reached the house did she realise that her mother hadn't been with her during her entire run.