Please note that there are a few versions of Snow White. The Grimm Brother's Snow White should not be confused with the story of "Snow White and Rose Red", another fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.
An important thing to keep in mind with the literary story of Snow White is that she goes through a few rounds of "dying", waking up, deep (unconscious) sleep, waking up and so on.
Pain, sadness and loneliness weighs heavy on Snow-Mary Margaret's heart. We witness Snow admit to wanting to "leave this place, escape to another realm, somewhere isolated. Where I can never be hurt". This is a protective survival mechanism, a self imposed isolation from the pain that life can and will bring. The fear of getting hurt is so great; one would rather isolate themselves by choice and feel they are shielded from suffering instead of letting go of that old pain and move forward and grow from it.
In life bad things happen, sometimes a lot of bad things happen. People have physical scars and emotional scars. Our scars play a role in shaping us and contribute to our life story. One acquires a scar from a deep and painful cut. In time these cuts should heal, but some leave such a deep scar that one is reminded of the pain every time they confront the scar. But again, it's all a matter of time healing wounds, letting go of the pain and having hope and faith that you've learned something from that pain to get you were you need to go along your path. Something that happens when someone is this lost, when they are shut off from the good things life will bring- they lose perspective and precious time...time you can't get back.
Snow White is attached to her pain and James is sentimentally attached to the ring that belonged to his mother. Although the ring belonged to James' mother, it represents the item that bonds his merger together. But to Snow the ring is a symbol of love everlasting.
Ahh, the magic of true love and destiny and that two specific people are meant to be together forever- soul mates. It is such a romantic idea, could it rein true? Snow/Mary and Charming/James/David seem to share a very close connection, just as some of us LOST fans saw with Desmond and Penny or Sun and Jin. They always found their way back to each other.
Coincidence or Fate? Snow's dangerous fairy dust inadvertently ends up being good fairy dust; as it did take care of the Trolls, it also acted as a tool to help her connect with her special someone, James. Even though Regina magically brings Kathryn into the picture, the connection was made between Charming/James/David and Snow White/Mary Margaret.
Is life just as series of chance or can things be listed under the category of fate and destiny. Are the people of Storybrooke so void of hope and believing in positive magical happenings that they can't see that they hold the power to believe that they can have another chance at life, love and happiness?
The residents of Storybrooke lives are in flux. Yes, they are stuck, but they can become unstuck with a little work and perhaps a little push. Henry has taken on quite a role in all of this. We've seen him move some of the pieces {People} around to move things along in hopes of helping return all to their happy place.
In life we can forget or simply don't discover who we really are. As beautiful as life is, with all of it's good and bad, it gets in the way and tends to cloud over the person we really are inside. I am a real and levelheaded person who is continually learning how the universe works and growing as I try to find my place in it. But as I look around my house at all the fairy tale mementos and art cleverly incorporated into our décor and in my car and even on my key chain, it is clear to me that I’ve always needed to be reminded that maybe, just maybe a little magic is possible.
So- believe in a little magic and some hard work, but more importantly it's important to keep hope alive. After all, it's a terrible thing to lose.
Things to note...Questions to ask...
- There seems to be a blurring of realms going on here.
- QUESTION- "What's outside that door?" ANSWER- "The woods." It appears that these two "realms" really aren't that far away from each other
- Perhaps the items that are showing up in both realms are or represent emotional "baggage" an/or "attachments" carried over to the other realm.
- How does Mary Margaret wear the peridot ring in Storybrooke, the very one we saw James have in The Enchanted Forest. Peridot gem- {August (8th month) birthstone-symbolic of the sun and protects one from nightmares. In more recent beliefs, peridot is thought to strengthen life, bring about prosperity, growth, and increase openness. It is also believed to help one to understand relationships, and to alleviate depression, anger, fear, jealousy and anxiety. Used by Egyptians, Aztecs, and Incas to gently cleanse and heal the physical heart.}
- Regina keeps the fancy wood box that usually contains hearts in it, the one we saw in The Enchanted Forest, yet it is on her desk in Storybrooke
- Mary Margaret brings John Doe "back to life", just as Prince Charming does to Snow White.
- The Troll Bridge- The TrOLL Bridge
- What is real and what is not
- Imagination
- Brain. Head
- Coma. Unconscious. Sleeping. Wake up
- Does Regina know the truth or some form of it?
- Claimed
- Monitors
- Doctor. Hospital. I.V.
- Transformation. Change
- Solitary/ Alone
- Ring. Circle. Loop. Band
- Life- Death; come bring back to life
- Being watched- from behind glass
More than a few times this episode brought me back to moments, themes and lessons learned in LOST. I don't know...maybe I shouldn't 'go there' with ONCE and maybe it's wrong of me to think such thoughts. I don't want to mistake easter eggs and nods to LOST as more that what it is; as opposed to direct connections to LOST. But I seem to have a loving connection to both shows and their stories, so I guess I should just chalk my whole personal Flash Whooshing thing that happens while watching ONCE, as happening in my own head. But make no mistake about it- I am thoroughly and wholeheartedly enjoying ONCE for all that it is giving me. It is truly a wonderful and beautiful fairy tale that stands on its own! I look forward to every magical episode.
Again, please note that I am fully aware we are lovingly getting LOST easter eggs from the writers, but easter eggs are usually hidden images, messages and nods, but these are right there out in the open.
Here are just a few examples- as there were many, many others:
- James has no identity and must find who he really is
- Items are showing up in both realms; there is a blurring of the realms
- Real- Not Real
- Brain. Head
- The number 4 and 15
- Sleeping. Unconscious. Waking up
- Imagination
- Monitors
- Cons and lies
- Doctor. Hospital
- Read the book
- Transformation. Change
- Ring. Circle. Loop. Band
- Life- Death; come bring back to life
- Being watched- from behind glass/Looking Glass
- Solitary
- Claimed- In Season 6 we hear a lot about being claimed
- Drunks- Jack, Christian, Roger Linus, Kate's father, Wayne
- Regina's office is Black, White and one dose of Red. Of course this is the color theme of the Snow White Story
- Snow gets caught in a {Danielle Rousseau type} net in the woods- and of course, Kate and Jack get caught in a net, as does Henry Gale/Ben Linus
- The children's artwork at the hospital brought me back to Santa Rosa Mental Institute- I can only wonder what that really says about me
- Jack finds Kate's mugshot flier; as she's a wanted fugitive
- We hear similar lines- "He's with me", "I'm with you", "Are you with me?", "I've always been with you"
- Henry went into a room he shouldn't have been in- reminds me of John Locke going into a room/hatch. Mr. Friendly references "Opening the door to rooms you have no business opening" in The Hunting Party
- Claire's mother was a librarian and in a coma- Par Avion
- Jack admits to Claire that he spoke in his sleep in Raised by Another
The Enchanted Forest
On a clear beautiful day Prince Charming rides inside of a white horse drawn carriage accompanied by his guards on horseback. He also is accompanied by a blond woman with an attitude. Charming asks her opinion on the view; but the disinterested woman feels she's seen better and it's taking far too long. She would have rather taken the Troll Road as it would have been quicker and less bumpy.
A fallen tree with cut markings blocks their path and when the men, including the Prince, move the obstacle, they are attacked- it's an ambush! A hand reaches in the carriage and takes the dark pouch Charming left on his seat. A cloaked figure rides off for a quick getaway. The brave Prince takes off after the thief. Upon catching up to the thief the Prince tackles the thief demanding the coward show their face. The reveal is a girl-woman-Snow White.
This Snow White is tough. She hits Charming in the face with a rock to make another getaway.
"You can't hide from me! Wherever you are I will find you!" Yells The Prince. Snow looks back amused.
Storybrooke
Mary Margaret is on a date at Granny's diner. Their conversation is distracted by her disinterested date, Dr. Whale, who is eye-ballin' waitress Ruby in her red short shorts.
Dr.- "Where were we...something about you wanting 15 kids?"
That's not what she said- she was talking about the kids in her class (where she teaches); they're involved in the volunteer outreach program at the hospital. Dr. Whale says that's a great program.
Excited Mary Margaret shares that she wants it all; kids, marriage and true love. Mary Margaret realizes this date is going nowhere so she asks Ruby for the check.
On her lonely walk home Mary Margaret comes upon Emma reading the paper in her parked car. The streets are nearly deserted; the time on the library clock is 9:40.
Emma sits in her yellow beetle reading the classified ads by flashlight looking for a place to stay. In the world of tight spots she's been in, crashing her car doesn't even rank in the top 10.
"You're sleeping here?" asks Mary Margaret. Interestingly Storybrooke doesn't have any vacancies- obviously it must be the curse. Mary Margaret's happy Emma decided to stay- for Henry. She also shares that she is out late because she had a date.
Mary Margaret offers her a room to stay in, for if things get cramped, but Emma turns her down as she's not the roommate type; she does better on her own. Mary Margaret bids her goodnight and good luck with Henry.
Henry slyly asks "Do you know who he is?"
Mary Margaret does not know and adds that he's been like that ever since she's been volunteering. No one (family/friends) has claimed him in all that time. Sadly he's all alone.
Again Henry slyly asks "You sure you don't know him?" But of course Mary Margaret's sure she doesn't know him and escorts Henry out of the room he shouldn't be in. Henry leaves with Mary Margaret; and takes a look back at Mr. Doe.
At Henry's playground castle, Henry shows Emma a picture of her father, Prince Charming, in the book. He shares that he found him in the hospital; he also has the same scar, in the same place, shown in the book. Unimpressed Emma feels lots of people have scars. Henry feels the curse is keeping them apart with the coma; now they're stuck without each other. "We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming."
Emma feels that telling someone their soul mate is in a coma probably isn't helpful and not having a happy ending is painful enough, plus giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse. Since Henry and Emma know who they are all they have to do is remind John Doe who he is. So he suggests they get Mary Margaret to read their story to him in hopes that it helps John Doe remember who he is. Emma agrees, but they have to do it her way.
Over cups of hot cocoa and cinnamon, Emma shares her idea of reading the book to coma patient John Doe, in an effort to "remember who he was". She reveals Henry's very active imagination thinks John Doe was Prince Charming; hence making the duo a couple destined to be together. But that's Emma's point "I can't talk him out of his beliefs- so we need to show him. Play along, do what he says, and then maybe...just maybe..."
This way, just maybe, Henry will see that fairy tales are just that; that there's no such thing as love at first sight or a first kiss; he'll see reality. Emma feels "Something like that."
Mary feels that sadly the plan is rather genius and they can get him to the truth without hurting him. Emma gives Mary Margaret the book and concludes with scheduling a breakfast meeting at Granny's with Henry where Mary will give a full report. Mary Margaret will get ready for her date. "I guess I will have to do all the talking."
At the Hospital
Mary Margaret sits on unconscious John Doe's bed to read him the story. Her disclaimer to him is that she's doing this for a friend "So please just bear with me." {We hear the beeping of his heart monitor for a moment}
She reads-
"As the Prince chased the thief on horseback through the treacherous forest Miss (P) crossed her arms and pouted- wondering how many dreadful boring minutes it took to resume their journey again. The thief...
....They didn't need words to express what they felt in their hearts. For it was here in the shadow of the Troll Bridge that their love was born. Where they knew no matter how they were separated they would always..." Sleeping John Doe grabs Mary's hand.
Dr Whale- "Miss Blanchard, I can only tell you what I see which is... nothing." Sometimes there are minor fluctuations in readings- perhaps she heard the machine register something and misunderstood. He suggests she goes home and gets some rest and he'll call her if anything changes. Troubled Mary takes the book and leaves.
Dr, Whale gets on the phone to call Regina and cue her in on the change in John Doe. He explains there seems to be a slight fluctuation in brain activity. Regina is troubled when she finds out John Doe grabbed the hand of volunteer Mary.
By lantern light Snow gathers up all her valuables and a special pendant filled with a gold dust that she puts around her neck. All caped up she exits her underground dwelling, steps out into the woods and steps into a trap. She is caught in a net- one set by Charming.
She accuses him of getting something impressive for him to agree to that union, after all she knows how this works- true love doesn't exist. It's all arranged marriages and business transactions; there's no such thing as true love or a first kiss.
Charming admits to the merger but says it's not a takeover or an avoidance of war. He blackmails Snow into giving him back his leather bag with his ring and he won't tell anyone who she is. Snow White is wanted for crimes against the Queen. If Snow complies Charming won't turn her over to the Queen's forces.
Reluctantly Snow says "Well. I wouldn't want to stand in the way of you getting true love." Charming cuts her down.
At Granny's diner- Emma is wearing Regina's shirt-provided by Henry who 'took it' from his mother. Mother Mayor thinks (lying) Henry's out playing Whack-a-Mole {an arcade redemption game}. Emma wonders "And she bought that?"
Henry- "She wants to believe it so she does."
Emma- "Oh, imagine that."
Mary Margaret arrives for the morning report on John Doe. Emma doesn't want Henry to get his hopes up; as their just getting started. Mary Margaret informs them "He woke up. I mean he didn't wake up, wake up, but...He grabbed my hand."
Henry's excited that Doe is remembering. She also shares that the Doctor thinks she imagined it. Mary Margaret insists she's not crazy; she knows it happened.
Henry- "We have to go back! You have to read to him again."
Mary doesn't need much prompting, so they head out. Mary Margaret's excited that she got to him, made a connection, "Somehow, some way...I touched him".
Regina comes out to ask "What the hell are you doing here. Then she grabs Henry by the arm "And you! I thought you were at the arcade! Now you're lying to me?"
No one knows what happened to John Doe or if someone took him; his IV's were ripped out and there's no sign for sure of a struggle.
Upset Henry asks Regina in an accusatory manor "What did you do?!"
Regina happens to be his emergency contact. She doesn't claim to know him; she only claims to have found him on the side of the road years ago, with no ID. "I brought him here."
Dr. Whale says that Regina saved his life. He doesn't know if missing Doe will be OK as he's been on a feeding tube for years.
Emma decides they should quit yappin' and start looking. Regina is already on it. Regina also feels that since she clearly can't keep Emma away from her son, she will keep her son away from Emma.
Angry Regina walks right up to Emma and says "Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting."
Regina orders the sheriff to find John Doe "You heard Dr. Whale-Time is precious". She leaves with backpack wearing Henry.
Emma, Mary and the sheriff are with the hospital security guard (Sleepy) and {drunkard} janitor Leroy (Grumpy). They're trying to see what occurred during a four hour window. They watch a surveillance tape, but it's not the right tape. Emma notes that tape doesn't show the decorations/banners the kids hung up in the ward. Leroy notes the guard fell asleep again. Without having to actually look for it, the real/correct tape is shown.
They see Doe walked out alone.
Emma- "Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?" Conveniently the door out of that hospital ward leads to the woods.
In the woods Snow and Charming make their trek to Troll Road to retrieve his jewels/ring. At one point Charming lends her a hand. Nervous Snow is twisting her gold dust filled pendant in her hands. Charming wonders, that since Snow isn't the jewelry type what's that thing around her neck. {Maybe it's an albatross} She nonchalantly tells him "Don't worry about it", so he rips it from her neck. Concerned Snow warns him its fairy dust- but it's a weapon. He assumes fairy dust is a good thing. Snow explains that's true when it comes from a good fairy, but this stuff is deadly. "It transforms the most fearsome of adversaries into a form that's easily squashed."
Snow- "The charges on her posters are lies. Didn't stop her from sending her huntsmen to rip out my heart." She also shares that not everyone is a soulless royal; he took pity on her and let her go. Snow's been hiding in the forest ever since; trying to amass enough fortune so she can leave this place, escape to another realm, somewhere isolated "Where I can never be hurt".
Charming - "Sounds lonely."
Snow- "No lonelier than an arranged marriage."
Snow admits to only stealing from the Queen. It seems her meeting Charming on the path while she robbed him may not have been chance, but destiny.
Snow- " All I'm doing, Charming, is what it takes to survive. She wants me dead!" Snow admits the Queen blames her for ruining her life.
Charming grants thirsty Snow permission to drink from the stream. Snow takes this opportunity to shove Charming into the water {He's struggling} and take a pouch out of the bag and runs off. At the road Snow seems to question which direction to run and turns right into three of the Queen's men. "Huh, look who we found."
Snow grabs for her deadly fairy dust necklace but of course it's not there.
The guard tells her there's nowhere to run "The Queen wants your heart", he takes out his dagger approaching Snow, "And we're not going to disappoint her."
The Woods Outside The Hospital Door
The sheriff, Emma and Mary Margaret search and track the woods outside of the hospital door. The sheriff claims "This is my world", as to give him a moment trying to track. Mary Margaret wonders what Graham meant by 'This is his world', and asks Emma, "Isn't finding people what you do too?" It is what Emma does, but people she finds usually hit places like Vegas and not the woods. Mary Margaret inquires how Emma fell into the job of finding people. This just happens to be what Emma's done ever since she can remember. Mary Margaret reveals that Henry told her Emma is from a similar situation as Emma and asks if she ever found her parents. Emma replies "Depends on who you ask".
Excited {rule breaking} Henry shows up with his flashlight "Did you find him yet?" Nope, not yet. Although helpful Henry knows he shouldn't be there he knows where John Doe is going. He tells Mary "He's looking for you".
In The Forest
The Queen's men trap Snow and are about to plunge the dagger into her chest the guard is brought down by a dagger thrown to his back. As Charming is fighting one guard Snow tries to grab for another dagger she spots on the saddle of the rider-less horse. But she is grabbed by the horse riding guard and carried away. Charming rescues Snow by shooting an arrow into the escaping Snow kidnapping guard. Mind you, he shoots this arrow with precision through the trees. With her hand over her heart, out of breath Snow says "You saved me" Charming feels it was the honorable thing to do. He keeps them on course to get to his jewels; as he has a wedding to get to. He seems to not fear the Trolls as he thinks they're just little people. Snow corrects him that Trolls are not Dwarfs. Evidently Trolls are very violent. They get to it as they both have places they need to be- Snow has her little corner of solitude and Charming has his ring-less finance to appease.
In The Woods Outside The Hospital Door
By flashlight the team continues looking for John Doe. Henry explains to Mary Margaret "You're the one who woke him up! You're the last one he saw! He wants to find you."
Mary feels it's not about her; John Doe's lost and confused, as he's been in a coma for a long time. Henry insists John Doe loves her "You need to stop chasing him and let him find you!"
Emma wants the kid to go home so they don't bear the wrath of his mother. {Note that Emma's remarks indicate Regina would kill her, then Henry, then her again. Hmmm.} The sheriff finds a clue; John Doe's (bloody) ID tag.
In The Forest
Snow only wants to buy back the jewels by giving them back all of their money and stuff, she only wants the ring. The Trolls agree but feels Charming is too eager to make the trade and feels they are being set up, "He's a Royal!" A fight ensues and Snow is again captured. She pleads with the Troll that they can trust her but the Troll tells her the time for dealing is done.
A Troll searches Charming and takes Snow's dust pendant from him and discarded. The Trolls discovers Snow's wanted poster with its reward and try to capture her again. Charming fights them off as Snow grabs for her dust filled pendant (and the pouch). Charming manages to throw a Troll from the bridge but the others keep coming. Snow assumes Charming is free, as she excitedly runs off she says "Follow me. They don't know the forest like I do!" She looks back to see Charming fighting the Trolls alone, as she seems torn on what to do (continue to run or not).
"Royal blood is the sweetest of all", says the head Troll as he's about to execute Charming, but all of a sudden he turns to black smoke and into a black bug. Snow is uses her dangerous fairy dust to turn the rest of the Trolls into bugs.
Charming- "You. You saved me." Snow feels it was the honorable thing to do. He realizes she used the fairy dust she was saving for her special someone; but Snow says she'll think of something else
"Anyway...how could I let Prince Charming die?"
Charming has a name, it's James. Snow smiles "It's nice to meet you, James." She suggests they hurry off as there may be more of them coming. James gives the gold Snow left on the bridge for the Trolls back to her. He squashes one of the bugs as they leave.
In The Woods Outside The Hospital Door
Mary- "No! No, no, no- I found you! Come back to us! {whispers} Come back to me." She performs CPR {she turns her CPR mouth breathing into a kiss} and revives John Doe. Doe takes a deep breath, looks into her eyes and says "You saved me". Henry is excited that she did it "She woke him up". Emma is stunned.
John Doe thanks Mary Margaret and she asks "Who are you?"
John Doe- "I don't know."
Storybrooke Hospital
The clock on the wall shows 8:00.
Conscious John Doe is rushed back to his glass room at the hospital and again is connected to an IV, oxygen and monitors. An upset blond woman hurries in "David! Is that you?!" Dr. Whale tells her she can't be here now. As Mary, Emma, Henry and the sheriff watch through the glass doors, they wonder who that is. From behind them Regina answers "His wife". They are stunned.
In the Forest
She gives the ring back claiming it isn't her (style) at all. He offers her the rest of the loot as the ring is all he requires. She declines seeming happy that they both got what they wanted. James tells her to be careful "If you need anything..."
"You'll find me" interjects Snow.
James- "Always."
Snow- "I almost believe that." They bid each other goodbye. Even thought she knows his name is James, she likes Charming better. They both walk in separate directions. James walks the path to his castle and Snow is on the path to...
Storybrooke Hospital
8:05
Regina reveals his name is David Nolan and that's his wife, Kathryn. Regina is pleased with Kathryn's joy that she herself is in a forgiving mood. But she will reprimand Henry for his insubordination; he's grounded.
Kathryn thanks Mary for finding her David; who left her after issues stemming from her. She assumed he left town and now she knows why she never heard from him. She is thankful she gets to apologize to him and gets a second chance with him; as she's wanted to do this forever. She only wears a diamond engagement ring.
Dr. Whale feels David's a miracle, but he has no memory of anything. Something just clicked in him to bring him back and go for a stroll; he woke up was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something. Henry interjects "Someone."
Regina's ready to leave with Henry. While Henry retrieves his backpack he whispers to Mary "Don't believe them. You're the one he was looking for." He insists it's like the end of the story. But Mary feels it was him just recalling the last thing she read to him. Henry insists it is because they belong together.
Of course Emma is suspicious of Regina and the appearance of Kathryn and the fact that after all the years no one made an effort to look for him. Something's not right here!
Sarcastic Regina wonders what would make sense to Emma- "Why would Miss Nolan lie? Do you think I cast a spell on her?"
Emma finds it strange that Regina's been his emergency contact all these years and only found Kathryn now.
Regina informs her "This town is bigger than you know. It's entirely possible to get lost here. It's entirely possible for bad things to happen."
The suspicious mystery solving of Kathryn came to light after Regina thought Emma's genius idea of looking at the tapes for clues revealed that David spoke in his sleep- calling out for a Kathryn; after that it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. Regina notes that Emma and Mary Margaret should have been pleased that true love won out. She says that if it wasn't for them two, they would have lived their lives completely alone. Regina also presses upon Emma that she is grateful she has Henry. "Because not having someone...well...that's the worst curse imaginable."
Although Kathryn hugs David, he makes eye contact with Mary, confirming a connection.
Mary is shown wearing the Period ring that James sought in The Enchanted Forest.
Emma arrives to ask Mary if her spare room is still available.
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