Did You See That?!
OK, I'm just going to start off talking about the elephant in the room so I can get it out of the way and move on to this great episode's recap. Shit, I have too! LOST fans know what I'm talking about here. The only things missing in this episode was a Flash Whoosh/Flash Sideways Rumble sound effect, a few DHARMA symbols and a deep emotional Michael Giacchino score. {No disrespect meant at all to ONCE's composer. Loving your work!}
What is this all about?! It is clear that the writer's of ONCE are doing something special with giving us all the connections to LOST; a story they know we are all very passionate and protective of. But really, what the fuck do I know?
You have to ask why they would weave such obvious Golden LOST Threads into the tapestry of this new fairy tale. Do you think of these LOST easter eggs simply as fun easter eggs and that it's just the writer's way of sending us some LOST love? It may very well be all there is to it. Over the past weeks I can see that most LOST fans are very, very happy to have these loving nods tossed our way. But I've also seen that the connecting nods seem to upset or even piss off a few LOST fans; because they seem to feel ONCE is trying to ride on the coat-tails of our beloved LOST. Whether you embrace or reject the LOST connections, one thing's for sure- it seems to have caused some confusion with some LOST fans. I feel the connections are there as loving LOST reminders and to make you pay close attention to this story. I totally love ONCE Upon A Time and I do love that there are undeniable connections to LOST. I am very excited to see where the path leads us.
Since the very first episode, the LOST easter eggs weren't hidden easter eggs for you to hunt and find- they were placed front and center, right out in the open. Nobody had to hunt for anything.
This is another trip down into the rabbit hole, my friends. The people in both stories are "lost". There was a quest to fulfill in this episode. Luckily there are guides helping the Lost in their quest.
Something I found very curious is when Graham has flashes before his eyes when he kisses/touches Emma and the wolf, he says- "Did you see that?!" as if Emma should have been able to see it too. This line was heard in LOST, especially in season six when the castaways have their light bulb moments of truly feeling something (love) and remembering. Locke says it to Jack in The End.
Or is there? Where is the line between Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest/Fairy Tale Land? Maybe, just maybe, there isn't one. The realms are blurred together.
Regina knows what is going on in all of the lands but so does Henry. Who else knows the truth about what is going on here?
Time
* Why does Henry's bedroom have so many clocks? Is he obsessed with time? Hell- maybe he's the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.
* When you notice that the residents of Storybrooke are stuck in a bloody snow globe, you also must notice that the items of the neighborhood, although old-fashioned and quaint, are a hodge podge of items from different decades.
Example: Rotary phones, old fashioned computers, old fashioned first aid kit, gas that cost 15 cents, old fashioned fire truck and yet more modern vehicles.
Heart of the Matter
"Raised by wolves" would indicate one who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age; example being in cases of abuse or abandonment by their own parents. So far we see Prince Charming/David and Graham, Emma and even Henry having been connected with the idea of being abandoned and even adoption.
The residents of Storybrooke suffer from some of these emotions: Fear, Guilt, Rejection, Rage, Grief/Abandoned, Deepest sorrow and Hate.
The Queen can see things in her looking glass but never really sees total truth. Why would the Queen pick the Huntsman for the murderous job when she observed him totally not having murder in his heart? He has a good and noble heart. But then again the Huntsman claims for a moment to be someone he is not; this is so he can provide (the wolves) protection.
What is Regina's true motive for all of this heart vaulting? She is constantly seeking comfort in the wrong things and trying to fill a void. Remember when Maleficent and Henry (The Queen's father) warned of a void in her soul that she could never fill.
In this episode Snow White (and The Queen) are mourning the death of Snow's father. Is Snow White as pure as we think she is? What did she do with the secret told to her by the Queen? Let's note that Snow White is pretty ballzy; later we see that she fights back and even steals.
There is no doubt this episode illustrates how broken hearted these people really are.
Things to Note...Questions to Ask...
* There is another story unrelated to the Grimm fairy tale called Snow White and Rose Red: about two sisters
* Who is Henry- really?! The kid knows it all. He knows about the lands and who people really are and how everything connects. Mary Margaret gave Henry the fairy tale story book, but where did she get it and who is its true author?
* Even though Emma proves Graham has a beating heart, he refuses to believe it and still blames the curse
* Eyes
* Dreams- dreams feeling real. Sleep. Head/Haberdashery. Memory
* What is real and what is not
* Wake up.
* Life/birth. Death
* Who does the "cage" castle really belong to- The Evil Queen's or Snow White and her father?
* Does Mr. Gold have some sort of advisory/guiding role in Storybrooke?
* Honor. Noble. Compassion
* Mirror
* Wolves. Sheep.
* Guiding.
* Chasing yourself, your past, your pain
* Protection. Armor. Cradle- Putting up walls, fences to keep out pain- caged in, lock things up in a vault. Armor although used for protection can also be constricting.
* Mills. Windmill
* Just like on the "Island" I think we'll see Graham/Huntsman again.
* Metaphor
✔ Golden LOST Thread Woven into the Tapestry of this Tale
★ Boone was the first major exit off the beach camp.
★ Desmond- Flashes. Claire, Charlie- dream/memory recall. Season 6- Locke, Kate, etc..memory recall.
★ Eyes- Eye color. In Raised By Another- Claire's dream, Locke appears with one white eye, one black.
★ Locke looks into a broken piece of glass in Abandoned and Shannon sees missing Walt
★ 108
★ Hunter. Warrior. Noble. Compassion
★ Black. White. Red
★ Flashes- memory
★ Another life. From another "land"
★ Arrow
★ Sydney
★ Henry and Walt- 10 years old
★ With Graham seeing the wolf I am reminded of Kate in What Kate Did, seeing her horse on the "Island". And let's not forget about Jack seeing Christian, etc.. Plus the arrival on the "Island" of people like Anthony Cooper/Sawyer and Walt.
★ In the episode Lighthouse, Kate tells Jack "I hope you find what you're looking for".
★ Metaphor
**All photos posted here are chosen for a reason.**
Enough of my rambling...Here is your episode recap! Enjoy!
Emma enters and Ruby asks if there's anything she can get her, but Emma just says "Nothing". As Emma is opening the door to exit, Graham, who seems to have a bit of anger toward Emma, throws a dart that lands eye level and inches away from her- stuck in the door frame. Emma was never in any danger from the dart, as Graham never misses. Graham feels that she's been avoiding him since she saw him leaving the Mayor's mansion last night. Emma's not avoiding him; she just has no interest in having that conversation. "It's your life. I really don't care." Emma leaves.
Outside Graham asks Emma "If you don't care then why are you so upset?" He feels if that were true then she'd be at the bar with him having a drink with him and not running away. {The diner is equally a bar-that's interesting.} Emma just feels none of it is her business.
Graham is keeping after Emma wanting to talk about it because he needs her to understand, "I don't know...maybe so I...I can understand."
Emma- "If you need analysis go talk to Archie!"
But Graham doesn't want to talk to Archie, he wants to talk to her.
Emma- "Well, your bad judgment is your problem- not mine." He's actually chasing after her.
Graham- "You don't know what it's like with her! I don't feel anything! Can't you understand that?!"
Emma understands bad relationships; she just doesn't want to talk about his.
Graham- "I know you and Regina have your own issues and I should have told you about that before you took the job."
Emma- "Yeah! Why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."
Upset Graham says it's because he didn't want her to look at him the way she is looking at him now. Emma wonders why he would care how he looks at her.
Graham looks deep into her eyes- "Because..." He holds her face and kisses her.
During the kiss he gets Flashes of a jumbled and blurry forest trees and a light/gray fur wolf with two different color eyes. Freaked out, he pulls away from her he asks "Did you see that?!"
Emma asks how much he had been drinking, "That was way over the line!"
Upset Graham tells her "I need to feel something."
Emma is pissed- "You were drunk and full of regret, I get it. But whatever it was that you were needing to feel you're not getting it with me. She walks away from empty feeling Graham.
The Queen/Regina looks sad.
Snow White, dressed in all black, is grieving and in mourning, places a white rose on top of white coffin that already has red rose petals on it.
Snow White is crying; she is deeply in pain. "Goodbye, father." The Queen tells Snow how sorry she is, but all Snow could do was cry "I loved him so much". The two women cry in each other's arms; as they both loved him.
The Queen, with tears in her eyes, tells Snow- "The loss I feel for my husband must be nothing compared to the loss you feel for your father. If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I may only be your mother through marriage, but I'm here for you, dear...truly and forever.
Grateful Snow hugs her stepmother.
The Queen- "1 down- 1 to go."
Snow has no idea that The Queen is responsible for his passing. The Queen is sickened by Snow seeking comfort with her "I could have ended her miserable existence right there. Believe me, it was tempting."
Mirror- "It would have saved your soul." {WTF does that mean?!}
The Queen knows the Kingdom is still loyal to Snow; but they would turn on the Queen.
"They don't know the wretchedness inside her as I do. They don't know what she did to me. We must be delicate in this next phase. Her demise must be handled with care."
Mirror suggests one of the Queen's knights. But she feels she needs someone adept at murder.
Mirror- "Someone with no heart." In that case, Mirror suggests she needs a Huntsmen.
A gray wolf with two different color eyes approached the caring Huntsmen; he assures the wolf that he too won't go hungry tonight. As the Huntsmen pulls the arrow out of the deer...
Regina looks like she realizes he's remembering something. "A wolf?"
Graham- "Its eyes...one was blood red and the other was black as night. Funny thing is.. I think I've seen the wolf before."
Regina comforts him, telling him to go back to sleep "It was only a dream"
Graham- "It didn't feel like a dream...It felt like a memory." He dresses to leave; he needs some air and needs to think; clear his head. He left his car at Granny's.
Regina looks troubled. She wants him to come back to bed; it's late, he's tired and probably still drunk. Graham- "Since when do you want me to stay anyway?"
Regina- "You're not well." Graham feels he's fine and leaves.
It appears that Regina's mansion is awfully close to Granny's diner. Graham drops his keys by his car. {Black and white sheriff car is #02} The gray wolf walks right up to him. Graham is startled.
Emma comes down the steps in Mary Margaret's house to see the flowers on the table and throws them in the trash. Mary Margaret sees this wondering what she's doing. Emma assumes the flowers are from David, but they're from Dr. Whale; whom she had a one night stand with. Emma feels this is good as she may be getting over David. Mary regrets calling Dr. Whale. Emma feels "That is definitely not a one night stand."
Mary- "Oh, OK, I'm still learning. I've never had one before. I felt guilty."
Emma feels there's nothing wrong with one night stands "...is as far as I ever go."
Mary- ".....because you're..." She goes on to explain to Emma "You're just protecting yourself...with that wall you put up". The floral abuse indicates Emma can get emotional over men. Mary tells her it's obvious to everyone but Emma that Emma has feelings for Graham, which Emma doesn't admit to. Mary says it's because of Emma's wall. Although her wall may keep out pain, it also may keep out love.
Gold- "Good morning Sheriff. Sorry if I startled you."
Graham- "Right- sorry, I, I thought you were a wolf."
Gold- "Did I forget to shave?" He claims to be out there early for a spot of gardening and wonders what Graham is doing. Graham reveals he's looking for a wolf.
Mr. Gold, who is beginning to catch on, tells Graham, "To the best of my knowledge, sheriff, there are no wolves in Storybrooke- not the literal kind, anyway. Why are you looking?"
Graham, who thinks Mr. Gold may think him crazy, admits he saw one in his dreams..."and then I saw one for real. Just a few hours ago. Did you see anything unusual out there?"
As Mr. Gold is looking over his shovel he replies "Afraid not." He smiles a slight smile and wishes he could be more helpful.
Mr. Gold- "You know, Sheriff...they say that dreams are memories. Memories of another life.
Graham- "What do you believe?"
Mr.Gold never rules out anything. He wishes the sheriff good luck, "I do hope you find what you're looking for."
Graham continues his search. {Some sheriff Graham is- he doesn't find it more strange that Mr. Gold is out there with a shovel doing some "gardening" in the early day in the middle of the forest.}
The gray wolf and the Huntsmen end up in a tavern, where he is made fun of by the patrons. They feel "this isn't a slaughter house". They make mock him; rumor is he was raised by wolves and he's teased for his being known to cry over his kills. Bartholomew asks the Huntsmen-"...What kind of a man cries over an animal?"
The Huntsmen- "An honorable one."
Bartholomew- "What do you know about honor?"
Huntsmen- "I have it. They have it. You don't." Animals have it as they are pure of heart; not selfish or self serving like people. The wolf gets protective of the Huntsman and threatens Bartholomew.
Bartholomew prepares to defend himself against the "pet" who threatened him, "...hang him on my wall". The Huntsman stabs Bartholomew, claiming the wolf is not a pet. A fight ensues. The Huntsman throws a man into a wall mirror, shattering it. He uses a piece of the mirror as a weapon against another man but decides to put the broken looking glass down...
...To which we're seamlessly brought to Sheriff Graham frantically running through the forest; appearing to be following the howls of the wolf. He meets up with the special wolf and he asks "What do you want?!" The wolf starts to walk away but is called back by Graham. The wolf walks over to him, and when Graham touches the wolf's head Graham gets Flashes.
Confused Graham shows up at Mary Margaret's classroom. {4:00. Note Volcanoes/science projects.} He's there to tell her that they know each other, but not from Storybrooke, "Another life". This confuses Mary Margaret.
The Huntsmen is brought in to the seductress Queen.
The Queen- "Do you have a name, or should I just call you, The Huntsmen?"
He doesn't answer. The Queens notes he's a tortured one. "Is this because your parents abandoned you to the wolves?"
The Huntsman- "Those weren't my parents. All they did was give birth to me. The wolves are my family."
The Queen's always felt that there were two kinds of people "Wolves and sheep. Those who kill and those who get killed". She feels the Huntsman is most certainly a wolf.
The Huntsman- "Why am I here?"
The Queen wants him to kill for her, but the Huntsman admits he only kills for himself. The Queen offers him a place in her court with the title of her official Huntsman; wanting for nothing. The Huntsman isn't interested in being a pet, "This place is a cage". Besides, she already has an army. The insulted Queen feels her prey is beloved by all the Kingdom and she needs someone who won't be blinded by that. "Someone without compassion. Someone...who'll have no qualms...carving a heart out...and bringing it back for my collection."
The Huntsmen- "That's me."
She wonders what he wants as payment. The Huntsman wants the hunted wolves protected. The cunning Queen feels that's simple enough.
The Huntsman- "So, who do you want me to kill?"
Confused Mary Margaret and Graham continue their puzzling conversation. They try to recall how long they know each other and when they met each other or anyone else. But neither can pull that information from their memories. Mary Margaret tosses the strange amnesia off as "...just life. Things get hazy."
Graham- "Have I ever hurt you?"
Mary Margaret says no, of course not.
Graham- "Do you believe in other lives?"
Mary- "You mean like heaven?"
Graham- "I mean like- past lives."
Amused Mary Margaret assumes he's been talking to Henry, to which he hasn't.
Mary Margaret shares that Henry has this book of stories and how he's been going on about how they're all characters from another land. "We've forgotten who we really are. Which of course makes no sense."
Graham agrees it makes no sense, yet it seems to have struck a chord. Mary notices that Graham is ill and running a fever. She tells him to go home and get some rest and he'll feel much better after he's had some sleep. He agrees.
Snow White tells the Queen's official Huntsman that when she was a little girl the summer palace was her favorite place; that the mountains surrounding it felt like a cradle, making her feel safe. She looks forward to returning to it. She asks the newly armored uncomfortable Huntsman if it's stuffy in there; referring to his new skin. She offers him one to two red apples; he says "No."
Snow realizes he's not a knight. "Without fail every one of my father's men has offered me condolences. Except you."
He offers his condolences. She notes that the men also know how to wear armor. Snow also realizes he is there to kill her on the Queen's behalf.
The Huntsman- "You have good instincts."
Snow- "And you have too much armor." As the uncomfortable Huntsman reaches for his dagger Snow hits him with a stick and runs away.
Regina- "Well, of course not. Because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. There's a reason you're alone, isn't there?"
Emma- "All due respect...the way I live my life is my business."
Regina- "It is until it infringes on my life. Stay away from Graham. You may think you're doing nothing- But you're putting thoughts in his head- thoughts that are not in his best interest. You are leading him on a path to self destruction. Stay away."
Graham shows up at the Mayor's house to talk to Henry about his story book. Graham asks "Am I in it?"
In The Enchanted Forest
The Huntsman comes upon Snow White who has stopped to compose a letter. Snow reveals she doesn't know these woods and as a skilled hunter he would be able to find her. "No matter what I do I know how this ends." She asks him to deliver her letter to the Queen after he kills her.
The Huntsman- "Your tricks won't work on me."
Teary Snow says it's not a trick, "Tell her I mean every word." He takes the note and is moved to tears as he reads it. He decides not to kill her; instead he gives her a whistle to aid/lead to her safety. He tells her to run.
Henry- "Were you about to hurt her?"
Graham- "Yes! How do you know that?"
As Henry turns the pages in his book he reveals that Mary Margaret is Snow White- which makes Graham, the Huntsman. Graham questions "So, you really think that I could be another person?"
Henry feels this makes total sense. After all Graham was raised by wolves, that's why he keeps seeing one; it's his friend, his guide trying to help him. Confused Graham wonders how kissing his mother, Emma, caused him to remember things. Henry feels it's because they have a special connection and owes him her life; because Snow White's her mother and if the Huntsman hadn't spared her, Emma wouldn't have been born. He also reveals that after Snow White was spared the Queen took his heart. "She ripped it out. It's kinda her thing. She never wants you to be able to feel again."
Graham turns the page and comes upon and image he recalled in his Flash; the wolf was howling at it. Henry knows it's her vault. "That's where she put your heart." Graham realizes the wolf wants him to find it. He thanks Henry.
Graham- "It's my heart, Emma. I need to find it." He's going to do that by following the wolf from his dreams.
Compassionate Emma- "I'm sorry...I thought we were talking in a metaphor here. You really think you don't have a heart."
Graham feels it's the only thing that makes sense and why he doesn't feel anything. Emma can prove to him that he has a heart. She puts her hand on his heart, "See...its beating. It's real." Then she puts his hand on his chest to feel the beating of his heart.
Graham- "No! It's the curse."
Just then Emma sees the gray wolf over Graham's shoulder. They take off after it into an old cemetery. Graham's guiding friend, the wolf, runs past a mausoleum and disappears, leading/leaving the duo in front of the mausoleum. They look at it and Emma asks "What is it?"
Graham- "It's my heart. It's in there." He turns on his flashlight, heading in to look inside for the heart he believes in inside there. Emma is the one that kicks the door open.
"Dearest Step Mother,
By the time you read this I will be dead. I understand that you will never have love in your life because of me, so it's only fitting that I'll be denied that same joy as well. For the sake of the Kingdom I hope my death satisfies your need for revenge, allowing you to rule my father's subjects as they deserve- with compassion and a gentle hand. I know what you think you're doing is vengeance. I prefer to think of it as sacrifice for the good of all. With that in mind I welcome the end. I want you to take my last message to heart. I'm sorry and I forgive you."
The enraged Queen takes the note and throws it into the fire and yells, "Don't tell me you're becoming a sheep." The Huntsman says that Snow put others before herself and yet she hates her. "What did she do to you?"
The Evil Queen- "I shared a secret with her...and she couldn't keep it. And that betrayal cost me dearly." {Ooh, aahhh}
Demanding for him to show her Snow's heart, he hands her the bag. She breaks through her double doors and puts the heart into a small box, and then walks over to her special wall, waiting for the heart to open a box size chamber, but no door opens. She realizes this is not Snow's heart or even a human heart. "What did you do?"
Inside the mausoleum Graham literally searches for his heart. He feels there has to be a hidden door or lever. He tries to open an urn but it doesn't budge. Emma doesn't think there's anything in there and tells him it's going to be OK.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" It's Regina standing outside. She turns her head away from the light of Graham's flash light. Regina is there to bring white flowers to her father's grave; just like she does every Wednesday. Graham doesn't want Regina to blame Emma as it is he who wanted to look in there. Regina wants to know what he was looking for. Graham just says "it was nothing". Regina tells her Dear that he doesn't look well. She grabs and pulls him to take him home. Graham doesn't want to go home; not with her.
Regina- "But you'll go with her."
Emma insists this is between Regina and Graham. Graham agrees "And things have to change." And contrary to what Regina might believe this isn't about Emma, it's because he doesn't feel anything when he's with her and he knows it's (because of) her. Regina hears/believes what she wants to hear "So you're leaving me for her."
Graham- "I'm leaving you for me."
Regina thinks Graham isn't thinking straight. But for the first time Graham is thinking straight. He'd rather have nothing than settle for less. "Nothing is better than what we have. I need to feel something, Regina. And the only way to do that is to give myself a chance." Emma seems proud of him. Graham tells Regina that it's over. Hurt/upset Regina wonders what she ever did to Miss Swan to deserve this, "To have you keep coming after everything I hold dear!" Feeling none of this happened until Emma got there. Emma tells Regina the problem isn't with her, but with Regina, "Henry came and found me. Graham...kissed me. Both were miserable. Maybe Madam Mayor... you need to take a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why that is. Why is everyone running away from you?" Regina hits Emma and the girls have a full on fist fight. Graham breaks them up and Emma walks away feeling it's not worth it. Graham walks away too.
In the Sheriff's office Graham puts an icepack on Emma's cut over her left eye. He apologizes. He doesn't know what came over him; he lost his mind. Emma feels he was tired and feverish and heartbroken. Evidently he let himself get caught up with her (Regina) because it was easy and safe.
Emma- "Not feeling anything's an attractive option when what you feel sex." Graham treats her cut as Emma winces (in pain) she felt from the peroxide.
Pissed off Regina heads into the mausoleum {MILLS- Henry Mills Beloved Father.} and puts the white flowers on top of the coffin. Strong Regina pushes the coffin to reveal a hidden staircase underneath it. She heads down below...
... The Evil Queen asks The Huntsman if he thought she could be fooled with the heart of a stag. She traps him in the room. The Huntsman feels "She doesn't deserve to die." But that's not up to him. The Queen wanted a heart and a heart she shall have! She plunges her hand into his chest and rips out his heart. At her special wall, his heart opens one of the chambers and to store his heart away; this is his new cage. Now he is her pet. She warns him that he will do whatever she says and if he ever tries to run away...all she has to do is squeeze (his heart). She demonstrates and he falls to the ground in agony. His life is now in her hands- forever. She orders her guards to take him to her bed chamber.
In her underground crypt is Regina's special wall from Fairy Tale Land. She opens the appropriate chamber and removes the box with the Huntsman's beating heart.
In the Sheriff's office Graham tells Emma- "All better." Emma is obviously moved; feeling something. She kisses Graham. Graham has Flashes of - Killing a deer, arrow, the wolf, the man in the tavern, the Evil Queen in red, his dagger, Snow White, apples, and her note, whistle, the Queen's heart chamber...
... Regina holds The Huntsman's heart in her hand...
... Graham remembers!...He's happy, cries and thanks Emma. As he goes in for another kiss he falls/keels over...as angry Regina is shown squeezing her hand so hard- dirt pours out.
Emma shakes and rubs the chest of unresponsive Graham; she is crying.
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