Only You

In the first part of this 2 hour finale, after discovering |Rumple has the Olympian Crystal to tether Storybrooke's magic for himself to wake Belle, Hook being alive & Regina losing Robin, Henry worries over Regina reverting back to the Evil Queen & losing the rest of his family, deciding that the only answer is to destroy magic. With Violet & the Olympian Crystal in tow, he heads to New York to find answers as his dad was also on a quest to destroy magic. However, it turns out there's now magic in the outside world because of the crystal and Regina, Emma & Rumple all head off to New York to find him as Storybrooke's magic outside could destroy the town. Ultimately at the New York library, Henry & Violet discover that there's another Holy Grail which could destroy magic as the other one which was carved into Excalibur was the source of all magic along with multiple volumes of his book showing different stories from different genres. However, Rumple manages to find the Crystal & shortly after, heads to a hotel revealing he wants to show Belle the world after he wakes her. Meanwhile, after sending Merida, the Camelot characters & the Merry Men back home through a portal, thanks to the Olympian Crystal being gone, it sends Snow, David, Hook & Zelena to a new land, where they're trapped in a mental hospital by Mr Hyde (Sam Witwer), who holds a grudge against Rumple. However, Dr Jekyll (Hank Harris) agrees to help the group escape & fix the Apprentice's broken wand in exchange for going to Storybrooke with them. But when Dr Poole uses a potion to transform Jekyll into Hyde, he ends up using the wand to summon Pandora's Box AKA Belle, holding her ransom to get Rumple to help the entire land go to Storybrooke.

After a pretty whirlwind season with Camelot & the Underworld, there wasn't really one definitive set-up or plot that lasted the whole season like season 4, leaving it a bit vague to the imagination. However, given that Robin has just died & Rumple has a plan with the Olympian Crystal, it seemed the most logical to follow those up in this first half. However, one thing I will say is that this doesn't really centre on Emma, it's really Henry & for a part of it, Regina. Seeing Henry take on a more active role yet again was an interesting one since it helps grow his character & while his plan to destroy magic wasn't really well thought through, the reasons behind why were understandable. Seeing his romance with Violet coming back to play after being put on hold since the first half was a good choice on the writer's behalf along with the mention of Neal wanting to destroy magic while coming out of nowhere, doesn't go against his character's integrity at all. And with Regina, her scene of finally breaking down to Emma revealing the troubles of not giving in to her Evil Queen impulses was very strongly executed in acting, writing and emotions. Rightfully calling Emma out on the unfairness of Hook surviving while being forced to lose her second chance of love, it felt rather refreshing for her to admit that she's still at a crossroads with herself despite changing her ways for good despite that slither of her former self clinging onto her. Along with a very sweet letter from Robin, despite all the action with Henry trying to destroy magic & the other characters stuck in the new land, this scene would actually be the highlight of this first half of the finale.

With Rumple, his plan behind the Olympian Crystal to wake Belle & save their child actually feels pretty human when getting down to it. But the problem I actually have is the other characters' points of view of the situation as they all think he's just being downright evil even when they're fully aware of his reasons. Given his determination to show his wife the world even after she told him she didn't need to see it to know what she was looking for, I stand by his actions because while the Olympian Crystal tethering all of Storybrooke's magic may have dire consequences (along with Henry stupidly taking it & making things much worse for everyone), in his eyes it's a last resort after the last episode. And the ending with Mr Hyde holding Box!Belle ransom...UGH!!!

The addition of the new land is pretty...interesting. Seeing more obscure stories come into play was admittedly a good choice as recently, it has felt like the writers have been capitalising on stories & movies which have been popular.  And even if Jekyll & Hyde would seem to feel more at home in somewhere like Dr Frankenstein's land because of the similar time periods & the darker tone, I still enjoyed it thanks to the performances from both actors & I can kind of understand Hyde's (and for that matter, the rest of the land's) wish to be given more recognition.

So for the first half of this finale, I'd say it was good. As an introduction to the new land, seeing more development from Henry & Regina (being far superior from the latter as the former still made some nonsensical decisions), pretty good acting, I'm pretty excited to review the second half (even if it's admittedly one of the weaker finales from the show so far).

 

Very...depressing way to start the finale! At least Regina knows she doesn't have to go through this alone!

AWW, sweet seeing Violet look out for Henry! Glad their little romance is being touched upon again after going nowhere in the first half.

Ugh, you don't exactly have the right to say your thoughts when you just got your boyfriend back while Regina can never see her's again!

'Belle since your father refused to wake you, I'm gonna have to find another way and I will. It's not just you I have to worry about now It's our family. Our unborn child. There's only one way I can free you both. I need more power. I need all of it.' Sweet yet threatening speech and all, Rumple, but I just can't take it seriously when you're talking to a freaking box! And if you just believed in yourself, maybe True Love's Kiss would actually work!

About time people were pissed off at Hook!

'But Gold has the power of all the Dark Ones. Why would he need more?' 'To wake Belle. True Love's Kiss didn't work because she doesn't wanna be with him.' And how exactly do you know that, Emma?! You barely know their situation & yet you think you have the right to jump to such a conclusion!' AND WHY ARE THEY PORTRAYING HIS ACTIONS AS EVIL WHEN HE'S DOING EVERYTHING FOR HIS WIFE & CHILD?!

'Where should we start?' 'Actually...I was thinking you should sit this one out.' 'You're worried the Evil Queen is about to come out of play.' 'No, I just thinking about what's best for you.' 'No you don't! When you're upset we follow you to Hell. But when I'M upset I get a time out! She's definitely got a point there! And must say, given that she's the one grieving Robin, she's the only one who's making any sense!

Can't decide whether his plan to destroy magic is smart, crazy, stupid or the mixture of the three...and pretty sporadic going on a road trip with Violet!

Well, wouldn't hurt to abuse his power just this once as it's for the greater good in his eyes!

Yeah, clearly Henry didn't really think of the consequences of taking the town's magic outside!

Hmm, time for SwanQueen road trip number two!

So the 'Land Without Magic' now has magic...? 

Of course they're in New York City!

About time Merida & the Camelot characters got their closure & returned home...despite having no king, Merlin being dead & Guinevere being widowed!

AWWW! 'For Regina! From one of my papa's arrows.' GOD, I'm gonna miss the most adorable character in the show! Just sad he never got to say goodbye to Regina.

Ugh, not again!

'I don't think we're in Storybrooke anymore.' Yeah...what Zelena said!

Well, at least there'd one advantage of magic outside town! And funny that it was Regina's idea to stop at Hardee's before continuing their search!

Hmm, pretty sweet he's put Box!Belle in the passenger seat...

Rather childish response to hearing that he has to pay $15 to get into New York!

Can't help but find it funny they've stopped their huge quest to destroy magic for pizza! Like mother like son it seems...

Hmm, trying to figure out who this neurotic groundsman could be...

What the hell is going on?!

Never seen a dungeon like that before!

Hmm, who is this dashingly handsome yet incredibly creepy man...?

'We don't work for Rumplestiltskin. He's our enemy. He's the whole reason that we're here. He tried to steal magic to wake the woman he loves. She's...pregnant.' Did you really just sell him out, Snow just to save the pirate?! And of course, blame Rumple for everything when Henry was the one who took the Olympian Crystal out of town!

Aww, sweet Robin kept that (very inaccurate) Robin Hood book she gave to him!

AWW! 'My dear Regina, I know I shouldn't be writing this, but I had to let you know how proud I am of you. You have opened your heart to love and let it change you. And no matter what separates us, I know you'll always be the heroine woman I fell in love with. Robin.'

'You want to know why I got so angry? Because you're right. The Evil Queen is...inside me...always trying to get out. I can't expect you to get it.' 'Well, I fought the darkness. You know I do understand.' 'With all due respect, but you don't. You went up to the precipice. But you got pulled back before it consumed you. I was consumed. And I have to live with it everyday. 'I can't imagine how it feels.' 'It's exhausting. I'm constantly at war with my instincts. Like with Hook. My first impulse...was to rip his throat out because it's not fair that he survives and Robin doesn't! But I didn't, because I know now that it's wrong. Much as I want to give into evil, I don't. So I do good...and hate every moment of it.' 'You hate doing good?' 'Yes. It's complicated. I know it's right but it always leads to loss for me. Yet I keep doing it now and I keep suffering. But I know the Evil Queen can't return so...that's how it has to be. I'll never be a peace with myself.' 'That's not true. You fell in love with Robin and you were happy.' ' Yeah, and look at what happened! I am what I am. I did what I did. Many years ago I had a choice. Snow told a secret. And I could have chosen to forgive her. Instead...I did horrible things. Unspeakable things. I've tried to be a hero. 'And you have been.' 'What if it doesn't matter?' 'There's no redemption for me. There's only suffering. Because I now have a curse: the curse of knowing the difference between good and evil. And I'm caught between them. If I revert...I lose everyone I love. Henry...my friends...everyone. And if I go forward trying to be good, I have to live with my past darkness and its well-deserved consequences. 'I don't believe that. I believe in you.' 'That's because, you are good. But for me, it's a simple choice, really. I'd rather suffer than see the pain on the people I care about. This is my fate. I'm trapped.' Wow...that's deep, Regina!

What the-?!

Hmm, fair deal to let them out in exchange for going with them to Storybrooke...and curious over which fictional doctor he could be!

What a coincidence there's a twin Holy Grail that can destroy magic which happens to be in New York!

Well, that was pretty easy!

ARGH! Wait a second...OF COURSE! Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde! Why didn't I figure that out earlier?!

I'm calling this new world Steampunk Land!

Can't really blame Henry for being worried about losing the rest of his family to magic after everything that's happened.

'Now when I wake you, I think you'll finally understand that everything I've done, I've done for you and our child. And then, I'm gonna give you what you always wanted, Belle. I'm gonna show you the world.' AWW! Seriously, that's not evil, that's just as romantic as it gets! Even after everything, he still wants to fulfill her wish with her!

Oh crap...

Yeah, on top of the parallel with 1x19, that's pretty much me every time I lose my keys or phone! And for those saying he had a 'choice' & was 'selfish', given who it was that sent the portal, surely your first instinct would tell you they'd be after the sacred magical object!

Yeah, maybe you shouldn't have told Mr Hyde about Rumple's pregnant wife, Snow!