Once Upon a Time returns Sunday night with new episodes, beginning with “The Cricket Game.” With Cora (Barbara Hershey) and Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) in Storybrooke, the episode focuses on Regina (Lana Parrilla) who is trying to live without magic, to please Henry (Jared S. Gilmore). But how will that play out as she tries to deal with her mother? “I think,” says Once Upon a Time executive Producer Adam Horowitz, “this episode is going to test [Regina] in many ways.” I caught up with Horowitz and his Once Upon a Time co-creator Edward Kitsis by phone to talk about their hit ABC series and what’s in store during the weeks ahead.
As you may recall, when season two got underway last fall, Regina’s curse had been broken and the good townsfolk of Storybrooke had begun to remember their true identities as fairytale characters. Everyone is pretty upset with the Evil Queen, and out for her head. But no one is more vengeful than Mr. Gold, otherwise known as Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle) after learning that Regina had kept Belle (Emilie de Ravin) captive for 28 years in Storybrooke and even longer than that in Fairytale Land. He is out for blood…or rather her soul.
“Now that magic’s back,” explained Kitsis, “and [Rumple] realizes what’s happened to Belle, he needs to get his revenge.” But Rumple had vowed to Belle that he wouldn’t kill Regina, so what to do?
“And so like always, [Rumple finds] the loophole. Belle would never want to kill someone, so he’s like, ‘All right, well, I’ll rip her soul from her,’” Kitsis said. He sends a very nasty soul-sucking wraith to deal with Regina and get his revenge. After all, it’s not killing her—at least not with his own hands…
But then, of course, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) intervenes when Henry pleads for the life of his adoptive mother. “We loved the idea of Emma sacrificing her own life to save Regina’s for Henry’s sake,” the showrunners told me. “And then [with Emma and Snow, Ginnifer Goodwin] ending up back in Fairytale Land,” Kitsis and Horowitz found they wanted to explore the character aspects of that journey.
On series television, sometimes plot drives the narrative, sometimes character. On Once Upon a Time, said Horowitz, “hopefully they’re all married together. Exploring the characters and telling their stories, getting into what makes them tick, entwines with the larger story we’re telling.”
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Article comments
1 - Betsy
Barbara, that was really great stuff - you were not kidding.
Bobby is playing pre-curse Rumple, all of DO Rumple's personas, pre-Belle Gold and post-Belle Gold. God, he's so brilliant. I thought it was an absolute disgrace that he didnt get an Emmy nod- I'm still ticked off.
While I have complained quite a bit, lol, I have to acknowledge that there have been exquisite Rumbelle scenes this year: the Broken kiss, the entire end scene, the library scene in the Croc, the burger scene. I'm glad that Adam and Eddy are finally talking about them......I LOVE LOVE LOVE that they are acknowledging that Gold is changing/has changed because I think that that has been a wonderful, if subtle thing. Unlike with Regina, he understands the bad things he did, hates himself for them and is willing to deal with the consequences (people's reactions to him). He's so much more sensitive now - people can wound him. That outer shell he wore so well is almost gone now - Belle shattered it.
My only issue here is that we didn't get to see Belle get to know the town, the modern world...but I understand what they are saying. I'd also rather them have delayed their story and then give it full attention as opposed to rushing through it just to satisfy impatient fans like myself.
I'm so excited.....now give us romance. Fans can deal with angst and, in fact, many love it - esp. because Bobby/Emilie are SOOO good at it.....as LONG as it's balanced out by good times and loving. I miss that sizzling chemistry......
There's lots more to take in and I have to re-read, but I wanted to comment on my favorite parts, lol and to thank you again!!!
2 - WML
I'm with Betsy here. Tension and true love always seem to go hand in hand, and RC and Emilie are really sizzling together, even in their spats. Emilie's eyes are so expressive (much like Jenna Louise Coleman). And RC? His Rumple/Gold is one of the great TV characters in the last few years, maybe even longer.
3 - Betsy
WML, I think that these 2 are so passionate that they might sometimes butt heads.....but it will be ok because they will not go to bed angry (literally and figuratively) and they will have great times making up!
Of course now they are still feeling each other out.....and there is the issue of magic, but I really think that it doesn't need to be a huge deal. I think Belle doesn't want Gold to use it as a crutch because she wants him to rely more on his own abilities.....I think the use of magic is not a bad thing if done properly, but Gold has no faith in himself and that's why he thinks he needs it. I'd like to see him be able to use magic....but for things that really count.
Bobby/Emilie have the most incredible chemistry I've ever seen - in everything they do. There is a wonderful trust between them as actors, also.....I adore them.
They also both have amazing, remarkable eyes; they don't have to say a word and you know what they're thinking.
Rumple is an brilliant character, but it's Bobby who's made him that; he's just incredibly great.
4 - WML
I had a comment blocked earlier but I am wondering what will cause the tension between Belle and Gold? Gold using magic to subdue Hook? Hook telling Belle how Milah's heart was crushed by Rumple? Rumple leaving Storybrooke to find Bae without bring Belle along?
To me, it's how both Rumple/Gold and Belle have misgivings about themselves and each other and yet ultimately believing in their love for one other that makes this couple so great. Snow and Charming? Too much of the fairy tale - the lack of tension is BORING. Of course, I expect that with Emma and Henry in the mix, things will be different. And if Rumple is the other grandfather, that would be a further dynamic.
5 - Betsy
In terms of potential issues for Rumbelle, Emilie said this:
"They are completely infatuated with each other and always have been," Emilie de Ravin said. "It's just [about] getting over these obstacles of being such different people coming from such different places and living such different lives."
It sounds pretty realistic to me. They must be spending an awful lot of time together without living together, lol. As long as they work through these issues together and the angst is balanced out with the joy of being in loev, I'm going to be happy.
I don't think either one has misgivings about the other, though - they never have, which makes their love incredible. When I start worrying about issues cropping up, I remind myself that David actually thought MM was capable of murder last year. That's a pretty big issue to overcome, lol.
Belle is supporting Gold in his search for Bae......that's not an issue.
Much as I love Neal (and Neal/Emma), I hope Neal is not Bae........that's just way too soapy. I hate the idea of everyone in town being related, lol
6 - Rosie
["Unlike with Regina, he understands the bad things he did, hates himself for them and is willing to deal with the consequences (people's reactions to him). He's so much more sensitive now - people can wound him. That outer shell he wore so well is almost gone now - Belle shattered it."]
Aside from his love for Belle, Rumple hasn't shown any attempt at redemption. None whatsoever. Nor has he shown any willingness to face the consequences of his past actions.
I don't hate Rumpel. But I haven't seen any real attempt at redemption from him. And his relationship with Belle doesn't strike me as any real proof.