Luffy Reacts - Once Upon a Time S3E10 - The New Neverland

The New Neverland- Thank you so much for another fun reaction, Luffy! I'm really happy you enjoyed this episode. Even if its not one of the best by any means. And it's not, but it's still pretty great! For me... I especially love the present storyline, when our heroes finally return to Storybrooke. I really love seeing all of the reunions. I really like this episode a lot like always, although I will admit that its backstory... while I really do enjoy it overall in spite of its flaws, it is among one of the weakest storylines set within the past. However, with this being said... the message behind the storylines that connect the backstory to its main present storyline is what is most important. David and Mary Margaret are trying to convince Emma that she has to see the happiness and to enjoy the good moments in between all the bad, just like Charming did for Snow in the past. Otherwise... the pain and misery will come to consume them. And I really love the overall message. It's a message we all need take away from this episode so we can learn from it too. And yes... the writing throughout this episode, just like in every episode... is absolutely on point. It's marvelous!! :) Plus... I love Charming's humor throughout this storyline, especially upon seeing him surprise Snow upon appearing ahead of her and knowing she was up to something. First, in answer to your question regarding people being able to survive upon the removal of their shadows... If you remember back to this season's second episode... Lost Girl, we see Rumple cutting away his shadow using his dagger, in front of a very specific place in Neverland. In the front of a giant boulder. And it's not just because of the dagger that allows Rumple to survive having his shadow cut away. I don't think it is directly explained, but I do believe it has been established that this specific area in Neverland where Rumple cuts away his shadow, is the only place in Neverland where a character can have the ability to cut away their shadow without dying. Any other time we've seen someone lose their shadows, they've always died. Greg shown in this season premiere... The Heart of the Truest Believer, and now the Blue Fairy too as we see her be killed in this episode now as well. Even Hook and Neal very nearly die back in the seventh episode... Dark Hollow, when they and Emma walk into the Dark Hollow to capture Pan's Shadow. And they would have if it weren't for Emma saving them by capturing Pan's Shadow in time. I do believe more about the Shadow and how a character can survive without one, is eventually explained within this show. Don't you worry. Now... one of my very favorite moments in this episode is the moment Emma releases Pan across the town line and sees Henry in Pan's body trying to convince her and the others that he's really Henry. It is quite brilliant to see Robbie Kay play Henry, and Jared Gilmore play Pan. I really love this scene between Emma and Henry while in Pan's body quite a bit. Especially when Emma asks Henry to prove to her he really is her son by sharing with her the moment they first really connected... offering us a beautiful nod back to the Pilot episode when Henry shares with Emma why he understands her reasons for giving him up. Because she wanted to give him his best chance, just as Snow and Charming did for her too. So beautiful, and what a tender moment. Another of my other favorite, albeit small moments... is when we see Hook watching Emma from the bar inside Granny's diner, until Neal unfortunately interrupts him. But I really quite love this moment because Hook continues to show he is a man of honor, when he assures Neal that he would back off to give him a chance with Emma because he is her former lover and Henry's father. And we can see that Hook really is sincere about giving Neal this chance with Emma again, because he does care for Neal and still sees him as Baelfire and Milah's son like he had grown to care for all those years ago. And I respect and love Hook all the more for being the bigger man and doing what is best for Emma, by allowing her to be the one to choose if she wants Neal back in her life romantically, or if she might be willing to open herself up to him. Hook puts what comes of him and Emma, completely in Emma's hands. And I absolutely love him for it! :) However, I also love how Hook stays in character when he states that he also plans on sticking around for the long haul, since a part of him believes that there may be a chance that Emma won't romantically accept Neal in her life again upon hearing her confession to Neal inside Echo Caves, and that Emma won't be able to get past the pain Neal caused her early on when they were together. When Neal allowed Emma to go to prison for the stolen watches, in spite of his reasons being to try to help steer her on the right path again. And Emma would have every right to feel as she does, and to reject him if she chooses to. Neal's betrayal has hurt Emma very deeply. And he's a big reason why Emma struggles very deeply with trusting anyone not to hurt her. Something like this wouldn't be easy for anyone to get over. Again... I don't believe Hook says this to Neal out of spite, but I feel it's more of a warning, or rather... a gesture of kindness by trying to help Neal to understand why Emma might not allow him back into her life in the way Neal wants her to. Because Hook does care about Neal very much, which we've seen him prove more than once. Hook may say the words of warning to Neal a bit too haughtily, but I suspect his words are spoken as such because they come from his own pain, upon knowing there is a very good chance Emma will eventually take Neal back and that he will lose her as easily as Neal could. Also... I love how Hook smugly teases Neal as he states, "You're right... I am devilishly handsome." Absolutely brilliant and this is Hook all the way! :) And it's also because of this moment that I dislike Neal a little bit more too, because as soon as Hook reminds him that Emma might not be able to forgive him enough to take him back and to love him again, Neal immediately walks over to Emma and attempts to ask her out. And right in front of Hook too. As if out of pettiness to make sure Hook doesn't ever get the chance to win her heart in spite of his promise to him that he will leave her alone until she makes her decision. This may not be Neal's intention, but I can't help but see it this way. Now... I also love the moment between Hook and Tinker Bell as well, when he attempts to flirt with her and offers her a drink, until Tink immediately accuses him of doing so only so he can try to get Emma out of his mind. I am so happy that Tink sees right through him and calls him out on it. And yet I also love that she understands his reasons for trying to get her to distract him is because he really wants to be with Emma and knows that he can't be. And this is the only reason why Hook attempts to flirt with Tink. It's really sad quite honestly, but perfect for his character and I love it. As for Blue being killed by Pan's shadow... I am sad when this happens. Like I've mentioned before, so many fans of this show dislike Blue because they think she's shady. I see her as tough. And she definitely makes mistakes like she did with Tinker Bell in this season's episode... Quite a Common Fairy, and with Nova back in season one's episode... Dreamy. But I can understand why she feels she has to be so tough on them. I like Blue. So seeing her dying is sad for me. Almost like how I felt when we believed Archie to be killed back in season two's episode... The Cricket Game. Not quite as much, because I absolutely love Archie. But Blue's death is sad. And it is shocking because I didn't see it coming at all. As for the scenes between Pan in Henry's body and Regina... Like you, I really feel bad for Regina because she wanted so badly to believe that Henry wanted to be with her so much. However, I am also quite annoyed by Regina's attitude towards Emma, when Emma tries multiple times to warn her that something is wrong with him. I understand that Regina is still struggling with becoming accepted by everyone and with coming to care about everyone. We even saw this in the beginning when all the heroes return home from Neverland at last and Mary Margaret gives Regina credit for all her help in getting them home, which I love. But nonetheless... at least Regina comes to her senses and comes to understand she was wrong after she is woken up later on by Gold after being rendered unconscious by Pan down in her vault. Next... I love, love, love the father/daughter moment between Emma and David when he encourages her to try to enjoy the good moments between their fights against the villains, as is this episode major theme. And then this continues later on between Emma, David, and Mary Margaret as they continue to give her hope that she can have happy moments. It's so sad that Emma feels that being the Savior means she can't have the happy moments in life. And this brings me to the past storyline... I really enjoy the parallels between the stories with Emma struggling with finding the happy moments, and then seeing how Snow also struggles with finding peace and happiness in between the Evil Queen's constant attacks. Like I said above... the overall backstory is a little weak. Which is all to do with the whole Medusa storyline. Mostly because I really love most everything about all of the Medusa stories and legends out there. And I feel like this storyline with Medusa could have not only been written a little better, but that the CGI for Medusa could have been done better too. Normally, I don't care whether or not the CGI might be bad or poorly done. However, there are some circumstances where the badness of the CGI does stand out to me much more, and it can at times be a little hard to ignore. The CGI for Medusa throughout this episode's backstory, is one of these circumstances. At least for me. Yes... this is one episode where the CGI is recognizably bad whenever Medusa is shown. I do see bad CGI in other episodes, but it never bothers me and I think nothing of it in most episodes. But there are a few times when it's hard to ignore the bad CGI, and the CGI used to create Medusa is pretty bad. But nonetheless... I still enjoy the episode overall and I especially love the messages within both the past and present storylines. And I still really enjoy this backstory within this episode anyways. I continue to love all of the backstories we get for every character, including the main ones. While at times, the backstories may seem to be repetitive or tedious for some viewers... I still really enjoy them. I love seeing all that happens to each of our characters within the past. Overall... I enjoy the overall storyline with Snow seeking to kill Medusa in hope of using her magic to turn Regina into stone. Unfortunately, her obsession with trying to defeat Regina nearly costs her David's life when he gets turned to stone saving her life. I love the brief moment between Snow and Regina when Regina taunts her through the reflection in the shield. But mostly... I love David's full support for his wife and his patience and understanding. And I love the moment David surprises Snow outside of Snow's parents' Summer Palace just after they arrive, after he reveals that he knew Snow was up to something. David knows her all too well. So funny. I love it! :) Next... I really love the moment when Belle guides Ariel to Prince Eric who is cutting fish in the harbor, and seeing them finally reunite again. It is such a beautiful and sweet moment. As are all the rest of the reunions shown too, like I mentioned above. And then... I was so excited when I first watched this episode upon finding out Pan is now preparing to cast a new dark curse from the scroll Regina has been keeping inside her vault. It's going to be crazy in the next episode as the heroes struggle to try to stop Pan's plans in wanting to create the New Neverland. Yikes! And lastly... I think that the overall storyline with Henry in Pan's body, and Pan in Henry's body, is handled pretty well overall. Especially because Emma senses right away that there is something wrong with Henry right away. If no one noticed the strangeness in Henry while he is really Pan, and if this storyline had been dragged out any longer, then this storyline for me wouldn't have worked at all. All in all... I think it's written pretty well because Emma sees through Pan's deception right away. Which I love! Overall... this is still a great episode. One more of my favorite moments, or scenes... I absolutely love the beginning where everyone is happily reunited in Storybrooke upon the heroes' return from Neverland. Like in season two's premiere episode... Broken, the reunions for these characters are beautiful. Oh... and I also absolutely love when David comes to talk to Emma about giving Neal a chance, but then she asks her father if he's pushing her towards Neal in order to get her mind off of Hook. So funny. I especially love David's little tease towards Emma about her wondering if he has a thing for Hook. Adorable father/daughter moment. Thank you once more, Luffy! And on to the next episodes... Just you wait! The next two episodes are easily two more of my absolute favorite episodes within this season. And I can't wait for your reactions to them!!! :) Thank you!! Sincerely, Heidi

Heidi Elizabeth Marcum