Luffy Reacts - Once Upon a Time S2E12 - In the Name of the Brother
Added 2020-11-30 00:47:15 +0000 UTCStreamable link: https://streamable.com/q3p421
OUaT reactions are finally back!
There were a couple of "slow brain" aspects about this reaction,
but that's probably what happens when you spend a long time away from a series
and then immediately jump back into it. So that's my bad!
Comments
Yay!! I'm so happy I could help clarify things for you!! :) Yes... this show certainly can be either very full of information in a single episode, or very dense with it. Sometimes, it takes watching a particular episode more than once to catch little details you've missed in the first viewing. I feel like the details about how Whale's feelings are explained enough throughout this episode to get a small sense of why he feels so lost, but not enough to really fully understand why. It takes a second viewing to try to make better sense of his character's struggles for sure. And you also have to pay really close attention to Ruby's and Whale's conversation too. And I'm glad you noticed a spark between Ruby and Whale too. It certainly helps make me feel smarter like you. Also... I am happy my thoughts in regards to Emma failing to recognize Greg's lie because he didn't technically do so. You are most welcome, my friend. :) Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2020-11-30 04:02:36 +0000 UTCThank you for your help, everything is much clearer now! It's easy to forget how rich/dense with information this show is. "So, if you saw more than just a friendship brewing between them in this episode, this is why." Aha! I DID feel something like that, but forgot to bring it up. Good to know that it was (at the time) intentional! Makes me feel smarter lol Very good point about Greg not technically lying, makes a lot of sense in regards to Emma's power.
Luffyiscool
2020-11-30 03:55:24 +0000 UTCIn the Name of the Brother- Hello! Thank you so much once again for another reaction for Once Upon a Time!! Like always, I really enjoyed your reaction for this episode. There are some issues I have with this episode, especially within the flashback scenes. But they're mostly to do with the acting of Victor Frankenstein's father. For the most part, I enjoy the backstory. It's not my favorite storyline throughout this episode by any means, but I do still really enjoy it. First... I love that we get to explore more within the Land Without Color and Whale's backstory with him being Victor Frankenstein. I really appreciate seeing all the scars across Victor's brother's body, which is a clever way of showing us that he is indeed Frankenstein's monster. Why he's so scarred, given that you wouldn't think Victor would have needed to cut his brother up so much to try to revive him... I don't know. However, I do love seeing the monster's scars brought into his story from the original story of Frankenstein. Sadly, a part of me feels that this storyline is also a bit rushed. But more about this in a moment... Now... I actually really love the scenes between Whale and Ruby in Storybrooke. In fact... my favorite scenes are those between them. I heard some time ago that it was the creators' plan to originally put Ruby and Whale in a relationship and honestly, I could ship them. :) But sadly, they quickly changed their minds after this episode was already filmed. It's too bad this never happened because I actually like the idea of Ruby and Whale together. They may be an odd pairing, but in a weird way, they also make sense together. Especially since they can both relate to being called and seen as monsters. Him as Frankenstein and her as a werewolf. So, if you saw more than just a friendship brewing between them in this episode, this is why. I also really appreciate that Ruby is the one to talk Whale down to save him from killing himself, as she encourages him that he has a chance at a new life in Storybrooke and at being the man he wants to be. In regards to your confusion as to why Whale is so distraught and is struggling to do his job, and why Ruby is able to help him... Whale is still reeling from the events we see from the previous Frankenstein centric episode... The Doctor, when he had brought Regina's love back to life, only for the monster he became because of Whale's work to attack him and rip off his arm upon becoming afraid and angry. I suppose you can say that Whale is suffering from PTSD to some degree. But not because he's afraid of being around death, but because I feel that he's lost all faith in his abilities to heal people. After being attacked and losing his arm, then upon truly seeing just how damaging his previous work in trying to bring back the dead for the sake of saving his brother can really be... Whale doesn't believe in himself any longer. He wants his name to stand for life, and yet he feels like everyone he tries to save winds up dying. And he's therefore afraid the same will happen to this outsider should he operate on him too. This is why Whale runs away from the hospital and then attempts to commit suicide because he's lost all hope he can be anything other than a monster. But upon Ruby revealing she's also part werewolf and that she sadly ate her boyfriend, Whale has now learn he's also not alone. And that he they both now have a chance to start their lives over. to find redemption. I absolutely love this! And I hope my explanation helps you, Luffy.:) Seeking and finding redemption is another strong theme shown throughout the series. Having the heroes encouraging those struggling to fight to be who they really want to be despite the pressure on them through those fighting against them. And I absolutely love this. I love how Ruby also talks about Regina's curse somewhat being a blessing in disguise, given how much she wishes to forget about her old life upon seeing herself as a monster just like Victor does too. And in regards to the outsider, Greg Mendell... back in this season's episode, The Doctor, Whale charges into Archie's office while he is in a session with Regina to demand that she return him to his land so he can get back to his brother. Whale states that Regina's curse had only brought the living to Storybrooke, which tells us that Gerhard is most likely still locked up inside the prison cell where we see him locked up in at the end of this current episode. Because Gerhard is still technically dead, as we see that Victor couldn't kill him again even to end his brother's suffering, the curse never carried him to Storybrooke like it did everyone else. Just like Regina tells him. I think this knowledge only adds to the stress and pain Whale is struggling so much with throughout this episode, and has been since his previous centric episode... The Doctor. And just a reminder... the guy from the apartment seen in the beginning of the very first episode this season whom you mention in this reaction, has been revealed to be Emma's previous love when she was younger and Henry's father. This revelation was from the sixth episode of this season... Tallahassee. This is all we know about this character so far. And he's definitely not the outsider Whale has now saved. Back to the backstory... As I said above, it is interesting overall. And what I love most about it is that we see a new twist on the tale of Victor Frankenstein and Frankenstein's monster. However, it just isn't always executed well. Which is too bad, because after such a strong episode for his character like The Doctor, this episode... in my opinion, could have and should have been so much better. But with that being said... I love seeing Rumple come into his story, showing how the events we saw back in episode five, The Doctor... in which Rumple brought Jefferson and Regina into the storyline, came about. And I love that while everything in Frankenstein's world is in black and white, Rumplestiltskin appears in full color because he's from the Enchanted Forest where color is in a way... magical. Also... Victor's brother sadly kills their father. Sad for the brother who kills him, though I couldn't care less that their father was killed. He was a real piece of work and I was quite happy to see him to get killed. I felt sorry for Victor's brother, while Victor himself didn't stop him from killing their father. You can see that he clearly didn't care if his father died. And after the way their father treated his oldest son... I can't blame him. I'm not saying it is right for Victor to let his brother kill their father. Because it's not. But I understand his reasons for allowing it to happen and not stopping him. Next... the actor who plays the father... Gregory Itzin, is very weak in this show. Which to me is strange because he's always been a strong actor for the most part in other shows I've seen him in and is always really evil. This actor scares me in a good way within a few of his other roles. But in this episode for Once Upon a Time... he's really terrible and emotionless. Although, you can definitely see that his hatred for his oldest son is more dominating than his love for his youngest, which is really sad. I just really hate his character. I do like the relationship between the two brothers, and that in spite of becoming a monster who couldn't recognize his own father, I like that Gerhardt still is able to recognize his brother because they have always been very close before the younger brother's death. Now, as far as the Storybrooke storyline goes... I love the brief scenes between Hook and Emma both in the beginning on the street just before she and David save Hook from getting killed again by Gold, and then again in the hospital as Hook continues to show his bravado despite his pain. He's very smug. And I really love it. :) And I especially love the moments between Hook and Gold on the street, as Hook continues to tempt Gold to kill him after he shoots her, then again as Gold attempts to strangle Hook by crushing his neck with his cane. I love their rivalry and the anger they show when confronting one another. Absolutely brilliant, and to me, they are easily the strongest rivalry throughout this entire show. Love them! :) Next... I also like the scenes between Gold and Belle, as sad as they are. I can understand Gold's need to bring Belle back to him, but he does certainly push her too far, much too fast. It is really his fault for the teacup becoming shattered when Belle throes it against the wall. But time will tell whether or not Belle's memories can be returned. I feel badly for Rumple, but he is definitely partly responsible for her memory loss too. Rumple's and Hook's rivalry and hatred for one another caused all of this. Hook isn't the only one to blame. I mostly just feel bad for Belle most of all. Now, as for Cora... I do believe she is genuine in wanting a relationship with her daughter. However, her motivations are twisted and she is nothing but manipulative. She doesn't understand why her daughter doesn't see that she loves her, and I really hate that about Cora's character. Cora doesn't care if she has to hurt her daughter, in order to get what she wants for her, herself, and from her daughter. Cora wants everything for Regina, but only for herself because a relationship with her adds to her advantage in gaining power over everyone else. Unfortunately, Regina falls for Cora's lies so quickly and accepts her back into her life just like that, after everything, because right now, she is extremely vulnerable and broken. However, a part of me still doesn't understand why Regina can seriously believe a word her mother says, after everything she's been through with her mother. Especially since Regina was willing to kill her mother more than once for all the pain she's caused her. Their relationship is so twisted and I just don't like it at all. I hate that Regina is allowing Cora to manipulate her again. Oh... and as for Cora and Rumple being together in the past as this episode implies... Yuck! I do not like the idea of them being together. Not in the slightest. We knew from this season's second episode... We Are Both, that Rumple had trained Cora in her magic just like he had done for Regina as well. We just don't know how deep their relationship goes just yet. Next... I really like that Gold has finally brought up the favor Emma's owes him at this point in the storyline at last. We've been waiting for it since the fourth episode of season one, so it's been a long time coming. And now, he is one step closer to finding his son. It's getting tense and there's lots of trouble going on in Storybrooke. As for Whale being the only doctor in Storybrooke... we have to remember that everyone in Storybrooke comes from the Enchanted Forest, and possibly other fairytale worlds, as well as worlds filled with characters we know and love from classic novels like Frankenstein as well. So chances are that finding another fairytale character or classic novel character with the skills to be a doctor are very slim. The curse after all doesn't create completely new skills a character never had before. It simply manipulates the skills a character already has. This is why everyone is who they are. And there aren't too many doctors known among the fairytales and classics. So this would explain why Whale is the only doctor in their town. And lastly... Greg Mendell, the outsider... yep, he saw something all right. And somehow, Emma's superpower once again didn't pick up the lie. But he is pretty convincing. Besides, who would admit to a crime, even one as small as texting while driving? Also... I don't think he actually tells Emma a lie. He tells Emma he didn't see Hook until it was too late to stop. Greg says he never saw anything, but then he quickly corrects himself saying that he of course saw the road, which is easily true. Saying he didn't see anything and then correcting himself by saying he saw the road doesn't technically make saying he didn't see anything a lie. And for all we know, he could have been texting just before he hit Hook and therefore, he might have been telling the truth. So technically, Greg never really lies at all and so Emma never would have picked up on him lying. Trouble's coming. Oh... And I also really love the moral choice and argument placed before the heroes as they struggle with deciding what to do with the outsider... to let him die, or to save his life. What a horrible choice to have to make, but what a dilemma. Thank goodness they all make the right decision in spite of the trouble. Grumpy's hilarious during these scenes though. I love his reasons for why they should have allowed Greg to die, in spite of him being wrong to think this way. Overall... this episode is good. I enjoy it, and I especially enjoyed your reaction to it. So thank you again. Very much! I look forward to your next reaction! Until next time, dear friend... Stay healthy, and be happy! I wish you all the joy and happiness in the world during this beautiful holiday season. :) Sincerely, Heidi
Heidi Elizabeth Marcum
2020-11-30 02:46:16 +0000 UTC
