Once Upon a Time: The Cricket Game

I'm finally caught up with watching the shows I missed when I was on vacation. I'm so excited that Once Upon a Time is back. Now we can see what kind of havoc Cora and Hook will wreak on the residents of Storybrooke.

Observations:

Will we see how Snow and Charming actually defeated King George? Or are we never going back to that event again? I'm interested to see how they did it with only Snow, Charming, Granny, a wolf, a cricket, and seven Dwarfs. There's got to be a joke in there somewhere.

I hope that's the last time Charming or Snow ever says anything about how they will "always find" each other.

Emma, if you're going to invite someone to a party, you shouldn't leave them sitting by themselves the entire time. It's rude.

So, wasn't Henry adopted by Regina? If he was, then Emma has no legal right to keep Henry from her. Emma gave up Henry, she can't just waltz in there and take him back. Okay, this is Storybrooke, and Regina is an evil Witch (who is trying to change), but there is such a thing as the law.

Cora has a very twisted way of showing that she loves her daughter.

Regina has a lot of great lines in this episode. Some real zingers.

Granny's always knitting when the "crew" is sitting at the round table in their council meetings. I wonder if she's always working on the same thing. *wink*

Snow and Charming speak very formally in Fairy Tale Land, but they didn't revert back to that speech pattern after the curse was broken.

Look! Henry's actually going to school. That's not something you see everyday.

Regina has a soft spot for guys named "Henry" in both realms. but one has more power to change her for good than the other.

They don't even give Regina the dignity of being executed in one of her great ensembles. That grey potato sack is just sad. *wink*

What a great role Lana Parrilla has in playing Regina. She gets to show such range. I want a role like that!

Why would Snow wait until the soldiers already let their arrows fly before stopping the execution? How did she know that the Blue Fairy would stop the arrows from hitting their mark? She was cutting it a bit close if she really didn't want Regina to be killed. Suspense and drama, I know.

Snow talks to Rumpel after the stayed execution like he's not her enemy. Why was it again that they contained him in the jail, I forget. I wish I could watch the Fairy Tale Land story straight through, in order, so I can remember everything that's happened. If the producers ever read this - I'm saying it again: I want a DVD that contains just the Fairy Tale Land scenes - in sequence.

We are getting more clues as to how Rumpel orchestrated the whole curse by fooling Regina into thinking it was her own idea, but why did Rumpel want Regina to do it? Why didn't he try to get to our realm by himself? He has all of that magic. And why did he want to take all residents of the Enchanted Forest with him? Did he think he'd be lonely? *wink*

Why isn't Mr. Gold surprised that Archie is dead? It seems like he was already on the defensive before he even knew what was going on. But maybe he's always on the defensive when Emma, Mary Margaret, and David burst into his shop. *wink*

If Rumpel is the one who brushed the dream catcher over Pongo, then how is Emma using her magic? Rumpel could have been using his magic to make Emma see what he wanted her to see. (We know he didn't, but that was no proof that Emma can use magic.)

I like Snow's white outfit, but I'd like to see her in something more feminine. I like pretty fairy tale gowns, and all we see the women in anymore is masculine "fighting" outfits.

Snow and Charming are pretty trusting of Rumpel to believe him when he says he placed a protection spell on them. Why would Charming let Snow go to Regina  when he has no proof that Rumpel is telling the truth about the spell and he knows Regina might harm Snow? That would be a pretty devastating mistake if Rumpel was lying. Suspense and drama, I know.

Why does the Blue Fairy still dress like a nun in Storybrooke? That outfit is a far cry from the fairy dress she wore in Fairy Tale Land. Go buy yourself some new clothes, girl. Maybe something in light blue.

Are all of Henry's school mates are going to start growing up now. They've been children for 28 years. You don't have to go to Neverland to never grow up. And I feel sorry for the ones that have been on the verge of puberty for that long. There are changes coming for you, kids. *wink*

Why does Cora carry a parasol at night? Is she afraid she'll get a moonburn? Just wondering.

Quotes:

David: It's impressive that we can still provide her with future childhood traumatic memories at this stage of the game.

Archie: Beautiful day, isn't it, Regina?
Regina: Why should I answer you, Bug?

Regina: Doctor? Need I remind you, you got your Ph.D. from a curse!

Ruby: Hey! Is everything okay here?
Regina: Private conversation. Go take yourself for a walk.

Regina: You're lucky I've changed.

Granny: How about banishing her to another realm?

Archie: Hush, Pongo. You know Regina.

Emma: Time for school. I'll walk you to the school bus.
Henry: That's okay. I can go on my own.
Emma: I know that you can. That doesn't mean you should.
Henry: David let me.
Emma: Well, I'm not David.
Henry: You used to let me.
Emma: Well, I'm not me. I'm walking you because that's what mothers do, and I'm doing it.

Charming: If you think this is the right thing to do, then it's what we shall do. But know that your path is one that we cannot come back from either.
Side note: See. Very formal speech pattern. David wouldn't say it like that, not even now that the curse is broken.

Rumpel: Regina redeemed. What a novel thought.

Mr. Gold: You have your mother's chin, Miss Swan.
Emma: You know that you killed him.
Mr. Gold: And your father's tact.