“ONCE UPON A TIME: Making Excuses”

"ONCE UPON A TIME:  MAKING EXCUSES"

For those of you who believe that Emma Swan did the right thing by killing Cruella de Vil in the “ONCE UPON A TIME”Season Four episode, (4.18) “Sympathy For the de Vil” . . . I could not disagree with you more. 

Emma could have used another way to save her son, Henry Mills, from Cruella. She could have teleported him from Cruella’s grasp. She could have teleported Cruella’s gun. Someone on FANFORUM.COM had pointed out that Emma could have saved Henry . . . and not kill Cruella. After all, she managed to stop Zelena aka the Wicked Witch of the West from killing Henry in (3.19) “A Curious Thing”. Yet, she could not have done the same with Cruella in (4.18) “Sympathy For the de Vil”? What made Emma’s action even more problematic is that she did not even warn Henry that she was about to attack Cruella. She just did killed the latter . . . magically shoved her over a cliff. If Henry had not ducked, there is a good chance he would have been dead, as well.

I have written a good number of articles criticizing Emma and other members of the Charming family. And there is a reason why. Many fans like are ALWAYS making excuses for their more questionable actions. The only reason these same fans are now being critical about Snow and David’s actions toward Maleficent’s baby, revealed in (4.16) "Best Laid Plans", is they had lied to Emma about what they had done. They revealed that they were not as "noble" as Emma - and many fans - originally believed they were. 

A lot of fans like to pretend that Emma and Snow did nothing wrong, when the latter tried to kill Mulan in (2.08)“Into the Deep”. So do show runners Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. They have made sure that both Snow and Emma have never paid the consequences for their actions . . . or lack of action in that episode. Many fans have claimed that Snow only attacked Mulan during their fight, after the latter was prevented from stealing away with a magical compass that would have taken them from the Enchanted Forest and back to Storybrooke. What happened was the following . . . Snow and Mulan fought. Snow won and held down Mulan. Mulan told Snow and Emma that she took the locket to save Aurora. Snow lost her temper and decided to kill or maim Mulan anyway. Aurora stopped Snow. Emma did nothing but looked on. She never lifted a finger or raised her voice to stop Snow from a murder attempt.

Many fans still make countless excuses for Snow’s murder of Cora in (2.16) “The Miller’s Daughter”. In fact, they still react the same way as Emma did, when she tried to make excuses for Snow by using Cora’s murderous actions. Snow was not concerned about saving Storybrooke. She wanted revenge against Cora for the murder of her mother, Queen Eva. And she used a cruel way to get her revenge. That is why David was upset at what she had done. He had even offered to kill Cora himself . . . to save Snow’s moral compass and the town. Snow rejected his offer and proceeded to get her revenge anyway. And Emma could not handle the truth when Snow told her why she had killed Cora. These same fans still cannot handle the truth.

Many fans still make excuses for Emma’s possession of the yellow Volkswagen. Neal had first stolen the car. Then Emma tried to steal the car from him. Both ended up using the car together, when they became a couple. When I pointed out that Emma was still driving a stolen car in previous articles and forums, many fans either ignored the topic or responded with some drivel about Emma not being guilty of murder, or the fact that Neal had arranged the car’s registration to reflect her as the true owner. As if that was supposed to excuse Emma knowingly being in possession of a stolen car. 

Many fans still make excuses about Emma’s decision to change the timeline and save “Maid Marian” in (3.22) “There’s No Place Like Home”. These same fans continue to claim that saving a life is more important than maintaining the storyline. No, it is not. Especially not for someone who had died in the past. I realize this is a harsh thing to say, but changing the timeline for any reason is a very . . . dangerous . . . thing to do. Both Hook and Rumpelstiltskin had warned Emma not to change the timeline for any reason. But she refused to listen. And what happened? As it turned out, Emma’s decision to change the timeline gave Zelena the opportunity to return to Storybrooke in Marian’s place. I am quite certain that Kitsis and Horowitz will never mention or criticize Emma’s bad decision in a future episode. If they do, I will be happily surprised.

What is it about these fans who seem incapable of dealing with Emma or the other Charmings actually being guilty of a crime or a serious mistake? Is it really that important that the Charming family be portrayed in some idealized manner? Do these same fans really need idealized fictional protagonists who are incapable of a bad deed or mistake in order to deal with this crazy old world of ours? Do they need to cling to some kind of illusion about humanity that only the world of fiction can maintain with any real thoroughness? What is it? 

Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz used to be part of the writing staff for "LOST", a television show in which most or nearly all of the characters were guilty of serious mistakes or crimes. The cast of characters could have been easily nicknamed “Murder, Inc.”. Apparently, the show runners for "ONCE UPON A TIME" seem bent upon portraying nearly all of their major characters in a similar light . . . including "the Savior" herself. Is this so hard for many fans to accept? Or are they among those types who can only deal with characters with a one-dimensional moral compass? If the latter, I hope that none of them ever become writers.

Five Favorite Episodes of "ONCE UPON A TIME" - Season Three (2013-2014)

Below is a list of my top five favorite episodes from Season Three of "ONCE UPON A TIME". The series was created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz: 


FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "ONCE UPON A TIME" - Season Three (2013-2014)



1. (3.11) "Going Home" - In order to stop Peter Pan aka Malcolm's plans to cast a new curse upon Storybrooke and create a new Neverland, both Rumpelstiltskin aka Mr. Gold and the Evil Queen aka Regina Mills are forced to make big sacrifices.





2. (3.09) "Saving Henry" - Emma Swan, Snow White and Regina struggle to prevent Pan from absorbing a dying Henry Mills' heart into his body. Flashbacks reveal how Regina ended up adopting Henry.





3. (3.16) "It's Not Easy Being Green" - When Zelena is revealed as the Wicked Witch of the West, she challenges her younger half-sister, Regina, to a duel in Storybrooke's town square. Flashbacks reveal Zelena's search for a place in the world, following her adopted mother's death and her acquaintance with Rumpelstiltskin.





4. (3.08) "Think Lovely Thoughts" - The travelers from Storybrooke learn from Wendy Darling about Pan's true objective - acquire Henry's heart and achieve immortal youth. Flashbacks reveal how grifter Rumpelstiltskin's father, Malcolm became Peter Pan and an inhabitant of Neverland.





5. (3.15) "Quiet Minds" - During the missing year in the Enchanted Forest, Neal Cassidy (Rumpelstiltskin's son) and Belle seek to find a way to bring Rumpelstiltskin back to life. Neal's appearance in Storybrooke reveals the consequences of their search.





Honorable Mention - (3.12) "New York Serenade" - Captain Hook interrupts Emma and Henry's one-year idyllic life in New York with news that the citizens of Storybrooke need her help. Flashbacks reveal how Snow White, Charming, Regina and the others try to rebuild their homes in the Enchanted Forest and discover that the Wicked Witch of the West poses a serious threat.

"The Problems of a Savior Complex"

"THE PROBLEMS OF A SAVIOR COMPLEX"

The Season Three finale of ABC's "ONCE UPON A TIME" ended on a curious note. The finale consisted of two episodes - (3.21) "Snow Drift" and (3.22) "There's No Place Like Home" - in which two of the series' protagonists, Emma Swan and Killian Jones aka Captain Hook, found themselves transported back in time and to the Enchanted Forest due to circumstances beyond their control. 

Let me make this brief. The main villain of Season Three's second half turned out to be Regina Mills' older half-sister Zelena, who was also known as the Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz". Due to Zelena's jealousy of her younger half-sister's privileged life, which included being raised by their mother Cora Mills aka the Queen of Hearts, she wanted to go back in time and erase Regina from existence. Although Zelena managed to set up a portal to convey her back in time, Regina managed to defeat her. Unfortunately . . . an angry Rumpelstiltskin ended up murdering an incarcerated Zelena for the death of his son, Neal Cassidy aka Baefire. Zelena's spirit ended up re-opening the time travel portal. And both Emma and Hook got sucked into the portal and into the past.

During the pair's adventures in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Emma nearly ruined the first meeting between her parents - Snow White and David, Prince Charming. She and Hook, with Rumpelstiltskin's help, set out to repair the timeline and ensure that her parents will not only meet, but fall in love. Their efforts to do so led to Emma's capture during the wedding party of Charming and Princess Abigail by Regina, also known as the Evil Queen. Inside the Queen's jail cell, Emma met a woman who had been incarcerated for helping Snow White flee Regina's wrath. With her and the woman set to be executed the following morning, Emma managed to break out of the cell. Hook, who had earlier warned Emma about changing the timeline, reacted with slight dismay when he discovered that she helped the woman escape. And yet . . . when Emma wanted to bring the woman with her and Hook to Storybrooke, Hook agreed to help her, arguing that the woman's family thought she was dead and they need to continue to believe it. The woman refused to go with Emma and Hook to Storybrooke, so the former knocked her unconscious and with Hook's help, brought her with them. As it turned out, the woman proved to be Maid Marian, Robin Hood's wife. And Marian's presence in Storybrooke brought an end to Robin's newly found romance with Regina Mills.

Judging from Regina's angry reaction to Emma and Hook's actions, many fans reacted in different ways to this new twist in the story arc between the two women. Many fans continue to assume that Regina will fall back on her old evil ways and seek revenge against Emma for ruining her romance with Robin. Some believe she will be tempted, but continue her redemption arc and eventually forgive Emma. What is interesting about all of this is that most of the fans seemed to be interested in how Regina will react to the loss of Robin in the upcoming fourth season. Only a few fans have even bothered to criticize Emma and Hook for their actions. Yet, despite these criticisms, other fans came to Emma's defense by stating that she was right to save Marian from being executed by Regina. I am tempted to discuss this situation from Regina and Robin's point of view. But right now, I am more interested in what led Emma to change the timeline in the first place.

I can image the response to the last sentence in the previous paragraph. What led Emma to change the timeline? To save Marion's life, that's why! Emma Swan is supposed to be "the Savior". As fan as the series and many of the fans are concerned, this is what she is supposed to do. I wish I could agree with that sentiment. I really do. But considering her actions in "There's No Place Like Home", I wish it were not so. Emma became labeled as "the Savior" back in Season One, when it was revealed that she was the person destined to break the curse that found many of the Enchanted Forest's inhabitants in "the Land Without Magic" - namely Storybrooke, Maine - thanks to Rumpelstiltskin's creation of it and Regina's willingness to cast it. After spending nearly a season refusing to believe in the curse, let alone the idea that the town's inhabitants came from a fairy tale world, Emma finally broke the curse with a "true love" kiss to her son Henry, who was trapped in a sleeping curse. And the only reason Emma found herself in this role as everyone's "savior" was because Rumpelstiltskin manipulated events so they would lead to this moment. And why? Because he wanted to find his son Baefire, whom he discovered had ended up in our world. Now, if the only reason Emma had been set up as "the savior" who break that first curse . . . why did everyone else continued to regard her as "the savior" after she broke it? Why did she, for that matter?

One would think I am accusing Emma Swan of developing a bad ego trip. And you know what? They would be right. I am well aware of the fact that Emma reacted with a great reluctance and wariness to the idea of her being "the savior". I am also aware of the fact that she was willing to flee Storybrooke (with Henry) in the Season One episodes, (1.20) "The Stranger" and (1.21) "An Apple Red as Blood" because she could not face the responsibility of being responsible for the lives of Storybrooke's citizens. But once she broke the curse in (1.22) "A Land Without Magic", Emma ended up embracing her "savior" role with a vengeance . . . despite her continued wariness. This was especially apparent in three episodes from Season Two and Three. After she, Snow White, Mulan and Aurora ended up captured by Cora and Hook in Season Two's (2.09) "The Queen of Hearts" in the present day Enchanted Forest, the following exchange occurred between the four women:

(Emma is futilely banging the door of the cell with her sword, while the rest of them watch.)

Snow White: We aren’t going to break it down, Emma. It was enchanted to hold Rumpelstiltskin. We don’t have a chance.

Aurora: This is my fault.

Mulan: No, it’s mine. Cora stole your heart because I failed to protect you.

Emma: That’s very sweet, but I believe it’s my fault. I’m the saviour, and I’m not doing much saving, am I?

When I first saw this episode during the fall of 2012, I thought nothing of Emma's words. But when I recently viewed the episode from my copy of the series' Season Two DVD box set, her comment stunned me. I could not believe what I had just heard. For the second time, Emma expressed her deep-seated view to her mother Snow White that she would always be destined to be "the savior" in the Season Three episode, (3.11) "Going Home". In this episode, Rumpelstiltskin had defeated his father Malcolm aka Peter Pan and Regina had to permanently destroy the curse by ripping the scroll that contain the words to it. Because Henry was born in "the Land Without Magic" and Emma managed to avoid the first curse, they were able to avoid being sent back to the Enchanted Forest. Before Regina destroy the scroll, both Regina and Snow White hinted that since Emma was "the savior", she was supposed to remain behind and take Henry away. Emma responded to Snow White with the following words:

"I'm the savior, right? I'm supposed to bring back all the happy endings."

Dear God. Emma's belief in her role as "the savior" truly reached egotistical heights in her conversation with Hook in"Snow Drift" in which both discussed Emma's plans to return to New York with Henry:

Hook: Don't listen to me, listen to your son. (He takes the storybook from his satchel and hands it to Emma.) He thought this might remind you of what you're leaving behind--your family.

Emma: Henry is my family and I am taking him where he is safe.

Hook: No, Swan. The safety-first nonsense is just that. You defeated the bloody Wicked Witch. You defeated Pan. You broke the curse. And you keep running. What are you looking for?

What I found amazing about Hook's words is that he had credited the defeats of Peter Pan and Zelena to Emma. Apparently, he had forgotten that Regina was the one who saved Henry's heart from Pan back in Neverland. Hook had forgotten that Rumpelstiltskin was the one who ultimately defeated Pan . . . and that Regina was the one who defeated Zelena. The only thing Hook got right was the fact that Emma had broken the curse. Some fans claim that Hook was merely trying to bolster Emma's self esteem. Emma's self esteem was not on Hook's mind. Emma's reluctance to live in Storybrooke with her parents WAS the topic between them. Hook merely slipped in Pan and Zelena's defeats into the conversation. And what I found even more amazing . . . and scary is that Emma never bothered to correct him. By this time, Emma had incorporated the idea of her being "the savior" so much that she ended up wallowing in illusions over who had really defeated the Big Bads of Season Three.

As for the situation with Maid Marian . . . I can only shake my head in disbelief. I realize that many fans believe that Emma should have chosen saving a woman's life over maintaining the timeline. I did not last fall and my feelings have remained the same. Throughout most of "Snow Drift", Hook had warned Emma about changing the timeline . . . for any reason. This reminds me of an episode from the 1998-2006 supernatural series, "CHARMED". In the latter's Season One episode called (1.17) "That '70s Episode", the Halliwell sisters traveled back in time to 1975 in order to prevent their late mother from being coerced into making a pact with a warlock - a pact that might have deadly circumstances for them. The youngest sister (at the time) Phoebe Halliwell gave into temptation and left a warning to her mother on how the latter would die nearly three years later. Realizing that she would end up changing the timeline, Phoebe tore up the letter before she and her sisters returned to 1999. As much as Phoebe wanted to save her mother, she realized that maintaining the timeline was the right thing to do . . . even if it meant her mother's early death.

Despite the constant warnings from Hook about changing the timeline, Emma ignored him and saved Maid Marian from the cell. While I might admire her willingness to save someone, I wish she had realized that one cannot save everyone all of the time. And sometimes, it is not a good idea. But in her arrogance and misplaced belief that she had to saveeveryone, Emma decided to change the timeline. To make matters worse, she forced Marian to accompany her and Hook back to Storybrooke, despite the fact that Marian wanted to remain in the Enchanted Forest and find her family. And Hook's argument that Robin and the others probably thought she was dead did not sit well with me. Emma had already screwed up the timeline by saving Marian. I did not see how dragging the latter back to Storybrooke was going to help the matter. As it turned out, it did not. 

The Season Four premiere, (4.01) "A Tale of Two Sisters" featured Emma wracked with guilt for ruining Regina's newly formed romance with Robin. It was nice to see that Emma felt some guilt over wrecking havoc on the private lives of Regina, Robin and Marian. But her response to Regina made me realize that she has yet to understand the real problem behind her actions in "There's No Place Like Home":

"Henry brought me to Storybrooke to bring back the happy endings. My job is not done until I do that for everyone, including you."

Despite her feelings of guilt, Emma still believes that her role as "the Savior" will give Regina her happy ending and solve everyone's problems. She never considered the possibility that her belief that she always has to be "the Savior" had led her to upset the timeline and cause a great deal of personal trouble for Regina, Robin and Marian. She has not changed one bit. After what I saw in both "There's No Place Like Home" and "A Tale of Two Sisters", I have come to the conclusion that Emma has absorbed the idea of being "the Savior" to such a degree that she has become illusional. Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, have also become illusional in this belief that Emma is always supposed to be "the Savior". Unless they have plans for Emma to develop some kind of mental conflict over her role as "the Savior" later in the series, I suspect that Horowitz and Kitsis will never allow Emma to really face the consequences of her action inThere's No Place Like Home", aside from a few angry rants from Regina and encounters with the latest character in the series, Queen Elsa of "FROZEN". And just as I had predicted, Regina's anger merely lasted a few episodes before she eventually forgave Emma in (4.05) "Breaking Glass". I had complained in an earlier article that when it comes to Emma and her family, Horowitz and Kitsis have a bad habit of not allowing them to consider or face the consequences of their actions . . . with the exception of Snow White, who had committed murder. And the consequences she had faced proved to be mild and rather brief.

I must admit that I am getting weary of Emma constantly being labeled as "the Savior". This is a label that should have been dropped after she broke the original curse in "A Land Without Magic". The only reason she was fixed with "the savior" role in the first place was because Rumpelstiltskin had arranged for her to be the one to break that curse. The longer this series continues to label Emma as "the Savior", the more I will become convinced that she has developed serious complex issues over this role.

"ONCE UPON A TIME" Season Three (2013-2014) Photo Gallery

Below are images from Season Three of ABC's "ONCE UPON A TIME". The series stars Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, Josh Dallas and Robert Carlyle:


"ONCE UPON A TIME" SEASON THREE (2013-2014) Photo Gallery

"Disturbing Deaths"

"DISTURBING DEATHS"

Ever since I watched (3.01) "The Heart of the Truest Believer", the Season Three premiere for ABC's "ONCE UPON A TIME", I have been experiencing troubling thoughts about the series' writing. And those troubling thoughts centered around the deaths of two recurring characters. 

Anyone who had watched both the Season Three premiere and the Season Two finale, (2.22) "And Straight On 'Til Morning" would know to what I am referring. The latter episode saw two recurring characters, Greg Mendell and Tamara, attempt to destroy Storybrooke in an effort to rid the world of any magic. Before Regina Mills aka the Evil Queen and Emma Swan could foil their plans, they kidnapped the pair's son, Henry Mills, and took him to Neverland using a magic bean. Apparently, the leader of their anti-magic organization called "the Home Office", had ordered them to take Henry to Neverland, claiming that his presence was more important than destroying magic. 

Upon their arrival in Neverland, Greg and Tamara discovered that "the Home Office" had never existed. They had been tricked by Peter Pan and the Lost Boys to bring Henry to Neverland, because Peter wanted the boy he believed possessed the heart of the truest believer. Realizing that the Lost Boys wanted Henry, Tamara ordered him to run. Meanwhile, an entity called "The Shadow" ripped Greg's shadow from his body. One of the Lost Boys shot Tamara with an arrow, badly wounding her. While all of this occurred, the Charmings, Regina, Rumpelstiltskin aka Mr. Gold and Captain Killian Hook arrived in Neverland via the latter's ship, the Jolly Roger. Rumpelstiltskin left his companions behind and appeared on the island. He eventually found the wounded Tamara, ripped her heart and crushed it, killing her in the process. All of this happened before the end of the episode's first half.

My reaction to Tamara and Greg's fates really took me by surprise. I realized that the pair were merely recurring characters. But I never thought that the series' creators, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, would get rid of them so soon. I, along with other regular viewers of "ONCE UPON A TIME", knew that Sonequa Martin-Green, the actress who had portrayed Tamara, was scheduled to resume her role on AMC's "THE WALKING DEAD", which had been upgraded from recurring to regular, during this new television season. But I had no idea that Horowitz would get rid of her character so soon. Too soon, in my opinion. If Horowitz and Kitsis realized they would not be able to employ Martin-Green for more than one episode, they could have recast the Tamara character with a new actress. Would it have really killed them?

Why do I have such a problem with Tamara and Greg's fates? It happened . . . too soon. And too fast. The writers of"And Straight On 'Til Morning" gave Greg and Tamara's kidnapping of Henry and journey to Neverland such a big buildup. To have them killed off - or in Greg's case - shadow ripped from his body in such a quick fashion left a bitter taste in my mouth. Unlike many fans, I never disliked the pair. But I have to admit that Horowitz and Kitsis really mishandled their characters. Their handling of Tamara proved to be even worse than their handling of Greg. Do the two creators plan to reveal how Peter Pan and the Lost Boys created an anti-magic organization in the first place? I hope so. After all, Greg was first contacted by "the Home Office" thirty years ago, after losing his father to Regina and Graham in Storybrooke. And what about Tamara? What led her to embrace this anti-magic agenda? When was she first contacted by "the Home Office"? Since Rumpelstiltskin had murdered her halfway through the episode, I now realize that viewers will never know the truth.

If I have to be honest, Tamara's death bothered me a lot more than Greg's. Greg merely had his shadow ripped from his body. Audiences do not really know whether he is still alive or not. Horowitz and Kitsis made it very clear that Tamara was killed. Now, this might have to do with the fact that Martin-Green was scheduled to appear on "THE WALKING DEAD" set. But as I had stated earlier, they could have simply hired another actress to replace her. And there are other aspects of Tamara's death that bother me. She was killed off before any attempt could be made to reveal her background. Audiences know how she became acquainted with both August W. Booth aka Pinocchio and Neal Cassidy aka Baelfire. Otherwise, we know nothing about her past. The writers did not even bothered to give her a surname. And judging from the comments I have read on the series' messageboards and forums, along with television critics from theWALL STREET JOURNAL blog, the HUFFINGTON POST blog and DEN OF GEEK; no one really cared that Tamara's background and her surname were never revealed. Instead, they crowed with glee that the pair was quickly killed off. They especially crowed over the manner of Tamara's death - either deliberately dismissing her remorse with sarcasm or ignoring it altogether. Their attitudes did not merely bothered me, it angered me beyond belief.

I am coming to believe that Tamara's death merely confirmed what many critics have been complaining about "ONCE UPON A TIME" - their shabby handling of characters portrayed by non-white characters. Tamara was a prime example. Between her and Greg, the latter was given a background story, a surname and a questionable "death". Nor did the fans and critics regard him with the same vitriolic hatred leveled at Tamara. Horowitz and Kitsis could have developed Tamara's character in Season Three by recasting a new actress for the role. They did not bother. 

But Tamara was not the only example of the series' poor handling of non-white characters. I still cannot help but shake my head in disbelief over that fight scene between Snow White and Mulan in Season Two's (2.08) "Into the Deep" in which the less experienced princess quickly defeated the more experienced and non-white warrior. Mulan, who was portrayed as a young woman from a well-to-do Chinese family in the 1998 animated film, was portrayed as illiterate in another Season Two episode, (2.11) "The Outsider". Her illiteracy prevented her from being able to read Chinese characters. Yet, the very white Belle, was able to reach Chinese characters after reading a book. I just . . . I just could not believe this. Poor Lancelot, who was portrayed by African-American actor Sinqua Walls, was killed off in the Season Two episode, (2.03) "Lady of the Lake", his only appearance on the show. In fact, his character was already dead and being impersonated by Cora Mills aka Queen of Hearts. And Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, who was portrayed by an African-American actress, was killed by Rumpelstiltskin during the first three-to-five minutes of the Season One episode,(1.04) "The Price of Gold". Only Sidney Glass aka the Genie-in-the-Lamp and Regina, who are portrayed by Giancarlo Espocito and Lana Parrilla respectively, avoided such poor handling. Well . . . somewhat. Espocito could not reprise his role in Season Two, due to his obligations as a regular cast member of NBC's "REVOLUTION". However, he could have been replaced by another actor. It would take another essay to write about the handling of the Regina Mills character, especially in the last five to six episodes of Season Two. But I found it annoying that she was the only major character described as "the Villain" by ABC's promotion for Season Three, when there was a bigger villain worthy of the title - Mr. Gold aka Rumpelstiltskin.

I am amazed. I had started this article with the intent to complain about the series' handling of both Greg and Tamara in"The Heart of the Truest Believer". I am still upset over their fates and the piss poor reactions by the fans and critics. But I now realize that what pissed me even more was that the show's handling of Tamara merely confirmed my worst instincts about "ONCE UPON A TIME" and the creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis - their inability to write or maintain decent characterizations for those roles portrayed by minority actors and actresses. But I should not be surprised. Despite the Hollywood community's pretense at being liberals, in the end it is just as narrow-minded and conservative as the worst bigot or pop culture geek.

Five Favorite Episodes of "ONCE UPON A TIME" - Season Two (2012-2013)

Below is a list of my top five favorite episodes from Season Two of "ONCE UPON A TIME". The series was created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz:



FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "ONCE UPON A TIME" - Season Two (2012-2013)



1. (2.16) "The Miller's Daughter" - While Regina Mills and her mother Cora hunt for Rumpelstiltskin's dagger in Storybrooke in this spine-tingling episode, Cora's back story as a poor miller's daughter who becomes the wife of a prince is revealed in flashbacks.





2. (2.10) "The Cricket Game" - Following Cora and Captain Hook's arrival in Storybrooke, the former set about framing Regina for Archie Hooper's "murder" in an effort to emotionally break the former mayor. Snow White and Charming disagree over how to handle the captured Evil Queen in the Fairy Tale Land flashbacks.





3. (2.05) "The Doctor" - The true identity of Dr. Victor Whale is revealed to be Dr. Frankenstein, when he attempts to resurrect Regina's long dead fiancé in an effort to make a bargain with her. Flashbacks reveal Rumpelstiltskin's manipulations of a young Regina that prove to have major consequences.





4. (2.22) "And Straight Until Morning" - Regina and the Charmings join forces to prevent Storybrooke from being destroyed by the former mayor's magical trigger, stolen by anti-magic vigilantes Greg and Tamara in this surprisingly interesting season finale.





5. (2.14) "Manhattan" - Emma Swan, Henry Mills and Rumpelstiltskin's search for the latter's son in Manhattan results in a major surprise for all three. Flashbacks reveal Rumpelstiltskin's encounters with a blind seer, whose predictions will harbor consequences for the former.