Once Upon a Time Review: The Missing Piece

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Then I'll just have to kill him.

Those were the words left echoing in our heads at the end of "Manhattan," but will Rumplestiltskin stick to that plan or will new revelations change everyone's fate?

When Rumple bashed his own leg, he believed he was doing it so he could be there for his own son. Word of advice: never trust a seer.

Rumple and Baelfire

He couldn't wait to get home to his son, only to have his wife turn on him. Instead of being thrilled that the father of her child had made it back to them alive, she lamented the rumors that had travelled from the war zone.  She would have preferred a dead hero to a live coward. So much for love.

In New York, Rumple tracked his son with Emma's help and Henry in tow. I couldn't have been happier to see Emma using her tracking skills to pick the right apartment. Sometimes it's easy to forget she had a life before Storybrooke.

Did anyone else give an audible Woohoo! when Baelfire turned out to be Neal. Not that I really love the character. To be honest I'm not even sure I like Neal. He's been kind of weaselly so far but I do love the idea of Henry being Rumplestiltskin's grandson.  

Talk about a complicated and volatile family tree. As Charming told Snow in this Once Upon a Time quote

It's a good thing we don't have Thanksgiving in our land because that dinner would suck. | permalink

So Rumple left Baelfire, who took off on Emma, who gave up Henry. That's quite the family history of abandonment issues.  

Back in Storybrook, Cora, Regina and Hook hunted for Rumple's dagger. I almost felt sorry for Hook. Cora used his pirate instinct for maps and then tossed him aside, literally.  

We finally got to hear Cora's evil plan. Once they find the dagger, they will control Rumplestiltskin, not kill him. At least not yet. They can force him to kill Charming, Snow White and Emma.

That will leave Henry with Regina, Rumple as the bad guy and Cora as her daughter's hero. Our only hope is that Regina will find it in her heart not to put her son through that kind of pain.  

Speaking of pain, if Rumple really wants to get his Baelfire back, killing his son might not be the best way to go.  

A few side notes:

  • The seer's eyes were truly creepy. Kudos to the special effects department.
  • Are they ever going to release Belle from the hospital or is she headed back to the mental institution?
  • Greg was darn lucky Regina didn't spot him spying. Storybrooke wouldn't have to worry about their nosiest patient if she had.
  • Love that Emma called her mother as she struggled with finding Neal. Those two have come a long way.

Will the Henry be Rumple's undoing? Are we truly powerless to escape our fate? Can fans have one crazy family reunion back in Storybrooke in two weeks when Once Upon a Time returns.

Manhattan Review

Editor Rating: 4.6 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.7 / 5.0 (126 Votes)

C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.

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Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 14 Quotes

Regina: Do you really think you can just walk up to him and stab him in the heart with your sword?
Hook: Well I prefer my hook but I can't find that now.

Let me guess, he's not expecting you. Well, who doesn't love a surprise?

Emma