Henry is the hero Once Upon a Time needs.

While things were pretty predictable on Once Upon a Time Season 6 Episode 8, the Charming's grandson stole the show by not only saving the day, but by showing us that he's growing up just fine. 

Rumple is making golden GPS devices, Snow is losing her touch, they're fighting a dragon, and Zelena emerged as a secret weapon. 

There's lots to talk about, so let's get to it.

Remember when I said I wanted things back to normal? Well, maybe this is our normal.

Snow

• Permalink: Remember when I said I wanted things back to normal? Well, maybe this is our normal.

The montage of Snow and David living life apart just made me sad. This curse is ridiculous. 

It also highlights how distracted they are. 

The Evil Queen was literally standing in their kitchen, and Snow had no idea. She didn't find anything strange about the fact that Emma would have just split with no phone call. She didn't even ask for details about the demise of her mortal enemy.

Thank goodness Killian's got some brains, and immediately realized something fishy was going on – not that it was any help, because he was erased from the drama pretty quickly. 

Naturally Emma and Regina's trip to the world behind the mirrors was pretty formulaic. When the Dragon appeared, it seemed almost certain that he was a part of the Evil Queen's plan. I mean, come on. We've all been paying attention. We're used to these switcheroos.

Can we talk for just a second about how every prop on Once Upon a Time looks like it came from the Sprit of Halloween store?

I do my best to ignore it, and try to just immerse myself in the story, but when Gold pulled out that knockoff Thor hammer, I just laughed. When Aladdin took that Harry Potter-esque wand out of the drawer, I thought it looked fairly identical to the one I bought in Orlando at fake Hogwarts. 

And all of those mirrors? I could pretty much smell the flimsy plastic.

Anyway, back to the important stuff.

Rumple: Love is weakness.
Evil Queen: Love can be weakness, but it can also be a weapon.

• Permalink: Love can be weakness, but it can also be a weapon.

I have a bone to pick about the Evil Queen regarding her being "pure evil." 

For someone who's supposedly all evil, the worst sides of Regina, she's still got an awful lot of love for Henry. And possibly for her sister, Zelena (more on her story in just a few moments.)

I don't understand it. Did I miss something? 

I thought that tearing the Evil Queen from Regina would leave only the bad parts for us to hate on and for the heroes to destroy. But after Henry's speech to the Queen, and the sadness that crossed her face, I actually have some empathy for her. 

Is the Evil Queen not quite as evil as we've been led to believe? Because if she can love, then she can be redeemed. 

And that would take us right back where we started with Regina.

Nice try, but you can't Darth Vader me. I'll never join you.

Henry

• Permalink: Nice try, but you can't Darth Vader me. I'll never join you.

This episode really belonged to Henry, and he nailed it. 

From his willingness to be bait for the Queen, to the realization that she was posing as Regina, all the way to the sweet moves he put on Violet at Granny's, Henry showed that he's not a sidelined member of the team.

He's actually pretty badass. 

Any hesitation and fear that Emma and Regina have about how Henry will grow up should be gone after this temporary trial. Henry is going to be just fine. He's been raised by two women who've given him every tool he needs to survive both the magic and the real world (and who've both given him plenty of examples of what NOT to do). 

Emma: He's gonna be okay, isn't he?
Regina: You mean...
Emma: With or without me, he's gonna be okay.

• Permalink: With or without me, he's gonna be okay.

I love when Emma and Regina work together. 

While a lot of this episode was predictable and a little laughable, the love and respect that exists in this very special relationship between these two women is great. 

The Evil Queen reminded Regina that there was a time when she would tell Emma that Henry was not her son.

It's fun to look back at the road Emma and Regina (or Swan Queen, if you're a 'shipper of these two ladies) have gone down together, and to think about how hard they fought each other to get to the place where they are now. 

Their conversations are some of the best of the show. They always rely on one another to do the things that no one else will do for them, even if it's necessary. They place their faith in each other to take care of the people they love. 

It's something that doesn't get focused on nearly enough. Regina and Emma's deep friendship may be one of the strongest forces on the series.

We both know what it's like to care about someone who always lets us down. Your sister; Gold. I will not let my son go through all this.

Belle

• Permalink: We both know what it's like to care about someone who always lets us down. Your sister; Gold....

We should talk about the Rumple of all of it. 

At what point can we just straight up talk about how abusive he is to Belle? 

Now he's created a golden tracking device, essentially imprisoning her. She can't get away from him. 

And the sad part of all of it?  Belle was coming around. She left him that sonogram photo. Maybe love wasn't in their cards immediately, but it sure as heck would have been a nice and civil friendship. 

But Rumple just sabotages himself time and again. His dalliances with the Evil Queen came back to bite him in the ass, and rather than own up to it, he's trying to spin it all on Zelena. 

Zelena is not Rumple's problem. 

Frankly, Zelena's not anyone's problem. She wasn't bothering anyone. She was roped into all of this; all she wanted was to live with Regina and her daughter, and have a family.

But now she's the greatest weapon that exists against Rumple. Her little insurance policy when she saved his life was smart.

And it brings me back to my earlier question about whether or not the Evil Queen loves her sister; will she actually kill Zelena for Rumple? I was having trouble reading her reaction. Maybe that was the point.

Everything is about balance, the dark and light.

The Dragon

• Permalink: Everything is about balance, the dark and light.

Aladdin and Jasmine are competing to be the cutest couple on Once Upon a Time. 

While their story was not a major part of the episode, the lamp Aladdin stole from Gold's shop will certainly be important in the weeks to come. 

I liked the little nod to the Genie moving on, but when Aladdin questioned who was in the lamp now, I found myself echoing Emma when she met Jasmine.

Haven't they SEEN Aladdin? Wouldn't that be Jafar in the lamp?

Guys...don't rub that lamp.

What did you think of this week's Once Upon a Time? Was it Henry's finest hour? Is the Evil Queen pure evil? Are you already over this sleeping curse? Sound off below!

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