Once Upon a Time: Rocky Road (S4E3) – Review

More and more begins to be revealed in Episode 3 of OUaT, but true to form that means there are more secrets. The mystery of the other magical Snow Queen starts to unfold and other plans are laid out.

Quick Recap 

Regina brings up to Henry that she would like to find the writer for the Fairy Tale book, starting their own secret mission, Operation Mongoose. But what is more exciting in that it looks like Regina’s happy ending is closer than she thinks. Robin Hood and his son introduce ice cream to Marian and as we know the ice cream shop is run by a woman with powers like Elsa. The Snow Queen curses Marian’s ice cream causing her to freeze at the town meeting. Desperate to help Marian, they turn Regina to fix her. Elsa is blamed, which she denies, and tells them the only way to break the curse is with an act of selfless love. Naturally, Robin tries to kiss Marian and nothing happens. Robin later confesses that while he is with Marian because it is the noble thing to do, he loves Regina. Ultimately to keep the curse from piercing Marian’s heart, Regina takes out her heart and keeps it safe while they find a way to cure her.

Once Upon A Time Rocky Road

While searching through the woods, they run into the Naiv or Will Scarlet (from Once Upon A Time: Wonderland.) He leads them to the ice cream shop that he tried to raid during the blackout. The discover that the ice cream shop is being powered ice magic not electricity.

Once Upon A Time Rocky Road

Meanwhile, Hook calls out Mr. Gold on giving a phony dager to Belle he blackmails him into helping them. Using a hair from Marian’s cursed head he is able to provide Elsa and Hook with a trail to lead her to the source that is causing the ice wall to stay up and who cursed Marian. According to Mr. Gold magic seeks out like magic and the magic snowflakes act as a bread trail to the Snow Queen. While waiting for Emma to come, Hook and Elsa are discovered by the Snow Queen. She traps Hook in ice while she reconnects with Elsa.

In the flashback, we get to see Hans again and his continued quest to become the king of Arendale. While spying on the army planning to attack Arendale, Kristoff learns of an Urn that can capture Elsa and that Hans plans to use it to take over. Elsa and Kristoff take it upon themselves to find it first, but while Elsa is studying the Urn and contemplating studying it versus destroying it Hans and a few of his brothers show up and capture Kristoff. Upon retrieving the Urn, Hans opens it and out pops the Snow Queen. She freezes Hans saving Kristoff and Elsa. We learn that she is the sister of Elsa and Anna mother, their aunt.

Once Upon A Time Rocky Road

 

Back in the Storybrooke, the Snow Queen has Hook captures and is telling Elsa that she had her memories wiped by the rock trolls and that Anna was the one who put her in the Urn. Elsa is in disbelief, but the Snow Queen tells her that eventually, everyone turns on people like them. She plans to frame Elsa for murdering Hook, but Emma shows up to the Snow Queens surprise. Emma uses her magic, which is always most powerful when she is in these types of situations, to save hook but the Snow Queen escapes. But not without rattling Emma’s core, convinced that she know her somehow.

Emma also reveals that she loves Hook, but is worried about him getting hurt of dieing because everyone she loves dies. Hook seems up for the task and tells her he is a survivor.

Once Upon A Time Rocky Road

But per usual, Mr. Gold is in on everything. The Snow Queen stumbled upon Mr. Gold in the forest where he apologizes about how things haven’t worked out the way she wanted, asks her if Emma recognized her and offers to help, which the Snow Queen refuses.

Once Upon A Time Rocky Road

What Did I Think 

Well now! Things are getting quite frosty in Storybrooke, in an awesome way. I really love how things are coming together for Regina. I have always really liked her character and the idea of villains being misunderstood heroes. (This is why I love Naruto so much.) I was worried that with bringing Marian back that Regina was going to turn on the Charmings again, but it is so much better that she doesn’t keep repeating old habits and instead we get a wonderful new story. Plus, yea for true love triumphing in her favor. Oh and how cute is it that she has Operation Mongoose with Henry?!

It makes sense that they would make the Snow Queen Elsa’s Aunt. The idea of genetic magic makes so much more sense and I suspect that Elsa’s mother is the one who put the Snow Queen in the Urn. I don’t want to believe that Anna put Elsa in the Urn, but it seems like the kind of dark magic that would require a family member to do it. But the bigger question is what is Anna doing and what happens that causes Elsa’s memories to disappear? I feel like more questions were brought on than answered.

Emma and Hook are my favorite couple. Again having the villain and anti-hero come together is just so perfect, but I do hope that Hook stops being a love-sick puppy that just follows Emma around and does his bidding. And can we get that man some modern day clothes please.

I also hope at some point Mary-Margarette becomes purposeful again, because so far her story has been kind of lame. I can deal with the fact the David just shows ups, fights and gets rescued or has some speech, but I would think Snow White would be more important to the story as the mayor and mom of a future King.

So What Now? 

More questions per usual: what is the Snow Queens name? Why and how did Will Scarlet end up in Storybrooke? What is the deal with Snow Queen and Emma? What happened between her and Rumple? When will Belle find out about the dagger? Will Marian live? And when the bloody hell will we find out about the Sorcerer’s Hat?!

So many questions that are so slowly answered.

Also see 5 Big Moments from ‘Rock Road”