We are almost at the end of the season for Once Upon A Time. Let’s look at how the latest episode shaped up.
Storybrooke Story
We start the whole episode with the death of King Arthur by Hades. Which means Hades is in Storybrooke and trying to rule over it. Regina and 
Robin are trying to get Robin’s daughter back from Zelena and Hades, and also warn and turn Zelena from Hades. The family Charming is just trying to stop Hades by finding his weakness, but also helping a grieving Emma who has lost Killian/Hook. Rumple tries to make a deal with Hades, and it’s all in order to get a piece of a crystal that can destroy even gods. Hades refuses, of course. Regina and Robin are able to get into the mayor office of Hades and Zelena, but Hades tries to kill Regina with the crystal. Actually, it doesn’t just kill but completely ends someone beyond Underworld or even moving beyond. Robin jumps in front of the bolt and sacrifices his self. Zelena rushes in and Regina ends up convincing her that Hades loves her, but wants the power more. Zelena destroys Hades with the crystal.
Underbrooke Story
Down in the Underworld, Hook recruits the newly found King Arthur to help him find Hades’ weakness. The two go to Hades’ throne room and retrieve missing pages from the famous storybook. In order to get the pages to Storybrooke, they must find the storybook itself. Cruella tells them it’s at the end of the river of souls, and the two venture there, believing that this will let them get to the happy ending they both should move onto. A soul from the river tries to stop them, but they get the book and put the pages in. It sends them to the book up above, Emma reads it and realizes what must happen. Arthur decides he is to mend the broken kingdom of the Underworld. Hook moves on and meets Zeus. Zeus lets Hook not move beyond but back to Storybrooke where everyone is mourning Robin’s end. Zelena names Robin’s daughter after him. Hook reunites with Emma. Rumple finds a piece of the crystal in the remains of Hades. End scene.
Review
The episode was full of twists and turns as we think we are seeing Hook move on from the whole series only to find that he is put back. Robin Hood is now gone.
Zelena seems to now be good, or at least on the path of redemption. And Arthur is now mending the Underworld. It seems quite the resolution of things, yet we have two more episodes to finish out the season.
It was a very tumultuous episode to see a couple of characters meet their demise. It seemed like it happened quickly, and I must say I didn’t feel too sad for Robin. He wasn’t featured a lot in this season and it’s hard to connect. We feel more for Regina, but without having a lot of screen time for Robin it’s hard to still feel for Regina. I’m sure we’ll see it more in the episodes to come. But, I think what happened with Robin’s demise has been the problem for the whole season. We are supposed to feel deeply for things happening to the characters, especially their end, but there hasn’t been enough to give that emotion. Still, it made for a breathtaking moment to see Robin go. It didn’t seem like this would happen, and bravo to the sudden turn in plot.
I’m glad they kept Zelena on the path to good. If she went back and forth that would have been too much. Especially with Rumple still around and having a weird relationship with being the Dark One. Speaking of, he seems way too overused for being the bridge in cliffhangers. I’m hoping some things get resolved in the next two episodes, or at least that we see some growth of the character, even if it’s to be more evil.
It was tough, for me, to see Hades go quickly. He was a diabolical villain. I wish he would be able to return, but it doesn’t look promising.
Bringing Hook back is a good way to end. Cheesy, but good.
In all, this episode did a good job of feeling like things are fairly resolved. The season could end here and I’d be fine with it. But, we get more. Last Rites did so well at resolving other characters and setting things in motion for the future of the series. It was an episode we’ve been waiting a long time for.
Questions
So…Is Robin really totally gone? Because he needed more lines.
Is Zeus dead too? Or does he just usher people into the good beyond?
Will Regina turn evil again?
Will Belle wake up?
Robin? Really, Robin? And who gets to take care of the baby girl? And what about Robin’s son??
