Spoilers for 6.06 – Dark Waters under the cut.

The Evil Queen (Mostly)
This episode was a rollercoaster. I got the title from the fact that there were moments which were awesome, and then the follow-up was just … disappointing. I don’t like to say that because I do love this show, and I try and be positive and everything. However, I suppose if I’m being honest, then “a brief shining moment of awesomeness and then epic fail” is a fairly accurate summary of this show on occasion.

Rumplestiltskin in Neverland, all epic on the boat, leaving to save Henry on his own and making grand statements. Now I know he couldn’t save him because then the arc would be done in an episode, but still wandering around doing nothing but half a dozen episodes was a bit of a letdown. The same with his “You made one mistake with this, you made me into a hero and I will stop you because none of the other heroes in this town are me.” and then nothing happened.

The Evil Queen got that treatment in this episode. She was doing so well, I was really rooting for her and then whomp, complexity went out the window. She wants Snow White’s heart? Seriously? I admit I did a /facepalm because that is such old news. We’ve gone over that ground so many times, it’s not interesting anymore and it really doesn’t make sense. The Evil Queen was split from Regina recently, so she went through everything in the last few years. Shouldn’t she be more upset about Robin? I just don’t get it, why are we going back to Snow White?

To be honest that is my biggest complaint about this episode. I’m hoping that there’s going to be more to it, than ‘the Evil Queen hates Snow White’ because otherwise it’s just old news. Although if nothing else, watching the Evil Queen is always a pleasure, fabulous performance. I miss the duality of Regina when she is whole, it’s more complex and layered, but having more of her on screen, even if it’s split and not really her, is the highlight of the season really.

Regina was awesome facing off against herself – I loved that! Plus Zelena really isn’t wrong about keeping the Charming’s away from her daughter, I still remember what they did to Maleficient’s daughter. They are going to turn Archie back into a man right? Although I suppose he was a cricket in the Enchanted Forest, it’s just kinda weird for Storybrooke because the physical transformations of the old world don’t apply. What happened to Snow teaching rather than being a sheriff’s assistant? Although I suppose Henry isn’t at school either.

Back to the Evil Queen. I seriously loved her scene with Henry. She was telling the truth, and being protective and a little manipulative. It was the perfect example really of a grey character, she had an agenda but she was still letting people make their own choices. It’s fascinating to watch. Rumple used to be like that, and still is on occasion when he is allowed to shine.

That scene with Henry and the Evil Queen gave me such hope for the Evil Queen as a character. She seemed so complex, and deep and really not so evil. Her motives were something I could understand and I was really rooting for her. Which, has brought us full circle back to my disappointment of the Evil Queen deciding Snow is her enemy again.

Hook and Henry
I thought Hook was frozen next to Cora during the dark curse? I mean time was frozen for twenty-eight years. Literally frozen and backed up by Cora’s own words, and Philip and Mulan and it’s incontrovertible. I usually can headcanon my way round plotholes but I think I’m just going to pretend they got the timeline text wrong. It should have said “before the dark curse” because that might have been possible. Well, actually in terms of how old Liam was, not so much because Hook killed his father at the behest of the Evil Queen, which could only have been a year or two before the dark curse at best.

Yeah I’m just going to leave that one alone. Captain Nemo’s redemption story was kinda interesting and I wish we had seen more. A tale of a man consumed by vengeance, who realized when it was done that it changed nothing. To quote Rush “they are still dead” and so Nemo went on to try and help others not make the same mistakes. It’s a form of penance, because otherwise blood leads to blood. Like Liam said at the end, the cycle just starts again.

However, I really didn’t like Nemo’s line of “All I was left with was an empty heart and a blood stained harpoon” for obvious reasons. I mean he started the sentence and I was back in the dungeon of the dark castle – “all you will have left is an empty heart and a chipped cup” – that line belongs to Rumple and Belle, just saying.

Hook wanting to feed Henry a ‘healthy pirates breakfast’ was a bit of a joke. I usually maintain a healthy suspension of disbelief but seriously? Although I did like Henry fuming about his pop tart. However, why is Henry living with Emma? I haven’t seen him at Regina’s house in ages, I do hope he is splitting his time because otherwise I’m just imagining Regina alone in that big house, she is his mother just as much as Emma.

Henry saying “He’s not my father!” about Hook was good. I mean I suppose Hook is kinda in the step-father role, as he’s living with one of Henry’s mothers, which means the relationship is pretty serious. However, I do like the idea that Henry remembers Neal. They never really got to be father and son, but that doesn’t mean anyone else can take Neal’s place. Henry’s statement – “He would never hurt this family!” was a bit inaccurate given events, especially with how little time has actually passed, but maybe something is in the water. I’m just going to skate past that one as well.

“You don’t get to make decisions for me and you certainly don’t get to make decisions for my mom” – words to live by. Henry understands why Hook kept the shears, he just has more respect for Emma’s wishes.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” – I love Henry’s snark. “Why do you care? You’re not even part of this family!” – ouch. Hook really didn’t have a plan did he? Although to be honest I can tell already where they were going with this, and later scenes proved me right. Henry is still a kid and he’s lashing out in hurt and anger. I mean he’s done pretty reckless things, like trying to destroy magic twice, which is akin to keeping the shears.

“First rule of kidnapping, they never search the kid.” – Henry gets his wiles from his fathers side of the family. Although, he is fairly blind when it comes to observation. How did he not notice Hook wasn’t suited up, when he was suiting up? I mean it must have taken time to get into that diving suit. I’m glad Hook saved Henry, saying if only one of them got back to Emma it should be him, putting kids first is what you are supposed to do – basic human decency. It’s completely unsurprising though that Henry went back for Hook, he has a habit of doing that.

What was so distinctive about that knife? I don’t remember it. Anyway, clearly keys are the new hat for realm hopping. When I saw the key I thought ‘land of untold stories’ and then they said mysterious island, and I didn’t know if that was a thing. However, then yup the mysterious island is the land of untold stories which makes sense, it ties everything together. Have to ask though – is there multiple keys to that place? Cinderella had one, Rumple had one, there’s this one in the chest. If it’s one key, it certainly gets around.

Oh this is funny. My friend asked me after the sneak peek with the Evil Queen and Henry was released, whether I thought Hook and Emma would break up over the shears. I said I thought that they should, that maybe if they had some time apart and learned to be individuals again, it would result in a healthier future relationship. However, that wasn’t going to happen because the show obviously didn’t think there was anything wrong with their relationship.

So anyway I said that the conversation would go with Emma saying “don’t worry I get it” and maybe even apologizing, or the very least comforting/reassuring him and … what happened? Yeah, although it’s not exactly a big surprise, after all of course Emma is going to get it because she did exactly the same thing – she turned Hook into a dark one against his wishes.

Rumbelle Positivity
Tumblr was having a meltdown even before the episode and I expect it’s only got worse. However, I am not worried at all. I was actually very encouraged by this episode – there was real progress. I did have to laugh that at Snow during her conversation with Belle – Snow really didn’t feel qualified for that conversation.

Right so why was I so cheered about what happened? Because Belle had mixed feelings and from her own words, it’s obvious she not only doesn’t want to keep Rumple from their child, she wants them to have a good father and son relationship. That is a huge leap from where she was at the end of the premiere. Plus her feelings and motives are more obvious now, though it’s exactly what I always suspected it was – trust issues.

Belle is completely right, she needs to start with something small and simple – like the ultrasound. Otherwise she’ll never be ready to let him near their child. She’s worried Rumple will hurt their child unintentionally. She knows Rumple would never harm him physically, she knows that Rumple would never harm him in any way on purpose but people don’t always see the emotional impact they are having on others. Rumple hurt her badly and she wants to protect their child from that. It’s natural and it’s also something she can’t prevent because families are like that.

“I don’t know if Rumple can do anything to repair what we once had?” – sounds pretty definitive but when Snow asked if she hoped that Rumple could, Belle said she didn’t know. So much has happened in a short space of time, Belle needs processing time and her priority is their child right now. She is feeling the responsibility, she is making decisions for more than just her now. I think she’s taking a step back from the romantic relationship because her feelings are a mess. Until she knows what she wants, she’s not going to do anything and I think that’s a good idea. It’s far better than making a hasty decision which turns out to be a mistake.

Belle said that “Their son looked at Rumple with such hatred” and that she wants that relationship to be fixed/turn out different – she wants them be father and son. This is so important. She has gone from “my son gave me a warning.” to actually thinking logically about it for herself. She wants a better future than the one ‘their son’ warned them about, and she is acting like a mother, and trying to decide what is best and that might not be what their son said in the dream. Belle wants them to be father and son and that is huge.

Right and the elephant in the room – the Evil Queen.

Her accent when Rumple visited her at Zelena’s farm house was so funny. It was like a southern lady or something? I half expected her to call him “sugar”. Anyway, she knew what mattered most to Rumple – Belle and his child. However, I don’t think the application of the Shears of Destiny powers, is what the Evil Queen said. I don’t think it could work the way she is suggesting. Anyway, now Rumple has the shears, we’ll seen learn what he plans to do with them.

The part of the end scene I had the biggest issue with was – has Rumple forgotten Henry is Neal’s son? He said “the pirate and the son have made up” like Henry was nothing to him. I find that really sad because Henry meant so much to Neal, and now Henry is all that is left of Neal, but I suppose Rumple is just acting in self-defense. Henry will never want to be part of his life, so it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t care.

Ok – the kiss. Totally not worried about this!! Yes, he didn’t push her away but he didn’t kiss her back either. He stood there like a mannequin – it was just a power play. I admit the timing was not so great with the kiss, and then Belle putting the ultrasound under the door. However, Belle didn’t see anything and even if she had, it obviously meant nothing. I mean we have seen Rumple kiss Belle loads, he wraps his arms round her and holds her close, it was nothing like that.

Besides the moment the kiss was over, the Evil Queen handed him the shears, knowing full well that he wanted them for Belle and his child. The Evil Queen knows what matters most to Rumple. She’s not even a proper person, she’s a creature of impulse, and just doing what she felt like. So why didn’t Rumple push her away? Like he has done every time she has tried to touch him so far. I’m guessing because he’s tired, because he doesn’t care anymore, because it’ll be something else he can beat himself up for later. He’s just letting things happen to him now because he doesn’t care, he’s on his way to rock bottom and this is just a symptom of that.

He’s lost everything but he is still faced with the reminder of what he had every day, taunting him and so it’s not even a clean break. He sees Belle and I bet he thinks “this is it, there’s nothing else she can do that will hurt more” and then bang, she finds a way. I’m not blaming Belle for that, the whole situation is messed up and she needs time. I have faith that everything will be alright in the end and like I said, this episode had great progress. I’m just saying that from Rumple’s perspective it hurts.

Conclusion
Not going to lie, I liked my twist on Captain Nemo better but then I suppose I would, I tied it to Rumple’s story arc. Anyway, this episode wasn’t bad, it was just very uneven with brief shining moments, and then the resolution was not so great. Next week looks good! The Evil Queen was taking center stage in the promo, though it’s only episode seven and she was talking about endings? Interesting.

Oh well, find out next week! Can’t wait 🙂