I have two schools of thought on this episode and basically my conclusion is that I’m really sad that they made it canon. I wish that they hadn’t done it as episode 20 because so much is happening, there wasn’t time for a diversion like this, they needed to concentrate on the plot. I wanted to enjoy it for what it was but I couldn’t because – canon.

Spoilers for 6.20 The Song in Your Heart under the cut.

Why a flashback?
I really, really wish that they’d just made the musical part a goofy shared dream. Maybe the Black Fairy wanted time to work her magic and knocked everyone out. They could have gone full out comedy with it, giving Hook a bad perm to reference the old joke Emma made back in season three. Making it canon just wrecked the enjoyment really.

There were so many things that mattered because it was canon which wouldn’t have mattered in a goofy dream. For instance Regina just randomly walking into the scenes she saw in the mirror to kick the dwarf, and frighten Granny, how did she do that? Snow should have been visibly pregnant, there should have been no need for a boat as it’s just a carriage ride to Regina’s palace. Dwarf axes are supposed to be unbreakable and Regina snapped one over her knee. You know stuff like that.

Continuity wouldn’t have mattered in a dream but because this was supposed to be canon then things should have made sense.

What I loved
Ok now I’m going to be positive. Josh Dallas’s smile should be weaponized, it’s downright lethal. He looked like he was having fun and I do hope that’s true. I know that some of the cast weren’t exactly thrilled, and I’m really sorry for them. imp!Rumple stole the show as always and his line about “I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a rusty spoon” is Robert Carlyle’s opinion as well, in fact those might have been his words.

I’m really glad they didn’t make him sing because he didn’t want to. They are actors, they are doing a job, and I always hope that they are enjoying their work. It’s always sad if they don’t, same as it’s sad if anyone doesn’t enjoy their work. I like people to be happy.

Regina’s look of revulsion as she looked in the mirrors, like at Granny, was hilarious. I did wonder why David wasn’t in bed with Snow but maybe she was having a lie-in and his entrance did have a nice flourish. The sing-off between the Charming’s and Regina was amazing, they were the two best songs of the episode I thought, and putting them together was brilliant. It was a fantastic performance.

“Green isn’t my color” was a nice callback to “didn’t anyone tell you black is my color” they have been really good with the callbacks this season. The same with Leroy yelling “it’s here” at the end because he always announces the curses, or the fact that they’ve been portaled as he put it when Gideon arrived.

Now unpopular opinion. I really loved the end scene of the wedding. I didn’t like the wedding itself, I didn’t think Emma’s wedding dress suited her and I’m not a fan of Emma and Hook together. However, I really liked all of the characters together, dancing, being happy etc. There were side characters with the remaining dwarves, Marco, Archie, it was just a really nice ensemble scene.

Some canon thoughts
That was mean of the older girl to kid!Emma but she’s just a child herself, lashing out because she hurts, so she’s making everyone miserable around her. It’s a horrible way to behave but I’m prone to that myself so I get it.

Rumple basically just confirmed the headcanon that he sided with the black fairy to get Gideon’s heart back. I don’t entirely understand why he’s still helping her. I mean he froze everyone and he has Gideon’s heart now but maybe the dark curse needs to be enacted for some reason. Rumple has always been a believer in fate and destiny so perhaps he thinks the final battle needs to play out as it was predicted.

Zelena made a good point about Regina knowing the Black Fairy’s magic. Regina then took that and came up with something clever. That was cool. That was a good scene for those two.

“You changed.” “because you came into my life” – this is so important because it’s true. Henry brought love and family into Emma’s life when she’d been alone. He found her, brought her to Storybrooke where she reunited with her parents and learned where she came from, something she’d been searching for her entire life. I really love that they referenced this.

Oh and I did laugh at Henry throwing stuff on the ground in the sheriff’s station. Does he know that smashing stuff when angry is something he gets from Grandpa Rumple? 🙂

Conclusion
I wish it hadn’t been canon basically. I enjoyed it otherwise. I thought Snow and Charming’s performance, and Regina’s was the best. In fact I might go and rewatch those bits. I’m nervous about next week but I have my fingers crossed. Rumple and Belle are Beauty and the Beast – an iconic disney couple, so I still have faith that they will get their happy ending.

The fact that season seven is very much up in the air is not good. I’m hoping we only have a week more in limbo before knowing one way or the other. There’s been no news about EdR and I’m hoping that if RC comes back, then she will as well, because obviously if Belle isn’t in it then what happens to Rumbelle? However, a season seven led by RC and Lana, is something I would watch. My two favorite characters front and center, not going to say no.

You know it’s odd. I’ve never been invested in a show at the time of it’s cancellation. I’ve either fallen for the show after it’s run has ended, or I’ve fallen out of love with it before the end. With Once I’m far more nervous that it’ll get a season seven, but it’ll be a bad one because certain characters won’t be in it, than I am that it’ll get cancelled. I think ending at a good point, and not dragging it out, would be better. However, it’s up to ABC and with how they are struggling as a network, they might need Once to live a little while longer.

This time next week we’ll probably know. I certainly hope so, the waiting is killing me.