Not sure where to begin with is this one. On a semi-positive note we learn Gothel’s backstory and motivation. Turns out Gothel is a wood nymph from the Land without magic. Gothel was a bit like Ariel and enjoyed human things but some girls go all mean girl on her and then slaughter her family. Gothel, in revenge, kills all of humanity and leaves with one other magical human who is one of the coven members. Before she leaves she tells us that humans will evolve again and she wil return to wipe out all the humans again. Bender would be proud.
This is dumb. First off evolution doesn’t work like that! You really need to turn off your brain for this to even make a little sense and it’s asking too much. The reason for the why the sets and feel of the past scenes was just to have the twist. You think it’s set in a magic realm BUT NOPE it’s the Land without Magic, and Gothel made it that way. Once is good at twists because they are seldom set-up.
Second from a storytelling standpoint how did the humans even get in the wood nymph’s grotto? Anytime Gothel went in she used magic? So how did they get in? Sure, Gothel’s motivation for killing all the humans ups the ante from past seasons where the threats were all localized to Storybrooke but this season use of bad guys has been so all over the place with fake outs and misdirection that it’s kind a of waste. Wasn’t Gothel also trying to revive that character from the haunted mansion ride? Did the show forget that? Or was she there amongst the coven members. Also did that show suggest that wood nymph grove was in Seattle? So there was modern looking human structures AND fully evolved humans in Seattle millions of years ago? My mind in caving in on itself!!!
The Hyperion Heights has Gothel trying to make nice with Tilly, a.k.a her daughter, as Tilly is special. Damn right is Alice/Tilly special! She is the daughter of a wood nymph and a person created from a wish. She is one of the most magical beings in the show. Gothel reveals Rogers and Tilly’s relationship and they believe her. Then Tilly goes along with Gothel’s ritual. Also, also, the coven gets woken up with neary a problem.
The B-plot is more Henry and Jacinda related curse breaking stuff. Facilier and Lucy team up to cure Henry of curse-breaking killing poison. Turns out it was an easy fix since they find since all they need is Cinderella’s shoe WHICH was also easy to find since Jacinda had it. So Henry gets cured of plot related poison and Henry and Jacinda kiss but that doesn’t break the curse because OF COURSE IT DOESN’T. These dark curses are only broken through paternal love. The sleeping curse is broken through true love kiss. So is it going to Henry kissing Lucy to break the curse in a season one reversal? OR is it something else?
So one of the coven members is a no-one named Seraphina. No-one meaning she is not a fairy-tale story character, instead she is a million year old magic user. I bring this up because we still have the mystery of Dr.Sage. Which I only bring up because on Henry’s whiteboard there is a note next to her name that he doesn’t know how she is. The coven plot and its members have been sloppy.
Also when Gothel offers Seraphina to join her, she extends her hand out and says join me, who else got Star Wars vibes? I might have a one track mind.
It pains me since I enjoy Tilly story lines but this episode was a C+ at best.