Joenigma

First of all, while the story quality in a few episodes have improved, I am highly disappointed with this season in terms of arc. Going in I had such excitement for Dark One Emma and Sorcerer Merlin, but now that seeing Killian becoming a second Dark One really just ruins the arc for me. They had that line where Emma told Merlin that Nimue still loves him. If the curse to bring everyone from Camelot back to Storybrook still requires a heart, my theory would be Merlin's heart was used and thru Emma Nimue cast the curse.

I enjoyed the finale. Mainly because it actually focused on our core characters. When the writing if focused on the show itself instead of the new guest star of the season, it can turn out pretty well. Yes I do think Part 2 was way more fun and enjoyable than Part 1 but that's because Part 1 had to be the set up. Of course... the should of, could of, would of. after it was over came up. Like why waste the first half of 4B on the QoD when they could have done basically stretched this AU for a few episodes. Another thing I enjoyed about this episode is that it delved into this show's own mythos.

If you want to get technical, Regina is Emma's Step-Grandmother since she is Snow's Step-Mom, which would make Henry, Snow's Adopted Step-Brother and Emma's Step Uncle.

Considering what was changed occurred before the Author was trapped in the book, I think it was just how the events unfolded in the new timeline thus the book changed to reflect the new story.

I don't know if this was mentioned before but I think what A&E was trying to convey was that Emma did know Cruella couldn't kill because Emma has that lie detector power. Basically A&E's reasoning is Emma should have been able to "read" that Cruella was bluffing and that she wouldn't kill Henry but killed her anyway thus making her evil. I think it's totally BS but that's the only why I can understand why they would view a mother protecting their child as a step towards darkness.

But the Apprentice trapped him the book he was currently writing which turned out to be Henry's book, correct? This whole thing with Maleficent happens while Snow is pregnant a few months before the dark curse, weeks after Regina has crashed the wedding. Either there's a whole chunk missing or A&E are terrible storytellers. Honestly, I don't even know why I bother with this, because seriously... And since those stories appear in the book even when the Author was trapped it means someone wrote those "pages." We saw Rumple with the Author's pen. Is it possible he wrote the pages from the time the Author was trapped to when Regina enacted the curse?

is it possible the reason why the author, you could say snapped, is because of Hook and Emma's time travel adventure?

I agree with your post 100% but i'm left thinking: Then what's the point with having Emma on the show? I'm not saying all Emma is is being the Savior. But she's meant to be THE HERO of the show. If she can't then... what's the point with the character?

Emma being "the Savior" isn't necessarily the problem. It's just that outside of season 1, there hasn't been a need for "a Savior." I mean outside the Villain of the plot, who is it that needs savings? And because of the Reginafest A&E have it's left me asking "Why is Emma even needed?" I mean think about it, 3B was the prime example. Emma was brought back for a great life in New York to save her family and friends in Storybook and in the end, who saves the day? Regina. So Emma wasn't needed at all. Another thing this show is now at the risk of losing is a pure Villain. They don't want to write a true-blue Villain anymore. And every-time you think we are getting one, here comes their sob-story background episode that apparently justifies why they are evil.

Oh Man... I just had a cool thought. What if the Author is really the Big Bad Black Fairy that was banished and the Author made villains unhappy so they would seek her out and free her.

Actually with the dialog Hook and Ursula had while at the docks, I thought that she became a half octopus the moment she lost her voice. I thought they were going to do the reverse wedding scene in the Little Mermaid. Ursula loses her voice and then collapses with tenticals for feet. But they decided to say she took Daddy's trident and transformed herself. I actually thought the main lesson was, Ursula herself didn't know what her Happy Ending was. She thought this whole time it was getting her singing voice back. It wasn't It was repairing her relationship with her father and that he finally understands why singing for good is so important to her. Also getting the shell with her voice was only step 1 to her happy ending, there was the second factor, but Villains tend to obsess over the first. I remember Ingrid had a similar line to Rumple about Villains that was similar to Ariel. I think it was "Villains always want too much."

Well Ursula and Cruella (and maybe Maleficent) were all friends. What if Ursula, who now has her happy ending, is still around to try and convince the two they can get their happy endings too without the Author. Yeah, Free-Will apparently is a dangerous concept in the EF. They want everything guaranteed.

Basically what I got from this episode is, the Author is THE BOOK. And since the Book ended with the Dark Curse being cast, it actually means it ended with Regina getting her Happy Ending. But what I think they are trying to say is, remember that scene in the S1 Finale where Emma grabbed the book, and it woke her up and she finally believed what Henry was trying to say? I think from that moment, the Author's power to make Happy Endings was transferred to Emma. Actually, Ursula's happy ending wasn't really her singing voice, it was her reunion with her Father and his revelation that she was right. They need to remember her Mom, honor her, not tarnish her memory. So it was actually way more than her singing voice. But that scene could have been extended if they just cut out the Regina-Robin dream.

It's also possible Poseidon isn't the Greek God we think but named after the Greek God.

I really enjoyed this episode. I too wish we had more Ariel but for some reason, because they revealed Ursula was named after the Sea Goddess and not "the Ursula" IMHO left the door open should they want to bring Ariel back next season. So we now have another Villain with a happy ending. First Hook, now Ursula. Hook got a double happy ending with the Jolly Roger back. And that is with the Author still in the book... or is the Author the book itself? Also I noticed that it was only when Hook "took a page out of Emma's book" that he brought the Happy Ending to Ursula.