Spoiler Discussion: The apple was poisoned?!

[KAOS Agent]

I have this horrible feeling that the finale is going to be Regina/Henry save the world where Henry has to go find his "real" mother and convince her to break the evil curse on the land in a complete reversal from Season 1. The heroic Regina will fight the evil Snowing and their daughter the Black Swan. It's the ultimate Regina fanfic.

[RadioGirl27]

I have this horrible feeling that the finale is going to be Regina/Henry save the world where Henry has to go find his "real" mother and convince her to break the evil curse on the land in a complete reversal from Season 1. The heroic Regina will fight the evil Snowing and their daughter the Black Swan. It's the ultimate Regina fanfic.

Yeah. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a role reversal, with Emma or Snow as the Evil Queen and Regina as the hero who saves everybody from the horrible Charmings.

This girl was watching the shooting yesterday and she has felt the need to post this:

 

Just to address a few things based on a few posts I’ve seen around. I don’t know specifics on the end game of this season but I know a couple of things and so I feel like I need to gently suggest to us Captain Swan shippers that this half is most likely not going to be having as much Captain Swan or Hook as we’d love to see. They aren’t the forefront of the 4B plot so we might need to prepare for that and get our Hook fix where we can.

 

The forefront of 4B is the author and the Mongoose stuff. I’m not the biggest fan of that either, but it might be something we need to accept is happening. Whether or not Regina gets her happy ending from meddling, we don’t know but that’s where they are going so I’m going to sit back and try to enjoy it for what it is. Anyone with me? These writers are so creative, who knows what will happen!

 

So, yeah. The finale is going to be Regina and Henry going around EF trying to mend things.

Edited March 18, 2015 by RadioGirl27

[kili]

I have this horrible feeling that the finale is going to be Regina/Henry save the world where Henry has to go find his "real" mother and convince her to break the evil curse on the land in a complete reversal from Season 1. The heroic Regina will fight the evil Snowing and their daughter the Black Swan.

 

Why even put that out in the universe?

 

I will flip a table if that happens. I get that one can be influenced by events in one's life, but a complete reversal like that seems unlikely. You don't go from killing nobody to being the Evil Queen just because of a small change when you are a teen or something. There is a lot of nature & nurture that happens before that. To make it cannon that the Evil Queen is the biggest victim because of what others did to her so she is no way to blame for what she did...ugh! Snow has already had more shit rained down on her than Regina ever did and has resisted taking the "easy path". I just don't see what life-changing event which will turn Snow into the Evil Queen unless the Author really can control all actions and destiny.  Which, if true,  should kind of end the series.

 

Regina already got to break the Dark Curse and shoot white magic out of her butt to end last season. If she gets to be even a bigger hero this season....I just can't.

 

I would really like to see somebody else (I would super-like it if it was somebody non-magical like Charming) save the day.

Edited March 18, 2015 by kili

[YaddaYadda]

Oh, so Regina would sacrifice her happy ending for the populace?  Forgive me while I snort.  So they are about to induct her in the Hero Hall of Fame then.  Okay, whatever...

 

I'm sort of glad this is a whole two hour night because if the first hour is all about Woegina and her happy life, I might not come back for the second episode if it's a week later, so there's that.

 

I'm looking forward to what we might be able to "see" from Stevetson next week.  I think that might be a bit more telling.

[Rumsy4]

I have this horrible feeling that the finale is going to be Regina/Henry save the world where Henry has to go find his "real" mother and convince her to break the evil curse on the land in a complete reversal from Season 1. The heroic Regina will fight the evil Snowing and their daughter the Black Swan. It's the ultimate Regina fanfic.

 

I won't be surprised. There has been a gradual beatification of Regina, and stripping down of Snow's heroism and morals ever since Season 2. This kind of reversal would be the culmination of that journey.

 

Oh, so Regina would sacrifice her happy ending for the populace?  Forgive me while I snort.  So they are about to induct her in the Hero Hall of Fame then.

 

If this happens, everyone can finally stop pretending that Emma is the savior. She can pack her pirate up and leave for New York, and we can stop watching the show. 

[kili]

The filming they are doing today, maybe the Orpheum lobby (which is quite impressive) is a castle and the dance studio is the ballroom off the lobby? They've always CGI'd this stuff before, but maybe they realize using real sets once and a while creates a better effect.

 

That could mean we might get another iconic dance scene - one to open the season and one to end it. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty had iconic ones. Tangled had a good one, but it was outdoors. As was the dance Robin Hood and Maid Mariane shared (sniff, I loved those two crazy foxes! TS, TW)  We've already seen Frozen with the badly dancing Duke of Weasel-town and Beauty and the Beast this season.

[scenicbyway]

Let's say that Emma goes dark and becomes the evil queen and Regina is the Savior for her happy ending.  I don't see how Henry would be apart of Regina's ending, how would he exist?

 

I do like the idea of Hook and Emma being together even if she's dark, but again, how is he alive?  If he gets a happy ending as a hero, wouldn't Liam and or Milah be alive, and he would've died hundreds (eye roll) of years before because he never would've stayed that long in Neverland seeking revenge on Rumple?

 

Not really looking forward to a two hour Regina-Emma movie.

[Serena]

Eh, I don't know that it would be a literal "here's what what happen if heroes and villains switched". It's probably more like the author going: "AH! You think you know better than me? You think you want to live in a world where villains have happy endings? I'll show you!" and create a kind of dystopia.

[Shanna Marie]

Unless something really surprising happens this season that we don't have spoilers about, I can see me not bothering to buy the DVD of this season. There are a few bits and pieces I wouldn't mind being able to watch repeatedly, but I can't see myself doing a marathon of this season for fun, and most of the bits I like are brief enough to show up in YouTube videos or even gifs. I can't think of an episode yet that I have unabashedly loved from start to finish, and what we're seeing hints of isn't making me optimistic. I wouldn't mind a darker twist on the It's a Wonderful Life plot in which we see what a hellhole a world where villains get their happy endings is, but since they can't be objective about Regina, I'm sure they'd find a way to show that it's okay if she gets a happy ending or to make her the hero.

 

But in general, Operation Mongoose=Snooze, Marian Was Zelena!!!=Rage. There's nothing that I'm excited about seeing, other than maybe what the deal is with the Jolly Roger in a bottle.

[KingOfHearts]

I'd rather have an actual alternate reality to deal with than just a two-episode adventure. I'd want to be a game changer for the series as a whole. That's never going to happen though with these writers. They're against anything edgy or that involves continuity.

[scenicbyway]

Eh, I don't know that it would be a literal "here's what what happen if heroes and villains switched". It's probably more like the author going: "AH! You think you know better than me? You think you want to live in a world where villains have happy endings? I'll show you!" and create a kind of dystopia.

I don't know, this show isn't very deep sometimes, I could see them doing a literal switch.

[snarkastic]

Let's say that Emma goes dark and becomes the evil queen and Regina is the Savior for her happy ending.  I don't see how Henry would be apart of Regina's ending, how would he exist?

 

I do like the idea of Hook and Emma being together even if she's dark, but again, how is he alive?  If he gets a happy ending as a hero, wouldn't Liam and or Milah be alive, and he would've died hundreds (eye roll) of years before because he never would've stayed that long in Neverland seeking revenge on Rumple?

 

Not really looking forward to a two hour Regina-Emma movie.

 

Maybe the changes will only effect what is in Henry's book. I think we've gotten confirmation before that the Rumple/Hook stuff isn't in it? The book mostly focused on Regina/Snowing, with a few adventures of characters that affected the 'plot'. (It's my reason why Pinocchio's story wasn't originally in it.) So then the changes to the book would be more about only reversing Regina/Snowing, and not all villains? I don't know. I'm sure it won't make sense whatever they do, being This Show.

[RadioGirl27]

I don't know, this show isn't very deep sometimes, I could see them doing a literal switch.

I don't know with the rest, but, at least with Emma, Snow and Regina, the switch, if it happens, is going to be literal: Snow and Emma are going to be the worst persons ever, hated for everyone, while Regina is going to be Saint Regina, the most beloved person in the EF ever.

 

News from the set:

 

 

so today on set were timothy webber (the apprentice) and patrick fisher (he’ll play the peddler). the scene was all indoors so we didn’t see anything.

[KingOfHearts]

so today on set were timothy webber (the apprentice) and patrick fisher (he’ll play the peddler). the scene was all indoors so we didn’t see anything.

 

My money is on the Peddler as the Sorcerer. A&E need to hit that trope... again.

Edited March 19, 2015 by KingOfHearts

[RadioGirl27]

Adam has posted the last tittle of the season. No surprise there: Operation Mongoose part 2.

https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamHorowitzLA/status/578354049088507906

I've been thinking about it and other than Lana, Jared and Jennifer, has any other regular shooted something for the finale? I know we don't know what happens in studio, but I can't remember any exterior shooting for Colin, Ginnifer, Josh, Michael, Robert and Emilie since the 3rd of March. It's a depressing thought.

[sharky]

To be fair, there's quite a bit that we don't have any clue about, which I'm assuming is likely in the studio. We didn't know anything about the Jolly Roger until it showed up in studio pictures this week and yet it looks like they may have filmed some of that outdoors based on the promo. If not, they green screened the outdoors and if that's the case, all bets are off.

[LizaD]

I'm going with the Author and Sorcerer being 2 different people. Peddler is definitely Author and Mickey is the Sorcerer, he's just playing like he's the Apprentice. I think he inherited the title from the original one.

 

 

They're against anything edgy or that involves continuity.

Yeah they're also allergic to logic, anything that could be entertaining, and anything approaching decent writing. After last week I'm hanging on by a thread and nothing in the spoilers look promising. I don't even have anymore material to snark on. Apathy is seriously settling in.

[retrograde]

Mickey is the Sorcerer, he's just playing like he's the Apprentice. I think he inherited the title from the original one.

I'm also thinking the same thing. 

 

I also don't think there's much point in worrying about who is/isn't in the finale based on location shoots. It's such a small snapshot of the overall picture. Also, far as I can tell, the trio and Lily likely finish up by 3.19, so the only non-regulars we know of are the peddler, apprentice, and Cora. 

[Geeni]

Has there been news about whether the QoD or Zelena have shot anything in the past week? Or are none of them sticking around?

[KingOfHearts]

 

Has there been news about whether the QoD or Zelena have shot anything in the past week? Or are none of them sticking around?

This may be an opinion of the minority, but I really want one of them to stay on the cast or at least as a secondary character.

[retrograde]

Based on Twitter, Rebecca Mader seems to be in LA, Victoria Smurfitt was also in California as of a few days ago, and Kristin Bauer van Straten is shooting in Georgia. 4.20 is the last report of KBvS shooting, 4.18 is the last report of Cruella, and Merrin Dungey 4.17. My guess is that Ursula and Cruella are largely done by the end of 4.18, given Mal appears to be somewhat reformed by 4.20 and the Nevengers are focused on Lily and Zelena in 4.19 and 4.20.

 

I saw someone posit in another thread that the writers decided to have three villains because they thought they had to go big after Frozen, and I'm inclined to agree. I wonder whether the original intention wasn't to just have Mal. Between the author stuff, the Lily stuff, and the Zelena/Robin stuff, I don't know if either Ursula or Cruella will be explored much beyond their one centric episode apiece and then discarded when they're no longer needed.

Edited March 19, 2015 by retrograde

[Curio]

This may be an opinion of the minority, but I really want one of them to stay on the cast or at least as a secondary character.

Oh, I totally want Cruella to be a background Storybrooke character like Grumpy or Granny. She's all that and a bag of chips. The other two can leave, though.

 

I do find it odd that we haven't seen any of them film in a while. Way to burn through three classic villains in less than 10 episodes, writers.

[Souris]

A fan ran into Colin & Sean on the street with their families. That is one lucky, lucky sandwich filling. (Colin is toting Evan, who has been cropped out. Excuse me, let me go pick up my ovary where it rolled out.)

 

To make it spoiler: Sean said they had a few days off from filming.

[RadioGirl27]

That pic :-)

But it just confirms my worries: the finale is going to be Swan Queen 2 hours movie where the rest of the characters, if they appear, would have a testimonial presence. Last year were Belle and Henry, this year would be everyone except Regina, Emma and Henry.

[Curio]

Yeah, I'd take that as a sign that they aren't heavily featured in the finale. Seeing those two hang out so much makes me curious about how those two characters would interact with each other on screen. Have Hook and Robin even said a word to each other in the show?

Edited March 19, 2015 by Curio

[Shanna Marie]

I'm wondering ... even if they don't do a total reversal where the villains become heroes and the heroes become villains, if it's just a world where villains get happy endings, where does Hook stand? He's as much a former villain as Regina was (though on a lesser scale), but he doesn't seem to be feeling robbed by the universe. He seems to be pretty much okay with his current situation. He's happy and in love, and the only thing that seems to be making him unhappy is his frustration with not being able to do enough to help the people he wronged. I don't think he would change much of anything about his current life. He hasn't even said anything about missing the Jolly Roger. I'd guess he'd rather have Emma, and that was the trade he made. So if they entered a bizarro-verse where the villains got their happy endings, where would he fall? I know the show doesn't see it this way since they see Regina as all that is good and holy, but Hook seems to me to be the only villain who's truly redeemed, since he has acknowledged the wrongs he's done, knows that he was in the wrong and is focusing his efforts on helping to do good and making up for what he's done rather than whining about not having everything he ever wanted, right away. So it seems like he'd probably not end up doing well in a world where villains got happy endings, especially if Rumple is getting his happy ending.

 

And that's yet another logic hole in this stupid plot -- wouldn't a lot of the villains' happy endings cancel each other out? The problem with villains is that they want it all, and everyone can't have "all" at the same time.

[YaddaYadda]

I don't think there will be a reversal as in you're now the villain and I'm the hero type of thing.  Regina was told (I guess) that the villains want their happy ending and destroy the heroes happy endings in the process.  So Regina might end up with her happy ending, but it doesn't necessarily mean that Snow and David will be all evil if they are at all.  I could see David living out his life on his mother's farm and not being a prince.  But will his life be better than the one he has?  Lana mentioned something about Regina realizing that her happy ending didn't necessarily involve a man or maybe Lana wanted Regina to realize that (I can't be sure).  Maybe it's about some of these people realizing that what they thought they wanted was not all that it's cracked out to be.  Regina didn't go into the tavern to meet Robin, maybe it's because the timing for her meeting him wasn't right at all and she was just supposed to meet him much later in her life.

 

Again, this will come down to choices.

 

For Emma, I think it's more about how she would have turned out if her parents had not tinkered with her life and tried to make her a certain way.  Were her choices controlled by what her parents did?  And even if she is a villain in the alternate timeline, I'm assuming she will end up making the conscious choice to change because it's never too late.  Hook is doing it after having been on the wrong side for God knows how long.

 

Anyway, I guess we'll see.

[BoPeeps]

The writers and creators have reached a point of creative overload. They are saturating each episode with too much story, too many characters. And none are being served well.

Being the addicted spoiler junkie that I am, I had become my own worst enemy in attempting to search for cohesive writing and mature story telling within the ONCE creative team.

"It ain't gonna happen" ...so it is now just a matter of focusing on the parts that give me personal kicks until even those bore me and I read a good book instead of turning on the TV.

A+E have always told the story THEY want to tell, no matter how disjointed and nonsensical it plays out.

Right now what is showing up on the screen is pretty dull and often anxiously dimwitted to the thought provoking (Defiantly demanding? Stubbornly addicted? Totally obsessed?... Nutty? Ha!) fans like the members of this forum who enjoy delving into the inner workings of the adventure on spoiler and speculation threads! We expect more than what they have chosen to give/create.

Edited March 19, 2015 by BoPeeps

[Mitch]

Agreed S1 was good as it had a limited scope and a limited set of characters. The whole thrust was clear and concise...a curse stranded these people in our world in a suspended state of unhappines. Emma is the curse breaker, and she is antogonists with Gold and Regina, though she had no idea why. We see the main cast back stories. That was it.

 

Now they are all over the board thinking they are so creative just jamming crap into an episode and it would be find if they could handle it....they can't. This season could work with just Malifecent being there. She and Gold team up to find out who this author is and IF he is running their fates. Meanwhile a still on the brink Regina renews her friendship with Malifecent to make ammends for what she did, and hoping she has a friend in recovery and showing her how to live in our world. Maleficent will act nice but we know she is up to something ala S1 Regina and she will subtly work against Regina's redemption. Snow and Charming are nervous around Mal..she drops a few hints but nothing solid, Emma is trying to get her relationship with Hook going, and balancing a relationship with her same age parents and Regina, a co parent.  They dont need Cruella or Ursula...(unless already in town and they can act as a greek chorus making fun of one and all) and that is it. No jumping realms, not as much Fairy Backs as they get stupider and more convoluted with each one.  Malificent slyly pitting one and all against each other while Rump pulls the strings.

[Curio]

[Hook]'s as much a former villain as Regina was (though on a lesser scale), but he doesn't seem to be feeling robbed by the universe. He seems to be pretty much okay with his current situation. He's happy and in love, and the only thing that seems to be making him unhappy is his frustration with not being able to do enough to help the people he wronged. I don't think he would change much of anything about his current life. He hasn't even said anything about missing the Jolly Roger. I'd guess he'd rather have Emma, and that was the trade he made.

 

Expanding on this in the All Seasons thread.

[YaddaYadda]

Script Tease

 

So, we did call it that this whole thing between Hook and Ursula went down while he was still under Pan's thumb.

[KingOfHearts]

 

So, we did call it that this whole thing between Hook and Ursula went down while he was still under Pan's thumb.

So the Jolly Roger was like a supply ship for Pan? Well that's a little less dark than what I expected. But then again, he probably got the goods from pillaging and the black market.

Edited March 19, 2015 by KingOfHearts

[pezgirl7]

But then again, he probably got the goods from pillaging and the black market.

 

 

See Adam, that's how you do a script tease! I'm really looking forward to seeing the Jolly Roger and Hook in his pirate gear a lot more than I thought I would.

 

If Hook was leaving Neverland so many times, I wonder why he stayed there for 300 years. Did it take him that long to plot his revenge? Or did he have some kind of contract with Pan where if he didn't return to Neverland, Pan could send his shadow to kill Hook or something? So when Hook did finally leave,  maybe he had permission from Pan.

Edited March 19, 2015 by pezgirl7

[YaddaYadda]

Article and sneak peek

[Curio]

I hope this means we get a quick scene of Pan ordering Hook to go do this task. Robbie did show up at the premiere, and so far everyone who was there has shown up in an episode or two at some point this season.

[KingOfHearts]

 

Hook befriends the young Ursula and he agrees to help her because her father, Poseidon [Ernie Hudson], uses her voice to ruin pirate ships and run them into rocks, and she doesn’t want to do that.

Why did I suddenly think of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?

 

 

Article and sneak peek

So apparently Team Hero knows about Rumple's involvement somehow. I sort of doubt Rumple would let Regina go, but characters doing stupid things for the sake of plot convenience is an everyday occurrence... 

Edited March 19, 2015 by KingOfHearts

[YaddaYadda]

So apparently Team Hero knows about Rumple's involvement somehow.

 

Belle probably wises up off screen and let's them know what happened.  I doubt Regina has the chance to get anyone a message surrounded as she is.

 

Ursula just wants her voice back?  That's all kinds of sad that this is all she really wants in order to be happy and she probably spent lifetimes miserable because she didn't have it.

Edited March 19, 2015 by YaddaYadda

[pezgirl7]

Watching that sneak peek, all I could think of was how funny it must have looked during filming, with Colin having to pretend to be crushed by a tentacle. LOL

 

Good job to those who guessed that Ursula's voice had a type of siren effect. What a jerk her dad is though. Isn't he suppose to be the god of the sea? Why would he want to crash ships, just cause they're bad pirates and not worthy of the sea? Not cool Poseidon, not cool.

Edited March 19, 2015 by pezgirl7

[YaddaYadda]

What a jerk her dad is though. Isn't he suppose to be the god of the sea? Why would he want to crash ships, cause they're bad pirates and not worthy of the sea? Not cool Poseidon, not cool.

 

I find it funny that he goes to a pirate afterwards.  Yeah, I know they said Hook did something terrible to Ursula, but this really sounds like it's about self-preservation more than something he did out of malice.  It doesn't seem like he was being an asshat.  He has Pan on one side pulling his strings and a freakin' sea God on the other side.  It just seems like Ursula got caught in a bad blood more than anything.

 

ETA - My impression from this is Emma doesn't seem to know what he is up to.

Edited March 19, 2015 by YaddaYadda

[Shanna Marie]

Belle probably wises up off screen and let's them know what happened.

Key word: offscreen. Because nothing interesting is allowed to happen where we see it. I still would love it to be something about Will that clues them in, where Hook doesn't respond badly to Will when they run into each other, and Belle wonders at that, and then Hook wonders why Belle is wondering, and she has the sudden "Oops" realization.

[HoodlumSheep]

I thought that was a lovely interview with Colin. It does appear that Ursula got caught in the middle. I suppose losing her voice, and at such a young age, could be soul crushing. I just watched the Sound of Music special on ABC where Julie Andrews discussed how she felt/what she went through when she lost her singing voice. :( i feel for Ursula.

Haven't watched the sneak peek though.

I think I'll wait. Also, high five to Adam! I think that was one of his better script teases.

Also...Smee!!!!! Yay! I just love him, okay?

Edited March 19, 2015 by HoodlumSheep

[Mathius]

Or did he have some kind of contract with Pan where if he didn't return to Neverland, Pan could send his shadow to kill Hook or something? So when Hook did finally leave, maybe he had permission from Pan.

This was said back in 3A, nobody leaves Neverland without Pan's permission, and Hook leaving for good was part of a "deal". I assume there was some contract which all the temporary detours out of Neverland were a part of, and once that contract was completed Hook was let go. And yeah, it's pretty obvious that if Hook tried to back out and do his own thing, he'd end up dead by shadow-ripping.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Mathius

[FurryFury]

Hey, maybe I'll finally enjoy something not-Frozen related this year. I like Pirate!Hook (unlike his current defanged, plot-devicey self), and this flashback should feel at least somewhat fresh compared to the million Snowing/Regina-centric stories. However, the current storyline seems pretty awful.

[Mitch]

Not a big Hook and Emma fan (dont hate em mind you) but yes, anything is better that another convoluted Snow/Charming/Regina flashback. I actually like Ursula and really do hope that she has motivation and actually wants to be reformed (but still bitchy) and hey anyone who can kick Rump's legs out from under and give those great sideeyes is welcome in my book.

[Shanna Marie]

It would be a nice twist if, for a change, the villain really was wronged by one of the heroes, the "hero" makes an effort to make it right, and then the villain is okay with that and stops being villainous. Though I'm not sure they'd go with that this early in the season, would they? Could they have Hook make it up to Ursula and her decide she has what she wants, so she's not bothered with the rest of their scheme? Or would her friendship with Cruella and Mal trump any ethics she might have?

[KingOfHearts]

I'm wondering how the heck Ariel fits into this episode if she never encounters Ursula. I'm betting it's a bit part like Aurora. I wonder if Eric's ship was one of those that Ursula's voice wrecked.

Edited March 19, 2015 by KingOfHearts

[YaddaYadda]

I wonder if Eric's ship was one of those that Ursula's voice wrecked.

 

Probably not.  I mean this is during Hook's Neverland life.  I don't think Eric shouldn't be born yet.  I guess sea gods age differently than humans too.  I'm guessing that Hook is probably about 10 years older than Ursula in the timeline.  He went to Neverland right after Milah's death.

 

I smell a double-cross from Ursula in the current timeline.  

 

And I think Ariel might have more to do with Hook than anything else at this point where she probably saves his life.  He uses the conk shell to call Ursula which is what Regina used to call Ariel.  Maybe she goes because she knows who the call is coming from?

 

I'm really intrigued about the Jolly Roger if anything at this point.  I thought Ursula would just take Hook to the EF so that no one in Storybrooke could find him.  But i'm clearly wrong about that one.

[Shanna Marie]

I'm pretty sure the flashback has to be happening long before Ariel's time, since Ursula is so young.

 

My guess is that Hook has the shell containing Ursula's voice on the Jolly Roger, and Ariel may be involved in getting it back to Storybrooke. Maybe that's where the ship in the bottle comes in.

 

But having to get the Jolly Roger away from Blackbeard seems like a much bigger storyline than should fit into one episode. That's like a whole arc in and of itself, to go on the quest to find and take back the ship and then get the shell to Ursula. If they can just snap their fingers and get the ship to them, then what was the point of showing that Blackbeard currently has it? And as much as I love the ship, I would kind of prefer that Hook's sacrifice remain a sacrifice instead of him being able to get it back (though I wouldn't mind him being able to get back some of his possessions from the ship).

[pezgirl7]

Maybe Ariel meets Ursula for the first time in the present day of Storybrooke. Maybe they need her to retrieve the shell with Ursula's voice, since I doubt Hook would have brought it with him.

[Curio]

But having to get the Jolly Roger away from Blackbeard seems like a much bigger storyline than should fit into one episode. That's like a whole arc in and of itself, to go on the quest to find and take back the ship and then get the shell to Ursula.

 

These are the same writers who summed up Hook's entire journey to outrun Zelena's curse and his big trade for the magical bean in a 10 second monologue and then gave him a hand and took it away in one episode. They clearly don't care about fleshing out his individual stories beyond one episode at a crack.

 

I have no idea how the ship in a bottle fits into any of this (maybe it's just a cool prop), but I'm putting money down on Ariel saving Hook from drowning after Ursula possibly double crosses him. Maybe they have to call upon Ariel to take them to the Jolly Roger since she has the ability to jump realms to retrieve whatever they need from his ship.

 

Why do I have the feeling this will be the only episode I end up liking this back half?

Edited March 19, 2015 by Curio